This thread picks up on posts made to the MRT thread by Incubus and wix99.
The MRT really needs to allow bicyclists to use the subway. It’s very common in other countries even on very crowded systems. Let’s petition Mayor Ma. Please send me a private message if you are interested in signing the petition. A draft of my proposal appears below. I modeled it on the bicycle policy used by MRT systems on the East Coast (US).
Bicycles should be allowed on subway cars if cyclists have a bike pass. Bike passes must be applied for in advance. The bicycle pass application should allow all foreigners including non-ARC holders to apply and the application form should be available on the Internet so that cyclists overseas can apply before they arrive in Taiwan. Cyclists with passes may ride in the first and last cars during non-peak hours and all day on weekends and holidays. Disabled people in wheelchairs always have priority in these cars over cyclists.
Hey nice job, Feiren. Thanks for initiating this. There’s a get-together for avid mountain bikers in the Taipei area next Wednesday evening (1/15) organized by the Formosan Fat Tire Association dennis@formosanfattire.com for more info.
I’ll sign your petition for sure, as will (I’m sure) my wife and many of her friends. But I think Ma will balk at the weekends and national holiday parts – weekends seem to be some of the busiest times of all on the MRT. Trying to maneuver a bike through (e.g.) Xindian main station at virtually any time on a Saturday or Sunday would be a total nightmare.
But overall, this is a really wonderful idea. Is there a way to extend it outside the boundaries of Segue, though? I’m thinking of Chinese-language flyers in places like Alan’s bike shop down on Roosevelt Rd, while some of those fattire guys could be asked to carry a few with them to pass out to bikers they meet on the trails… for a petition like this to be effective, I think we would need to be looking at thousands, rather than hundreds of signatures.
Hey just think how cool it would be if there was a car reserved where, you could ride your scooter onto the MRT!
Just kidding, really I think it’s a good idea. I htink you should try and see if you can track down whoever was behind those stunts where politicians rode their bikes around on ‘national bike day’ or whatever and see if they want to get some mileage out of promoting bikes on the MRT.
Well, more power to Phil. But I think it’s silly looking. Can’t imagine the pounding a folding bike can withstand coming down a rooted, off-road trail in the mountains of Muzha. I still prefer my cheap, 21-speed, aluminum Merida that’s very nicely made in Taiwan.
I can’t speak on behalf of all of the FFTA guys, but I personally feel that bikes should be allowed on the MRT. I’ve actually taken mine on a few times - though I didn’t ask for or look for approval. I don’t think that we should have to try to sneak bikes onto the system. Bike bags are an option, but they’re fairly inconvenient in a number of ways.
I can see some (understandable) resistance from the government, as we live in a city with literally millions of bikers – but the idea of a bike card (free or for a small fee) sounds like a good one. It will likely deter a large number of people, which would serve my personal needs quite nicely.
The informal gathering of mountain biker types is still on for tomorrow night (Wed 01/15) at Tapas.
[quote=“Someone else, somewhere else, some other time”]I went riding on Saturday my friends Doug and Bob. We did some great off roading in Yamingshan. Bob had his Dahon folding Mountain Bike while Doug and I had our full Suspension rigs.
On one part I switched bikes with Bob, and I was immediately impressed with how smooth your folding MTB rides. Bob really put the bike through the paces including a George of the Jungle WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE over the handlebars trick! All in all the bike really took the pounding in stride!
Lester Lin, Taiwan[/quote]
Unless you insist on having rear suspension…
Over Chinese new year I had the chance to ride the “new” LA metro (It’s newer than the Taipei MRT, but it’s already looking aged and dirty with litter strewn all over the place). Anyway, I saw several people bring their bikes on board. A permit is required, and bikes are not allowed on the trains during peak hours.
I’ll sign that … but can you imagine the queues. The vision of me, my kids, and my wife invading car number four with our rides is only slightly less frigthening.
By the way in other countries. There is a special bicycles car. You don’t jump in the same car with grandma nitti and her knitting neeedles.
although i don’t ride a bike, nor will i probably have one soon, i think that having the option is an excellent idea. pass me the petition and i’ll john hancock it for ya, but i wanted to know what had happened since this idea was proposed? i’d also like to know what kinds of people the biking community in some of the american cities had to be in cahoots with to get this kind of thing taken care of.
Now that I have my bike, I think it’s a better idea than ever. A personal letter to Ma Ying Jiu might work too. Doesn’t he have a website where you can send suggestions? I reckon this would be something he might be keen on. You could suggest a trial month of just weekends without passes to see how it goes.
That’s what I used to do too, AWOL. But despite the relatively light aluminum frame, it still felt like I was hauling a piano, especially after a hard ride. It’d be nice to just push my bike through the blue gate, take the elevator down to the platform and push it on board. There’s that wide open space in the first and last car that’s perfect for parking a bike or two.
never saw anyone brought a bike on MRT… are you sure it is legal to do so?? I once saw a girl carried her doggie in a hand bag, was going to tell on her but…i ended up playing w/ the doggie…
