I recently got my 5th photo taken in less than 12 mths for a minor traffic infringement.
Twice while doing a left turn on a straight-ahead green arrow (but just one parallel block away, everyone does it, and you’ll get honked from behind if you don’t.)
Twice for creeping over the white line before the light had turned green (but after the 1-second-to-go countdown).
Once for exceeding 50km/h on a 4-lane country road (6 lanes actually, if you count the physically partitioned motorcycle lanes), where everyone drives perfectly safely at 80, except for the spot where the camera is.
I don’t think I’m a dangerous driver. On the contrary, I think I’m pretty cautious. I’ve had the odd scratch and scrape, but I have never had a real accident in my life.
Nor have I ever owned a GPS device in my life, and so I know very little about them.
But I think I saw one on TV once that was able to warn the driver that he or she was approaching a red-light / speed camera.
Pardon my ignorance about GPS devices, but can anyone tell me whether this feature is available in GPS devices sold in Taiwan?
(One would think so, when you see the number of cars driving through red lights without even slowing down.)
Can anybody recommend one?
It doesn’t have to be able to speak English; Chinese is OK.
Something that costs $4,000 ~ $5,000 should be able to pay for itself within a year, if the past 12 mths are anything to go by.
Apologies if this has been discussed before. I did do a search of the forum for “GPS” and “camera” but nothing came up.
When you want to do some a-hole maneuver at an intersection, look for cops and then look for cameras. It’s not like the cameras are camouflaged or micro-sized or something. I’ve driven for years in Taiwan and never got a ticket yet.
adikarmika, where have you been getting all these tickets (location of infractions)? Curious because I have been doing really good in the Xindian/Mucha/Wenshan/Banciao areas, taking more risks after years here, but it is more of a ‘fit in’ approach then I have had in the past.
It’s not a GPS that you need. It’s a RADAR Detector.
Go to a scooter shop and ask him if he sells Radar Detectors. If he doesn’t ask him where to get one. You’ll probably need a whole morning to find one.
That device tries to detect radar before the camera takes your photo.
I recommend you set a good example and obey the rules of the road though.
Yes, all GPS navigating devices will warn you of stationary speed cameras and red light cameras, but you would need to update it over time. Garmin and TomTom can use English. Or you can get a camera detector, it does the same thing. You can easily find one in your budget, at any car accessory shop. Laser and Radar detectors are a bit more expensive, but at the end, there is no guarantee you will not get a ticket, unless you follow the rules… This time of the year, the authorities step up their efforts.
