I was approached by a policeman while stopped legally at a red light in the midst of Taiwanese riders so they most definitely are singling out foreigners. I did not have a license and was able to get my number plate back WITHOUT producing one ( though I did have to produce the $6000).
My attitude is that it was a fair cop because I was knowingly breaking the law and I have no beef with that. I would also like to say that I did the driving test in Shilin and I found it quite efficient in administrative terms. As a driving test, however, it is a complete and utter joke. The written test contains questions such as “When driving it is common courtesy to be well dressed; true or false?” ( the answer is true in case you are wondering). The actual driving component of the test consists of driving in a straight line absurdly slowly for no reason ( a lot more difficult than it sounds) and then stopping at a couple of red lights on a short track. There is absolutely no test of observation whatsoever, which I would regard as the most important part of any road traffic test. I have been riding motorcycles of a much larger size in Europe for years and possess a UK motorcycle licence and police accredited motorcycle certificates which are quite rigorous. I found this test bizarre in the extreme, particularly the riding slow thing which I failed since in all my years of riding I have NEVER had to do this. None of it seems to test anything except that you can basically control the vehicle.
Well, I couldn’t be arsed with it and I paid for my arrogance to the tune of $6000, so if you want to ride a bike here I suggest you do the test. Honestly, though, they need to get a grip.
The cop spoke reasonable English and was clearly on a mission, his first question was “Do you have a Taiwan license?”. Speaking Chinese, beating about the bush and playing stupid did not help one little bit.
I have to agree with your views on the very low standards of the motorcycle test in Taiwan. The testing is very easy compared to the tests I had to do to pass for my motorbike licence in Australia. We had to do tests on our reflexes and reaction time which would involve responding to random flashing lights and arrows making either sharp turns to the left or right or coming to a very quick emergency stop. It was supposed to be a test for avoiding a collision. I think it was a much more useful and practical test than the rather lame Taiwanese one. We also have to do the slow straight line test in Australia, however, the one I had to do in Aus was a bit harder because it (long wooden plank) was thinner and higher. That straight line test is just a test to see how well you can control the bike ie. throttle control at low speed and balance. When you are riding bigger bikes balancing at very low speed can be quite difficult for inexperienced riders.
Yeah, you may have a point, though i still think it’s daft. The throttle control on scooters is pretty damn primitive anyway and I feel it would actually be easier on a bigger bike with a more responsive engine, but I accept this may all be sour grapes because I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t helped by the hordes of high school kids (who evidently treat the place as a lunch time hangout) having a jolly good laugh at me. If you go to shilin go early and avoid the jeers!
I’ve decided to sell my bike anyway. I’m holding out for a Norton and detachable sidecar lol
Sorry to hear you got busteed Wraith. I guess it’s an expensive reminder to all that even though we are foreigners, we shoudln’t expect special treatment. And the Fuhe Bridge is notorious, that is where everyone I have heard been busted have been busted. The Chung Cheng Bridge or the Yung-Fu are less likely to have cop stops at night.
for me sounds good when police start to push the weiguoren’s like they do the locals.
i allways drive a scooter or a car in taiwan and as a foreigner i have to respect the law of the hosting country. i’am a guest there.
i feel disgusted by listening to other foreigner which making jokes about taiwan authorities and give suggestions to others, like “hey man dont care, just acting stupid and dont speak chinese, that works all the time to me”.
why should we be able to drive w/o license?? no insurance coverage and and and, are we better so we dont need to follow the taiwanese rules.
in the last 10-15 year i knew so many foreigners which just making jokes about the local laws, that i allways feel ashamed to be a foreigner too.
backhome they have to dance after papa’s law why not in other countries?
now i feel the city of taipei act very taff for traffic violators and that with a good success. now it seems to be the right time to enforce the law on foreigners too.
the traffic and the environment has an enormous improvement of security and cleanless in the last 10 years - thats success to me. otherwise compare the traffic to shenzhen (southchina)
No sir, I have a bike license from the states and they honored that, only had to wait a week after registration and wasn’t required to attend the 24 hours of training.
[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]No sir, I have a bike license from the states and they honored that, only had to wait a week after registration and wasn’t required to attend the 24 hours of training.[/quote]Dipwads here completely refused to honor my bike notation on my Cali license even with 10 yrs of motorcycle insurance receipts to back it up.
Told me it meant nothing.
If you got away with it Good for You!
Luck and bugs had nothing to do with it I forked over $7,000NT. to the training center. Bikefarm Jeremy was with me and they honored his UK license too.
I also breath through my mouth and my knuckles scrape the ground, maybe that had something to do with it.
I agree with everyone who says these whyguorens should have a driving licence. i’d like to see any of them do the same thing in thier own country.
Oh but i forgot, whyguorens are gods in Taiwan and the rules don’t apply to them… the people who should be “getting a grip” are these big nosed people with “rock star” complexes.
I’m a big bike rider and just wanted to also know who the other guys here are who ride big bikes. You can’t miss mine, it’s the one with the union jack painted all over it.
well you know who I am, you can tell by the engine in my avatar pic… and it seems a lot of people now certainly know who you are since I notice you’ve eclipsed even our Belgian friend (didn’t use his real name due to forum rules) in terms of fame and notoriety… that was quite some headliner article about you in that local “Bike Person” magazine eh?.. :bravo: both you and your bike looked dead cool…
One of these days I’ll come up to Monet… no really…
Well for many years some foreigners have always thought that the laws of Taiwan didn’t apply to them. I have no sympathy for people who’ve lived here for a long time but always claim that getting a licence is a hassle.
Let’s all try that I don’t speak Chinese routine one more time lol[/quote]
Why should the laws of Taiwan only apply to the foreigners? They sure as shit don’t apply to the locals in most cases.
“Why should the laws of Taiwan only apply to the foreigners? They sure as shit don’t apply to the locals in most cases.”
Please give me a break, you know full well the rules apply to the locals, come on get off your horse…
Yes i agree things here aren’t perfect, but can you tell me in which country they are???
Well all i can say is if you don’t want to take the test and get a licence, then don’t, but there will come a day you will regret it. But freedom of choice and all that eh!!
plasmatron Thank you, thank you!!
I know several Belgians so i’m not sure which one you’re talking about and honestly i’m still not sure who you are. But me… famous… nah… noone knows me really… exept every police officer, and any biker worth his/her weight…
well anyway, coffee’s on me when you eventually get to monet.
This weekend should be good riding. (fingers crossed)
