Do Taiwanese People Understand the Concept of Right of Way?

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Do most Taiwanese understand the concept of right of way?

  • Absolutely
  • Kind of
  • Maybe
  • Oh yeah, er …
  • Is the Pope muslim?

0 voters

I remember as a kid watching a TV show in which a reporter was out on the streets interviewing people when a policeman informed her that she was blocking the public right of way, and ordered her to move on. She refused, and was arrested and fined.

Telling this story to Taiwanese adults, they always look at me as if I’m insane. If something is in your way, you just go around it. Nobody can imagine ever insisting that “hey, this piece of road is set aside for these people to do this thing, and nobody else is allowed to interfere with that.”

Hence, I get to walk in the road with the maniacs in/on their killing machines, because someone else has parked on the footpath.

I used to live by the river, and had to get over the flood-wall via a long ramp. Despite the signs and obstructions at the top, people would come screaming down at insane speeds on their bikes, regardless of who was walking on the ramp at the time. It was a clear case of “move out of the way, or you will get hurt.” I generally stood my ground, but did people stop? No, they would try and go around me. On a few occasions, I resorted to actually dodging in front of people and trying to engage them on this issue and they confirmed that they simply didn’t understand what my problem was. I had no right in their eyes, only whatever freedom I could grab. It made sense to them that I should get out of their way, because it was dangerous, not that they should walk down the ramp to avoid cauding a problem for anyone.

Close to where I live now, there is a major road with a bend in it. On the bend, there is a minor road joining it at an angle. So if you continue straight on the major road you end up on the minor road, and following the major road is kind of a turn. There are flashing traffic lights, which serve to explain that if you’re on the major road then you have right of way and don’t have to stop, but should take care. That’s the meaning of the flashing orange, right? Coming from the minor road, you get a flashing red light, which means you have to stop.

But everyone drives in a straight line as if they have right of way, through the red light without stopping, which means that following the major road without stopping is next to impossible. As far as everyone is concerned, you’re making a turn even though you’re just following the road. NOBODY observes the right of way rule.

(Sure, “they” should change the rules of the junction to reflect what people do. But that doesn’t change the fact that nobody recognises the current right of way.)

I’m sure that disregard for rules is part of the issue, but deeper than that I think there is a basic idea that is just not part of the local culture. Nobody recognises that anyone has a right walk or drive in a certain place without the assumption that someone else will screw it up. I don’t think it’s simply a case of “Taiwanese are all selfish” or “I’ve met lots of courteous people,” those are just attitudes. I’m talking about awareness of a concept.

Try it. Ask everyone you know if they understand “this guy should yield to me because I have right of way” and listen to the responses. There will be plenty of talk about what the guy will do, or might do, or what you should do, but I really don’t think anyone understands that there can be rules of precedence based on anything other than power.

My theory is that this is why there is less road-rage in Taiwan. Nobody is insisting on their right of way!

2

Right of way on the streets of Taiwan is a perverse marriage of who is bigger, who got there first and who has more balls. So to answer the question, yes there is a ‘right of way’ construct in the minds of drivers here, it is just not the one you are familiar with.

One thing I would like people here to learn is the ‘zipper’ technique when two lanes merge together (that is when one car from each stream of traffic joining together alternately enters the new lane -like the teeth of a zipper). Perhaps it is time the TW gov’t put PSAs out for some of this crap.

3

Yeah, I think you are right. It’s a concept and as such has to be taught. Despite what the average newbie who’s never questioned his culture’s assumptions thinks, it is not natural or inevitable. We have it because we’ve been at this longer and worked our way out of the problem. Right of way is a simple elegant solution to the natural human tendency to generate chaos.

I do notice on the bike paths that the signs do say pedestrians have the right of way. I also notice that when I am out, if I abandon my notions of right of way and just move when I need to then I feel no stress.

4

They have a term in Chinese for “right of way”: 優先權 (you1xian1quan2). And it is taught in driver’s training, and I’ve seen the issue discussed on the TV talk shows. It just isn’t practiced well here.

5

short answer : NO
long answer : still NO

6

yep, and same goes for on the footpaths. Groups owning the footpath without any concern for being on the correct side or minding others coming. Single pedestrians crossing in front of you forcing you to move around them-often despite seeing you before they move. People walking out of buildings directly in front of pedestrians. And scooters stopping directly in front of you forcing you to alter the path and walk around them. No concept of momentum or right of way. And then there’s the women with their stupid umbrellas constantly in my face/eyes. It’s like we have to constantly interact with others/force others, to have space when walking. I try to ignore it mostly since it’s not my country, but it’s not relaxing. Ugh.

7

My theory is that all this ‘right of way’ stuff has been copied without much thought. So we have the signs and the messages, but the concept is never really internalised by the population. It’s kind of a veneer, enough to fool the average westerner, but not really part of the system.

Yup. This is how people do it here, hence my comment about road rage. I get angry because someone challenged my basic rights, they get angry because I’m calling them on something that they don’t think is important, but you can generally get away with driving badly here in a way that would be impossible in most western countries.

8

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]Right of way on the streets of Taiwan is a perverse marriage of who is bigger, who got there first and who has more balls. So to answer the question, yes there is a ‘right of way’ construct in the minds of drivers here, it is just not the one you are familiar with.

One thing I would like people here to learn is the ‘zipper’ technique when two lanes merge together (that is when one car from each stream of traffic joining together alternately enters the new lane -like the teeth of a zipper). Perhaps it is time the TW gov’t put PSAs out for some of this crap.[/quote]
i always compare it to a funnel filled with water; go with everyone else and eventually you will get where you are going.

9

Two of my biggest pedestrian peeves.

Another is slow walkers who occupy the center of a sidewalk, and who start veering to the left when I’m about to pass them on the left, and then start gravitating to the right when I’m about to pass them on the right.

10

Strange it wont allow me to vote in the poll. Anyway…

I am probably wrong, but I get the impression that people in Taiwan do understand the concept of right of way. That is, they know what they should or should not be doing but believe they are entitled (or at least not enforced) to follow the particular rules. The other thread about the ambulance right of way is a perfect example. Of course the people know they are not supposed to block an ambulance. They just dont care aka just think they are more important.

Obviously there are exceptions to the above but the OP is talking about making a generalisation.

11

Fuck no they don’t!…what a stupid question.

12

Are we talking about Taipei only or all of Taiwan?

13

[quote=“Loretta”]
Yup. This is how people do it here, hence my comment about road rage. I get angry because someone challenged my basic rights, they get angry because I’m calling them on something that they don’t think is important, but you can generally get away with driving badly here in a way that would be impossible in most western countries.[/quote]

I get angry when people do things that are so clearly and fundamentally DANGEROUS but they don’t care a toss. It’s infringing upon someone’s right to LIFE that really pisses me off.

14

Of course they do. You must give me the right of way.

:unamused: Stoopid furriners.

15

The problem lies not within Taiwanese but the weakness of the police to enforce the damn laws.

The police here are just a buncha pussies…period (and you can take that to the bank).

16

They do. There are quite a lot about yielding to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings … which is apparently a completely novel concept. Notice the way these are framed, though (if you’ve seen them): the pitch is that it’s a nice thing to do to let grandpa finish walking across the road even though (your) light has changed to green, and that it would not be a nice thing to simply mow him down (yes, this all has to be explicitly spelled out). Your kids will love you more and you’ll be getting a blowjob later off your wife. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that pedestrians have right-of-way while crossing the road.

My absolute favourite - my Chinese isn’t good enough to actually read the slogan, but I think I’ve understood correctly - is the one that warns you it is not OK to borrow someone else’s driving license if you don’t have one yourself.

That’s the point, isn’t it. Right-of-way isn’t some crazy western notion that we think everyone should follow just because we’re westerners and we know better than they. It’s a method of reducing accidents to an absolute minimum, and a well-proven one. If the Taiwanese had a different/better method, all well and good. But they don’t. Hence the frustration and piss-taking.

17

To be honest I don’t quite get it. I love bashing about Taiwanese driving habits like everyone else, but I just don’t think it’s that terrible.

Sure, it’s not as great as some parts of the United States, but it’s not complete chaos. Parts of Ireland have some crazy drivers, Mexico is just terrible, and don’t even get me started with China.

As for the main topic of “the right of way”, I saw it a lot more in places like 金門 JinMen， and other not as populated places.

Anyhow, is it fair to compare the western model of “the right of way” with cultures and populations as distinct as that of Taiwan?

18

Of course they do.

The answer is in your first paragraph:

No one in Taiwan saw that when they were a kid. Hence they correct understand that while you should yield right of away, you don’t have to.

19

Of course they do. Probably several of them.

20

[quote=“Rabidpie”]As for the main topic of “the right of way”, I saw it a lot more in places like 金門 JinMen， and other not as populated places.
[/quote]

Yeah, that’s true the outer islands, especially Kinmen and Penghu are absolutely lovely to drive in. In the middle of nowhere people will stop and wait at red lights and even in the narrow streets of Magong people are civilized and yield.

But the countryside on the main island is awful.