Regarding driving here, can someone please share some of their wisdom about the roads here?
What does a yellow line in the middle of the road mean?
What does a broken white line mean in the middle of the road?
What does red line on the edge of the road mean?
What do the different lanes mean on multi lane roads?
When can you turn at a red light?
When it’s at an angle of 90 degrees from you, but only under the condition that the light facing you is green.
Other than no turn on red, Taiwan’s road rules are pretty similar to many other countries. If you have questions it may be easier to relate the answers to a country where you have driven before. What country’s road laws are you familiar and comfortable with already?
Thanks, what do you mean by this?
All very good questions. The following responses are based on what I’m reading from a Taiwan driving handbook which I am currently holding in my hands. Please note that I am NOT reading from the law books, which take precedence over the handbook.
A single solid yellow line in the middle of the road is not mentioned anywhere in the driving handbook, nor have I seen it anywhere in Taiwan. This also does not exist in the US or the UK, but does in Canada.
EDIT: Regarding solid double yellow lines in the middle of the road, it is confirmed in another post that it is illegal to cross them, even when making left turns into a driveway.
Similar to the US, a broken white line in the middle of the road separates lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction on a one-way road. Note that this is different from the UK where single broken white lines can signify different things depending on the length of the dashes.
A red line along the edge of the road means “no stopping or parking”, whereas a yellow line means “no parking”. Note that picking up and dropping off passengers is permitted in the latter, while not in the former.
Never.
However, if you have a separate green right arrow at a red light, you may turn right after yielding to all other traffic (including oncoming traffic turning left, which is different from the US).
Also note that a green right arrow is different from a green left arrow, in that the latter signifies a protected left turn where you have the right of way. In the former, you have to yield.
Lanes are categorized into the following.
Slow lane: For scooters and bicycles traveling slowly, and for cars about to make a right turn, about to park, or just leaving from a parking spot. All other cars are prohibited from traveling in this lane. The slow lane is separated from the fast lanes by a single solid 10cm-wide white line.
Fast lanes: Normal driving lanes for cars, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, and all other types of vehicles. Fast lanes are separated from one another by a single white dashed line.
The left-most (or inner-most) fast lane on regular surface roads are usually meant for traffic going faster, and for traffic about to turn left. Note that many inner-most fast lanes have a “no scooter or bicycle” restriction, which is marked by yellow Chinese words painted on the street.
Obviously not when it comes to basic road markings, as demonstrated in my previous response.
They are making a joke. They mean don’t turn if there is no road to turn onto!
A double solid yellow line means passing or change lines is not allowed under any circumstances
Double white lines are usually drawn on bridges, tunnels, bends, ramps, approaching intersections or other road sections that are considered necessary when the traffic is particularly heavy and there are multiple lanes in the same direction, and it is forbidden to change lanes
Solid white line you can not change lines , but you can change lines on broken white lines
Parking is not allowed on the left and right roads of the red line, and there is no distinction between inside and outside
The purpose of setting up the yellow lines on multi roads is to ensure smooth traffic at the intersection. Vehicles are prohibited from parking within the marked area
sources:
tbh this applies only to the US, nowhere in Europe, JP, HK, TW can do this. Those r the countries/continents I drove in and this rule seems still very random.
Yes to the joke, but no to your explanation
The red is at 90 degrees because you have a green light
Unless there is a sign saying you can, or a dedicated right turn ramp
You are not supposed to stop on those as well. This is to prevent blocking of the intersection and driveway exit/entry in case there is traffic.
Those are also in front of fire stations so they can immediately leave for their rescue missions without being blocked.
In other countries it is forbidden to be stopped in the intersection when the light turns red. It is same as running a red light. You can enter the intersection only if you can clear it before light changes. In Taiwan traffic this happens so often the cities paint those yellow lines to further indicate not to block the intersection.
Interesting. I’ve never seen such a sign in Taiwan. Usually the traffic light will show a green right arrow.
there r many things u r not supposed to do here… and still…
Tainan
Yeah, so many people either dont know or don’t care, and it isn’t enforced, that the lines mean nothing
I see people turn left at red lights with oncoming traffic
I see ppl going through the intersection with red light and cars with green have to stop. They r animals tbh.
Bonus points to anyone who can figure out what these 3 lines mean:
Might not be mentioned in whatever handbook you say you are reading but it is illegal to cross double yellow lines. @chydals provides some excellent examples.
There are no “fast” lanes. There are lanes specifically marked for “slow moving vehicles” but there are no lanes dedicated to “fast moving vehicles”.
They are called fast lanes, at least in the driving handbook.
Are you able to provide a link to the relevant law?
