In the UK and US its common courtesy to stop for pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing.
In the UK the driver only has to give way to the pedestrian if they have stepped onto the crossing. Only if the pedestrian is already on the crossing then the driver is legally obliged to give way.
Itās interesting that most drivers in the UK give way even if the pedestrian has yet to step onto the crossing. I wonder how that behaviour developed culturally in the UK when it clearly hasnāt in Taiwan. The law isnāt the answer as in the UK the law gives the driver the right not to give way.
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We shouldnāt have to do that in a civilized society. Heck this is the thing that irks most about living in Taiwan.
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Coming from the UK I would be very surprised (shocked) if the law allowed drivers not to give way to pedestrians on or about to step on to a pedestrian crossing.
Since way back a far as I can remember (being 52 now), the BBC always had instructional videos teaching pedestrians and drivers road safety.
āKids when crossing look left, then right and cross the road paying attention at all times.ā
āClunk-click every tripā ā seat belt advisory.
Watching out for motorcyclists emerging from behind a vehicleā¦
and so many more.
Basically the British have a āsafety firstā culture. Safety is ingrained into us from an early age. Safety in the workplace and at home, on the streets and roadsā¦and the UK has probably the safest roads in Europe, and a RTA fatality rate 4x lower than Taiwan.
However, noticeable here in Taiwan in many respects is the seeming lack of awareness of safety, and consideration for the other. A real weakness in Taiwanese society.
Here in Tainan, when a shop is refurbishing, they usually have yellow tape in the store front forcing pedestrians into the road, sometimes infront of the truck the store owner was using. Very dangerous for the pedestrians. This yellow tape may stay in place for weeks, even when there is obviously no justification for it. I see it as ignorance and pure selfishness, lack of concern and respect for others. Actually I just canāt fathom the mentality of it and Iāve been here nearly 15 years.
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Japan did it all decades ago.
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I really tried , on a voluntary basisā¦as Iām a big softy really , to help the Government devise an education system for Road Safety.
I thought that Information was the key at that time . I subsequently understand that showing accidents with Children wearing no helmet , would still do absolutely nothing to counter the āCovenienceā of Ama taking 3 kids to school on the scooter 
Drink Driving Laws ( pushed hard , I suspect after one of President Horses
friends was mown down ), are working slowly ā¦because itās seen to be a huge risk when enforced strictly.
All the existing Laws are there , itās a lack of respect for them , due to no enforcement, that contributes to the mayhem .
Their answer to me was ā¦Thanks but no thanks ā¦we are aware of the problem.
There are facts and figures that show ways to reduce injury and deaths on the roads , and some that show the cost is not high , when offset by less Police/Hospital careā¦but noā¦even thought we may have got a good sized tv budget from the FIA to help
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If this is the thing, it aināt that bad. Yielding to pedestrians is a relatively new concept and not the norm in the world. I donāt even really notice the issue generally.
Iāve bashed off a few side mirrrors when cars have tried to run me over.
Clowns kept on going when they saw my demented look. Strictly in China. Not keen to mess with the gangsters in Taiwan.
In Vietnam itās first come first serve. No problems so far, bar the fecking awful truck and bus horns.
no its common sense that a heavy and dangerous car should let a person cross as its the safe thing to doā¦
IDk, seems like common sense to watch for something heavy and dangerous. They can kill you, but you canāt kill them. Cars watching for people is more like social etiquette.
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yea, being able to kill someone is good reason to let them safely passā¦ at least in a civilized place it should be!
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yāall heard of defensive driving?
same goes for defensive walking.
canāt ever rely on someone you donāt know to abide by the rules of the road
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Being killed seems like a better reason to watch for cars. I think cars should let pedestrians pass, I just donāt trust my life in otherās hand to expect it as a given. The same way I donāt think someone should rob me walking in the slums in the middle of the night, but I still understand the reality of things.
Spend some time in malaysia and youāll think Taiwanese people are the most courteous drivers.
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well i never said that people should trust all drivers and walk out into the street carelessly did i?
but its common sense that you should yield for a person if the repercussion of not is possibly running them over DEAD. its pretty cut and dry.
ive been to malaysia and vietnam. i would say taiwan is much more advanced than those places, the driving should not be comparable, sadly it is. not as bad but in the same area.
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Two tragedies on same day.
BTW,
If you search āpedestrianā on here you will see the same topic repeated for at least 15 years and no discernible improvement !
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Elderly woman killed on the pedestrian crossing outside Xindian MRT station last week, crossing on a green and hit by a truck. Driver was arrested and is apparently being charged with manslaughter after the CCTV footage was reviewed.
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Holy shit.
I wonder was it the turn right on the red thing. Swear to god near my house at one particular intersection it is more dangerous on the green than it is on the red.
I wouldnāt mind the āturnā on the red, but many drive through like its open road, what theā¦
Sad to know someone died because of this last week in Xindian
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Thats horrific
Looked like it was the crossing in front of the station from the picture in the news report, truck appeared to have been coming down the hill from the 9 and heading towards the city. If it was that crossing he was driving straight, no A pillar excuse.
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