This the kind of stuff I was talking about. The flooring it part. Seen a lot of footage like that over the years. Being in your late 60s-early 70s should not really play into it that much. Older people likely have decades of driving experience. Maybe they were drunk or disabled in some other way.
Does this basically mean that prior to today there were no muffler regulations? Seems I have seen such news before.
It’s fake news? They’re cracking down this time.
Older people do not necessarily have decades of driving experience…especially women. Those with little money drove motorcycles until they were older. Many never got their licenses. Many women never drove until their husband got older and needed help. Then there are those who lived in Taipei and took public transport. I know alot of women in their 50s who had a license they got when they were twenty but never used it but now want to start driving to take their friends out of Taipei. There is a real mixed bag of drivers out there.
Good points.
also the scooter brain. it transfers to automobile driving.
Perhaps my mother-in-law lives in an area that really enjoys drinking. Every time I visit her we get the latest gossip about the guys and gals in the neighborhood drinking and driving. Last week heard about the relative who went to pick up his friend. The friend lost his license for 6 months due to drinking and driving causing an accident. The relative picking him up then was caught by police for driving drunk. Both of them have long records of “misbehaving.”
We have heard so many of these stories that we are not at all surprised. But I say I do not think the police in her area are particularly stringent about picking up people so you must be doing alot of drinking and driving to be caught more than once.
This pops up in the news every now and then. Some older lady will get pulled over and the police office finds out the lady doesn’t have a license and used to be driven around by their husband until they became ill, passed away, etc.
Also just a massive amount of people who drive without a license anyways. Know of a few people who have been driving without a license for decades. Always some stupid excuse.
Guy driving in company truck almost hits scooter who stops at a stop sign before a crosswalk. The driver pulls up to the side of the scooter and yells “Hit and kill you!”. Given that it’s a company vehicle everyone can already see it on google maps and it’s getting negative reviews now.
Taichung gangsters taking over multiple intersections and running red lights and blocking all traffic with their cars to let their funeral procession group pass through.
News video:
MOTC to relax regulations to allow forklifts to legally drive on the road under certain conditions. Can only travel less than 3km and can’t make direct left turns and have to have a special license. Other requirements to be able to get the special license are to have sensors to help deal with blind spots and back up noise, lights, turn signals, etc. No cargo or towing allowed when on the road.
I don’t think I’ve come across them myself, but I have seen them on the news and some nasty accidents with them on the roads…I wonder how this will play out in the long run.
I just remembered a good story. I know an older fella who was caught drunk driving before. No idea how long ago it was or what punishment he got, but police found him laying on the ground with his scooter tipped over. They asked him if he was okay and he said someone hit him. Actually, he had no idea what was going on, but that’s what he thought. Well a local resident had a camera outside their home and police checked it…the guy simply slowed to a stop on his scooter and just fell over to the side. I think that was his 2nd time getting caught drunk driving.
Last I heard he only drinks at home now (and stays home) unless his daughter is back in town and giving him a ride in the car.
Taichung drunk driver in the news again for still failing to compensate the young man in his 20s that he hit and was found to be at 100% fault for. The victim was left paralyzed due to the accident. The incident happened back in 2022.
Oh and the the drunk driver’s temporary plates on his vehicle had already expired so his insurance is invalid yet he still tries to claim he has insurance and that will be able to compensate the victim. The family hasn’t gotten a single dollar from the perpetrator. The man even dared to demand the victim compensate him as the vehicle was imported, only offering the victim 18,000 NTD. Despite all this in the original sentencing the judge handed the perpetrator only a 10 month sentence.
Now the victim’s family and the prosecutor are asking for an increase sentence to 4yrs. and 6 months as the perpetrator appears in court for a second trial.
This is how many years after a drunk driver plowed into a family crossing the street in Kaoshiung??? Last I remember there is still stuff going on with that too…
Back then a politician or two was throwing around the idea of a death sentence for fatal drunk driving accidents, but even without going that far it seems drunk drivers still get away with too much.
ChatGPT translation of the recent news:
Drunk Driver Leaves Son Paralyzed, Refuses to Pay a Cent! Porsche Driver Complains About Full Responsibility… Appears in Court to Seek Justice
A 41-year-old man named Lin, with a criminal record, was driving a Porsche SUV worth over NT$4 million under the influence of alcohol two years ago when he collided with 22-year-old motorcyclist Cai, leaving him severely injured and paralyzed. In the first trial, Lin was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and ordered to pay civil compensation of over NT$19.4 million. However, Lin reportedly evaded paying compensation, and has yet to give a single cent to the victim. Both the prosecutor and Cai’s family appealed, requesting a harsher sentence. Lin agreed to plead guilty but was dissatisfied with being held fully responsible for the accident, requesting a reevaluation of the fault ratio to clarify the truth of the accident. The judge criticized his contradictory stance, saying, “You want to plead guilty to reduce your sentence but deny your responsibility, which is contradictory.”
Lin, who had not appeared in the media until now, appeared in court without a lawyer in the second trial, personally protesting his innocence. He argued that he had shown a good attitude after the crime, reported the accident immediately, confessed during the investigation, and there was no need for an increased sentence. He also emphasized that he had compulsory insurance and the insurance company would compensate. Upon questioning, it was revealed that Lin’s temporary license plates had expired at the time of the accident, meaning his insurance was not valid. It was the victim compensation foundation that initially provided funds to Cai’s family, and only later did Lin apply for insurance payment to cover NT$1.02 million.
Lin insisted that the insurance payout was compensation, asking the judge for a lighter sentence. The judge immediately rebuked him, stating, “The insurance company’s payout is not your compensation.” Lin then changed his story, saying he wanted to negotiate a settlement, but argued that both vehicles were moving at the time of the accident, and accused Cai of also being responsible. He requested a reevaluation of the responsibility ratio to clarify the truth and seek justice for himself.
At times, Lin admitted guilt, but at other times he claimed to have been aware of the vehicles behind him. The judge criticized his contradictory statements, saying, “You want to plead guilty to receive a reduced sentence but deny your responsibility.” The judge also questioned why, after two and a half years and a final civil judgment, Lin had not paid any compensation.
Looking back at the case, Lin, who claimed to be a luxury goods reseller, drove his Porsche SUV under the influence of alcohol in 2022 and collided with 22-year-old Cai, resulting in Cai’s neck fracture and full-body paralysis. The judge reduced Lin’s sentence, acknowledging his confession, and sentenced him to 10 months in prison. In the civil case, Lin was ordered to pay over NT$19.4 million. However, more than two years later, Lin appears to have evaded his financial obligations, and has not paid a cent. Both the prosecutor and Cai’s family believe the sentence was too lenient and appealed for a harsher sentence.
Cai’s mother also accused Lin of being rude and never apologizing or visiting Cai since the incident. During the first trial’s mediation, Lin only offered NT$18,000 as compensation, saying that if Cai’s family didn’t accept it, that was fine. He even claimed that his car was an imported vehicle and suggested that Cai should pay compensation. Cai’s mother further claimed that when Lin caused the accident, he stated that the car was in his name, but upon reviewing property records, nothing was found. Meanwhile, Cai’s family suspected Lin was hiding assets and refusing to compensate, which made them feel heartbroken.
The prosecutor condemned Lin, accusing him of “shifting responsibility, using sophistry, and refusing to pay a cent,” and requested the court to reject his appeal. Cai’s lawyer also argued that the original sentence of 10 months in prison was too light, stating that Lin’s drunk driving had caused Cai’s paralysis, violating principles related to crime and punishment, and asked for a sentence of 4 years and 6 months.
Lin, however, argued that the property was not his, and the Porsche is still under his name, with outstanding loans of several hundred thousand NT dollars. He claimed he couldn’t afford to pay compensation due to his financial situation. He also stated that after the accident, he had called several times to express concern and even offered to visit the hospital, but was rejected and insulted by Cai’s family, which led to a lack of further contact.
The judge, considering Lin’s guilty plea and the final civil judgment, questioned his continued refusal to discuss compensation, stating, “Is it because you’re dissatisfied with the amount in the judgment that you’re asking to negotiate?” The judge emphasized that the civil judgment requires compensation, and there is no room for negotiation. Regardless of the reassessment of the fault ratio, Lin is still required to pay the compensation. The judge expressed, “I cannot understand why Lin has not paid the compensation to date.”
News video from a couple months ago when the incident was in the news again.
This is the most honest representation of Taichung I’ve ever seen. People doing whatever they want and police are nowhere to be seen.
Article about the Kinmen bridge removal of the pedestrian lanes and banning motorcycles on the regular traffic lane and making them use the former pedestrian lane. Pedestrian lane only going to be opened from 7pm-10pm for pedestrians.
Seriously, wtf Kinmen county govt.?
They say it’s for safety reasons…a 16 year old speeding in a car hit and killed a person on a scooter so obviously what we should do is force motorcycles out of the regular traffic lane and put them into what was once the sidewalk! They even have the nerve to tell motorcyclists and pedestrians to mind their safety.
ChatGPT translation:
County Government Makes Adjustments Like “Flow” - Kinmen Bridge to Implement “Fast and Slow Lane Separation” Starting New Year’s Day
The Kinmen County Government had originally planned to implement a rule starting on New Year’s Day next year, restricting pedestrians from using the Kinmen Bridge to only between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM. However, they have now put the brakes on this plan. Today, the county government announced that the traffic regulations will be slightly adjusted. Starting New Year’s Day, only motorcycles will be subject to the new system, with fast and slow lanes being separated. For safety reasons, motorcycles are advised to use the outer slow lane, while all other vehicles and pedestrians will continue as usual.
The Kinmen Bridge, which connects Greater and Lesser Kinmen, will have been open for two years by next year. In September, the county government made a major decision during a review of road safety, stating that from January 1, 2025, cars and motorcycles would be separated, and the original “pedestrian and bicycle lane” would be changed to a motorcycle lane. The fast lane would be reserved exclusively for cars, while the “motorcycle lane” would be closed to motorcycles from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM each night, with the lane designated for pedestrian use.
When the announcement was made, it angered many motorcycle commuters and pedestrians. Seeing that the plan was approaching its implementation date, the county government held another meeting and decided to revise the original decision.
The county government stated that the Kinmen Bridge currently has one mixed lane (4 meters wide) in each direction, and one pedestrian and bicycle lane (2.5 meters wide). After analyzing traffic flow and gathering opinions from various parties, they decided to overturn the original proposal. Starting New Year’s Day, the original “mixed lane (fast lane)” will continue to be used by both cars and motorcycles. The original “pedestrian and bicycle lane” will be adjusted to a “slow lane,” allowing motorcycles to also use it along with pedestrians and bicycles at all times. This will implement the fast and slow lane separation system.
The county government emphasized that the new system would have minimal impact on the current setup, advising motorcyclists to use the outer slow lane (formerly the “pedestrian and bicycle lane”).
Since the Kinmen Bridge opened in 2022, the county government has reported an average of 2,749 small vehicles, 1,125 motorcycles, 24 bicycles, and 52 pedestrians (averaging 4 pedestrians per hour, with peak times between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM).
Based on these statistics, the county government noted the significant disparity between vehicle and pedestrian usage. They have referred to practices in various counties and cities in Taiwan, and are planning to adjust the traffic management measures accordingly, calling on both motorcyclists and pedestrians to be mindful of safety.
The new system on the bridge will be trialed for three months, and the county government will continue to review and adjust the system based on traffic flow data, vehicle usage, and feedback from the public.
Another bad driver. Driver turns in front of car going straight and blames the other driver for not yielding. During this initial incident there were collisions with two vehicles. Then later hits 2 scooters waiting at a red light as he tries to flee the scene. The driver then flees the 2nd scene. The driver in his 40s said he was in a bad mood because of an argument with his family in the morning.
News video:
Jesus christ…after hitting the people on the scooter when he starts fleeing the scene he hits one of the injured people on the ground!
Dashcam footage from the car going straight:
Unlicensed driver practicing for his test with his mom crashes into 7-11 after mistaking the gas pedal for the brake pedal.
Imagine entering the bend and seeing this…
Another person dead in Taichung for trying to get across the tracks as a train is coming…
Kaoshiung LRT hit again. 2 times in 2 days.
Delivery truck cuts the melon so to speak and cuts across to the other side of the road very early, on top of the obviously not yielding to the scooter going straight. The driver blames the victim saying he was turning!
Almost got hit the other day when making a normal left turn. Was waiting for some cars to pass through and waiting a few seconds to creep forward to see past a car in the opposite lane waiting to turn left and slightly blocking my view. After gaining line of sight and confirming no oncoming traffic and pedestrians are started to make my left turn…only to see the car behind me said fuck it and didn’t want to wait 1-2 seconds and basically did a completely blind turn and almost hit me. If there was a pedestrian island there the genius would’ve hit it. Once I turned onto the road I saw he got to sit behind about a dozen cars in one of the inner lanes while I got to ride to the front in an empty lane. Brilliant.
Fairly new road in New Taipei. Mayor Ho was present for the event. A citizen who passed by pointed out a problem. If you are riding in the slow lane, which merges with the outer lane coming to the intersection, you find that the outer lane is a right turn only lane, so to go straight you suddenly have to cut across the entire road.
Today on the bicycle was three very close calls. Everything felt off. Even in Taiwan I normally don’t mind dancing with cars but today I felt lucky to be back home unscathed.
Looks like the bus was pulling out into traffic as they do, the bike tried to change lanes abruptly to avoid the bus and car behind had the same idea hitting the bus.
This is something i really hate about driving here. People pulling out makes you either do something dangerous or just come to a stop, which is also dangerous.
That guy deserved to have his head smashed in then and there. Man childs everywhere.
Why can’t scooters and cars share the same lanes what is the rationale of separating them?
Speed difference. Cars usually can/want go faster than scooters.
Cars, especially larger trucks or busses, can overlook scooters due to visibility issues. Any accident involving scooters usually result in bodily injuries and can be fatal.
It Taiwan bad road design does not separate them effectively, forcing scooters to merge into car lanes every other intersection. And scooters can ignore the slow lane unless scooters are specifically banned from a car lane.
Funny how most other countries don’t have that issue and only separate the bicycles.
Taiwan’s traffic situation is quite specific. Many cars and tons of scooters with mostly good roads.
Depends what countries you want to compare.
European countries have much fewer scooters. e.g. in Germany they are pretty rare.
You could compare it to Amsterdam, where instead of scooters they have tons of bicycles, which have dedicated lanes. They even prioritize bicycle traffic over cars and limit the amount of car lanes in the cities.
I go faster than cars and trucks on my motorcycle… so I’m normally in the fast lane. I can’t imagine anything worse than being in a narrow lane the size of bicycle lane as you wouldn’t have anywhere to swerve to, in order to avoid an accident.