We can’t say that the no roundabout option is working wonders.
I think have to agree. Today at an intersection a truck in front of me started to make a right turn. But after entering into the pedestrian crosswalk on the right he decided he did not want to turn right but wanted to turn left. So he started to try to turn around. Well, an oncoming car was trying to turn left so the two cars are now stuck. Finally the turning left car had to back up all the way to the sidewalk so the truck could make a U-turn….the truck then cut across my lane and the oncoming lane of cars. So great, he was able to stop traffic for a pile of cars so he could correct his mistake….instead of driving to next intersection and making his way to his desired direction.
So in a way…he created his own roundabout.
I have been in a few roundabouts in Taiwan and was downright scary. Bad enough that cars move back and forth across lanes (e.g. in inner lane then suddenly want to get out of roundabout so cut across other lane of traffic) but have motorcycle cutting across at all angles…plus just ridiculous signage.
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Window tinting rules for newly registered vehicles to go into effect at the end of the month.
Unsurprisingly there’s the issue of enforcement. Should’ve just given a 1-2 year grace period for existing vehicles or have all existing vehicles required to have compliant tints or no tints when performing their next vehicle inspection.
Lee Ker-tsung (李克聰), a transportation technology and management expert at the Consumers’ Foundation, said that new vehicles would only be subject to annual inspections after five years.
He said that new drivers could apply non-compliant window tint films during this five-year period, which could compromise road safety.
The bureau needs to have a mechanism to manage compliance during this period, he added.
It should also consider setting a date when existing motor vehicles must also begin following new window tint standards, he said.
Driver turning left at night hits a pedestrian on the crosswalk. The pedestrian was up on the cars hood for about 10m and eventually fell onto the ground, hitting his head on the ground. The pedestrian died. The victim had just gone to the convenience store to buy some noodles and was starting to head back home…
Turning left into the smaller road with such a small crosswalk and you don’t even pay attention…wtf.
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This morning in Zhubei a pedestrian was killed by a left turning driver while he was on the crosswalk.
probably accelerating for that apex
SUV’s in cities are pedestrian killers at hands of incompetent drivers who received lackluster driving education and have selfish mentality behind the steering wheel.
Checks all boxes, white SUV with tinted windows 
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They also take up heaps of space. SUVs are a terrible trend!
Guy
Imagine if today every single SUV in Taiwan were automatically replaced with one of those Japanese Kei cars. What a paradise it would be. We could walk down a higher percentage of Taipei’s narrow alleys (though admittedly not all of them, some would still be too tight) without having to fear for our lives.
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Taiwanese need the space in their cars for the strollers when taking their fur children out on the weekend! /s
Or how about a legal requirement to actually have two kids before being able to buy an SUV? That would be a funny one. Guess we would have to grandfather in everyone who already has an SUV, though. But we could start tomorrow!
They are getting bigger too. I saw one this week that was like a tank. It could barely fit on the road.
I really dont understand it.
I saw a guy with an open top a couple days ago. Wasn’t even that flashy but it was so refreshing to see somebody not using an SUV, Tesla or motorbike with an airplane jet attachment to show off that the guy ended up looking really cool.
Meh. Go big or go home. Replace them with public transport and bicycles.
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Alternatively, we can get rid of them one by one.
Engine and transmission left the chat
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Just smaller cars in general would be nice…not everyone needs a huge SUV to just go to work and go home. For something like Kei-cars to have a chance in Taiwan it would need the special tax and insurance benefits like Japan.
As for smaller vehicles, it was just announced that sometime this year Taiwan will finally allow vehicles like the Mobility Lean3 on the roads.
Such vehicles will be classified as an “enclosed cabin scooter” or “cabin scooter”. So it’s a “scooter”, with a motorcycle license plate (white plate), but will follow the “rules” like a car. Not allowed on expressways or freeways. To drive it you will also need to have a car driver’s license, not a motorcycle license. Will be allowed to park in both car and motorcycle/scooter parking spaces. Can make regular left turns and go in lanes that ban motorcycles.
I remember seeing videos of the Toyota i-road about a decade or so ago and thinking how cool it was. There seems to be a decent amount of interest for this in Taiwan, but at a price of about NT$300,000 I wonder how many people will actually buy one.
The Taiwan version will have a top speed of 80km/h (compared to Japanese version at 60km/h) and a range of 100km.
I can just imagine how much the folks at the MOTC were going crazy about how to classify this vehicle.
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The major disadvantage to scooters in Taiwan, besides the mindset of many drivers, is the weather. If these have AC they are a very sensible choice
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It comes with A/C as a standard feature. It was one of the first things a lot of people were curious about when this vehicle started showing up in the news a lot more last year.
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Of course it will.
Jeezus I can already see those things on the sidewalks around me, behind me, zipping beside me . . . 
Guy
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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUVLHWMATUE/?
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So did anyone run over heem or what???
Ppl need lisences to cross d road!!!