And on tv they are saying at the time of KMT they managed such accidents better, they would have a single chalkboard with the information so people would know where their relatives went…
Yep. Election year. I am going to bed…
…before they change the dead and wounded count…One more time. Latest is 18/168.
18/168? The news said 22/171 about two hours ago.
I saw 18/189. You need to wait a few days for official figures to come out - it’s likely that every person on the train was injured in some manner.
After today’s train crash, blood donations are needed in Taiwan.
Can foreign residents donate blood in Taiwan? With some exceptions, yes.
There are some disqualifiers for former European residents to donate (due to mad cow):
Another thing to be aware of is that male homosexuals and IV drug users are not eligible to donate in Taiwan.
Other than that if you’ve been in Taiwan at least one month, haven’t visited a malarial area in the last year and are in good heath, you probably can donate blood.
Here is the English registration form so you can check if there are any other situations that may apply. Not all of the things on the form are disqualifiers, but depend on the circumstances and how long ago. (Don’t print this out; they’ll print one for you when you go to donate.)
http://intra.blood.org.tw/upload/82f8cd6e-95ce-4bd7-8876-105e252c99dd.pdf
Where to donate? http://www.blood.org.tw/ has a list of locations, but their website is having problems currently. Instead I recommend opening Google Maps and searching on “blood donation near here” to find a location.
What do you need to bring? Just bring your ARC or APRC and you’ll be set.
How much and how often can I donate? You can donate 250cc of whole blood your first time and 250 or 500cc of whole blood thereafter (there is a minimum weight to be able to donate 500cc). You must wait 2 months after a 250cc donation or 3 months after a 500cc donation. Platelets can be donated as often as every 2 weeks. If you register your email address you’ll get a reminder when your a eligible to donate again.
Rh negative blood is much more common in those of European ancestry, so if you have an Rh- blood type, your blood donation will be in higher demand.
So if you lived in the UK for example from 2010 to 2015, you would not be eligible? Seems strange.
Sounds from Taipei Times they were doing a fairly fast clip on a curve and suspension issues arose.
It is due to mad cow fears and is based on US Red Cross donation requirements.
So every foreigner who moved from Europe to Taiwan after 1985 is ineligible, except for when they spent less than 5 years total in Europe after 1980? This likely excludes 95% of Europeans in Taiwan.
What a horrible accident
Was that at a bend ? Was it going too fast for that bend?
Yes, it was at a bend. Whether speed was a factor is currently undetermined. Some have said that this train has automatic speed regulators.
Oops.
“Apple Daily reported that the accident took place on a curve in the track, while the Automatic Train Protection system had been disabled prior to departure due to malfunction and that could derail the train when it is going too fast for the curve, according to people familiar with the matter. The system is designed to enforce adherence to a commanded speed pattern and to prevent accidents. TRA emphasized the cause is still under investigation.”
The lost that disqualifies is quite long and useless IMO. For example the #12 in the PDF link (have you travelled outside Taiwan in the pst 12 months?) is a big one. If you have visited central or South American countries you won’t be able to donate for the next 10 years. Yes, you heard that right, 10 years. Of course the rule strickens if you have visited a country with no diplomatic ties with Taiwan. But hey, let’s just put it as ‘risk of some disease’.
If you have a company who does blood drives, do it through them. I’ve had 50/50 success as an individual - most places are fine if you have an APRC or ARC but I’ve been told that it’s impossible for foreigners to prove they weren’t in the UK during the mad cow outbreak so they turn such people away. Company (or building) organized blood drives seem to be entirely fine with no such questions even asked.
Can I check anywhere if the trains are running as expected?
True. I was never turned down doing it with the company blood drives. Different story when trying to randomly donate as an individual.
Heading to Hualien this weekend. I’m very seriously considering purposely getting tickets for the slower trains (not Puyuma or Taroko). Would you guys do the same? I’m thinking give the TRA time to sort all this crap out.
I would definitely take a the slow train or perhaps a bus. It’s going to take some time for them to tidy all that up.
I don’t mean the actual/physical wreckage and rail damage, but the cause and how to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. I think it will take some time to work all that out.
I’m shocked. We take the train through Yilan all the time. Feel so bad for the families.
No, they’ll put a standing order in place to not ever disable protection systems.
Lightning never strikes twice.
I’m incredulous as to how it’s possible to disable the system, either accidentally or otherwise. It seems to rather defeat the point of having one.