List all the reasons not to ride a scooter/motorcycle in Taiwan*. Here are a few I can think of off the top of my head:
Crazy traffic and the constant risk of injury or death
The hassel to get a license (tests, time, money)
High gas prices
Maintainance fees
Repair fees (and being worried about being ripped off during repairs)
Insurance fees
Having to buy a scooter and then having to sell it if you leave Taiwan
Dealing with the aftermath of an accident, whether it was your fault or the other guy’s. Especially if you don’t know how to speak Chinese, and/or don’t have a license or insurance.
Contributing to and dealing with the pollution on the street
I could go on but I’ll let you guys tell me why else not to ride a scooter/motorcycle in Taiwan.
*This thread is for “reasons not to ride a scooter/motorcycle in Taiwan” so please don’t list reasons to ride a scooter/motorcycle in Taiwan; make your own damn thread.
I must say that the following reasons seem flawed in that these costs are all incredibly, almost ABSURDLY low in Taiwan. Not trying to be pro-scooter here… just objective.
3. High gas prices (150 a week vs. 1400 a for a car/200 a week for public trans.)
4. Maintainance fees (250 or so a month vs 3000NT per 5000km for a car and who knows how much in shoe sole costs and wind-damaged umbrellas for public trans)
5. Repair fees (I wasn’t aware that people actually bothered repairing their scooters unless they actually stopped moving)
6. Insurance fees (isn’t it something like 250 a year as opposed to 30000 a year for a decent car?)
[quote=“sulavaca”]Because you simply don’t have the skill required to avoid all the drunks, loons and those that don’t give a shit.[/quote]Or because you have the skill but simply can’t be arsed to do all that any more.
Scooters are very fuel efficient; much more so than cars.
[quote]4. Maintainance fees
5. Repair fees (and being worried about being ripped off during repairs)
6. Insurance fees[/quote]
All far cheaper here than in the West.
Taiwanted!
You’ll be doing that no matter what.
But yes, death and injury are problems. So always wear a good helmet and appropriate clothing. Never drive drunk. Constantly monitor the situation around you. Don’t take stupid risks.
Reason not to ride:
It sucks riding in the rain.
The MRT goes most places in the city (except Neihu - but that changes next year).
Random sobriety checks…the cut-off level is so ridiculously low that the one beer you had with a meal 2 hours ago can get you in trouble.
Constantly reminding passengers not to shift their weight unpredictably and to watch out that they don’t burn their ankle on the exhaust pipe.
Yeah, but if you ride a scooter/motorcycle and you stop at a red light right behind a couple of buses , it is a little more intense than standing on the sidewalk.
Having your chastity imperilled by lascivious xiaojies who spreadeagle themselves on your pillion and slide their greedily groping fingers into your pants.