Reasons not to ride a scooter/motorcylcle in Taiwan

Life Cars & Motorcycles
#1

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:

  1. Crazy traffic and the constant risk of injury or death
  2. The hassel to get a license (tests, time, money)
  3. High gas prices
  4. Maintainance fees
  5. Repair fees (and being worried about being ripped off during repairs)
  6. Insurance fees
  7. Having to buy a scooter and then having to sell it if you leave Taiwan
  8. 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.
  9. 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.

#2

MRT/bus frottage.

#3

You don’t want to go anywhere off the beaten path or anyplace not overflowing with urban refugees.

#4

Having a scooter/motorcycle is not a prerequisite for traveling off the beaten path!

#5

You don’t like having your gf/wife’s boobs pressing against your back.

#6

I’d rather have my nipples pressing against my (theoretical) gf’s back. And I am not talking about being on a scooter/motorcycle :slight_smile:

This reminds me of a joke.
What do scooters and fat chicks have in common? They are both fun to ride until your friends find out. :laughing:

#7

Reason not to ride a scooter??? Because I have a car with air conditioning. :loco:

#8

I agree. Buy a car!

#9

Best reason so far!

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?)

#10

Air conditioning in the house? 4000$ every 2 months (summer).
Air conditioning in the car? 50 thousands a year.

Not sweating at all in Taiwan? Priceless.

:roflmao:

#11

Too hot in the summer.
Too wet in the winter.
Can do flashcards on the MRT/bus.

#12

Having the choice of being exposed to dangerously high levels of UV-light or covering yourself like a mummy.

Having to watch out for potholes and not properly closed manholes (reminds me of “manwhores” but that’s another thread…).

Having your mirrors bend and broken by the morons parking next to you.

Worrying about running out of gas in the countryside.

Inhaling dangerously high levels of toxic fumes.

#13

Scalding your sack when remounting a saddle that has been parked in the sun all day.

Bruising your knees during low speed U-turns.

And just simple shame of riding such a pussy mode of transport.

#14

Because you simply don’t have the skill required to avoid all the drunks, loons and those that don’t give a shit.

#15

[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.

#16

that was going to be my line… :raspberry:

#17

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.
#18

You’ll be doing that no matter what.[/quote]

Yeah, but if you ride a scooter/motorcycle and you stop at a red light right behind a couple of buses :sick: , it is a little more intense than standing on the sidewalk.

#19

Having your chastity imperilled by lascivious xiaojies who spreadeagle themselves on your pillion and slide their greedily groping fingers into your pants.

#20

Looking like an idiot on your scooter when you could look cool in your BMW M6 V10 500hp when buying bilans. :slight_smile: