To avoid getting deported when you are trying to buy a slip of ten toll tickets on the highway with your 50cc scooter because they think that you are on drugs (and you really are because you are a stupid “stoned” moron for going on the highway with your scooter thinking that you are ok because you stopped to buy some tickets.)
Is that your ride?
I saw a sick M5 tonight in Banciao - it sounded more like a Ferrari than any sedan I’ve ever seen/heard.
To stay on topic… reason number XXX not to ride a scooter in Taiwan - you’ll avoid dumbass drunken binglangers who decide it would be fun to stuff a chopstick into the laowei’s key hole.
Also, you’ll avoid killing a flying cockroach with your face - one memory I’d love to forget!
[quote=“wudjamahuh”]
Also, you’ll avoid killing a flying cockroach with your face - one memory I’d love to forget![/quote]
well that is something i would also like to forget about… but for that the best defense is a good full face helmet… not a stupid hard baseball hat jejeje
lol!! Sorry but that post has got to win points for creativity 
[quote]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 [/quote]
Many don’t get a license.
Traffic will be an issue with any vehicle on the road, but it is certainly dangerous with a scooter.
3, 4,5 and 6- CHEAP!
my 2 scooters in Taiwan have costed me $10 000 Nt each and are easy to come by
pollution is a valid point for sure
A scooter is the BEST way to get around Taiwan, especially if you live outside of TP. I guess we’re not all cool enough to drive a BMW. 
Scooters rock and are the future! 
Reason to drive a motorcycle in Taiwan.
- Just spent 8 years driving in China, driving in Taiwan feels like driving in Sweden.
- Easy to get a license.
- Motorcycles don’t use much gas, prices are not that high.
- main and rep are not that high.
- Insurance fees are not that high.
- selling is easy.
- if you have a license and insurance and your totally legal there is no problem.
- Trucks and private cars on the road put out more pollution than a REAL motorcycle which have catalytic converters.
If your statement was about scooters and those small 250cc motorcycles I would agree. But if you get a real motorcycle like 500cc, 650cc, 750cc, 900cc ect ect I would not agree. I have a BMW R75, which use everyday and spend 550NT$ a week, which is way less that I would spend taking the MRT and bus.
Scooters I agree are bad. Poor breaking power and because of the engine size needs more repairs. Plus scooters are more unstable than real motorcycles.
[quote=“Modest Mouse”]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.[/quote]
Why is a man who drives a Spandau tractor talking about “real” motorcycles? 
aiya
[quote=“Keith_freechina”]Reason to drive a motorcycle in Taiwan.
- Just spent 8 years driving in China, driving in Taiwan feels like driving in Sweden.
- Easy to get a license.
- Motorcycles don’t use much gas, prices are not that high.
- main and rep are not that high.
- Insurance fees are not that high.
- selling is easy.
- if you have a license and insurance and your totally legal there is no problem.
- Trucks and private cars on the road put out more pollution than a REAL motorcycle which have catalytic converters.[/quote]
Keith: Maybe you didn’t read the first post:
[quote=“Modest Mouse”][quote=“Keith_freechina”]Reason to drive a motorcycle in Taiwan.
- Just spent 8 years driving in China, driving in Taiwan feels like driving in Sweden.
- Easy to get a license.
- Motorcycles don’t use much gas, prices are not that high.
- main and rep are not that high.
- Insurance fees are not that high.
- selling is easy.
- if you have a license and insurance and your totally legal there is no problem.
- Trucks and private cars on the road put out more pollution than a REAL motorcycle which have catalytic converters.[/quote]
Keith: Maybe you didn’t read the first post:
[quote=“Modest Mouse”]*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.[/quote][/quote]I see where you’re coming from, Modest Mouse, but Keith’s points were direct responses to your own. If you’re going to make statements you have to be prepared for people to disagree with them. As a moderator, I’m certainly not going to stifle discussion as long as the tone is courteous enough.
[quote=“joesax”][quote=“Modest Mouse”][quote=“Keith_freechina”]Reason to drive a motorcycle in Taiwan.
- Just spent 8 years driving in China, driving in Taiwan feels like driving in Sweden.
- Easy to get a license.
- Motorcycles don’t use much gas, prices are not that high.
- main and rep are not that high.
- Insurance fees are not that high.
- selling is easy.
- if you have a license and insurance and your totally legal there is no problem.
- Trucks and private cars on the road put out more pollution than a REAL motorcycle which have catalytic converters.[/quote]
Keith: Maybe you didn’t read the first post:
Joesax: well noted.
The reason I ask not to provide reasons to ride a scooter is because I don’t want this thread to become a extended argument on whether or not to ride a scooter. I want to keep it short and informative about the negatives of owning/riding a scooter in Taiwan.
It’s not your thread. It’s forumosa’s thread. If the posters want to take it in a certain direction, that’s entirely within their purview, not yours.
And what about those who read your negatives and see them as positives? Eh? What then?
[quote=“sandman”]It’s not your thread. It’s forumosa’s thread. If the posters want to take it in a certain direction, that’s entirely within their purview, not yours.
And what about those who read your negatives and see them as positives? Eh? What then?[/quote]
True, I don’t own this thread…but, I did give birth to it and during the first 18 days of it’s life I feel I am responsible for guiding it in the right direction, as I see fit.
For those that see my negatives as positives: today is not opposite day.
[quote=“Modest Mouse”]The reason I ask not to provide reasons to ride a scooter is because I don’t want this thread to become a extended argument on whether or not to ride a scooter. I want to keep it short and informative about the negatives of owning/riding a scooter in Taiwan.[/quote]Well, it’s as Sandman says, really. The thing is it’s not really an information-based topic at heart, but an opinion-based discussion topic. As the responses so far show, everyone has his or her own take on the negatives and positives of riding a scooter here.
If someone posts in this topic saying “Everyone would be a better rider if they used baking soda toothpaste,” I’ll temp that post because it’s offtopic.
If someone posts to someone else saying “You’re a bloody knobhead and so’s your scooter,” I’ll remove that post because it’s a personal insult.
Short of that, there’s not much I can do. The consensus among moderators and admins here is that it’s important to let people discuss their opinions. It doesn’t really work when posters feel an excessive sense of ownership of threads. Once the original post is written, the thread’s public property, for better or worse.
And so much for your guidance. You ARE aware, I presume, that your thread has impregnated the Tosa Inu thread, which is only 12?
This irresponsible parenthood is simply NOT to be tolerated.
It’s easier to get fat. The first year I was here, I relied on busses to get around. After I started driving the scooter, it was like I never walked anywhere anymore and I ballooned up quite nicely.
this should not be called “Reasons not to ride a scooter/motorcylcle in Taiwan” but " how to make fun of Taiwan’s traffic law and regulations"
The following thread topic, viewtopic.php?f=75&t=39849, is a great reason not to ride a scooter in Taiwan. So many crashes, lawsuits, broken bones and hassles.