[quote]Join us on April 22, 2007 to fight for bicyclists rights to access the streets of Taipei.
Recreation, health, pedestrian rights, and global warming together will take front stage on April 22, 2007 in Taipei. Starting at 2:30 PM in the afternoon, “Right to the Road” invites everyone to come out to enjoy a Sunday afternoon bicycling Taipei’s streets, and to enjoy a movie afterwards.
The parade will start at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and go through Taipei City Government, National Taiwan University, Daan Forest Park ending at Cinema Park.
The March is intended to ask Taipei City Government for dedicated bike lanes, as well as for reform of the Public Road Law to include bicycles as a “traffic vehicle.” The changes would mandate that the Taiwanese government needs to consider bicyclists in road and city planning. Presently, bicycles are not considered “traffic vehicles” and so Taiwanese road design rarely take bicycles into account. The March is also intended as a protest against plans for Taipei City to ban bicycles from major roadways.
14：30 Collect at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall (On Zhongxiao East Road close to Guangfu South Road entrance)
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall－Zhongxiao East Road(East direction)─Songren Road－Songshou Road－Shifu Road－Renai Road－Renai Circle－Renai Road(East direction)－Left on Fuxing South Road－Keelong Road－Roosevelt Road－Xinsheng Road－Daan Forest Park(rest stop)－Renai Road－Jingfu men－Ketagalan Bridge－Gongyuan Road－Hsiangyang Road－Chongqing South Road－Hengyang Road－Boai Road－Wuchang Road－Kangding Road(Cinema Park)
17：00 Arrive at Cinema Park，Rest and Dinner， “My Bicycle Life” activity.
18：00-19：30 Showing “Bikes on the Road” movie (90 minutes, canceled in case of rain)
19：30-20：00 End of Film Screening.
20：00 Event Closed.[/quote]
Charging though red lights and almost running people over is not a good way to prove you can be responsible road users, like that group did to me on Sunday.
What “pedestrian rights” were you fighting for exactly ?
[quote=“Big Fluffy Matthew”]Charging though red lights and almost running people over is not a good way to prove you can be responsible road users, like that group did to me on Sunday.
What “pedestrian rights” were you fighting for exactly ?[/quote]
I agree. Are there any rules for bicyclists? Are they supposed to ride on the road or on the sidewalks?
Is it OK for them to run red lights, as BFM mentioned? Can they ride the wrong way down the street?
As a pedestrian, am I supposed to get out their way when they ring their bells or make that screeching sound with their brakes?
Are the sidewalks meant for people walking or riding bikes–or both?
[quote=“fee”]Are there any rules for bicyclists? Are they supposed to ride on the road or on the sidewalks?
Is it OK for them to run red lights, as BFM mentioned? Can they ride the wrong way down the street?
As a pedestrian, am I supposed to get out their way when they ring their bells or make that screeching sound with their brakes?
Are the sidewalks meant for people walking or riding bikes–or both?[/quote]
Rules? What does it matter? If there were rules do you believe anyone would obey them? If there were rules do you believe the police would enforce them? Would it make any difference?
MT wrote: [quote]Rules? What does it matter? If there were rules do you believe anyone would obey them? If there were rules do you believe the police would enforce them? Would it make any difference?[/quote]
[quote=“Mother Theresa”][quote=“fee”]Are there any rules for bicyclists? Are they supposed to ride on the road or on the sidewalks?
Is it OK for them to run red lights, as BFM mentioned? Can they ride the wrong way down the street?
As a pedestrian, am I supposed to get out their way when they ring their bells or make that screeching sound with their brakes?
Are the sidewalks meant for people walking or riding bikes–or both?[/quote]
Rules? What does it matter? If there were rules do you believe anyone would obey them? If there were rules do you believe the police would enforce them? Would it make any difference?[/quote]
My question still stands. Are bikes meant for the road or the sidewalk here in Taipei?
If I am walking down the sidewalk, and a scooter or motorcycle rolls up behind me and starts blaring the horn, I don’t get out of the way–the sidewalk is meant for pedestrians and not scooters.
However, several times I have been walking along and bicycle comes up behind me, and the bicyclist starts grabbing the brakes to make that screeching sound that serves as a bell (in other words, get out of the way).
Why should I have to get out of the way? As a pedestrian, I can’t really walk in the street–the only place for me to walk is the sidewalk. But a bike can be ridden in the street. So, should bike riders ride on the sidewalk or on the road?
MT, I know that you ride a bicycle. Do you ride on the sidewalk or on the road? (And I know you bike on the bike paths near a river, but to get to the parks and the bike path, do you go on the sidewalk or on the street?)
According to the translation of the information Juba posted in the thread, bikes are not allowed on sidewalks.
[quote]
12) Must not operate the bicycle on sidewalks (Rule 124) [/quote]
However, in a later post, Incubus says that bikes are allowed (based on a story from FTV’s English news service).
Not really any clearer on this, but I still say that sidewalks are for pedestrians.
[quote=“fee”]Thanks for the link to that thread, irishstu.
According to the translation of the information Juba posted in the thread, bikes are not allowed on sidewalks.
[quote]
12) Must not operate the bicycle on sidewalks (Rule 124) [/quote]
However, in a later post, Incubus says that bikes are allowed (based on a story from FTV’s English news service).
Not really any clearer on this, but I still say that sidewalks are for pedestrians.[/quote]
Fee, I personally consider the sidewalks to be the domain of the pedestrian, not the bicycle (and definitely not the scooter). If I ever mount the sidewalk on my bicycle (which is rare) I definitely consider myself a guest and give pedestrians the right of way.
On a slightly unrelated note, my wife recently informed me of a new law requiring cyclists to wear helmets now (and that is would be “enforced” (no need to explain why i put that word in quotes, I’m sure)).
Anyone else heard about this? I really don’t mind, cos I wear a helmet anyway. I do, however, find it quite funny, since almost no-one else in Taiwan does.
Taiwan need more bikeroads
Taiwan need more or better sidewalks (suitable too for mothers with strollers :fume: )
Taiwan need a law with a guideline to how to ride the bike according to the traffic law.
i’d happily pay a tax based on the weight of my bicycle, and the amount of petrol i used, if i could get an offset from the govt on the amount i save the health system from not getting hypertension, obesity, etc. that should just about square it up, n’est-ce pas?
i don’t ride on the sidewalks here, except crossing to and from my front door: too many idiotic pedestrians. besides, if i am moving at 40km/h, the sidewalk is dangerously uneven.
amah rides on the sidewalk as she never gets her heart rate above 80, never pedals faster than a slow moving sausage dog, and has no usable brakes anyway. so she would just be a danger on the road. and could not afford a roadworthy bike anyway.
you can’t treat all cyclists the same way, unfortunately. some are basically pedestrians on a two-wheeled chair. some are vehicles of speed and purpose. some acceptance of both forms of cycling is necessary here, but sensible road laws for cyclists already exist: they are the same rules as for scooters. which should also include compulsory helmet wearing on the road, and of course red lights and turning regulations.
but its not just our problem, car drivers need reeducation too. i have done my best to reeducate those that try to kill me, but its a big problem… their loss of face is more a concern than my loss of skin or taco’ed wheels. but its such fun to point out to them in LOUD chinese the error they have just made.
I’m sorry, I was being a smartass. I’d like to know the laws re bikes in Taiwan, too, though it is true that it won’t change anyone else’s behavior, although if I know the laws maybe I can assert my rights better.
Generally, I don’t like riding on sidewalks. In the US it’s illegal, I don’t do it, and my cousin once had to pay a large settlement to an old lady who fell down when he rode too close to her on the sidewalk. I believe it’s probably illegal here too (and presumably motorbike riding on the sidewalk is also illegal). So, part of the reason I ride in the street is to observe the law and as a courtesy to pedestrians. But the main reason I prefer the road is that it’s usually much faster, as the sidewalk’s clogged with pedestrians, motorcycles, illegally parked cars and other encroachments.
BUT, my wife sometimes gets pissed at me for riding in the road, in part because I often have my little girl on the bike and the wife is afraid of the traffic (but she’s not an experienced cyclist; I am), and she’ll demand me to ride on the sidewalk. So, when I’m riding the wife and kid both (not uncommon) I try to ride on either quiet back roads or sidewalks that are less heavily congested.
If cyclists want actual lane markings changed to accommodate them (as I read in that linked TT article) it seems only fair that they should be charged for using the roads in the same way as cars and motorbikes. If they’re unwilling to pay, they should make do with what they have and be thankful.
It doesn’t work that way in the States, where many states have nice broad, clearly-marked bike lanes free from gravel, broken glass, cars and motorbikes, and cyclists only pay for that through their state taxes, the same as everyone else. . . which is as it should be. But of course that would/could never happen in Taiwan.
You’re a