Scooter accident

#1

I got involved in a scooter accident today. I was going straight as soon as I had the green light. A taxi coming from the street on the right and turning right invaded my lane and hit me on my right side.

I felt down and my motorbike slided. And hit another motorbike that was just in front of me.

She also felt down and all of this resulted in no injuries for me, and a small feet injury to the girl.

Police was there and they showed us the camera footages. Two different angles.

It’s clear the taxi driver hit me by coming into my lane.

We all went to the hospital because the girl was there and police questioned us and took the version of each one, I signed mine togheder with their accident evidences.

They said we could settle the stuff there but nor the girl, the taxi driver and me (I have anyway many scooter damages) wanted or agree to an amount or something.

They let me go with a paper where there are the contact number of the people and a website where I should register in order to ask for the investigation results. (which is what I guess also the other people will do).

So what should I do? What is your best advice to deal with this situation?

#2

Get a lawyer before the Taiwanese try to blame everything on the foreigner, especially if you cannot speak Chinese.

#3

Well but I described everything to police and we signed all the papers. Now there will be the investigation by the police and than the outcome.

At that point we can ask each others to pay accordingly?

nonredneck do you think that taiwanese want to go after me? I really think I don’t have responsability in the accident. So what?

#4

I really think I don’t have responsibility in the accident

Taiwanese may have another opinion on that. Not saying they will try to put a blame on you 100%, but there is a chance. This happens. Cultural thing. Pretty nasty.

Don’t know all the details, and don’t know versions of girl and taxi driver, but in case this is a “typical” situation, it is probably something like that:
From girls perspective, your scooter hit her -> your fault. She’s also injured, that’s not really good. She might try to get you pay for her injury treatment, even if it is small.
Taxi driver is just a typical jerk (in case he really moved into your lane), he probably will not admit his fault. These guys are notorious. Not all of taxi drivers bad, many good ones, but if guy hit you and trying to put a blame on you - it’s one of those.

Trying to blame foreigners in car accidents is pretty common. You’re guilty by your passport.

Get a help from local (maybe even lawyer, yep) if you will not be satisfied with investigation.

P.S. Did taxi turned on red light? Can it be seen from camera image police showed you? Turning on red is illegal in Taiwan, even if they do it. They do a lot of stuff on the roads here, which is actually illegal.

#5

I had a taiwanese friend that came there as soon as the accident happened and followed everything. Including coming to hospital (we drove there following the police) and following the questioning. I’m not sure if taxi diver turned on red but I dont think so because it never came up in the discussion.

I have arc for three years and I drive with international driving license from Europe, it was issued in my country in December and it’s valid for one year. Is that fine?

#6

Ignore the whole blame the foreigner bit, it’s not going to happen. Get in touch with your insurance company as they’ll have to sort out liabilities between you, the girl and the taxi driver. Definitely don’t offer to pay or compensate anything at this point.

Did you get your international permit stamped in your local DMV?

#7

For driving license, this may get pretty bad. Basically, you’re allowed to drive on international license for 30 days after you enter Taiwan. After that, you may extend it, but in general if you have an ARC you’d better get local license.

Did you extend you driver’s license at DMV here after 30 days?

For “red light”, I’d still go back to that crossing and check, if it’s a “big” crossing and you were moving on green, a big chance taxi was moving on red. If taxi came from one of those narrow streets with no traffic lights which are in dozens near every street here - never mind.

#8

Hi,

no it’s the original document from my home country motor office. I found this in the past so I didn’t worry.

https://tpcmv.thb.gov.tw/English/ServicesEng/LicenseEng/ManagementEng/ManagementEng01.htm

Does this mean my IDP is valid for an year here from its issue date? My local driving licence is valid for the next 5 years anyway.

#9

I actually leave the country pretty often. I went two days ago to another country so shouldn’t the IDP be valid for 30 days from the date of entry?

What’s the problem with my IDP?

#10

Just thought you were driving on your international driving license alone, without IDP. If you have an IDP (that is what I meant by “extend it at DMV”) - no problem.

#11

I got the international driving permit in my country back in December. I drive just with that.

I never visited the motor office here. I came back from a foreign country two days ago. Do you think this is fine and I am in full compliance with the regulations here?

I plan to drive with that for the remaining time of its validity (issued in December, valid one year) and during this time take the driving exam here for the local driving licence. Is this fine?

#12

Just to clarify i didn’t get my international driving permit here. I got it in my own country… I have never visited motor office here since I have that.
Is this correct?

#13

Nope, this is not correct. It does not matter you came back to tw two days ago, the point is that you have been residing here for 3 years as per your arc.

You were driving without a valid drivers licence I am afraid, you are in trouble.

#14

They won’t care about the license. I’m guessing they probably didn’t even ask for it? I’ve been in a couple of accidents here and they didn’t even bother with the license.

#15

Thanks for this. I wish people on these boards would stop making posts like, “nah, you’re fucked, you’re going down for good”. Mileage always varies from case to case but in my experience it’s never as bad as the written rules make it out to be.

#16

An international driver’s license is valid for a certain period of time. It does not restart because you left Taiwan and came back in.

I don’t know what the regulations are for German European issued IDPs, but it’s best you take a look at them. Unless you have some kind of special “motorcycle” international driver’s license that allows you to operate motorcycles, you are not legally allowed to operate a scooter/motorcycle in Taiwan without a Taiwan scooter/motorcycle license.

Your next step is to contact your insurance company and file your claim with them. If you can’t speak Chinese and the insurance company requires you to explain the accident in Chinese, have your Taiwanese friend tell the insurance company what happened. Take note that any communication from the taxi driver or the girl (or their insurance companies) should be with your insurance company. Do not even think about talking them through LINE or phone, anything you say or send can be used against you if they end up suing you.

I really hate to say this, but if you do not have a local scooter license and/or insurance, you are in trouble. Not having a license is enough grounds for the other two to blame you and have you pay for damages because you aren’t legally allowed to be on the road. Your next step is…get a lawyer.

#17

Just wanted to post a “me too”. Have been in more than one accident and showing my ARC was enough. I highly doubt a lawyer is necessary, but YMMV.
The IDP needs to be stamped in Taiwan, otherwise it is not valid.

#18

Are you a German as “ranlee” mentioned ?

Assuming you are (like me), well I can only hope you

  1. were driving a green plate scooter, which you are allowed to drive with a german normal car licence as it is under 50cc.

Even that might bring you in trouble as by TW law definition your IDP is not valid anymore from the day on you did receive your ARC. There are countless threads about this here in this forum and it is quite reckless you seem not to care abouit this (you have your ARC for 3 years).

  1. Riding a white plate scooter without the proper German license (it used to be A1 upwards in Germany, sorry, I am not familiar with the newer system there) - well, you are in trouble. If you live in Taipei-City, you are even in bigger trouble as they might enforce the rules there even more strict).

And I dont think there is much more to say.
In your own interest, please get a lawyer …

#19

A few months ago I had an issue with the motorcycle so I used public transportation for the first time in… er… years?

As I was getting off the bus, a woman hit me with her scooter: she was riding between the bus and the bus stop, and she and her kid went to the ground as a result of the (small) collision.

Now, I will let you to guess who the woman though was at fault. Also she tried to convince me that me, as an American (!), don’t understand Taiwan rules.

And no, I’m not kidding.

The story got more complicated as she tried to run away before the police came, but I will write about that some other day.

#20

For some odd reason, I thought he had written he got his IDP from Germany.

That’s a typo.

Fixed.