So, how come they can't build a decent sidewalk here?

Have to say sidewalks in Taipei are lightyears better than 10 years ago,due to Ma’s serious fixation in this area. There have been several positive developments over the last few years:

  • Replacing the “red tiles” in much of the city with MUCH better material
  • Setting up “no parking” zones (such as around the train station)
  • Leveling stretches of sidewalk so they aren’t up and down jazzercize courses

Having said that, once one leaves Taipei city proper, all bets are off! :noway:

Because vendors have to pay the shop whose sidewalk they’re squatting on.

Brian

[quote=“jdsmith”]Can I complain a bit about the quality of the roads in Taipei county here too? Please :slight_smile: What? Do they patch the roads with sugar and when the rain comes like it has lately, the patches dissolve?

Seriously, can some civil engineer of someone familiar with road construction explain why ALL the potholes reappear with such frequency?? Are they doing something wrong, or is the acid rain from China THAT bad??[/quote]

I asked a student of mine, a prof. of engineering in Dou liu, about this very same thing. He told me that they fill the pot holes and don’t pack it down properly, they just fill it in, it’s not packed in tightly. Then the earth etc that the hole was filled with settles. Trucks etc go over it and stress the repair and then it opens up again. Or, it rains and everything under the road surface gets washed away. Ok, I didn’t explain that well, but I think you get the idea.

My favorite is seeing what blocks the special tiles that are laid to guide the blind.

There a quite a lot of them here in Taizhong, and there is often something obstructing them. Pot plants, scooters, vendors, just your every day stuff that us “sightees” have to contend with.

At the veterans hospital, on the way into the emergency ward, they have built an ATM (I think) so that the poor old blind sucker, following the specially laid tiles to guide him into the hospital EMERGNCY ward walks “splat” into the side of a big metal box!!!

If somebody’s well being isn’t worth a thought out the front of the hospital, …

I guess at least they’re already at the hospital. :unamused:

Roads were a major problem in Taipei city until Chen went on a mission to sort them out. Now Taipei roads are among the best in the world, IMO. Again, though, leave the city proper and… :noway:

[quote=“GongChangZhang”]

If somebody’s well being isn’t worth a thought out the front of the hospital, …

I guess at least they’re already at the hospital. :unamused:[/quote]

No one really gives a hoot about anyone but themselves here.