The Taiwanese spin on why there are more accidents is humorous. It’s not because of unfamiliarity of how to drive on the left hand side of the road. It’s because Taiwanese can’t adapt their driving habits to match places that usually have civility and manners on the road. Trying to drive in Japan, Australia, the UK like they do in Taiwan and not produce accidents is extremely ignorant of the Taiwanese.
Why taxis specifically? I guess they’re making Taiwanese assumptions about the way taxis behave (i.e., GTFOO my way, I’m a taxi), although I’m not sure how that leads to more accidents. Possibly something like this:
Taxi is waiting patiently at a red light, as Taiwanese driver with right-of-way approaches junction.
Taiwanese person stops, in the not-unreasonable expectation that the taxi will run the red light.
Taxi fails to move as expected. Queue behind Taiwanese person starts hooting.
Taiwanese person decides taxi is not going to run red light after all, and creeps through at 1mph just as the lights change.
Taxi pulls out on green. Crunch.
Why taxis specifically? I guess they’re making Taiwanese assumptions about the way taxis behave (i.e., GTFOO my way, I’m a taxi), although I’m not sure how that leads to more accidents. Possibly something like this:
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Pretty weird. One would think the only assumption possible to make about a Taiwanese taxi driver would be to stay out of their way. I’d imagine the US taxi drivers, being taxi drivers, drive aggressively, with decisions based on assumptions about how US drivers will drive, and when those assumptions are abruptly proven wildly wrong, a collision sometimes ensues.
What’s sad is that the foreign ministry is proud of this video, holding a press conference and inviting foreign dignitaries. I think a more appropriate headline would have been “MOFA gives statistics to justify treating Taiwanese nationals like children”
I drive in Taiwan, and I drive in LA. I find driving in LA freeway is terrifying.
This weekend, I drove back from Las Vegas to LA thru Interstate 15. The average speed for all cars is about 75 miles an hour the whole time (that is 120 km?), facing the sun, while many young people with fancy cars weaving in an out. Many would cut in front of you, if you leave a space just enough for them to cut in. They could then suddenly break in front of you so not to hit the car in front.
When it is close back to LA basin, the long steep down run is even more terrifying with no room for any error.
I do not know how you prepare people driving in LA. Comparing to LA, driving in Taiwan is much slower.