Taiwanese robots?

Why has it taken over a year for taiwanese MRT users to understand that if you stand on the right side on the escalator, other people can pass you by and actually climb steps?

A year ago only few daring people (mainly foreigners) were trying to walk on the escalators. They were looked at like weirdoes… Now hordes of adolescents are rushing like mad down or even up the stairs.
Well done taiwan! It took you one year to read the blue sign on the escalator…

Next step: crossing the street…

Have you noticed that pedestrians share the crossing time with cars turning from and intersection? That makes crossing the street when that green man is walking not so safe since cars usally aggressively remind you, they’re bigger than you… I personally rely on my own judgement when it comes to cross the street here, green man or not. Surprisingly often it motivates others to do so. I mean they see someone start crossing so they instantly follow like a herd without even looking at the street! On several occasions Ive seen people just blindingly following me, and nearly getting run over by a speeding bike behind me.
Being street alert here is basic surviving skill or so I thought…

quote[quote] A year ago only few daring people (mainly foreigners) were trying to walk on the escalators. They were looked at like weirdoes... [/QB][/quote]

That was probably me. Tsk tsk … leg men.

quote[quote]I personally rely on my own judgement when it comes to cross the street here, green man or not....[/QB][/quote]

Actually, Green Man is a friend of mine. He might be a moderator one day so be cafeful what you say!

When the Green Man is flashing that is really your only chance to cross, so sometimes you have to start moving, cars turning or not.

I do agree that the hordes that cross the street wth no concern for turning cars take a risk. After all, hordes usually are filled with stupid people. My strategy is to put myself on the far side of the hordes, so that the mass of people serve as a buffer between the turning cards and where I am cross the street. Hopefully the car will stop after taking out some of the horde but before it gets to me.

Taipei needs more footbridges and under ground walkways. The media is reporting today on the opening of an escalator walkway over Keelung Rd., as if this is some Taiwan invention worthy of a Nobel Prize.

quote:
Originally posted by *monkey*:

Actually, Green Man is a friend of mine. He might be a moderator one day so be cafeful what you say!


I beg your pardon??

Why should I be careful of moderators here? Can they write me off or ban me or something? And for what? Saying that I dont always wait for the Green man to cross the street?? Big Deal!

Or is it your sense humor I dont dig?

Sorry I’m not a native…May be my English is not so accurate…

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pink_leppard_tw:
[QB]

I dont agree with you, sorry the last thing Taipei needs is some more ugly overpasses. They are a horrible plague of ultra fast developing cities irremediably killing any landscape.
These disgusting green construstions have for principle that you should to spend 5 more times to cross the street, going up and down, to allow cars to go 10 times faster. The machine gets priority over humans. On the contrary, Taipei needs to put the pedestrians back in first priority before cars, and give them a cars-free safer crossing by making WAIT cars, not people.

Been here over a year and from the start noticed, and was surprised, that the majority of people do obey the stand on the right walk on the left thing, maybe you’re thinmking of a different country? Also remember someone on here slagging off the Taiwanese as being puppets for having this rule. I’ve travelled around a bit and not noticed this great idea in other countries. As a matter of interest, while you’re complaining about the Taiwanese not obeying the rule, does your country have this idea, or does everyone just barge through?

Most people still don’t seem to understand what the blue sign means in my experience. The times I had to wait for the next train when someone just couldn’t be bother to move over to the right…

I usually don’t say anything but saw this Taiwanese guy once who shoved a lady aside very harshly. Unfortunately she didn’t fall down the stairs but still complained loudly how rude he was!

It was I, one of the escalator trainers! Thank god, it does seem to be working! Very few Taiwanese don’t understand the words ‘Right side stand, left side go’, in English (never bothered with Mandarin)
However, I’ve been trying to train folks for years to politely allow the ‘exiting’ of elevators before ‘entering’ them, and my methods have been relatively ineffective. Any advice?

When I first came to Taiwan, I used the Human Shield method of crossing the street. Old ladies and children work best.

I have something to add to this too. The first thing I noticed about Taiwan is all those little rules about elevators, cross walks and escalators that I learned at home may not neccessarily apply here. I will never be used to the traffic ( in Iowa cars stop even if you look like your going to cross the street) but I can learn to walk with a purpose.

My concern, however, is about the restrooms. Sometimes disaster almost strikes. You have to go to the bathroom really, really badly. It is a busy public restroom with no lines just a mass of people. I’m used to standing in line and taking the first available stall, but on a couple occasions I had to creep my way through a mass of women who seemed pushy, (not that pushy is a bad thing when you have to go) and just pray that you end up in front of a stall that becomes free quickly. Any stroke of bad luck and you could be left praying that you can keep your legs crossed tight enough. It bothered me at first, but I’m getting more clever about how to get to the front of the line. Anybody else notice that lines don’t really work here? I guess it comes down to more people, less space.

Alien you are my hero! Keep up the good work. Perhaps to be even more effective you could consider pushing a few down the stairs.

About the lift thing: I am running some tests here in my building and the first results are very promising. To reproduce this in your own environment you need:

-fake marble floor (put on the lift floor)
-slippers (put inside lift)
-脫鞋 sign (hang outside lift)

Now when the lift door opens, people bend over to remove their shoes. This will give you the chance to
a. get off first
b. kick those in the face that in the past have shown a total and persistent disrespect for common courtesy

About crossing roads I can add the following story:
Have a friend who knocked down an old woman who was crossing in front of his motor cycle. The old woman crossed the road without looking left or right and crossed a red light! My friend stopped and offered assistance and gave his phone number to her just in case. She seemed OK though and was still able to walk home.
A few weeks later the Foreign Affairs Police phoned and told him to quickly pay off the old lady or he would have to appear in court the very next day! Not sure what to do he quickly paid the old lady. I think it was about NT$20,000.
Apparently, according to local law, a court will always favor pedestrians no matter they cross the road blindfolded.

Obviously the ‘old git forcefield for crossing the road in speeding traffic’ was recharging at the time!