Everyone says the Taiwanese are so nice ... I must have just met the few that aren't, or I'm used to being around nicer people than the average Taiwanese.
I've almost ran over 3 kids, 3 separate occasions, in the morning cause they jumped out in front of me on their bikes. One came from behind a van as I was crossing the intersection on a green, one came out of a side street without looking, and one looked at me then cut in front of me. The amazing thing is that not one of them seemed to acknowledge or notice they almost got ran over by a car. Saw a girl in Taichung crossing on a red and an SUV almost slammed into hershe acted like nothing happd
I grew up riding at the front of my mom's scooter with my brother in the back. I thought it was the norm to have people riding recklessly on the road. 15 years later I went back, I almost got T-boned by a motorcycle coming from my left while I was crossing a green on my bicycle. And the guy thought he's done nothing wrong and that I was a douchbag for crossing on a green.
This video is awesome!!! Biggest Vehicle wins... I will be arriving in late July or early August. I look forward to the adventure and I will probably do some video blogging of my own. Thanks for taking the time to do these videos.. they remind me of Ecuador--However Teaching in Taiwan will be a whole new experience
Today, an idiot tried a U-turn on a narrow road where I was walking but he stopped when he realized I wouldn't. Then an idiot on a scooter decided to use the narrow space where I was still walking, expecting me to jump out of the way or something equally stupid. So, I put my elbow into his shoulder and he went down.
Then the dumbfuck starts yelling, his leg under the scooter as I walked away. The idiot U-turn driver sat in his car bug-eyed, looking at me.
Hey man, that's the way it is in their culture. I asked a cop in Tainan once why they don't enforce traffic laws much. "Too many violators and too much trouble", he replied. Another explanation is politics. Oddly enough, if the cops crack down, the mayor or even the president will get the blame and it may hurt them in the next election.
Hey, it ain't my logic, like I said it is their culture. Not an excuse just a fact. When in Rome..... you know? I did like the way they drive over there either but what was I going to do besides obey the traffic laws? Can you change the way they drive? Wish I could. You are right, but you obviously don't understand even if you have lived their 20 years, I can tell. You my friend are not an anthropologist it seems.
Well, right or wrong, it's how it things are here. Taiwan drivers have this amazing disregard for signs, rules, and perhaps basic principles of physics, but you'll notice that they are *much* more attentive to surrounding drivers and pedestrians than the motorists in America. Accidents are frequent, but even more frequent is one vehicle swerving out of the way to let another swerving vehicle pass a third swerver. It's a delicate dance of traffic, one in which I will never willingly participat
@an00b1z More attentive? You mean only know what is in front of them and how they can get around it to no longer worry about it. If it's behind you it doesn't exist.
@an00b1z I totally agree, your observation was also my first impression after I read the title and saw the video. I rode a scooter for 3 years in Taipei, and they are amazingly inconsiderate drivers; but they are also very skilled drivers. I've seen more accidents in the US in three years.
What's more common than accidents in Taipei is self-entitled foreigners who complain about it all the time, but somehow stay there for years and years. If they hate it so much, they should go home.
@kangzhuang Yo have an improper attitude. If someone complains about dangerous driving don't get angry and defensive. Taiwanese people's poor driving manners doesn't mean the whole country is bad. Don't tell people to leave.
There are worse places to drive. Everyday I must remind myself of that.
embracerace 1 day ago
HAHHAHAHAHAH funny guy
SigningUpIsLong 3 months ago
Everyone says the Taiwanese are so nice ... I must have just met the few that aren't, or I'm used to being around nicer people than the average Taiwanese.
orpaspar 4 months ago
you gotta be in the India or middle east and then you'd certainly appreciate Taiwanese drivers.
poorna61 4 months ago
Nice video, but the intersection at the start - well, the bus had right of way. Flashing red means you have to yield.
Photobyke 6 months ago
After a few years here I've noticed that most of the bad driving is done with the attitude of "But I was in front of you!!! Didn't you see me??"
nardpuncher 7 months ago
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Its ironic that wearing a swimming cap in Taiwan is enforced more than wearing a helmet.
adamusiak 8 months ago
Its ironic that wearing a swimming cap in Taiwan is enforced more than wearing a helmet.
adamusiak 8 months ago 5
I've almost ran over 3 kids, 3 separate occasions, in the morning cause they jumped out in front of me on their bikes. One came from behind a van as I was crossing the intersection on a green, one came out of a side street without looking, and one looked at me then cut in front of me. The amazing thing is that not one of them seemed to acknowledge or notice they almost got ran over by a car. Saw a girl in Taichung crossing on a red and an SUV almost slammed into hershe acted like nothing happd
SenMuJie 10 months ago
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can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen
jhuang2006 1 year ago
I miss driving my scooter in Taiwan...it was a new adventure every time I drove off.
cdnmagic 1 year ago
Yep...lots of bad driving in Taiwan.
It seems that the mentality is "I pulled out in front of you...so you saw me right?"
Dangerous way to do it though.
nardpuncher 1 year ago
btw what camera are you using?
andthesunsets 1 year ago
I grew up riding at the front of my mom's scooter with my brother in the back. I thought it was the norm to have people riding recklessly on the road. 15 years later I went back, I almost got T-boned by a motorcycle coming from my left while I was crossing a green on my bicycle. And the guy thought he's done nothing wrong and that I was a douchbag for crossing on a green.
Oh how times have changed.
andthesunsets 1 year ago
This video is awesome!!! Biggest Vehicle wins... I will be arriving in late July or early August. I look forward to the adventure and I will probably do some video blogging of my own. Thanks for taking the time to do these videos.. they remind me of Ecuador--However Teaching in Taiwan will be a whole new experience
mcochran79 1 year ago
Today, an idiot tried a U-turn on a narrow road where I was walking but he stopped when he realized I wouldn't. Then an idiot on a scooter decided to use the narrow space where I was still walking, expecting me to jump out of the way or something equally stupid. So, I put my elbow into his shoulder and he went down.
Then the dumbfuck starts yelling, his leg under the scooter as I walked away. The idiot U-turn driver sat in his car bug-eyed, looking at me.
Typical Taiwanese driving.
zxcv1234vcxz 1 year ago
Hey man, that's the way it is in their culture. I asked a cop in Tainan once why they don't enforce traffic laws much. "Too many violators and too much trouble", he replied. Another explanation is politics. Oddly enough, if the cops crack down, the mayor or even the president will get the blame and it may hurt them in the next election.
lensbezel 2 years ago
@lensbezel This has to be some of the worst logic I've ever heard.
1 - Just because it's part of their culture doesn't make it right.
2 - Too many violators? More like too many people going to the hospital. There are too many violators because the laws aren't enforced.
3 - Too much trouble? More like being lazily complacent.
4 - Politics? No one in the world likes getting tickets or following traffic laws, but they are in place to save lives.
5 - I have more but I'm out of characters.
taiwanadventure 2 years ago
Hey, it ain't my logic, like I said it is their culture. Not an excuse just a fact. When in Rome..... you know? I did like the way they drive over there either but what was I going to do besides obey the traffic laws? Can you change the way they drive? Wish I could. You are right, but you obviously don't understand even if you have lived their 20 years, I can tell. You my friend are not an anthropologist it seems.
lensbezel 2 years ago
Well, right or wrong, it's how it things are here. Taiwan drivers have this amazing disregard for signs, rules, and perhaps basic principles of physics, but you'll notice that they are *much* more attentive to surrounding drivers and pedestrians than the motorists in America. Accidents are frequent, but even more frequent is one vehicle swerving out of the way to let another swerving vehicle pass a third swerver. It's a delicate dance of traffic, one in which I will never willingly participat
an00b1z 2 years ago
@an00b1z More attentive? You mean only know what is in front of them and how they can get around it to no longer worry about it. If it's behind you it doesn't exist.
j8sh15ua79 1 year ago
@an00b1z I totally agree, your observation was also my first impression after I read the title and saw the video. I rode a scooter for 3 years in Taipei, and they are amazingly inconsiderate drivers; but they are also very skilled drivers. I've seen more accidents in the US in three years.
What's more common than accidents in Taipei is self-entitled foreigners who complain about it all the time, but somehow stay there for years and years. If they hate it so much, they should go home.
kangzhuang 11 months ago
@kangzhuang Yo have an improper attitude. If someone complains about dangerous driving don't get angry and defensive. Taiwanese people's poor driving manners doesn't mean the whole country is bad. Don't tell people to leave.
nardpuncher 7 months ago
this is road Market . so walk on the street is normal thing.
chuofmilk 2 years ago
If people are allowed to walk in the street then the road should be closed to traffic for safety.
taiwanadventure 2 years ago