It was a pleasant surprise to see a news report last week that Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is advising Taipei City police to start fining motorists who don't give way to pedestrians.
After living in Taiwan for four years, this is the first time I have even heard of a law stating that motorists must give way, and it would seem that the vast majority of motorists have never heard of it either.
While it may be a local custom for pedestrians to fight their way across intersections and constantly be on the lookout for motorbikes riding on the footpath, it is indeed a very unsafe and unnerving part of life in Taiwan.
I would hate to hazard a guess at how many injuries occur each year as a result of the fight between pedestrians and motorists for pedestrian crossings. It seems that most locals have resigned themselves to giving way to motorists, which is probably the safest choice, but this is hard to get used to for foreigners who are used to having the right of way on pedestrian crossings.
Coming from Australia, I view it as an absolute joke to know that local motorists actually have to be reminded to give way to pedestrians. It is not hard to figure out who will come off second best in a battle between a pedestrian and any type of automobile.
I even recall being honked at by a taxi for walking across a pedestrian crossing. Apparently he didn't appreciate the fact that he was supposed to give way to me. I also have a friend who had his leg broken by a taxi in a similar incident.
My question for all of the local governments in Taiwan is why do you bother having these types of traffic laws if you never bother to enforce them?
Maybe it would be easier just to change the law so that pedestrians have to give way to motorists!
John Nowland
Taipei
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