Seasonal traffic jams fail to materialize

In contrast to previous years, traffic flowed smoothly on the nation's highways on the second day of the lunar year yesterday, when parents traditionally invite their married daughters and sons-in-law to visit.

Chen Hsiung-yu (陳幸妤), President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) daughter, along with her husband, Chiao Chien-ming (趙建銘), and one-year-old child, Chiao Yi-an (趙翊安), were crowded by reporters when they went to an airport in Tainan County to catch a flight to Taipei City. They expressed their appreciation to the media for their concern but made no further comment.

Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) daughter Hsieh Wei-fen (謝維芬), who married doctor Chen Chin-kuo (陳錦國) in March last year, returned to Hsieh's mayoral residence yesterday.

Hsieh, who has been embroiled in a vote-buying scandal in the Kaohsiung City Council, said yesterday, "Only family members can comfort my heart."

Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) went to his hometown in Tunghsiao (通霄), a small township in Maioli County, to celebrate the lunar New Year and pray to his ancestors.

"This is the sixth time I've returned here to be with my clan," Ma told reporters, "and I encouraged them to be positive about conquering the economic recession this year."

According to traffic police and officials of the Freeway Bureau, the average speed on the nation's main highways was 70kph between the peak hours of 10am to 6pm yesterday.

"I think the smooth traffic this year is because of the cold weather and the completion of several transport projects," an official said.

Some polls conducted by the media suggested that the economic recession was prompting many people to stay at home to save money.

The Central Weather Bureau said yesterday that the temperature will fall from tomorrow, with rain affecting the whole country.