City prohibits driving through crosswalk areas

Riding your scooter through crosswalks may save time, but now it could cost you money as well.

The Taipei City Department of Transportation is installing new signs prohibiting scooters in crosswalk areas that would give police the authority to issue tickets.

Fines

Violators may be fined between NT$600 and NT$1,200.

Traffic Police Corps Captain Chen Ming-cheng (陳銘政) said that the department had alerted the police to the problem in the past, but had been told that there were no legal restrictions for the police to enforce.

The law says motorists may not park their vehicles at the crosswalk, but says nothing about driving through them.

However, the new signs have gotten around that problem, and fines may be increased at particularly troublesome intersections.

Shortcut

The crosswalks are a tempting shortcut for motorcyclists, who usually have to wait through two traffic lights to turn left in two stages. However, this presents a safety hazard for pedestrians crossing the road.

Barriers have been set up in many areas to keep cars and trucks from driving through the crosswalks. However, they are spaced too far apart to prevent motorcycles and scooters from slipping through.

The department has also suggested amending current traffic legislation to provide further legal protection for pedestrians.