Many people have noticed that the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones on roads have recently taken on a very different appearance. They used to only have a motorcyclist symbol painted on them, but recently there are both motorcyclist and bicyclist symbols. The most special thing about them is that the bicyclist symbol is clearly wearing a cycle helmet. This has inspired many road users to say approvingly that even stop zones are teaching traffic safety lessons by reminding everyone that they should still obey traffic regulations and wear safety helmets when riding a bicycle.
However, some people wonder why the bicyclist symbol drawn in the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones is wearing a helmet, whereas the motorbike rider seems not to be wearing a helmet and appears to be bare-headed. Others disagree, however, because, they ask, if the motorcyclist is wearing a full-face helmet, what is wrong with drawing it as a white circle?
Director-General Lin Han-pin of the Changhua County Government Department of Public Works says that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has published its latest Regulations for Road Traffic Signs, Markings, and Signals, so when any county highway managed by the county government is resurfaced and has its lines repainted, the job will be done in accordance with the new version of the regulations.
Photo: Liu Hsiao-hsin, Liberty Times 照片︰自由時報劉曉欣
Lin says that, according to the latest regulations, motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones must be delineated behind the stop line on all roads with a speed limit below 60 kilometers per hour where there are intersections with traffic control signals. Motorcyclist and bicyclist symbols must be painted within the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones, and the bicyclist symbol in the new version of the regulations is wearing a helmet.
Lin says that previous motorcyclist symbols painted on roads all used a solid white circle to represent the rider wearing a helmet, but the motorcyclist symbol in the new regulations looks like a front view of the rider wearing a full-face helmet, and the symbol clearly shows the helmet’s visor, which makes it more realistic than the original symbol. From now on, contractors will be required to paint all markings and symbols in full accordance with the new version of the regulations.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
Photo courtesy of Changhua county government 照片︰彰化縣政府提供
不少民眾都發現，馬路上的「機慢車停等區」最近長得大不同，以往只會畫上機車騎士，但最近都是同時畫上機車騎士與自行車騎士，最特別的是自行車騎士的圖案，很明顯就可以看到戴上自行車的專用安全帽，讓用路人大讚說，連停等區都在上交通安全課，提醒大家騎自行車也要遵守交通規則，還要戴上安全帽。
不過，也有民眾好奇指出，「機慢車停等區」所畫的自行車騎士圖案有戴安全帽，那為何所畫的機車騎士，好像沒戴安全帽，看起來只是光溜溜的頭；但也有人不以為然，因為當機車騎士戴上全罩式安全帽，用白色圓形來示意，何錯之有？
彰化縣工務處長林漢斌表示，因為交通部有公布最新的「道路交通標誌標線號誌設置規則」，因此，只要是縣府所管理的縣道在重新鋪過、重新劃設標線，就會採取新版的規定來辦理。
林漢斌強調，根據最新規定，「機慢車停等區線」必須設置在行車速限每小時六十公里以下的道路，且設有行車管制號誌路口之停止線後方，並需要於「機慢車停等區」內繪設機車、自行車圖案，新版規定當中的自行車圖案，就有戴上安全帽。
林漢斌說，以前馬路上的機車圖案，都用白色實心圓形代表機車騎士戴上安全帽，而新規定的機車圖案，看起來就像是機車騎士戴著全罩安全帽的正面，圖案可以明顯看到安全帽的面罩，比原有圖案更逼真，未來也將要求廠商全部依照新版規定來劃設標線與圖案。
（自由時報劉曉欣）
DID YOU KNOW? 你知道嗎？
Stop zones like the ones in Taiwan have become common in other countries due to the growing use of motorbikes, scooters and bicycles. The technical term for them is “advanced stop lines,” but they are commonly known as “bike boxes.”
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