Wed, Jun 26, 2024 page3

• Taipei MRT to highlight care after priority seat disputes

  • By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
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  A new message broadcast on the Taipei MRT’s Wenhu (Brown) Line urging passengers to yield their seats to those in need, not necessarily elderly people, would be extended to other MRT lines and public transportation in the capital, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said yesterday.

  Chiang was responding to reporters’ questions on the sidelines of a news conference at Taipei City Hall promoting healthy walking.

  Several disputes over priority seats on public transportation have recently been reported, sparking debate about who qualifies to sit in them, as most of the cases involved elderly people asking young people to give up their seats.

  

  A train operates on the Taipei MRT’s Wenhu (Brown) Line in an undated photograph.

  Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times

  Recently, a new message has been broadcast on the Wenhu Line.

  “Hello, age is the not the only standard for sitting in the priority seats. Please show empathy, love and care,” it says.

  Taipei Rapid Transit Corp is using the message to promote the idea that priority seats are for those with genuine need, and that “you may not be able to see it, but they need it,” Chiang said.

  Asked if the message would be broadcast on other MRT lines or public transportation, he said it would be.

  During the news conference, the Taipei Department of Health said that with convenient transport and food deliveries, many people lead a sedentary life.

  It said it conducted a survey, which found that 40 percent of the city’s residents exercise regularly.

  To encourage Taipei’s residents to be more active, the department announced the launch of a four-month healthy walking campaign that runs through Oct. 25.

  People can join the campaign by downloading a hiking app, and score points by answering health questions, completing quests such as walking 400m per day for at least three days per week and finding digital treasures at designated spots along hiking trails, it said.

  The accumulated points can be used to enter a lottery for prizes, including a smart phone, smart watch, coffee maker, video game console, fitness wearables and wireless earbuds.

  Details can be found on the walkintaipei.com.tw Web site.

  The WHO says tobacco use, inactivity, an unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol are four common, but preventable risk factors that lead to most noncommunicable diseases, the department said, adding that walking is a simple and cost-effective way of being active.

  Department Commissioner Chen Yen-yuan (陳彥元) encouraged people to incorporate walking into their daily routines, starting with just 10 minutes.

  A person who walks until they are sweating slightly and breathing more heavily is doing enough to be fitter, prevent chronic illness and reduce stress, Chen said.

  Commuters can add a brisk walk to and from work into their routine, or go hiking with friends or family over the weekends as an easy way to become more active, he said.
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