Taipei and New Taipei City are to ban the use of low-power electric mopeds in riverside parks from Jan. 1, with violators facing fines of NT$300 to NT$1,200, officials said today.
In a news release, the Taipei Hydraulic Engineering Office said that the city on Oct. 23 announced a ban on "mini electric two-wheeled vehicles" — referring to electric motorcycles with a top speed of 25kph or less — from all bicycle paths.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Hydraulic Engineering Office
In line with the "Taipei-New Taipei living circle," the New Taipei City Government announced the same ban to jointly protect public safety and maintain a safe leisure environment along riversides.
The office said that the city has continued to receive complaints about such vehicles impacting the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
Banners have been posted at riverside entrances, exits and bicycle paths to publicize the new rules, the office said.
Patrols would be increased starting next month, and contraventions would be reported to police and fined under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例).
A small number of Taiwanese this year lost their citizenship rights after traveling in China and obtaining a one-time Chinese passport to cross the border into Russia, a source said today. The people signed up through Chinese travel agencies for tours of neighboring Russia with companies claiming they could obtain Russian visas and fast-track border clearance, the source said on condition of anonymity. The travelers were actually issued one-time-use Chinese passports, they said. Taiwanese are prohibited from holding a Chinese passport or household registration. If found to have a Chinese ID, they may lose their resident status under Article 9-1
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