I think anytime you go to a different country, you get the immediate impression that "these drivers are wackos!" In time, though, you learn the local driving rhythm and flow, and you figure out how to fit in. I (Mark) am lucky that I grew up in Ecuador where drivers were borderline homicidal, so I have figured out crazy driving patterns before. Since I am not driving these days, I get to observe a lot more. Here are the Top Ten Taiwanese Rules of the Road as observed from the passenger seat and as a pedestrian.
10. There is always room for one more; it doesn't matter if we're talking about lane splitting scooters or how many trucks can turn left after the light turns red. If you can squeeze an ant in there sideways, someone is trying to jam a scooter in next to it. Heck, someone's trying to squeeze a BUS in there!
9. The red line on the curb means "Don't park here very long." Definitions of "very long" vary. Considerably.
8. If grandma is coming, then seating order on the scooter shall be as follows, front to back: Doggy on floor, Little Sister standing behind Doggy and holding onto the mirrors, Big Brother half seated behind Little Sister, Dad, holding onto the bag of lunch in one hand and controlling the scooter with the other; Grandma (because she might fall asleep again), Mom, holding Baby Brother.
7. Helmets Must Be Worn At All Times When On A Scooter. You don't need a shirt, and flip flops are okay, but there is NO excuse for not wearing a helmet. Strapping it on securely is totally optional.
6. Those white dotted or solid lines painted on the street are for decoration only. Aren't they pretty?
5. Speed limits are defined by the displacement of your engine. If you are driving a 50cc scooter, you may go only 50 km/h. On a 125cc scooter, you can go 125 km/h. We don't know how fast a 1600cc car can go, but everyone's trying to find out.
4. Possession is 9.9999999999/10ths of the law. If my vehicle is occupying this section of the road, yours is not. That's just the way it is right now. However, the Size Corollary applies here: if A is bigger than B and C is bigger than A, then C may--at will--possess the space currently occupied by A, but B is a scooter and will get there first anyway.
3. Change is the only constant. This applies to lane availability, stoplight functionality, driver intentions, and vehicle load/chassis integrity. It's all dynamic.
2. Scooter drivers must reduce speed only when hydroplaning, and that's only because they have no other choice.
1. All rules are subject to the Law of Convenience. If it's not convenient, it's not a law.
Hysterical! Your description of the family on the scooter leads me to the idea that culture defines not only what is regarded as safe, but perhaps what actually is safe. I'll bet there are few American families who could pull off that arrangement without someone getting seriously hurt.
ReplyDelete