Monday, May 27, 2013

Bike rules for (non)-bikers (with comments)

Interesting stuff HERE For non-bikers:
  • 1. Don’t stand in the bike lane when you’re waiting to cross the street. (Happens all the time in Taipei)
  • 2. Look before you open your cab door, and get out of the way quickly after exiting your cab. (yup, I was hit once and the guy geting out of the taxi started shouting at me why I ws not careful enough....)
  • 3. Don’t walk or run in the bike lane (See item 1)
  • 4. Jaywalk with caution (specially in Taipei where motorcycles start driving several seconds before the light goes green)
  • 5. Don’t get offended or angry when cyclists ring their bells at you or yell at you. (Taiwan bikes don't have bells anyhow)
For bikers:
  • 1. Make yourself visible when riding at night (Taiwan bikes don't have lights anyhow)
  • 2. Don’t ride against traffic (We can see this everyday)
  • 3. Don’t ride on the sidewalk (This is controversial as Taipei's only place to bike is the sidewalk)
  • 4. Run red lights with caution (I agree, several traffic lights in Taipei make absolutely no sense for bikers)
  • 5. Don’t bring your bike on the subway during rush hour (exactly why we need bike lanes so bikers don't need to use the MRT!)

It seems the end of the personal owned bike as we know it for Taipei. There are no parking spaces for personal owned bikes, (almost) no dedicated bike lanes in the city or to get in our out the city and (rental) bikes are just for covering the short distance between MRT stations. Though even then it would be good if (junior) high schools in Taiwan start to provide traffic lessons and examinations. It may help a lot for traffic etiquette.

1 comment:

  1. writing an argument for debating that bike should be allowed on sidewalk in Taipei. and we want to promote that the city government need to rearrange the bike lane for bikers, but it seems impossible. pedestrian really dislike bikers on the sidewalk :(
    though I love riding bicycle and I always let the pedestrian pass

    ReplyDelete