Safety Advice to Myself: In Taipei's Traffic

[Russ McClay]

Ride like you're on a bicycle. Always yield. Just instinctive disengage the clutch and lock and go back to manual control. It's not worth trying to defend your rights on the road at the cost of getting hurt or the bike damaged.

The same things that happen to motor-scooters happen to motorized bicyclists...oh by the way I've never seen a motorized bicycle in Taiwan. I've been here 25 years!

The main thing to have control of is stopping.

Cars/trucks will just slide in from side streets.

They will turn directly in front of you when pulling away from a curb.

And mostly...they will cut you off as they make a right or a left.

My bike runs a standard, out-of-the-box 66cc standard China girl motor. I can slow cruise on it at 13 or so mph. But it doesn't like it. So if traffic isn't moving at that speed I kill the motor and pedal.

Lastly, if car/truck drivers don't take special notice of what you're riding they will assume it is a bicycle, with the low rights of a bicycle. If they notice you're riding a motorized bicycle they will do a double-take and still consider that you're on a bicycle (which can stop much more easily that a motorcycle).

Be safe. Enjoy the ride!