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I feel like in Europe and America, the attitude is "If somebody breaks the rules, it's morally justified to endanger that person". I recently experienced cycli
by bike1321 8y ago
I feel like in Europe and America, the attitude is
"If somebody breaks the rules, it's morally justified to endanger that person".
I recently experienced cycling in Taipei. Traffic rules seem to be somewhat "loose" compared to the situation in European cities. Two lanes, but some space? Let's make a third lane. Red light? Better pay attention while running it.
But, and that's my main takeaway, people don't want to kill each other and keep calm in any situation.
Riding the bicycle doesn't feel like "one against them", it's more like "I'm in this chaos together with all the others".
[edit]
I'm not advocating for less rules, but for a more harmonic attitude towards others in traffic.
- learc83 8y agoI can't find numbers specifically for bikes being hit by cars, but it looks like vehicle related deaths per vehicle owned are significantly higher for Taiwan than the US. If you take into consideration that Americans drive more per person than any other country, driving is much more dangerous in Taiwan. I'd imagine biking is also fairly dangerous.
- bike1321 8y agoOh it sure is, the traffic is crazy after all. But there is no hostile attitude towards each other. My point is not that traffic rules should be loose -- it is that we're in traffic together and we should relax from time to time, watching out for others.
- colechristensen 8y agoThis is a generalization but very many less developed countries have much less adherence to traffic laws and very many more traffic injuries. The attitude might be better but the outcomes are worse.
- bike1321 8y agoYou should google Taipei, it's location and development, though. Taiwan's HDI is between Austria and Luxembourg.