Trade Shows, Prologues and Weekend Links

Iced Latte at Warehouse 185

My weekend riding was pretty much a wash. I rode the La Cruz "The Moose" for a little bit on Saturday, and took the Seven up to Dakeng on Sunday. The leg issue is still a rehab assignment in progress, where I can ride for several kilometers without issue and then things get painful. When the pain sets in I'll so dome stretching and I'll be fine for a while longer... and repeat. So, I climbed two-thirds the way up to the CKS Campground and enjoyed a descent nice enough to put a smile on my face. I then cooled my knee at the 185 Warehouse cafe with James Murray, the sales manager there.

In other Taiwan related bike news...

• The Taipei International Cycle Show wrapped up with mixed reviews. I guess it depends upon which end of cycling you're from. Sabinna from Cycling Satin Cesena and Primavera Cycles loved the colors, lights and the collection of the entire supply chain under one roof. OzSoapbox was a little less excited by a show that is more geared toward industry wonks rather than the consumer. Still, I think I could get excited about bamboo bikes.
• The Tour of Taiwan is now well underway with the South Korean, Park Sung-baek, taking the first stage (I'm sure he cheated *wink!*), after the prologue was taken by the Aussie, Adam Phelan. It appears Taiwan's government is shilling for TOEIC standardized testing by requiring a TOEIC certificate to serve as an official translator for the Tour of Taiwan.

The Bicycle Officially Becomes "Traffic": Amendments Seek To Protect Riders

In a major step to better incorporate the bicycle into Taiwan's traffic grid, the Director of Highways and Transportation, Chen Yan-bo, has proposed amending the current laws with the aim of bringing accidents between bicycles and cars within the jurisdiction of the police and prosecutor's office.

According to a report from the Liberty Times, an average of 140 Taiwanese cyclists are killed annually. With the growing number of bicycles entering the roadways, the rights of cyclists can not be ignored.

Under the current laws, accidents between bicycles and automobiles are considered to be strictly a civil matter outside the jurisdiction of Taiwan's criminal code.

In the past, the difficulty with implementing and enforcing laws to regulate and protect cyclists has stymied efforts to include the bicycle into the transportation grid.

The changes still must undergo a 3 month review process before they can be implemented, but it appears positive change is in the works. Enforcement of these laws will be key to helping integrate the bike into the urban environment.