Death On Wheels: A Cycling Guide To Taiwan's Most Dangerous Cars

6: Toyota Altis

The Toyota Altis comes in at a close number six mainly because of the large numbers of them on the roads. The Altis is considered to be a decent car and it is often driven by young professionals as their first car bought for them by their parents as a graduation or wedding gift. Often, Taiwanese parents will buy big ticket items for their children to insert themselves into a relationship or purchase filial piety. At risk of sounding cynical, these gifts are a means of extending parental control over children once they have left the home. The Altis is often driven by self-important young people who still feel like the world should revolve around them and they drive like it.

5: Taichung Taxi

Taxis in Taiwan are known to be driven by hoodlums and maniacs and in Taichung we have the best of them. I have been in taxis that hydroplaned trough city streets in rain storms. One amphetamine addled driver buzzed a police station making play gun shot noises while he waved his arm out the window as if shooting a gun. He later took a freeway offramp at about 70mph toward a brick wall... with his hands off the wheel. My mother was not amused. Taxis are aggressive bullies of the road that use brute force to negotiate traffic. The taxi only made it to a 4th place standing for the fact that they are easily seen, universally recognized as a hazard and the drivers must receive some sort of licensing.

4: Mitsubishi 4x4 Van

The scourge of the mountain roads is the Mitsubishi 4x4 minivan. These are usually encountered during mountain rides and in the countryside. The owners jack these terrors dangerously high for such a narrow wheelbase and then take the mountain roads at very high speeds. There is an overall sentiment of invincibility on Taiwan's roads where the concept of fate reigns supreme. These little bastards have it is spades. If they don't hit you they may tip over on you. An added danger is the higher possibility that the drivers are not licensed and often totally wasted.

3: Toyota Zace

The Toyota Zace haunts dreams and comes with a devil may care attitude. Just look at it and you know immediately how it is driven. "Just look at the bones!"

2: CMC Mini Truck

The dreaded CMC minitruck ranks second on the list as it is cheap, easily obtainable and the preferred transportation for many of the occupations that are fueled by alcohol. It is the Saturday Night Special, the Zip Gun of Taiwanese automobiles. Anyone can hop in and drive one of these trucks and they may or may not be insured. These little devils shoot out of side streets and sweep across six lanes of traffic at full speed. They are cheaply built and lack many of the safety features that can be found in most other modern vehicles. Blue Death.

1: Nissan Cefiro

The reigning champion is the dreaded Nissan Cefiro. Of all the dangerous vehicles listed this one tops my list as a danger to cyclists. It looks like a reasonable, modern vehicle that should be no more dangerous than any other, but I have a theory. The Nissan Cefiro is designed to evoke the classy and elegant lines of the more refined European luxury cars. They are obviously emulating the big daddy of Taiwanese status symbols; the Mercedes, but for a much lower price point. Those who would like a Mercedes and can not afford one pick up a Cefiro. They have the same feeling of entitlement on the roads as those with the European luxury cars, but they also have a little bit of a chip on their shoulder that they are not behind the wheel of a Benz or a Beamer. They drive with anger and arrogance. They truly would like to imagine they are VIPs on their way to an emergency meeting in Geneva. The Cefiro owners lay on the horn, weave, speed through lights and make creative turns. They are also "classy" enough for the middle aged man who goes out with the boss and returns home drunk. The Cefiro is a staple of the KTV and "Entertainment Center" parking lot. I have seen more shithead Cefiro drivers than any other in my 12 years in Taiwan. That is why the Cefiro speeds off with the prize for the Most Dangerous Car To Cyclists In Taiwan. Congratulations Cefiro... you earned it!

Taipei Traffic (Video): Some Guys Have All The Luck!

Taiwan Cycling Technique Series #27: Threading The Needle

My cycling friends often give me a little grief for stopping at stop lights and even at some green lights.

I will admit that I am a cautious cyclist with a healthy respect for my environment and averse to excessive risk. It is just that Taiwan comes with its own set of dangers that any cyclist must understand and respect. Traffic does some odd and unpredictable things here, so you just have to adapt.

Also:

Sesquipedaustralian has a great series of posts on their Taiwan cycling expedition.

Wish You All Safe Riding

I heard from a friend in Taipei that he and another rider were out when a cat ran out in front of them and the other rider went over the bars. The poor guy was taken away in an ambulance and last I heard was awaiting surgery on a broken wrist and other fractures. The guy will be off the bike for some time, which, as any cyclist knows, makes the pain hurt all the more. When we take on cycling as a part of our identities we become members of a much larger community. Although I have never met the injured cyclist, I feel for him and wish him all the best and a quick recovery. That just sucks!

Anyone who has spent more than a little transit time in the Taipei-Taoyuan International Airport will know that Taiwan's traffic pretty much sucks. Every driver on the road drives like a complete selfish asshole with no exceptions... they are guilty by default. When I drive I am probably an asshole too. It is a fact of life here.

Taiwan has one of the world's highest vehicle mortality rates in the world, possibly the highest, with double the number of traffic related deaths than in the United States. Between 50% and 80% of all accidents are motor vehicle related depending on the year (Selya, 2004).

"What is especially disturbing about accidents in Taiwan is that common sense policies and practices if but implemented could lead to a radical decrease in in both the number of accidents and the accident related mortality."-- Roger Mark Selya

I recently read through the entire driving manuel and it can be divided by category in descending order based on the question frequency as follows:

a) Easy Common Sense (Example: You should obey the traffic laws.)

b) Social Morality ( Example: If you are in a hurry you should not honk and yell at other drivers.)

c) Morality for Truck and Taxi Drivers (Example: If you hear passengers discussing a drug deal you should show love for your country and take them to a police station.)

d) Punishment and Fines (Example: Talking on the Handy Cell Phone when driving is a NT3000 fine.)

e) Safety (Example: You should stop at a stop light.)

I am often under the impression that the entire driver's education program is really not designed to promote good, safe driving, but rather to get students to pass the examination. There is an entire industry related to this and the approach is the same for any examination in Taiwan. Cram cram cram. I have run into cases where the police didn't even know the traffic laws and it cost me NT2000.

As cyclists, we are used to being low on the food chain and must adapt to survive. A few things I do to stay alive on the road:

1) Ride on the far left of the right lane. You can be seen by drivers and when they DO (and they will) blindly speed out of side streets. You also have room to move to the median between lanes.

2) If the light is green and has been green for some time... do not assume it is safe to continue through the intersection without slowing down. I have a regular descent I take at 40mph (64kph) and there is an intersection near the bottom. There are several times I would have been killed if I had gone through at full speed. Even though it takes away from the ride, I'd rather slow and crank back up to speed than die.

3) Assume everyone on the road will do the dumbest thing possible at any given time. Oh what I've seen....

4) Ride like you belong in the road. People often treat you just like a scooter (maybe a little better) and so they have no problem cutting you off or passing inches from you without realizing the danger. If you ride like you belong there you can negotiate a little more space.

5) When stopping at a red light, slow down, check your rear and stop in the scooter box at the front of the stop. In Taiwan people like to catch yellow lights... after they've turned red and often speed up to the intersection and can't always stop or assume you are going to run it too. Cars also use the opportunity to take fast right turns. before the traffic starts. I've seen a few rear-enders form this.

6) Be careful running "safe" red lights. I know lots of cyclists like to blow through lights if it seems safe because winding back up all the time can take a lot out of you. It is just that there are a lot of surprises and I know a few people who have gotten clipped doing this. Just... careful doing it.

7) Keep an eye on the betel nut stands... dangerous for the obvious reason, but also watch for drivers who just got their fix and are preoccupied with their craw full of betel.

8) Give busses the right of way. They will often quickly swing right if they see a passenger. I was forced into a parked car when a bus came from behind and swung right.

9) Be careful who you yell at. Since most cyclists don't have a horn (If you do send me pics.) The voice becomes the best tool to warn people or ... ahem!... let them know they've just done something stupidly dangerous and potentially life threatening. Still, taxi drivers are going to drive like that and nobody is going to stop them. They have radios and a dozen friends with metal pipes and bats under their seats... all at a moment's notice. Don't piss 'em off.

10) Unless you are a novice or slow cyclist, avoid bike trails and markets. Just don't go there.

And sometimes there is nothing you can do, like when a cat jumps out of the bushes.

I would just like to wish everyone safe cycling.

Get well soon Lucas! I don't even know you, but I understand.

1) Selya, Roger Marc.2004.Development and Demographic Change in Taiwan 1945-1995., p.p. 256-257.London. World Scientific Publishing Co. Ltd.