I spend some in Taipei as well, as I have a little side business there. I was initially unable to understand why hundreds of people a day weren't killed on the streets and roads. I finally figured out the system, although I still don't drive while I am there. In Asia, folks try to miss you, in the US they try to hit you. A very different attitude. The secret of survival in Taipei is to not do anything unexpected as a driver or pedestrian. Start to move slowly into another lane and other drivers make room for you. Start to cross the busiest street and drivers miss you. There is a mutual trust that seems to work just fine. It also explains the difficulty that Asian drivers often have when transisitioning to American driving. If you expect other drivers to give-way and they don't, metal gets bent. I live near a major university with many international students. September and November always have a lot of wrecks from international students that have not assimilated American carnivorous driving techniques yet Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "Russell McMahon" To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 5:40 AM Subject: Re: [OT] Police 'LADAR'? > >> 1. Other people will compensate for the behaviour so it's safe. > >> (Works extremely well in Bangkok)(I kid you not). > >> (snip) > > > > big ROFL for this list! (and I hope you did mean it that way) > > > :-) > > But, the bit about Bangkok is true! > And it's arguably even more true in Taiwan. > I spent a small while on business in Taiching, Taiwan's 2nd biggest > city. I did not drive but was driven everywhere. Travelling along > urban residential streets vehicles would approach almost head on at > 50+ kph each. At the last moment each would be thrown onto its own > side of the road, passing with about zero clearance. Utterly unnerving > for the passenger. > > At major city intersections with perhaps 6 streets meeting in a large > open square, when lights went green, some motor scooters would transit > the centre on the wrong side of the road, head-on into approaching > traffic, and then dive down the wrong side of their selected exit and > then correct. Unbelievable to watch. In a car you are always > surrounded by a buzzing swarm of motor scooters which seem to obey no > rules. My host, a NZer who has lived there for years, largely did not > see the scooters around him at all - he just drives where he is going > and the scooters automagically adjust their paths. When I commented on > one ultra near miss he had no recollection of a scooter having been > there at all. > > > > RM > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist