Biking Safely in Taiwan
A lot of people who visit and relocate to Taiwan are curious about getting out on two wheel in what has been described as a cycling paradise. The idea this island is paradise is a misnomer and puts way too much pressure on this island to perform. Taiwan is most correctly called a good place to cycle. All of Taiwan's cities are easily biked because the infrastructure is set up for scooters. You'll be moving slower than scooters and you won't be treated the same way, but there is definitely more respect than you'd get in most western cities. Drivers in Taiwan rarely have issues with bikes, and they're not driving badly to piss you off or to make a statement about the place bikes have in society. If they're driving poorly it's just because they're bad drivers, plus the driving culture here is based on perceived privilege and the idea that might makes right. There are also some rather glaring flaws in the legal system for punishing drivers who hit ped...