The main method of travel within cities is by scooter.
Seemingly EVERYONE has a scooter! Motorscooters and motorcycles are the most common modes of transportation for teachers. BE CAREFUL! Driving in Taiwan is fast and furious and can result in serious injury! Drivers are aggressive. Accidents are about as common as sunburn in Australia.
If you’re going to get one please consider this carefully and BE SURE TO PRACTISE in safe areas before you start booting around.
Remember that what Westerners consider the rules of traffic are often disregarded here in the Taiwan.
Scooter Costs
- second hand scooter - NT$5000 - NT$20,000
- new scooter - NT$30,000 - NT$60,000
Scooter sizes vary from the common 50cc, 125cc or 150cc which can easily manage the mountain climbs. An important consideration is that the older used scooters are less commonly stolen.
The advantages of scooters and motorcycles are convenience and cost. Because scooters are small, they are easier to park in crowded downtown areas, they cost little to maintain, and they consume little gas. Most teachers spend no more than NT$500 per month on gas.
To purchase a scooter, you will need an ARC (Alien Resident Card). By law, all drivers must wear a helmet and for owners of scooters above 50cc, a local scooter license is required. Many foreign scooter drivers either have no license or carry an international license, but take the risk of heavy fines. The truth is that often if a cop should stop them, it is too much hassle filling out tickets and forms in Chinese, that the police-officer is likely to turn a blind eye... but it’s still a risk. We strongly encourage you to get a license - it's a great souvenir... Also, think about what might happen in an accident... be smart. Get a license and look into insurance. The streets of Taiwan are a crazy place.
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