Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Wednesday, September 16, 2009 9:36 am TWN, The China Post news staff

Sponsors
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.

MOTC wants Taiwan to be haven for bicyclists: minister

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) aspires to make Taiwan a cycling-friendly country and to make the bicycle a viable symbol of the country, said Mao Chi-kuo, the minister for MOTC.

Mao also expressed his views on cycling trails, saying that trails built with tiles, bricks and woods may seem more visually appealing, but they do not provide a cycling-friendly environment.

To ensure cyclists' safety, a smooth and seamless asphalt biking environment is needed, he added.

In a meeting held in July on the plans for interstate bike routes, President Ma Yin-jeou urged the MOTC to enact biking regulations and traffic rules to protect the rights of bikers.

It's difficult to promote the bicycle as the primary mode of transportation for Taiwanese as the roads are jammed with scooters and motorcycles with little space left for bikes, Mao expressed.

The MOTC has constructed a number of cycling routes on the east coast, from Fulong in the north to Taitung in the south.

Responding to the increase of the bikers and accidents,

a civilian bicycle association called on bikers to follow three principals in order to avoid accidents on the road.

The guidelines are for riders to ride safely, said Hsieh Cheng-kuan, who is the chairman of the association of bicycle safety.

Riders should keep their bikes 30 to 50 centimeters away from the road lanes, notify nearby riders with their bike bell before cutting in lines, and be aware of the surroundings especially the rear bikes and vehicles.

Some 85 percent of bicycle accidents are avoidable, added Hsieh.

Nearly 75 percent of the accidents are the result of other factors and riders cause the other 25 percent of them, said Hsieh.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

Comments

September 16, 2009 thenhbushman@

Then the MOTC had better do something about the uncontrolled roaming of stray (and owned) dogs! I cannot ride 1 km without being chased by a dog trying to bite me.

September 16, 2009 jonkerjan2000@

It's difficult to promote the bicycle as the primary mode of transportation for Taiwanese as the roads are jammed with scooters and motorcycles with little space left for bikes, Mao expressed. Well, Mr. Mao, what about people with scooters, because the roads are also jammed with cars, buses and trucks? Are the ministers and members of the Legislative Yuan also going to start cycling to work?

September 19, 2009 khchen@

thenhbushman@ wrote:
Then the MOTC had better do something about the uncontrolled roaming of stray (and owned) dogs! I cannot ride 1 km without being chased by a dog trying to bite me.

Again, with your complaints of dogs always chasing you wherever you ride your bike. Seriously...where the heck do you live?

September 22, 2009 elumpen@

Taiwan a 'haven for cyclists'? That's a bit like trying to promote Saudi Arabia as a haven for naturists.

September 23, 2009 flanigan@

Some of the above comments are clearly left by people who bike very little- if at all- in Taiwan. I have ridden thousands of kilometers here and can attest that Taiwan is already well on its way to being a "biking haven", and with some creative policy from the government it can become a marketable and lucrative reality. The construction of bike trails, lanes and routes is the wisest and greenest direction for urban and scenic-area development. The promotion of the bicycle as "the primary mode of transportation" in Taiwan is an entirely different proposition, but with better infrastructure, more people might well trade in their motorbike for a bicycle. Enforcement of flagrant emissions violations by smoky motorbikes would be another good contribution to Taiwan's overall health.