A Sti Taxi in Taipei, Taiwan
A Sti Taxi in Taipei, Taiwan
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I went to Taiwan for High School and Middle School, (7 years. www.pbase.com/para_roy) and i'll tell you straight up: Taiwanese Taxi Drivers are insane.
Because of a 100% tax on imported cars, people who buy cars either have ford peices of crap (like the "festiva" i don't think they even have those here...), or pretty daym nice cars.
And taxi drivers? ANY foreigner who's been to Taiwan has at least one crazy taxi story, be it the car, or the trip.
The first time i ever rode in a Mercedes Benz was when i got into a Taxi... Didn't notice it at first, but i was actually riding in a S Class 500!!! I asked the driver why the hell he was a Taxi driver in a 100,000 dollar car, and he told me his sad, sad story. He used to be a management person, and worked for TSMC (Taiwan Semi Conductor Company, world's largest IC foundry, and semi conductor producer). He was sent to China a few years ago, to train the former communists there on how to make a capitalist company work. He did this very well, so well that he got fired, because the people he trained could do his job for 1/10th his payroll... He lost everything, everything except for his beloved Benz...
The "average" Taxi in Taiwan is a Nissan Cefiro, known here as a 30,000 dollar Infiniti I30. Compared to American cabs... Over there it's sort of a "poor man's luxury car", as it's produced locally, so it's available without the outrageous tax.
You thougt drivers were crazy in New York? Probably never been to taiwan... even on relatively crude overpasses, and in crowded scenarios, Taxi drivers love pushing their cars past 140-150 km/h... and this is in one hella crowded city. Emergency lanes are never used only for emergencies, and traffic laws are "optional". If there isn't a copper, you can do u-turns anywhere! I've been scared for my life many a time in a Taxi, lol
And the coppers themselves are kinda scary... but their rides are hella impressive. The highway patrol went from BMW 3 series in the mid 90s, to the Benz E class in 2000, and now they have changed to Lancer Evo 8s.
Also, Taiwan leads the world in Traffic Tickets!
"Traffic fines have become an important financial source for city and county governments. The Taipei City Government received the largest amount - NT$1.62 billion - in traffic fines last year"
And that's JUST Taipei City. Anyway, Taiwan's a cool place to go, the nightlife is insane, the girls are hot, and the legal drinking age is 18 (technically... I saw 8 graders at the club on my graduation night), and the cars are nice. I regularly see super cars on the streets, almost more often than in Beverly Hills.
Because of a 100% tax on imported cars, people who buy cars either have ford peices of crap (like the "festiva" i don't think they even have those here...), or pretty daym nice cars.
And taxi drivers? ANY foreigner who's been to Taiwan has at least one crazy taxi story, be it the car, or the trip.
The first time i ever rode in a Mercedes Benz was when i got into a Taxi... Didn't notice it at first, but i was actually riding in a S Class 500!!! I asked the driver why the hell he was a Taxi driver in a 100,000 dollar car, and he told me his sad, sad story. He used to be a management person, and worked for TSMC (Taiwan Semi Conductor Company, world's largest IC foundry, and semi conductor producer). He was sent to China a few years ago, to train the former communists there on how to make a capitalist company work. He did this very well, so well that he got fired, because the people he trained could do his job for 1/10th his payroll... He lost everything, everything except for his beloved Benz...
The "average" Taxi in Taiwan is a Nissan Cefiro, known here as a 30,000 dollar Infiniti I30. Compared to American cabs... Over there it's sort of a "poor man's luxury car", as it's produced locally, so it's available without the outrageous tax.
You thougt drivers were crazy in New York? Probably never been to taiwan... even on relatively crude overpasses, and in crowded scenarios, Taxi drivers love pushing their cars past 140-150 km/h... and this is in one hella crowded city. Emergency lanes are never used only for emergencies, and traffic laws are "optional". If there isn't a copper, you can do u-turns anywhere! I've been scared for my life many a time in a Taxi, lol
And the coppers themselves are kinda scary... but their rides are hella impressive. The highway patrol went from BMW 3 series in the mid 90s, to the Benz E class in 2000, and now they have changed to Lancer Evo 8s.
Also, Taiwan leads the world in Traffic Tickets!
"Traffic fines have become an important financial source for city and county governments. The Taipei City Government received the largest amount - NT$1.62 billion - in traffic fines last year"
And that's JUST Taipei City. Anyway, Taiwan's a cool place to go, the nightlife is insane, the girls are hot, and the legal drinking age is 18 (technically... I saw 8 graders at the club on my graduation night), and the cars are nice. I regularly see super cars on the streets, almost more often than in Beverly Hills.