TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taxi drivers by the hundreds took to the streets in Taipei City and Kaohsiung to protest new traffic laws such as the "Overlord Clause," which they claim have turned Taiwan's "pedestrian hell" into a "driving hell."
On Wednesday (Dec. 13), over 100 drivers from the Taiwan Chuan Ming Taxi Drivers Association gathered in Taipei, and a similar number in Kaohsiung to protest new traffic regulations that went into effect in June, reported NowNews. The new law raised the maximum fine for motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians to NT$6,000 and enabled the public to report 13 violations, such as illegal parking on sidewalks.
The protestors in Taipei gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard to appeal to the national government to prioritize the work rights and livelihood of taxi drivers. They submitted a petition to the Office of the President expressing the concerns of taxi drivers as a vulnerable profession in society, who are facing difficulties in making a living since the implementation of the new laws.
Chang Chi-yu (張繼宇), "captain" of the association, said to the news agency that Article 63 of the new law stipulates that in addition to fines for traffic violations, there is also a violation point system. Accumulating 12 points within a year will result in a two-month suspension of the driving license.
(Facebook, Taiwan Chuan Ming Taxi Drivers Association photo)
However, Chang said the new system does not distinguish between ordinary motorists and professional drivers. The penalty for accumulating 12 points, regardless of the severity of the violations, is an automatic suspension of the driving license for two months.
Even minor infractions, such as temporarily stopping in parallel or not closely hugging the roadside while picking up passengers, lead to points being directly deducted. While for ordinary road users, this may mean finding alternative transportation for just two months, for professional drivers such as taxi drivers, it equates to a loss of two months' worth of income.
Minor violations can thus jeopardize the livelihood of professional drivers, making it difficult for them to continue to make a living, said Chang.
The taxi drivers in Kaohsiung gathered on Meihua East 2nd Road and held up a banner that read "Give driving across the country a viable path" and they called on the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and legislators to take another look at the regulations, reported UDN. Huang Hsin-ying (黃信穎), a special committee member of the Kaohsiung City Transporation Bureau, accepted the organization's petition and pledged to forward it to the MOTC for consideration.
Lin Hung-chiang (林竑江), a taxi driver and Kaohsiung representative of the Taiwan Taxi Drivers Association, said the regulation's provisions allowed the public to report on 13 infractions has made "reporting demons come to life, and has turned Taiwan's 'pedestrian hell' into a 'driving hell' for motorists and has also stoked antagonism and panic among the general public."
"Behind every taxi is a family," Lin said. He pointed out that the current traffic markings seldom consider the situation of taxi drivers as continuous red and yellow lines leave no space, not even a temporary space for passengers to board or alight.
Taxi drivers, in their attempt to pick up passengers, may briefly stop by the roadside, allowing passengers to board or alight in less than 30 seconds. However, Lin lamented that some individuals obsessed with reporting violations may take photos, even using drones from the sky.
He emphasized that taxi drivers do not intentionally violate rules and regulations and pleaded for a little space to make a living.
(Facebook, Taiwan Chuan Ming Taxi Drivers Association photo)
Shen (沈) a taxi driver, shared his recent experience near the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital Emergency Room. A pedestrian suddenly rushed onto the road, and although he braked in time to avoid hitting them, a bystander captured and reported the scene.
Shen received a fine of NT$6,000, three demerit points and was required to attend a six-hour road safety lecture. He questioned the imbalance, where pedestrians have the "Overlord Clause," and those reporting violations can indiscriminately take photos and not have consideration for the difficulties faced by taxi drivers.
(Facebook, Taiwan Chuan Ming Taxi Drivers Association photo)