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dangerousapple · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 292

I agree with everything TS says, but I wouldn't put it quite so seriously. Taiwan is a very safe place for a foreigner, as long as you follow simple common sense. However, everything he warns about has happened either to me personally, or various staff at my school, including female staff.

If you've been here for three years or less, you probably haven't completely figured out how to get along with the locals. Us old-timers laugh when we think about the stupid crap we did when we were new to Taiwan.

Come to Taiwan, enjoy your time here, you'll love it. But don't ever forget that social customs are completely different here, and a new teacher's ignorance will cause some friction with the locals sooner or later.

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

StayingPower · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 252

Self-defense was my only concern here, like "just-in case" self-defense, not self-defense-of-defending-self security in every shape and form.

People in cars carrying baseball bats is one case in point.

But I'm not worried about it. Just thought I'd throw it out there because I like pocket knives Smile

Can you carry pocket knives there?

Bowies?

Toe Save · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:43 am Post subject:

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

Taoyuan Steve:

You mentioned social problems that the locals know about but the expats do not. Could you maybe talk a bit about what you mean and why the problems are bigger outside of TP. I should think any problems would be magnified in a big city given the population density and all. Not trying to pick a fight with you or anything but I am curious as to what you are talking about.

As to the OP, I have been to many parts of the island on several occasions and taught English there and never felt personally threatened. Trust Taiwanese? Only an idiot would do that and this is from someone who has had long business and personal dealings with them. My basic rule of thumb is flat out do not believe 95% of what they tell you and triple check the rest. But worry about being a crime victim while in the country? Never.

DirtGuy

dvasas · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 138 Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

[quote="Serious_Fun"]

StayingPower wrote:

I met a resaurant worker here in the states working at 'The Mandarin Inn', a Chinese place where I eat. [color=red]Good food.

aaaah.....therein lies the problem. Never, I repeat NEVER, eat good food.

StayingPower wrote:

"Guy knifed some people on the street with scissors, just went up and down, stabbing them in the head."

This was obviously a lack of good scissor etiquette. How many times have we told our students Do Not Run With Scissors!?

[/quote][/color]

Thanks! I got a good laugh! Specially about there's the problem never eat good food! Laughing

trukesehammer · Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 168 Location: The Vatican

Toe Save · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:24 am Post subject:

I'll agree with Trukeshammer to a point. I'd have to say that most of the stories I hear about foreigner bruhahas involve booze. Sometimes it involves pride and arrogance. There are plenty of stories where a simple traffic faux-pas escalates into a knife fight or a date in court.

So the taxi driver cut you off. So some yahoo kids yelled something at you as they drove by. Big hairy deal. Let it go and walk, scoot, drive, hike, amble the other way.

Live to drive another day.

Am I right or am I right?

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

All I can say is that I'm totally perplexed by the things you few people are writing... and I'm positive that it's not the way things are in the real world here.

Saying that someone has even a small chance of getting in a fight in Taiwan (let along a knife fight!) is like saying that you are going to get shot if you go to the US.
It's such an extreme exaggeration of reality.

Taiwan is an incredibly safe country. One of the safest in the world, particularly for foreigners.

All I can say to people reading this thread is this: I hope that reading this doesn't make you think Taiwan is an unsafe place. That's just not the case. Remember, it's only a few people who feel this way.....

dvasas · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 138 Location: Taipei, Taiwan

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=284000#3

That is the Canadian travel report for Taiwan the US puts out a similar report as well, and these reports even make places sound much more dangerous than it actually is.

Heck the travel report for the US made it look much more dangerous than Taiwan, try reading other ones they are great insight I have been to Venezuela before too and their current report would make you not want to go there!!

Toe Save · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:29 am Post subject:

henryhu · Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: east coast

I have had enough with all of your hatred and spite. The only thing you can all agree on is that scooters are dangerous. Unity in predujice is an ugly thing...

Taiwan streets are chaos, for sure... but a scooter is our only tool of self determination. Ride the bus... walk... ride a bike... Well, that is just throwing yourself into the whims of chaos. A scooter is the only thing that lets us traverse thru the chaos as opposed to being at the mercy of it. A car? No way... You are swarmed by scooter bugs on either side and can't so much as scratch your behind without killing one of em. With a scooter, you can react and respond. Plus, they are fun.

I also must say that Taiwan's roads are more trecherous than those in the 3rd world. I too have lived in China and have driven in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The streets in those three countries are more chaotic than Taiwan's... but 80-year-old women sweeping the street, bicycles for days, and various forms of rickshaws and fashioned taxis on the back of mopeds are not really that dangerous. Put all those people on top of 150CC and then it gets interesting. And again... here in Taiwan your only defense is to jump in and join them and not wait for a traffic logic that does not exist to keep you safe.

Get a scooter. Love the scooter. Be the scooter.

(but do carry your health insurance card and always wear clean underwear... because you will have a crash or two. i have had three.)

regarding the other safety issues, Taiwan is safe. Hardly any violent crime and to date no one has ever randomly walked up and punched me.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

The Chinese, both here and on the main land, are a pretty angry bunch.

Don't mess around or you'll be in trouble.

They are angry and violent.

I've seen street conflicts involving both Chinese on Chinese and Chinese on foreigners.

Pretty ugly.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Here's a link showing Taiwanese President Chen Shui Bian's supporters attacking a young woman for you, OP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7CzhZjV-c

Make no mistake about it, the Chinese can be extremely violent.