A Reddit user has shared footage from a documentary about the perils of pedestrian travel in Taiwan.
The documentary plots a 300-kilometer (over 186 miles) trip across Taiwan for a group of schoolchildren, showing how often they are endangered by irresponsible driving, such as "cars forc[ing] their way through a crosswalk," as the original poster described.
They shared many scenes from the documentary showing how often the children have to walk in the road to avoid illegally parked cars, jaywalk for lack of a crosswalk, or avoid moving vehicles that maneuver through crowds.
This situation is even worse for disabled members of the group, many of whom struggle to safely navigate a wheelchair through the varied terrain of urban areas. "There are no sidewalks and illegally parked vehicles, so wheelchairs have to pass through the gaps between cars," the OP commented, describing one of the scenes.
In many densely populated urban areas in Taiwan and across the world, walking and public transportation are the only options for residents. Insufficient regulations for drivers create a dangerously crowded situation.
For example, a major incentive to introduce congestion pricing in New York City was the unprecedented number of deaths and serious injuries of pedestrians in vehicle crashes. NYC's program has only been in effect for a couple of months, and the data already shows a 51% drop in pedestrian injuries.
The exorbitant cost of running a car in cities further encourages walking. Besides gas costs, city dwellers have to compete for parking spots, the lack of which results in reliance on expensive garages, "some as high as $1,000 a month," the New York Times reported.
Cities around the world are taking action to recognize these problems and reduce the number of cars in heavily trafficked zones. Paris introduced high fees on bigger, gas-guzzling vehicles, and alongside NYC, London has a congestion pricing scheme. This, along with proper sidewalk infrastructure, makes traveling by foot much safer.
A city should always provide safe, convenient infrastructure for healthier choices such as walking or cycling, as well as designing appropriate regulations for drivers.
Not only does walking improve individual health and fitness, but fewer cars on the road also improves the air quality of a city, contributing to community health. Experts agree: Walking is better for the environment, the economy, and personal health.
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Definitely 🥰 The Reddit community reacted with personal and general dismay over the lack of pedestrian infrastructure in Taiwan.
"Such a sad and wasted opportunity," one comment read.
"I live in Taiwan too and the sheer selfishness of many drivers is exactly like this," one resident added.
A visitor to Taiwan added: "I spent a couple months in Taiwan recently, mostly Taichung. I was not prepared for dense urban areas wholly lacking sidewalks."
"It blows my mind," another comment said.
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