Taiwan's "Pedestrian Hell" Under Scrutiny: Children Forced to Retreat on Zebra Crossing

Traffic Safety Advocate Cheap Exposes Disturbing Incident in Taoyuan, Sparking Outrage

Taiwan continues to grapple with its reputation as a "pedestrian hell," a label bestowed by international media. While the government has intensified traffic enforcement in recent years, a recent incident highlighted by traffic safety advocate and YouTuber Cheap is raising serious concerns.

In a Facebook post, Cheap shared footage from Taoyuan City, where two elementary school students were attempting to cross a zebra crossing. The children, visibly signaling to oncoming traffic, were met with a shocking disregard for their safety. A staggering eleven vehicles failed to yield, forcing the children to retreat. "A road became an insurmountable barrier," Cheap lamented, attributing the incident not to a red light, but to societal indifference.

The video, filmed on Long'an Street in Taoyuan District at approximately 5:26 PM yesterday, shows the two students mid-crossing, with one pushing a bicycle and the other raising his arm. Eleven vehicles continued to drive through without stopping. It was only the 12th car that stopped. As the traffic signal turned green, and seeing the approach of numerous scooters, the children retreated to the sidewalk. Cheap described the situation as "vehicles ignoring the children, who were forced to retreat despite their gesture."