the jimmymac attack!

Here in Banciao, Taiwan they put a whole new perspective on the old bumper sticker, Baby on Board. I don't know why someone created that phrase but it's been a popular bumper sticker in America for about 20 years. Well in Taiwan they love to drive motorcycles and scooters. They are used by individuals, couples and delivery people. Some men have carriers so they can deliver propane tanks with their scooters. In Banchiao they also like to drive without helmets. I believe by law they are supposed to wear helmets but Banqiao is the wild west of Taipei. Many people drive around without helmets. Also many people use scooters as the family vehicle. It's not unusual for example to see a whole family of mother, father and two kids on one little scooter. I don't know if this is legal either but in Banchiao who cares? Last night I saw the baby on board which spurred me to write this. Two adults were riding with helmets on. Then there was a little toddler of about 1 year old standing on the seat between them. The baby did not have a helmet. It's like the opposite of America once again. At home you will see kids on bicycles wearing helmets while the adults go without helmets. But then those are bicycles. I'm not sure what these people are thinking here but there you go. Seems like madness but it's the Taiwanese way. Maybe all the helmetless riders in Banchiao explains why the place is so crazy. Too many people have fallen off bikes and suffered brain damage. But they obviously lived to ride another day! Like the guy going down the street with a cigarette hanging from his mouth and talking on his cell phone. The fact that he is multi tasking his bad habits on the street is not unusual. But it got my attention because he was also driving about 30 mph on his motor scooter with just one hand and no helmet. He needed the other hand to hold the cell phone and the cigarette was dangling from his mouth because he had no more hands for it. I guess he had to go helmetless to show everyone what a man he is. Not everyone is nuts here of course, just some of them.