Be Careful When Getting Off the Bus! "Look Right First" Becomes a Safety Rule for Passengers in Taiwan
In Taiwan, taking the bus is a part of daily life for many people; whether they are office workers or students, they rely on buses to commute. However, getting off the bus actually hides many dangers. At the moment of disembarking, many passengers often encounter scooters speeding past the right side of the bus, which startles many and even leads to near-misses of serious collisions.
This dangerous situation usually occurs when a bus pulls over at a stop. If the bus cannot pull completely close to the curb due to roadside parked vehicles or insufficient space, a gap is left between the bus and the roadside. To save time, many scooter riders choose to speed through the narrow space on the right side of the bus. For passengers just about to step out of the door, this is a dangerous blind spot.
According to the experiences of many citizens, this behavior of "scooters squeezing through gaps" is very common during peak hours. Sometimes, just as a passenger is preparing to get off, they see a scooter fly by, only centimeters away from the door. This not only makes passengers feel uneasy but also reflects the problem of a lack of safe distance between bus passengers and scooter riders in Taiwan's traffic environment.
To protect personal safety, more and more people are now advocating the "three steps for getting off." First, when the bus doors open, passengers should not rush out immediately. Second, pause for a moment at the doorway and turn your head to the right to carefully observe if any scooters are approaching from behind. Finally, after confirming that the right side is safe, take a step onto the ground.
In addition to passengers needing to stay alert, traffic experts also call on scooter riders to slow down and maintain an appropriate safe distance when passing a stopped bus. At the same time, if bus drivers can try their best to park as close to the curb as possible, it can effectively reduce the space for scooters to squeeze in, thereby lowering the probability of accidents.
In summary, maintaining traffic safety requires the joint efforts of bus drivers, scooter riders, and passengers. Before the traffic environment is fully improved, passengers developing the habit of "pausing, looking right, and then stepping out" remains the most effective way to protect themselves and avoid being hit by a scooter.