Early last month, the government announced it was considering mandating(強制規定) the use of helmets for bicycle riders and introducing a host of(大量) other laws governing(管理) the use of bicycles, including regulations that require riding in the same direction as traffic and obedience to traffic lights.
As of the beginning of September, the new rules have come into effect, at least in Taipei.
The measures were announced in tandem with(因應) grim(駭人的) statistics from the Ministry of the interior(內政部), which indicated that a total of 664 people died and more than 27,000 people were injured in traffic accidents related to bicycles between 2003 and 2006.
While we applaud(稱讚) the authorities(政府) for their efforts, there are some unanswered questions related to enforcement(實施).
Will the crackdown(取締) really include the many elderly people who ride around very slowly?
And will the police be able to track down(偵查) violators(侵犯者) who try to escape punishment by giving a fake ID number?
As always(一如往昔), laws are more easily made than enforced.
In many large Japanese cities, bicycles must be registered, as is the case for cars and motorbikes.
The bikes must also carry a small license plate, making ticketing for offenses(向犯錯者開罰單) and catching bicycle thieves much more feasible.
Although Taiwan has not taken such drastic steps, any steps in the right direction are better than none.
Saving 200-pulse lives a year is worth some growing pains.
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