About a month ago i showed a picture of my spiffy new flip-flops. Today I show you the mortal enemy of flip-flops...Taipei sidewalks.
Most sidewalks in the city which are in front of buildings have an overhang above them and an extremely smooth faux marble floor. This is great because either the weather is extremely hot or raining, so it's nice to have cover form both the heat and the rain.
However the smooth floor is a big danger, especially when it rains and gets wet. It's very common to see people slip and fall down. One day last week I saw five different people slip and fall down on the same day. It's extremely dangerous, but there is an alternative.
Usually sidewalks have another part outside of the overhang which is normal sidewalk pavement. These areas have a lot of grip, so you are safe from falling. However they are not without their own dangers. This is the part where people will ride their scooters when looking for a parking spot on the sidewalk. So if you choose to walk out here you have to keep your head on a swivel always looking out for scooters coming to mow you down.
I should mention that it's illegal to drive your scooter on the sidewalk. You are supposed to get off and walk your scooter to a parking spot, however this law is rarely enforced. You are free to do this in front of a cop, and cops do it as well.
So it's a constant battle no matter where you walk. Do you stay dry but risk falling down, or do you get wet while avoiding scooters. I'd say something must be done to avoid these two dangers, but i'm guessing it's good for business. These slippery floors force people to buy new shoes. For many the sign that your shoes need to be replaced is when they start slipping, however sometimes that can be just weeks after you get your new shoes!
So it seems these sidewalks are one way to keep the economy going, and a few broken tailbones are just a small price to pay.
