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# Watch out for grandpa!
- URL: https://www.taiwanquest.com/my-first-scooter-accident-in-taiwan/
- Published: 2024-09-27T09:24:17.000Z
- Updated: 2024-09-27T11:06:51.000Z
- Description: My first (extremely minor) scooter accident in Taiwan…
- Author: Zhen-Kang

Last year, in [*Scooter Saga Part IV: How to buy a new scooter in Taiwan*](https://www.taiwanquest.com/how-to-buy-a-scooter-in-taiwan/), I wrote:

> In Taiwan, you must hold a driver’s license before buying a vehicle. For this reason, many elderly people—who are unlicensed because they didn’t learn to read and write—drive scooters that are registered in their children’s names. “Watch out for grandpa” is a phrase I’ve heard many times, for good reason.  
>  
> Fortunately, I got my license on my second attempt, and have been giving grandpas and grandmas a wide berth ever since.

But a couple of days ago, grandpa finally got me—with a sneak attack!

I was stopped at a red light, indicator on, waiting to turn right. As the light turned green, the grandpa—*who was turning left*—tried to pass me *in the gutter* *on the right*.

His mirror hit mine. We both stopped and looked at each other from an eye-to-eye distance of less than a meter.

Grandpa was utterly bewildered, as if he were thinking *“Where am I?”* or *“Why am I on a scooter?”*

Or perhaps *“What is the meaning of life?”*

Cognizant of Taiwan’s respect-your-elders culture, I bowed my head to acknowledge him, while scanning my Chinese lexicon for something to say. But before I found a word, grandpa was gone.

Here’s the footage from my front-facing dashcam:

0:00 

/0:13 

1× 

And here’s the footage from the back, which gives more context:

0:00 

/0:14 

1× 

My scooter’s fine.

It’s actually sustained far more damage simply being parked outside my building:

- A seat partially melted by cigarette ash
- A snapped-off mirror
- Battle scars on the paintwork

So, while this week’s accident was completely inconsequential, I now have experience to back me up when joining the chorus of Taiwanese drivers who say…

![Multiple overlapping speech bubbles saying WATCH OUT FOR GRANDPA!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/e3/5ee3f160-68a0-49ef-af6f-ec70abc1d13e/content/images/2024/09/watch-out-for-grandpa.png)

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