A Backwards Step

I spend quite a lot of my time waiting. Waiting for:

– children to brush their teeth, finish their homework, go to a skating class, play on the swings and slides in the park. You know, all the dad/offspring type stuff;
– Mrs T to come home from work, come to bed, install an exhibition, visit the dentist. You know, all the husband/wife type stuff;
– Godot;
– an Alibi;
– a flight;

This, of course, gives me time to think. Think. Think! [ooh, Déjà vu].

This morning, I was sat waiting for the aforementioned Mrs T who was taking number two child to the clinic to check out her toe. Irrelevant, but adds a little atmosphere.

Atmosphere, in this case, happens to be critical, since I was sat watching people coming and – more importantly – going on their scooters. Now, I’ve often considered this particular problem, or phenomenon, if you will, but today I realised that it is yet another of those situations which are entirely impossible to dispute, but which cannot be overturned. Briefly:

Scenario A: Park scooter by driving straight into parking spot. Turn off engine. Remove helmet (optional, in the sense that helmet may or may not be on head, or may or may not be removed). Go do business. Return to scooter. Refit helmet (optional. See above). Start engine. Drive away. No problem.

Scenario B: Park scooter by driving straight into parking spot. Turn off engine. Remove helmet (optional, in the sense that helmet may or may not be on head, or may or may not be removed). Go do business. Return to scooter. Refit helmet (optional. See above). Impossible to drive forward to leave parking space. Start engine. Push back using leg power until able to move forward and drive away. Problem. Scooters have no reverse gear. Who knew?

It’s not just one or two absent-minded scooterists. Trust me. I spend lots of time waiting (remember?) and observing. It’s an epidemic.

In a document I sent to the President a few years ago, I suggested the following:

Of course, I ain’t no scientist, and I have no empirical evidence, but I genuinely do witness this everywhere I see scooters parked. There is not a single reason I can think of to justify not waiting a few seconds before starting the engine, so why aren’t the people of Taiwan doing something? Face-masks are de rigueur, so everyone knows there is a problem with pollution. Okay, this is perhaps rather trivial on the grand scale, but it goes towards nudging the mindset. It is the mindset that is in need of some TLC.

It just seems to me that a simple message to highlight the potential damage to the environment would, perhaps, get people thinking. Then again, those who would ‘get it’ may well adjust their practice, but would never think to point out the (simple) solution to the ‘absent-minded’ chap in the next bay, happily reversing and wondering why his legs are doing all the work. And why wouldn’t they mention it? Yes, for fear of a loss of face…

… mask.

[Any scientists out there who could calculate the potential volume of fuel, please drop me a line. Ta.]