Sparks fly form waste mattress dragged with scooter

Sparks fly form waste mattress dragged with scooter

2026-01-08

On Wednesday evening, a scooter driver in Zhubei was seen dragging a waste mattress and setting off sparks, due to the strong friction between the exposed springs and the road surface. Other road users didn’t dare get too close, fearing that their vehicles could catch fire. A witness said that he often sees the very same driver shuttling recyclables to exchange for cash, but never imagined that she’d do the same with a 2m-wide mattress.

During the evening rush hour, a scooter in Zhubei, Hsinchu dragged a waste mattress on the streets. The exposed springs rubbing against the asphalt sent sparks flying.

Liu Chih-ping
Witness
We were worried that she’d pose danger to the traffic and cause accidents, so we did give her a reminder and warning.

The witness says he often sees the elderly woman carry recyclable wastes to exchange for cash. But he never thought she’d have a 2m-wide mattress dragging behind her. Not only was that against traffic rules, the sparks could also cause a fire and endanger others.

Liu Chih-ping
Witness
If needed, one could always contact the local sanitation team for assistance.

Lee Chao-yu
Jhubei Precinct, Hsinchu County Police
What the driver did in the video was clearly not allowed. Pursuant to Article 31, Paragraph 5 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, it’s fineable between NT$300 and NT$600. Additionally, the number plate appears to be obstructed by an object, which can be fined another NT$300 to NT$600.

According to traffic rules, the width of objects carried on a scooter should not exceed the tips of the handlebars by 10cm on each side. A 2m wide mattress certainly exceeded that limit, not to mention that in this case, it’s also a fire hazard.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#shocking #traffic #roadsafety #firesafety #scooter

嚇到不敢靠近! 老婦騎車拖行廢棄床墊一路冒火花

2026-01-08

週三傍晚，有民眾在竹北街頭，發現有名女騎士，載著一個廢棄床墊，由於整個鐵架在地上磨擦，騎士邊騎、邊冒火花，嚇得其他用路人，紛紛保持距離。目擊者說，其實這名老婦人時常載著資源回收變賣，但這回竟然載著兩米寬的床墊，實在太危險了。

下班時間，竹北有名騎士，拖著一個廢棄床墊，由於只剩空架，鐵製彈簧裸露在外，一路騎、一路摩擦，火花四射，

[[目擊民眾劉志枰]]
“我們是擔心她騎車，可能會造成一些危險，會引發一些車禍，所以我們有進行勸導跟規勸。”

目擊者說，時常看見這名老婦人，載著資源回收變賣，但這一回竟然載個兩米寬的床墊，實在太危險了。因為一來是騎車不能載床墊，二來又不停冒火花，萬一碰上火苗，怎麼辦。

[[目擊民眾劉志枰]]
“如果需要協助的話，其實可以聯繫地方清潔隊都可以來協助。”

[[竹北分局三民派出所所長李朝宇]]
“影片中騎士行為明顯違規，依道路交通管理處罰條例，第31條第五項處三百至六百元罰鍰。另疑似有號牌遭物品遮蔽情形，依同條例可再處三百至六百元罰鍰。”

依據道交條例，機車附載物品，寬度不得超過把手十公分。老婦人拖載床墊，已經明顯超過規定，不僅危險、恐怕還會吃上罰單。

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Mr. Ho
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This is a very new industry and I am very interested in wrapping.

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Of course, every industry is short of workers, but we are even more short of skilled personnel. If a professional technician can complete the work on a car by himself, it is possible to earn NT$100,000 to NT$200,000 a month.

Chou Chin-chen
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This field is another technical area within the vehicle industry and the salaries are almost four to five times higher than those in the traditional automotive industry.

Professional vehicle wrapping has become both a new industry trend and a popular field of study. And given the shortage of professional technicians, salaries are highly competitive.

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Specialty coffee pioneer launches global research and education headquarters in Taipei

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Renowned for its Gesha coffee beans, this specialty coffee brand opened its flagship store in Taiwan in March 2025, offering micro-lot selections and personalized roasting services. In November of the same year, founder Joseph Brodsky expanded the brand’s presence by launching a global research and education headquarters in Taipei. The new space, brings Brodsky’s “Farm to Table” philosophy to life, providing visitors with a transparent and immersive journey into the world of coffee.

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The atelier serves as a sensory and educational haven, spotlighting rare coffee varieties and innovative fermentation techniques developed by the brand. The space offers exclusive, limited-edition coffees and invites guests to engage in immersive tasting experiences. It also partnered with a high-end French dessert atelier. Brodsky recognizes Taiwan as a global leader in coffee culture and innovation.

Joseph Brodsky
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Taiwan is the leader of what I feel is the top leader of coffee cultural development in the world over the last 20 years. Connected with a lot of my friends and business leaders in Taiwan, and now we are bringing our brand here.

Since founding the company in 2006, Brodsky has championed a process-driven approach to coffee production, inspired by his early explorations in Ethiopia and his vision of elevating coffee to the level of fine wine. His method emphasizes meticulous post-harvest protocols and the precise separation of coffee lots by varietal and terroir.

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Brodsky hopes that the atelier becomes a global epicenter for cofffee education, research, and sensory exploration.

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At another stand, a chef reimagines gua bao using crispy tofu skin, making the traditional snack lighter and more flavorful. This is a well-known traveling vegetarian night market, whose team of food trucks is constantly moving around Taiwan. The best way to know their schedule and locations is to keep a close eye on their fan page.

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One of the featured works on display is by photographer Chang Tsang-sang. He documented the aftermath of the Jiji Earthquake, which struck Taiwan on Sept. 21, 1999, and became one of the deadliest in Taiwan’s history. Chang visited 50 affected families, capturing their portraits and recording the reconstruction process in the disaster zones. Five years later, he returned to revisit these families, documenting the transformations that had taken place since the tragedy. The exhibition presents these portraits side by side, offering a powerful comparison of life before and after the disaster.

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At least it’s warm inside the classrooms. It’s not like it’s cold everywhere.

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We tell new teachers that they shouldn’t open the windows when invigilating exams in winter. If you do, the fog will pour in and you won’t be able to catch students cheating.

Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School is located 800m above sea level, making it comfortably cool in summer. Here, the government’s air conditioning policy for all classrooms is essentially a heating policy for the winter.

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Jhanghu Elementary and Junior High School
We don’t turn on the air con frequently in summer, but during the winter, especially on days like this where it’s just 6°C, almost every class turns on the heating.

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