Category：Offbeat

Dog locks self in car after owner gets out to help woman in wheelchair

In an unfortunate turn of events, a woman recently got out of her car to help another woman in wheelchair, only to return to a locked vehicle courtesy of her anxious dog! After helping the wheelchair user clear a road near Zhongshan Station in Taipei, she was shocked to find her three-year-old puppy had accidentally hit the lock button. Firefighters had to come break the window to rescue him.

This driver was about to turn right when she noticed a wheelchair user struggling to move. She got out to help them, but when she got back to her car, you can see the disbelief set in. All four doors were locked, with her dog trapped inside. What could she do?

With the car trapped in the middle of the road, traffic behind came to a standstill. And with the dog still inside, firefighters had to come to the rescue. They broke the rear window to free the pup. But how did it mysteriously lock itself in the first place? Turned out it was the dog’s doing.

Dina
Driver
I thought I’d get out to help move her wheelchair, but when I turned back, I found my car was locked with my keys, phone, and dog all still inside. Since he’s super clingy with me, as soon as I got out of the car, he probably wanted to follow me and stepped on the lock button.

Anxious seeing his owner walk away, three-year-old Oreo stood on the armrest to see where she went and accidentally stepped on the door lock. It proved to be an expensive mistake.

Dina
Driver
I was still holding out hope he would help me unlock it, so before the fire department got here, I tried playing with him through the glass. But it didn’t work. It definitely sucked having to break the window, but as long as everyone was OK and my dog wasn’t hurt, that’s what matters most.

The aesthetic consultant and avid sports fan shared the incident with her over 17,000 followers online, who joined her in laughing over this unfortunate accident.

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

#Taipei #goodsamaritan #petrescue #firefighters #dog #lockedin #driver

2026-10-21

Car mistakes scooter turn box for parking space

A rare traffic hazard recently occurred in Chiayi when a driver parked his car in a box that was designated for scooters to make a left turn. The driver carefully parked his car into the box at an intersection, then got out and walked away, apparently mistaking the box for a parking space. Police said they would issue a ticket for obstructing traffic.

There’s a car stopped at the front of this intersection, with no driver inside. They may have mistaken the white box outlined in the road for a parking space.

- Is this a scooter turning box or a parking space?
- It’s a left-turn box.

- Would people mistake this for a parking space?
- I don’t think so. It’s a box for scooters turning left.

- Did you know this area is for turning scooters?
- Yeah, I know.

This incident happened on Section 1 of Jianguo Road in Chiayi’s Minxiong Township. Most people know that the box in front of the zebra crossing is for scooters to turn left, but one driver mistook it for a parking space, carefully parking inside the lines before leaving their car.

Voice of resident
Driving critic
Yeah, lots of people do this. These days, lots of people can’t tell the difference. There are plenty of terrible drivers who have no idea how to drive.

Tsao Sheng-tai
Police officer
The driver violated Article 56 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act by parking in a prohibited area. Our precinct will step up enforcement.

Police said they would fine the driver NT$600 to NT$1,200 according to the law. Hopefully this driver will not mistake a scooter turn box for a parking space again.

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

#driver #driving #scooter #parking #illegalparking #Chiayi #scooterturnbox #mistake #fine

2026-10-21

17cm painted sidewalk gets pedestrians walking tightrope

The residents in a Taichung neighborhood are training to become tightrope walkers, but not by their own choice. That’s because a road in Daya District has a painted sidewalk so narrow, that there’s barely enough space to set your feet down. At 17cm wide, strolling down the sidewalk at Yahuan Road is not for the faint of heart, especially when there are also electrical boxes and poles to navigate along the way. Let’s hear from some locals.

Member of public
Wants something to be done
It should be widened, or the items blocking the way should be removed.

Member of public
Unhappy about pavement
Sometimes the painted pavement is… look over there, how are you supposed to walk on that?

Member of public
Finds pavement too narrow
It’s too narrow. It’s not at all like a proper sidewalk. They might as well not have painted it. Nobody goes there to walk on it.

A project is underway in Taichung to improve the infrastructure for pedestrians along this road, 1,700m of sidewalk have been painted green for people to walk on. While it sounds good on paper, some sections are so narrow, you’d have to walk in the actual road with other vehicles. The situation is especially challenging for parents with strollers or for wheelchair users, who can’t fit within the sidewalk. The city government says the sidewalk will be repainted this week, and all the obstacles removed.

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

#sidewalk #balance #pavement #urbandesign #urbanplanning

2026-10-21

New sail-themed street art puzzles Lukang residents

A strange sight appeared recently over the streets of Lukang in Changhua County. Bright yellow triangles were strung up over Xinsheng Street, sparking some wild interpretations online. Some said they look like a row of shark fins drying in the sun, while others said they look like Doritos. The township office stepped in to clarify, saying they’re meant to symbolize “a thousand sails entering the port” from Lukang’s glory days. It’s just that the installation went viral before it was finished.

Rows of triangular yellow objects gently sway in the breeze, drawing attention from afar. As onlookers became more curious, people online started guessing what they could possibly be.

Lukang resident
Baffled by installation
I think they look like shark fins. It adds to the whole seafaring vibe here in Lukang.

Lukang resident
Baffled by installation
Shark fins? A bit like fish fins maybe.

Lukang resident
Baffled by installation
It’s a bit like eating noodles upside-down. It has that upside-down shape.

Imaginations are running wild as the locals bring in a touch of humor. One woman even said it looks like how people from Lukang eat noodle paste tipped out of a plastic bag. Others thought the curved shape and color make them look like shark fins or that famous triangular tortilla chip.

Lukang resident
Baffled by installation
It seems to me like the sail on a sailboat.

Lukang resident
Baffled by installation
Out-of-towners will think this is a cool spot, good for taking pictures.

Cheng Wei-chia
Lukang construction section chief
People have had so many creative interpretations of the design. It’s actually been pretty fun to see.

So how did this whole row of yellow triangles appear out of nowhere over a street in Lukang? It turns out they’re part of the township office’s light installation project. Each triangle is decorated with wave, sail, and seagull motifs.

Cheng Wei-chia
Lukang construction section chief
The initial design was based on a sailboat. We wanted to harken back to Lukang’s early days until now with “a thousand sails entering the port,” as the saying goes.

Since Lukang has historically been a thriving port town, the office used sail shapes to symbolize its glory days when the harbor was bustling with traffic. Crews are currently rushing to finish the installation to complete the scene. They never imagined it would go viral before it was even done!

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

#Lukang #Changhua #streetart #installation #sailboats #porttown #creative #viral

2026-10-20

Aide tacks on campaign sticker on funeral guestbook

There’s a time and a place for campaigning, and a funeral service, is not it. With the local elections fast approaching, politicians are scrambling for exposure sometimes forget about good etiquette. A social media user whose grandmother recently passed away says that several candidates showed up to the funeral parlor to pay their respects. But one of them crossed the line. A campaign member of Cheng Chun-hung, who is running to represent Zhubei City, stuck a campaign sticker on the guestbook. Most unfortunately, his campaign slogan is “Please save us!” That infuriated her grieving grandchild, who scathingly slammed Cheng, saying their grandma couldn’t be saved anymore. Let’s hear more.

Member of public
Finds sticker inappropriate
It’s disrespectful to the grieving family. They’re holding a funeral, everyone is mourning, and you go and stick a campaign sticker saying “Please save us”? That’s really inappropriate.

Member of public
Finds sticker inappropriate
It’s rude. Someone passed away, and you still put on the sticker saying “please save us.” That’s not nice.

Cheng Chun-hung
Zhubei candidate (KMT)
My assistant went to pay respects on my behalf, but didn’t have enough business cards. They had one of my campaign stickers on hand, so they put that on instead. It’s their first time helping with my campaign, and they weren’t familiar with the etiquette. It’s my responsibility to make sure my assistant understands these rules. I’d like to apologize to everyone.

Cheng Chun-hung posted a video to Facebook bowing to apologize for the sticker incident. But surprisingly, this isn’t the first time a candidate has been accused of campaigning at a funeral. Previously, an aide to KMT Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en was caught handing out business cards at a funeral, with a political donation account on the back. The move drew criticism, with some accusing the campaign team of being so money-hungry that they forgot about decorum.

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

#politics #bizarre #funeral #guestbook #campaign

2026-10-20

Old woman in wheelchair turns mountain road into racetrack

Some Keelung locals captured photos of a rather shocking sight n Zhonghe Road: an elderly woman racing down the mountain road on an electric wheelchair. The woman zigzagged through the middle of the road and even crossed over the double yellow lines. Not only was the road going downhill but it also had incredibly sharp turns, but this old lady expertly steered through it all without slowing down causing the vehicles around her to recoil in fear.

As vehicles drove along a mountain road, an electric wheelchair carrying an elderly woman suddenly appears. She drives unsteadily in the middle of the road and even on the double yellow lines.

This electric wheelchair navigated oncoming cars and motorcycles with ease and grace, but it caused traffic behind it to become cautious and fearful. Not only is this particular stretch of the road going downhill, it also has sharp turns. The old woman fearlessly drove without slowing down which made cars behind her slow down fearing a collision.

Member of public
Wary of older drivers
So dangerous. The speed of older drivers is unpredictable, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. If there are cars near them, they get nervous and don’t see.

Member of public
Disproves the driver
Is she not paying attention to cars behind her? She is just driving her own way, sometimes speeding up and crossing the road.

Although approved medical electric wheelchair and mobility scooters can be used on roads with relevant regulations, users are considered as pedestrians and must still abide by pedestrian traffic rules. They cannot drive in the middle of the lane and compete with cars and scooters for road space.

Lin Yen-hua
Chief of Fourth Precinct, Keelung City Police Bureau
Users of electric wheelchairs still must comply with relevant laws and regulations. They must use appropriate passage spaces according to regulations and not drive illegally on the road, which affects the safety of others on the road.

Although they can move fast, electric wheelchairs are not racecars and roads are not racetracks. According to regulations, violating the rules by riding an electric wheelchair will result in a fine of NT$500. This serves as a reminder to those who ride electric wheelchairs, that convenience must never come secondary to safety. Recklessly accelerating could endanger yourself and others on the road.

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

#racing #f1 #seniorcitizen #olddriver #keelung #taiwan

2026-10-20

Homeowner calls police on giant iguana trying to enter

At a house along Yanhai Road in Kaohsiung’s Linyuan District, a green iguana measuring an impressive 1.5 meters long recently lingered at the front door for a half an hour, knocking as though asking to be let in. The terrified homeowner called the police, but as they were waiting for animal control to arrive, the reptile leapt into some nearby bushes and vanished.

A man steps outside to investigate a noise outside the door. He looks down at the ground for a few seconds before an uninvited guest suddenly appears, leaving him paralyzed. He takes a few steps back to double-check before picking up a broom to try and chase it away.

Swinging the broom around gets the iguana to run next door. But the massive reptile kept hanging around the row of houses until the neighbors came outside to see what all the commotion was about.

- It ran up to the door and bumped into it.
- I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was scary.
- Never seen one before. It was startling.

- There weren’t any before.
- How big was it?
- About 1.5 meters or so. It was huge.

This iguana scare happened at a residence along Yanhai Road in Kaohsiung’s Linyuan District. The huge iguana stayed there for a half hour, repeatedly bumping into the door until the resident called the police.

After the officers arrived, they found the iguana still waiting at the door, completely motionless. Not wanting to take any chances, they notified animal control. But as they were waiting for them to arrive, the iguana suddenly bolted into some nearby bushes and vanished.

Linyuan resident
Scared by iguana
When I tried getting close to it, the police told me to stay back. It’s really frustrating. If you see one this big, there are bound to be small ones, too.

Iguana sightings are becoming more frequent in southern Taiwan, but Linyuan residents say they’ve never seen one around their area before. Fearing that the nearby farmland might be affected, residents called on the authorities to find a solution. In response, the Kaohsiung Agriculture Bureau said it has only received one report of an iguana sighting on Yanhai Road in the past three months. It reminded the public that there’s no need to panic if you encounter one, and to refrain from capturing it yourself. Instead, call the 1999 citizen service hotline and the city will send someone to take care of it.

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

#iguana #Kaohsiung #animalencounter #greeniguana

2026-10-21

Pizza makers experiment with sweet-savory Halloween concoctions

Halloween isn’t here yet, but pizza chains are already jumping on the chance to let their imaginations run wild. This year, they’re pushing the boundaries even further with creative designs as well as flavor pairings that defy all expectations. Another chain incorporated a beloved snack food through a crossover collaboration. With holiday exclusives and inventive new ways to eat, these rival brands hope their offerings will entice customers to try something new.

Seasonal volcano pizzas are back! This time, pastel purple taro oozes from the crater in the center, drizzled with rich cheese and coconut milk. This combo of sweet and savory will take your taste buds to the limit, just in time for Halloween.

Member of public
Pizza taste tester
If you treat it like a dessert, I think the flavor is pretty nice. But if it’s your main meal, it’s probably a bit too sweet.

Wang Fu-kai
Marketing expert
Offerings like this taro volcano pizza are meant to pique customers’ curiosity for quirky and outlandish flavors.

This other option is going for a bolder flavor. The crater in the middle is filled with a fiery red spicy cream sauce to give it a spooky Halloween vibe, topped with a cheesy spiderweb and juicy burger patties.

Another chain took a different tactic by launching a collaboration with the beloved Science Noodles brand of instant ramen. Customers can sprinkle the dried noodles over their pizza themselves, giving it an exciting textural clash.

Member of public
Pizza taste tester
It gives it another layer of texture.

Fei Qi
Culinary expert
The noodles give both an innovative touch, and a nostalgic nod to childhood. Whether customers will like it or not, I think time will give us the answer.

From spooky Halloween pizzas to an instant noodle collab, these rival brands are deploying every trick in the book to seize holiday business, giving their customers more fun choices for their Halloween parties.

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

#pizza #Halloween #creative #ScienceNoodles #tarovolcano #oddity

2026-10-19

Imposter teachers for 6 years at public schools with fully forged documents

“Fake it until you make it,” must have been the motto of Mr. Chiang, a fake teacher in Pingtung. For six years, the imposter taught at schools in Pingtung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, and even cleared admission exams for faculty. But it turns out it was all a sham. The man had spent NT$30,000 on fake bachelors and masters diplomas, forged teaching licenses and even a falsified clinical psychologist certificate. The scam only came to light after the Ministry of Education requested him to supply additional documents. He’s been sentenced to two years in prison for forging official seals and documents. Let’s hear more.

Voice of Cheng Chih-lung
Elementary school principal
Our faculty was shocked. I’ve been in this profession for such a long time and never had I ever heard about someone falsifying their academic credentials. It all seemed normal while he was at our school.

Chang Yu-chin
Elementary school principal
Our admin staff asked him for more documents, but he kept putting it off. In the end he told us that he had other career plans and he quit.

Yang Tsung-han
Pingtung District Court Deputy Spokesperson
He has been sentenced to four to six months in prison for each of the offenses of forging official documents and forging official seals, with a combined sentence of two years in prison.

The photograph shows Mr. Chiang holding up a banner saying “You’re amazing!” He received to celebrate his new position as a school counselor at an elementary school. But this real-life Taiwan version of the con man movie “Catch Me If You Can” has finally come to an end. Police arrested Mr. Chiang at his home in March this year, and found many forged certificates in his residence. Pingtung County’s Education Department says it will seek to recover Chiang’s illegally obtained salaries once the verdict becomes final.

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

#conman #forged #teacher #fakeituntilyoumakeit #imposter

2026-10-19

Man turns public restroom into a temporary lodging

A man has turned a public restroom into a free hotel, with all the amenities. Locals in Taichung noticed that the a man had moved into the accessible restroom at Wenxin Forest Park. He brought a mosquito racket, a charger, and personal belongings, and resided there for over a month, treating it like his home. The local neighborhood chief notified the police after fruitless attempts, after which the man was evicted.

- Hurry up
- I am not homeless

Police in Taichung received a complaint about an accessible restroom in a park and discovered a man had turned a public toilet into his home.

- I don’t come every day, it’s been colder recently.

Only after being urged by the police did the man begin to pack his belongings and leave, with a mosquito racket, slippers, charger, and several bags, it really seemed as though he had moved into the restroom and settled.

Voice of local
Attempted to enter toilet
The toilet was unlocked, I went and knocked on the door, and checked if it would open. When it opened, a man very aggressively said, “I am sleeping, what do you want?”

The man was seen at Taichung’s Wenxin Forest Park’s disabled restroom. Inside the restroom, there is an exhaust fan, power outlets, a crib, and free wifi, all crucial amenities.

Wu Pi-hsun
Tienhsinli Borough Warden
When he saw the police he probably got a shock, because only the police have public authority. When the neighborhood chief knocked on the door, he ignored it and any other advice you give him, making the community uneasy.

Wenxin Forest Park used to have security, but since July this year, they were removed, giving this man an opportunity to move in to the restroom. The Taichung City Social Affairs Bureau received the complaint and went to investigate but did not find the man. After an investigation, they found the man is not registered as a homeless person. The Bureau will continue to visit and care for him, and relevant departments will also increase the frequency of patrols to prevent squatters from using toilets.

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

#homelessness #socialhousing #taiwanhousing #rentcrisis #taichung

2026-10-19