Since Guanshan is a perfectly safe and slow-moving town, there is minimal risk. Unfortunately, there is still a small amount. On any given day, a scooter can hit a patch of gravel or slip in the run, or the town can have some random tourists who don't follow the rules of the road. These are unforeseen circumstances that make it more likely for an accident to occur and, without the proper protection, severe injury. In many ways, life in the countryside in Taiwan is similar to that in the U.S. You would never see people riding in the back of a pickup truck on the streets of New York, just like you wouldn't see people without helmets on the streets of Taipei. But in the countryside, this happens, and we can only hope that there is a change in attitude towards safety before someone gets hurt.
