MJB, I agree with Maoman and all other posters in this thread. I think you have made a big difference and continue to do so. Not only with the lives you yourself have undoubtedly saved but also with the impact you will have had on general attitudes of the people who have seen you at work. I think it's harder to see this second kind of effect but I'm sure it's there.

I agree with MM and Joe. It has got to tear your heart out to know this child died for such a senseless thing as parking close to the school, not to mention no helmet.

The thing you could do though is seek consolation and peace of mind when you are on the job, showing the TW how it should be done!

Message to all. (not to make light of all previous veiws expressed.)
Here is a new approach to stupidity on the road! (I swear it works.)

Step 1.
Buy yourself a whistle. (I purchased mine for NT$15.)

Step 2.
Anytime you leave the house, take the whistle.

Step3.
Carry it in your hand. Anytime you see stupidity, blow that whistle as hard as you can and quickly resume an innocent pedestrian stroll, like nothing happened.

I found this to be if not helpful, but extremely entertaining.

On a side note.

I drove to Fuxing Shan today.
I have never seen so many idiots not wearing helmets. I was truly enchanted by the lack of strength the law has in Taiwan.

The least you can do on two wheels is protect your brains.

Mind you, it tooks years of public announcements, advertising and stiff fines to convince Australians that riding a bicycle without a helmet was not cool.

Thus, if such an effort in Taiwan was to take place, would it not tip the balance in favour of positive and safe road rules in chaos?

MJB That is very tragic indeed.

Don't give up on your efforts. You have likely prevented several of these incidents already.

It might seem like locking stable doors after the horses have bolted, but this might drive home to the other traffic guards, teachers, parents, kids etc. WHY you have been so strict. They will probably appreciate you more than ever now, and it might be a time to reinforce (or introduce) the expectations that the guards have of the drivers, etc.

Please keep up the wonderful effort you have put in thus far.

MJB:

this unnecessary and tragic loss of a young life was due to the selfishness and stupidity inherrant in Taiwanese society... don't blame yourself for other's reckless irresponsibility, you have already gone more than the extra mile to set and example for others to look up to...

Sorry to hear MBJ. You are one heck of a man, and anyone having you work with them is blessed. If I have learned anything, it's that the difference we make is never the one we seek to make. You efforts haven't gone unnoted, it's just gonna take some time for the seed to blossom. But it will.....

Beercan,

I have one of those tiny Panasonic phones. I keep it in my pocket, and whenever someone does something stupid, I pretend to take a pic with my phone. Usually of their license plates. It always gets the parents really uncomfortable when I take 'pics' of their kids with no helmets.

I think most parents would be "uncomfortable" if some stranger was taking pictures of their kids.

This thing about helmets is not unique to Taiwan. Florida used to have a helmet law. It was repealed. Now all the bikers ride without helmets. I know this: a helmet saved my life in 1984.