The high speed trains can reach speeds of 200mph! When I am going to another city, I use the high speed train. When I am trying to get around Taichung, I use the public bus system, which is very convenient and almost always free!
Well... to be honest, the first time I tried driving a scooter I crashed it into a wall! They go really fast and I was not ready to brake! Thankfully, I only hurt my toe, but my friend's scooter had to be repaired. Before you ride anything, make sure you know how to stop effectively!
Most Americans in Taiwan cannot, or don't, get around by scooter for two reasons. The first is that driving a scooter can be very dangerous. Many Taiwanese scooter drivers don't obey the traffic rules! The second reason most Americans here do not get around by scooter is that it is hard to get your scooter license. First, there is a long, hard written test. Then there is a difficult driving test. If you do something wrong, loud alarms go off so that everyone knows! Seven of my American friends took the test, but only one got their license!
Yes, this way of getting around is connected to the culture and the environment! Taiwan is a small country and island, so there is not a lot of space. That means no two places are very far from each other by American standards. Since a lot of people live in this small country, there simply would not be enough space if everyone drove cars. That is why people get around by scooter, bus and train.
