Election Flags Endanger Driving Safety 宜蘭競選旗幟亂插惹民怨 影響行車視線

People in Yilan have been complaining that the election flags throughout the city are affecting road safety. 

Candidates' campaign flags are placed on top of road signs, and some are even tied as high as traffic lights. Yilan drivers complained that it would affect driving.

Citizen: “Our vision looks up and down. ( Reporter: “Do you think it is dangerous?”) Yes.”

Candidates at all levels planted flags everywhere on the streets of Yilan during the pre-election period. They were planted on electric poles, trees, bridges, intersections, and interchange grass areas. Some people criticized that they not only destroyed the landscape, but also created a pile of unnecessary garbage.

Mr. Fang, Citizen: “Honestly, every year we think about where so many of these flags end up. It is just thrown away and burned? Does it cause a waste of natural resources?”

According to the Yilan County campaign rules, candidates are not allowed to plant flags in scenic spots, parks, government agencies, schools, bus stops, and other places within 10 meters before and after the ends of bridges. They must not obstruct traffic signs, and candidates must remove all advertisements within seven days after voting ends.

Lin Tsung-min, Deputy Secretary General, Yilan County Election Commission: “Our monitoring team will always check it out first. Then if it is found that there is indeed a suspected violation, candidates will be notified to correct it.”

The Yilan County Election Commission said that it has indeed received reports that campaign banners were set up in violation of regulations. Those who are unwilling to cooperate can be fined up to NT$1 million according to the law. Candidates are called upon to pay attention.

候選人的旗幟，就這樣插在路牌頂端，甚至有的還綁得跟紅綠燈一樣高，遭到宜蘭用路人抱怨，會影響到行車視線。

民眾說道：「我們的視覺會往上看，往下看。（會不會覺得很危險？）會。」

選舉期間，各層級候選人在宜蘭街頭四處插旗，不論是電線桿、行道樹、橋上、路口轉彎處、交流道的草皮，都沒有被放過。有民眾批評不但破壞景觀，更製造一堆不必要的垃圾。

方姓民眾指出：「那一方面旗子這件事情，老實說，每年我們都在想說，做了這麼多旗子之後，後續這些旗子結束之後，到了哪裡去。它是直接丟掉，燒掉呢，它是不是造成一種資源循環的浪費。」

根據宜蘭縣《競選及罷免廣告物設置管理規則》規定，候選人除了風景區、公園、機關與學校以及公車站牌、橋梁兩端前後10公尺等地點不得插旗，也不得妨礙交通號誌告示功能，候選人更應在投票結束後7日內清除所有廣告物。

宜蘭縣選舉委員會副總幹事林聰敏表示：「都是會先請我們監察小組委員到場，然後如果發現確實有疑似違規的話，會通知候選人來修正。」

縣選委會說，確實有收到民眾檢舉競選旗幟，有違規設置的情形，但經監察小組到場勸導後，候選人都已陸續配合改善，目前尚未有被開罰的違規案，如候選人不願配合改善，可依法最高可處100萬元罰鍰，呼籲候選人注意。