Man Blames ‘Too-Loud Music’ After Car Knocks Off Mirror During Breakfast Stop

Chen had barely begun buying breakfast when his car’s left side mirror was knocked off. He returned to the vehicle less than two minutes later and found the mirror shattered, with pieces of its casing scattered away.

The driver responsible did not stop to inspect the damage. He continued down the road, leaving Chen with an unfinished breakfast and a sense of anger. The crash happened on Le-yeh Road in Taichung’s East District, where police were called shortly after 7 a.m.

Officers checked surveillance footage around the scene and identified a 37-year-old man surnamed Chou in less than two hours. Chou acknowledged that he had heard a collision while driving to work, but said the music inside his car was so loud that he could not tell what he had struck or where the impact occurred.

Chou said he noticed damage to his own car after reaching work and had gone to a nearby police station to ask about it. Because he could not identify the accident location or provide enough details, the matter was not confirmed at the time. Police later summoned him, and he apologized for failing to stop at the scene.

Police issued a citation under Article 62 of Taiwan’s Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act. When an accident causes no injuries or deaths, drivers who fail to take the required action can face a fine of NT$1,000 to NT$3,000. Hit-and-run drivers can also have their licenses suspended for one to three months.