On October 31, despite the typhoon causing widespread disruptions in Taiwan, many people still had to commute to work. Public transportation, although reduced, continued to operate. In New Taipei City, a woman experienced an unexpected encounter while riding the bus to work. She suddenly felt something strange on her foot and, upon closer inspection, was startled to find a snake.
The woman shared her frightening experience on Facebook in a group called "Observations on the Road": "At first, the snake crawled onto my foot, but it was a harmless snake and didn't bite me." She joked that the odds of encountering a snake on a bus during a typhoon were so low that she should buy a lottery ticket.
Luckily, the bus was stopped near a fire station at the time. The woman quickly sought help, and the snake was safely captured. She thanked the New Taipei City Fire Department's Fifth Brigade, Clear Water Fire Station, for their assistance.
Netizens reacted with surprise and amusement: "Don't worry, it's a non-venomous snake," "Wish you good luck with snakes," "It must have been scared too, after all, it was its first bus ride," and "This snake is harmless and a bit cute." According to reports from Eastern Broadcasting, the fire station team, led by Captain Ma Cheng-wei and team member Yen Chien-chih, who had just finished a car accident rescue, quickly prepared tools and boarded the bus to catch the snake.
The snake, approximately 80 cm long, was hiding behind a rear seat and was safely placed in a box by the firefighters, greatly relieving the passengers. The New Taipei City Fire Department explained that snake-catching services are typically outsourced to animal protection agencies, but in this emergency, they provided immediate assistance.
The fire department advised the public to remain calm if they encounter a snake, maintain a distance of at least one meter, and immediately call 1999 for assistance. Generally, snakes do not attack unless provoked.
