Taiwan is generally a very polite country but lately it seems I’ve experienced a lot more rudeness than normal.
I’m in Taipei so I only speak for here.
Examples include people bumping into you or slightly nudging you in the back on the MRT which never really happened, service staff staring at you when you approach rather than helping you, cars honking at you in alleys while speeding past, and people saying things about you right next to you on public transport.
Of couse these are very much in the minority of interactions I have, but as I said, it’s more than normal than before.
It might be just me but I’m interested in hearing if anybody feels this way.
1 Like
Taipei’s a mixed bag. In my experience, I can’t say it’s getting worse, but there is a significant group of unpleasant people around. Some of them drive–and park–their expensive cars like jackasses. Some of them loudly proclaim their Chinese chauvinism. Some of them cut in line (admittedly these are mostly some older folks). Many of them dawdle on the sidewalk, cluelessly blocking the way, as if they are the only people in the world.
The key to enjoying this town (which I am still learning to do) is this: FORGET THESE PEOPLE. There are also plenty of fine folks here who treat people with respect, who are more spatially aware than their clueless cousins, who are passionate about things (hiking, cycling, tea, coffee, surfing–pick your preferences) and are happy to talk about them. Life in Taipei is much more pleasant when I’m around them–and when I remind myself to try to add value to this place too.
Guy
2 Likes
The MRT is really busy these days so people can be inpatient. It’s a mixed bag alright, plenty of nice folks offering seats for kids and oldsters and then people who barge around. I did notice more barging these days and it is because of the crowds more than anything. If you are in a bad mood or Come back from somewhere quieter (more civilized) then it can make you notice these things more. People generally don’t talk about me on the MRT, probably they sense that will not be a good idea on their part. 
People always drove shitty around town, they still speed way too much in the alleys. Less pavement driving these days by the scooters at least although it still goes on to a degree. People always dawdled along the sidewalks, no change there.
Lots of older people are not used to children in Taipei, but they still want to tell
My wife what she is doing wrong. Well that goes for most old women in Taiwan.
Really Taipei is just a big busy city. I miss the chance to chat with the service staff or owners
Cos they are always busy and not very good at interacting with customers, very formulaic and transactional. Small town would be better for that.
Funny anecdote . I went to a Vietnamese restaurant and needed to find some fish sauce yesterday. A nice young lady had the sauce (har har) with her.
I asked her politely, she didn’t even look up from her phone, just grunted at me.
Thought it was vey rude to be honest , maybes it’s the phones as well?
If you want shitty service people just go and live in Taichung for a while, at least they don’t grunt at you so much in Taipei or start talking about you in Taiwanese (so you can’t understand) in front of you. They just call you ‘waiguo xiansheng’ to your face (happened to me today in Taipei). Taxi drivers and tradespeople were terrible there.
It’s changing a lot now in Taipei you see a lot of rules about noise and stuff being enforced (notice no election flags in Taipei and few speaker trucks), which is good, but then you don’t want it to be like Japan levels and everybody getting uptight.
I miss the old Taipei and the old (younger) me before smartphones , boutique cafes, crowded MRT commutes and a busy life took over. Service was always generally shit here though.
We are a few days away from an election, people are going to be testy.
Comparing what I see today to four years ago (last time I was here), people seem more rude on public transport and while driving, but otherwise I haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, and people seem pretty nice. There is a lot of RBF (“resting bitch face”) among the older generation but it’s not personal, just generic for them.
ummm… isn’t that normal Taiwanese behavior? MRT may just seem ruder because more people take it in cold rainy weather.
2 Likes
Sounds like typical behaviour in my neck of the woods. If you find this sort of thing out of the ordinary then i would say you have had a pretty great time so far!
What time scale? Is this compared to say, a few months ago, or maybe a decade ago?
[quote=“headhonchoII”]
Funny anecdote . I went to a Vietnamese restaurant and needed to find some fish sauce yesterday. A nice young lady had the sauce (har har) with her.
I asked her politely, she didn’t even look up from her phone, just grunted at me.
Thought it was vey rude to be honest , maybes it’s the phones as well?
I miss the old Taipei and the old (younger) me before smartphones , boutique cafes, crowded MRT commutes and a busy life took over. Service was always generally shit here though.[/quote]
At least you got a grunt 
The last two times I was at the Vietnamese restaurant, I had the lime and hot peppers at my table, and both times a customer just walked over and took it without asking if I was finished with it or not.
Yesterday, I had taken a number to queue, mine was 512. The customer in front of me got tired of waiting, he was number 511, so he left and returned the number. A woman just walking in tried to grab it but I got it first, since I was standing there for 10 minutes already. I offered her my number but she grunted at me, refused, and took a new number 513. So I just offered it to the next guy walking in who was grateful to get served faster. I enjoyed watching her wait as I was getting served. 
And totally agree with you about service, everywhere here it is shit. Was at a pizza joint recently, we had phoned in so that we could get it when we arrived. When I walked in, the guy found my order and took my money. 20 minutes later, still no pizza, and all the other customers had came and went already. Finally I asked what the heck happened to my pizza, the guy frantically looked around the kitchen and found no sign of my pizza, then he tried to tell me it was still cooking. I said come on, its been 50 minutes since I called you, you guys just forgot. He absolutely would not admit to forgetting, but told me I had to wait another 10 minutes. Finally, I guess he felt that I might complain so he gave me a $100 off next time coupon and a free pop 
No company rep ever takes responsibility for anything here, its all pass the buck, and they dont care if customers get angry or not.
I blame the parents for spoiling their kids.
For me, I get a little bit of both, but I think I bump into more nicer people (because I tend to forget the disrespectful ones). However, whenever I bump into a Debbie downer, I just shrug it off. My gf gets a little more upset than I do, so I just play along with her.
Different for me when I’m on the road via scooter though. So many assholes out there, usually gf is the one calming me down.
1 Like
It’s winter, people are grouchy. Everything looks worse.
I have noticed more people overcharging me in the past month. It never happened in 3 years, then 3 people did it in one month. Special price for Gwailo.
The era of the special snowflake is ending…
I think its all roulette. There are nice people and not so nice people everywhere. Just because you ran into one who is nice or one who is not, doesn’t change the odds of running into one or the other in the next moment.
3 blacks in a row does not change the odds the next is going to be red or black.
1 Like
I’ve noticed a decline in friendliness since I arrived in 1998. It seems to have accelerated in recent years. I’ve been mulling over the reasons: economic decline?/astronomical housing prices stressing people out?/fallout from the excesses of the “War on Terror”?/the drumbeat of “bad foreigner” episodes in the press? Not sure what it is but the stink eye is palpable these days.
I’ve started noticing it a lot in the past year. I’ve been here for about 8 years, with some time in China in between.
Ironically I don’t think the service is that terrible in general, but I’ve realized it’s not that great either.
Three years in Taichung, and never noticed any unfriendliness (2003-05). Ten years in China, and a move to Shanghai recently (I was forewarned people would be rude).
I’ve had no issues. Sure - there are rude/nasty individuals, but in my old age (37), I’ve chilled and just roll - works well for me.
This evening a granny tried to get on the subway before we all de-carted. I was first, and walked straight, as I should, gave her a slight shoulder, and the cutey behind me giggled. Granny gave me a stiff stare but said nothing.
Life goes on. Get through the winter and it’ll be girls in next-to-nothing clothing and sunny skies…
I notice people in taichung are nicer than taipei people. first day i arrived i had 3 strangers randomly say hello to me, it was nice.
But taipei is still way above other countries in niceness.
i had a red teethed bing lang guy standing in a bush say hello to me yesterday… yea it was ‘nice’.
[quote=“fat man scooter”]I notice people in taichung are nicer than taipei people. first day i arrived I had 3 strangers randomly say hello to me, it was nice.
But taipei is still way above other countries in niceness.[/quote]
Hallloooo… hOw ARe YOu? :roflmao:
[quote=“headhonchoII”]
Hallloooo… hOw ARe YOu? :roflmao:[/quote]
aaaaaah hahaha, I read that exactly how you intended it to sound.
I am not in Taiwan yet so no experience. But when in Hong Kong I noticed a rapid decline once the mainlanders came after the handover.