Crazy Man Thrashes Mac Donalds near ChengChi University

It sounds like the guy was having a pshcotic (sp) episode, common with bi polar patients. It wouldn’t be wise to interviene when some one is behaving in such a manner. Had Derek done so, it could have set the guy off more, as the guy could have percieved Derek as a "threat’. Don’t be so harsh on him, I wouldn’t have jumped in either. Even in the States would have not done such a thing, especially since the probablity of the person being on drugs.

Now he could have gone over to the guy when he was being helped by the woman, but if it was a case of ill love, then it’s best to mind your business as she could have easily jumped on him for getting ‘invovled’.

Our way of handling things isn’t always the best course of action when in a foreign country. Unless you see someone woman getting the crap beat out of her or rape or a child being assulted, I would steer clear of what’s going on.

[quote=“derek1978”]
I was shocked at a couple of things:

1.) No one even attempte dto assist the girl who was body blocking the crazy guy. [/quote]

[color=yellow]Duckboy[/color] to the rescue!

Quack, quack!

[quote=“Dr_Zoidberg”][quote=“derek1978”]
I was shocked at a couple of things:

1.) No one even attempte dto assist the girl who was body blocking the crazy guy. [/quote]

[color=yellow]Duckboy[/color] to the rescue!

Quack, quack!
[/quote]

You know that mascots are the first to get the Gatorade dumped on them :laughing:

lo bo to

ok, perhaps. but i have seen foreigners turn blind eyes here on a few occassions… stating language as the issue why they didnt do anything.

Hongda, thanks for that. Damn I was living (obviously oblvliously) in Yong Ho at that time. I certainly didn’t know that:

In one of three bombing incidents against the two McDonald’s units, a policeman was killed and four others were injured at a suburban Taipei restaurant.

nam, just for clarity’s sake, a person with a bipolar disorder would more usually suffer a manic episode while a schizophrenic may endure acute psychosis.

You’re right though, and it is a point worth considering that if somene is mad, the presence of a foreigner trying to intervene could escalate things many times. Much better to go with what they are used to and not add fresh impetus by an unusal encounter.

HG

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]You’re right though, and it is a point worth considering that if somene is mad, the presence of a foreigner trying to intervene could escalate things many times. Much better to go with what they are used to and not add fresh impetus by an unusal encounter.

HG[/quote]

sorry to keep harping on but that sounds like a convenient excuse for an out to avoid situations you would normally do something about in your home country…

I still want to know:

Do 119 operators speak english?

When there is an emergency, if you cant speak mandarin, are you screwed?

For those of you saying I didnt or wasnt going to do anything…

When the girl started to body block the guy I decided to make a move and I was already on the Mac Donalds side heading to the incident to help when he calmed down and started sobbing. At that point, since I dont speak the language, I would have been of little help…if any help at all. When it was time to assist with brute force, there was no need to worry about a language barrier. I think tackleing someone to theground would be the universal language for: stop the f*ck what your doing and calm down!.

I think it depends. In the absence of anyone else doing something remotely capable and it appeared as though there was threat of injury, or worse, of course I’d step in.

After a lifetime tackling stroppy nutters I can tell you that picking your move is never easy. My preferred approach is to appear like a nutty friend, often opening up by saying something they’d least expect and more often totally out of context with the situation. They will either ponder this with amusement, or get angrier, at that stage you know what your next move ought to be. But as I said, it is exceptionally tricky. The very last thing you want to do is exacerbate a situation and very often an obvious foreigner can have a similar affect to the arrival of the media. You can end up with some benighted loon acting out for your benefit.

In the times I have intervened in Taiwan, it’s mostly gone well I have tio say, however there was one instance which escalated immediately to kicks and punches but ended swiftly when I put the sucker down with one claw firmly clasping and cutting off his carotid. Had a similar intervention end the same way in Thailand.

HG

Ediit:

There is supposedly an English language emergency line, but I erh, don’t remember it. I think they have it among a list of “essential numbers” in one of the English newspapers.

So did this event make it on the news?

[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]
After a lifetime tackling stroppy nutters I can tell you that picking your move is never easy. My preferred approach is to appear like a nutty friend, often opening up by saying something they’d least expect and more often totally out of context with the situation. They will either ponder this with amusement, or get angrier, at that stage you know what your next move ought to be. But as I said, it is exceptionally tricky. The very last thing you want to do is exacerbate a situation and very often an obvious foreigner can have a similar affect to the arrival of the media. You can end up with some benighted loon acting out for your benefit. [/quote]

Agreed. I wouldn’t step in the US if I saw someguy doing the same thing. If someone is on an angry tirade it’s best to let them work it out their system, as it could be drugs or as HGC says it can exacerbate the situation, placing yourself in danger. And in the states, I’m pretty sure that ‘coming to the resuce’ is frowned upon by the police given all the new laws they have when dealing with such incidents.

[quote=“Namahottie”][quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]
After a lifetime tackling stroppy nutters I can tell you that picking your move is never easy. My preferred approach is to appear like a nutty friend, often opening up by saying something they’d least expect and more often totally out of context with the situation. They will either ponder this with amusement, or get angrier, at that stage you know what your next move ought to be. But as I said, it is exceptionally tricky. The very last thing you want to do is exacerbate a situation and very often an obvious foreigner can have a similar affect to the arrival of the media. You can end up with some benighted loon acting out for your benefit. [/quote]

Agreed. I wouldn’t step in the US if I saw someguy doing the same thing. If someone is on an angry tirade it’s best to let them work it out their system, as it could be drugs or as HGC says it can exacerbate the situation, placing yourself in danger. And in the states, I’m pretty sure that ‘coming to the resuce’ is frowned upon by the police given all the new laws they have when dealing with such incidents.[/quote]

There is also the risk he might pull out a gun and blow your head off (see today’s Apple Daily front page).

The other point worth making is that these things are better photographed from a distance. You did get some photos?

I wouldn’t get involved unless someone was getting hurt. No way to tell what kind of weapon this guy could have. Playing hero could easily get you thrown through a window and into a hospital also—McDonald’s probably wouldn’t pay the doctor bill either.
Just call the cops and let them deal with it.

Have you guys heard of the bystander effect?

Basically, the idea is that when there are multiple witnesses to a crime/assault etc… the rate of intervention actually decreases.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

Still, I think Derek did more than most would. If a large man were thrashing a business I wouldn’t want to go over and make myself a target. McDonalds can sue or is insured. The girl wasn’t being assaulted by his description.

I also believe their is that Taiwanese penchant to fa xie, or get it out of their system by smashing shit up, ranting and raving but rarely connecting physically with someone. Best to let 'em get on with it.

HG

double post

{oops! pressed the back button/refresh too vigorously, I suppose}

[quote=“sojourner”]Have you guys heard of the bystander effect?

Basically, the idea is that when there are multiple witnesses to a crime/assault etc… the rate of intervention actually decreases.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

Still, I think Derek did more than most would. If a large man were thrashing a business I wouldn’t want to go over and make myself a target. McDonalds can sue or is insured. The girl wasn’t being assaulted by his description.[/quote]

Yeah. Somebody posted about it just before Huang Guang Chen’s post. :stuck_out_tongue:

Damn! I stood at the bus stop just hours before that thinking about getting a McFlurry. I miss all the action :frowning: I hope the guy is ok (and that they fix the place so I can still get a McFlurry when I’m tired of waiting for the G1).

It’s in fact weird to see how many people get mad here in Taiwan.

I was many times witness of some weird guys and also girls doing or having strange behaviour . Like the old guy who was shouting behind the cashier in a Carrefour market for long minutes, or the girl (mother I guess) who hit a girl with her shoes both crying on the ground hold by her boy-friend I guess in front of the airport, or a guy walking on the street bleeding all over his face, or another dude who get beaten up by 4 guys with baseball sticks, or this couple who argue in front of a shop, the girl kicking the car and the guy kicking the girl ending with a fight…

I never saw that much weirdo in other countries like I see in Taiwan. I wonder when the government will take action against violence. Actually, as long as they show how stupid they can be in the government by arguing and fighting in the parliament nothing will be done I guess.

Anyway, that’s TAIWAN… Fortunately they have the prettiest girls in Asia.

One time I was driving my motorcycle by an elderly taiwanese couple in the midst of a heated argument on the side of the road. Just as I was about to pass, the woman peaked and whipped her helmet clear across the road and within a hair of hitting my nose (while going 30 km/h… give or take).

I skidded to a stop and turned around to find the woman hitting the man repeatedly on the chest, totally oblivious to the life they so nearly ended (or at the very least interupted).

I, naturally, decided it wise to call it blind luck and continued on my way without getting involved in the domestic.

Space

I agree that basically its wise for a foreigner to stay back- turns into a face situation If youre going to intervene, wait till an actual assault, then jump on them from behind.