Ever notice if you come across a scooter accident before the ambulance comes, that everyone is just standing around…watching the injured and not doing anything to assist? This always puzzles me… Being from the US, I’m used to ordinary people applying whatever knowledge of first aid they have to the accident victim. But in Taiwan…it seems nobody will even touch the victim. Why? No one knows first aid? Too embarassed to stand out and be a ‘hero’ by helping? It’s bad luck to touch an accident victim?
Actually, someone told me it’s the law (!?!). He explained if a bystander tries to assist the accident vicitm, then he/she now becomes reliable for the victim–because in assisting before the ‘pros’ (paramedics) come you may do ‘futhur’ damage to the injured. Anyone else heard this? What’s your take on it.
Eh…in the U.S. they even tell you that unless the accident victim is in a location that would jeopardize their life that you AREN’T supposed to touch/move them. Internal injuries and broken bones can be made much much worse if you don’t have a clue and start screwing around with the accident victim. Also, yes you can be sued heartily by the accident victim if you further endanger their lives by trying to “save” them. I don’t usually see people jumping to the rescue of car crash victims here so it’s not a ‘western’ thing…usually most people dial 911 on their cell phones and rubberneck on the freeway.
Eh?? My Taiwanese friend tells me that if you assist a victim here in Taiwan, the victim will sometimes try to blame you as the perpretator of the accident and FLEECE you for all the MONEY they can get especially if the person at fault has gotten away. So people here stay away and just look cos they’re afraid of being taken advantage of by the victim.
Geez, watching the settlement of an accident here can be quite entertaining. Usually they leave the vehicles in the way of oncoming traffic and start fighting with each other on the street while the traffic just goes by them honking. I remember once in Panchaio I saw a motorbike accident at a small busy intersection and one of the guys ran to the corner store nearby and took a chair back out and starting smashing the other guy with it. Almost like the Taiwan parliamentary meetings here.
Another bizarre thread by Geng.
Not that you will run out of topics but here are some that you should try:
– Don’t run while carrying scissors!
– Tea eggs! What a concept!
– Toilet paper in squares?
– I stubbed my toe!
– Chinese - look at all those squiggly lines!
– Those mosquitoes really bite, eh?
– People are putting ads in my mailbox!
– 117 - is that a real person or a computer?
– Coagulated pig’s blood soup - are you kidding?
– Where can I find Dr. Scholl’s foot pads?
– School uniforms - should English students wear them?
– Someone spit betel nut juice on the street!
– Buddhism and Taoism - which rocks?
– Don’t stick your finger in a light socket!
– Chinese restaurants - don’t look in the kitchen!
– I saw a stray cat!
– Pull my finger!
Right on Wolf. I’m sorry Geng, though I haven’t said anything, it does seem that maybe you enjoy seeing your moniker under “thread created by” more than most. I also find it difficult to believe that all these things that you ponder are so fresh to you if you really did missionary service in Taiwan before. Thought you would have worked it out of your system by now. But then again, I guess someone’s gotta do it.
Fuck’s sake Wolf, ya made me spit up all over my keyboard!
Wolf, you kill me! ROTFLMAO!!!
Geng, it’s true. Sorry, dude.
The laws are the same in the States. Almost no one has the affirmative duty to help another (exceptions: your doctor; your mother; someone who put you in the situation to begin with). However, after a person has gratuitously comes to the aid of a person, such aid must not be performed negligently. If that Samaritan performs such duty negligently the samaritan opens himself to liability.
Currently there are “Good Samaritan Laws” in many states which change this so that the person in peril can not hold the Samaritan liable unles he/she was GROSSLY negligent.
Pretty boring, huh?
If you are planning on taking the driving test, the written part has a question about stopping for accident victims. According to the book you are supposed to stop. I will have to check to see if you are supposed to offer assistence or just stand and gawk at the poor bleeding victim.
Ditto what Sandman said, but I’ll be more polite–
Mercy Maud Wolf, you are a hoot!
How about:
–I didn’t know cockroaches could fly!
–People keep telling me I’m beautiful–what’s up
with that?
–How many kids can Wang Taitai fit on the family
scooter?
–How many chickens can Wang Xiansheng fit on the
family scooter?
–Squat toilets–where’s the instruction manual?
–Mangy dogs–friend or foe?
–How perspiration of the masses can be used to
overcome the drought.
–Grow your pinkie fingernail really long to pick
me a winner!
–Zhen zhu nai cha: nectar of the gods?
–Zhou dofu: smelly French cheese in disguise?
–Buddhist temples–safe houses for Neo-nazis?
Please forgive my pathetic attempt at humour…
quote:
Originally posted by ABCguy24: Eh..in the U.S. they even tell you that unless the accident victim is in a location that would jeopardize their life that you _AREN'T_ supposed to touch/move them. Internal injuries and broken bones can be made much much worse if you don't have a clue and start screwing around with the accident victim. Also, yes you can be sued heartily by the accident victim if you further endanger their lives by trying to "save" them. I don't usually see people jumping to the rescue of car crash victims here so it's not a 'western' thing..usually most people dial 911 on their cell phones and rubberneck on the freeway.
I know every state is diffrent, and mabey California State law, as well as culture differs significantly from Texas (Also may be a big city thing), but where I’m from people stop ALL the time. Most especially if you actually witness or were involved in the accident. Failure to do so can result in you bein arrested and fined for “fleeing the sceen of an accident(hit and run)” or “failure to render aid at the scene of an accident” repectively. Now, what does render aid mean? In Texas, this generally means that you have a duty to call 911, see if the victim is concious etc… If you see a swimmer drowning at the lake, you have a duty to call 911 or alert a life guard, you dont have a duty to jump in the lake and try to save the swimmer yourself. Most of the time, where I am from, people will stop at an accident sceen when they can see that no one else has yet to do so.
Now, I have never been to California so I imagiane things may just be worse there. Although I figure ABCguy with dim big brawny 210lb bench pressing guns otta be able to carry the victim to saftey right?
Actually, When we lived in Peoria Ill, it was a totally diffrent culture, and people were unlikely to stop (queerbaits). I thought that was disgusting. Just like I think its disgusting when people dont stop in Taiwan.
Thing is, roomates (all 12 of em, we live in a barracks like dorm) tell me that if they see an accident, they dont call 911, cause its just not their business.
ABCguy24, nobody is saying that this type of behavior is unique to Taiwan, or that stopping to be a hero is a “Western thing” That’s just you being silly (agian). Actually, everybody knows, stopping to be a hero is a uniquly TEXAN thang
quote:
Originally posted by wolf_reinhold: Another bizarre thread by Geng. Not that you will run out of topics but here are some that you should try:– Tea eggs! What a concept!
– Coagulated pig’s blood soup - are you kidding?
– Where can I find Dr. Scholl’s foot pads?
– School uniforms - should English students wear them?
– I saw a stray cat!
– Pull my finger!
BWAAA HAAA HAA HAAAAA…
I enjoy the topics Geng starts. And looking at all the responses he gets, I’d have to say a lot of other people enjoy them too. Keep the topics coming, Geng.
CrazyBoy
The obvious way to make everybody happy (including Geng and ABC) would be to better organize the forums. I suggest the following:
- Chinese-language geek club
Chat about stroke order and impress your peers. - Tech forum
Where the co-founders beg Oriented members for info on how to operate a web site. - Kindergarten
50 posts or less, you are restricted to this area, lest you upset the others with arcane posts. You may apply for early parole when you can prove you can use the search engine to discover if a topic has already been hashed to death. - Legal forum
Post here before being deported. Cya! - Mormons’ corner
(members only – Need to enter secret underwear symbols to enter)
In case you haven’t noticed, this is the open forum.
By the way, I have noticed that the oriented.org forums have been kind of slow lately. Rather than stifle attempts to get it going, I think we should be encouraging. Good work Geng.
Sure, anyone can post anything as often as he likes, but being Geng-banged over the last three weeks is like finding your apartment has been infested with ants.
Maybe Hartzell can draft up a Good Samaritan contract for us to carry in our wallets. I would love to save a lady in distress. Sorry guys.
Sorry if you find some posts bizarre…while i lived in Taiwan for a few years and travel back somewhat often…there’s still some aspects about the culture/customs/laws/ways of doing things, etc I’m unclear on or hope others may have more info (like this thread)…
Anywho, thanks for the topic ideas, wolf. I’ll keep them in mind when I’m fresh out