Have you been a victim in Taiwan

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Have you been a victim in Taiwan?

  • Yes, I have been robbed, had my home burglarized, or been struck by a vehicle
  • No, I have not been robbed, had my home burglarized, or been struck by a vehicle
  • Not me personally, but someone I know has been robbed, burglarized, or struck by a vehicle
  • Yes, I have, and I also know someone who has

0 voters

If you’re living in a city that you’re not so familiar with, you better be careful. And this is Taiwan, not LA, not Toronto,…, you may have seen many nice people around here, but if you’re on the road, believe me, it’s different story. I used to live in Toronto. I don’t have iron-bars on my windows and I don’t need to carry any weapons in my care. But remember, this is Taiwan.

There are two type of drivers in Taiwan, one that carry nothing in their car (or motorcycle) and get ready to say sorry at any problem encountered on the road - even it’s not your fault, just for sake of your health. Well, the other type of drivers (may be the majority) they have some kind of weapon in their car. Bats, screw-drivers, knifes, swords, or guns are all the options and anything is possible. They are the people that are ready to fight in care there is a problem on the road.

The problem is, there are too many (way too many) gansters here (more than you can imaging). You can choose to fight with someone and may even actually win the battle, but that may not be a good news. Chances are the loser may get you again after 15 minutes with a group of gansters and you better have have a place to hide.

I guess because of some kind of political advantage and some other reasons, Taiwan government doesn’t really put enough effort on fighting gangsters.

There are best drivers of the world in Taiwan with the worst driving habits and manners. Foreigners better watch it carefully and take good care of yourself.

I always thought that Taiwan is a good place to live and I come back to this place last year. Sorry, not any more…

:laughing:

2

Well, I have been here 16 years and I have never, ever been in a fight. And I haven’t been spending my time in church either… :wink:

3

What do bars on the windows have to do with anything? Personally, and I have nothing to back this claim up other than a couple of years living here with no problems, but I think the bars are more for a sense of security than for a real threat.
As for drivers, what on earth have you been doing? I haven’t had any run ins with anyone. But then again, I don’t participate in road rage either.
I think Taiwan is one of the safest places I have ever lived…even when compared to ‘redneck’ Tennessee or Oklahoma.
As for gangsters, I have heard about them but never really seen any (that I know of).

4

He’s right about the gangsters. Everywhere. Into everything.

Gangsters thrive here because they are integrated into every part of society. Many business owners here still rely on mafia connections for things like bill collection and getting the necessary permits to run their businessness. What does that tell you about the government?

5

Tells me I don’t know anything about Taiwan. :notworthy:

6

Yes, it’s true about the gangsters. They run temples too.

7

What happened ray-powe? Got your ass kicked after a fender bender?

8

Ohhh…come on. I used to be a cop back in the UK and at least 20 percent of the people I stop checked (cars and pedestrians) had screwdrivers, knives and spanners to crow bars, base ball bats and the odd dismantled gun.
Taiwan is no worse than any Western country crime wise.
They have bars on the windows in Taiwan for peace of mind, not because the crime rates are sky high. Also, the population density here is massive. One criminal can access so many homes/people in an area local to him or her, whereas in the UK, the criminal per capita is much less. Just because there are more crimals per square mile in Taiwan, doesn’t mean that there are more criminals per 100 people.

Here is a small list of things which make me feel safer in Taiwan than in the UK:

1). No kids hanging around telephone boxes or the local shops.
2). No Graffitti, or very, very, little in Taiwan. (It’s everywhere in the UK).
3). No smashed telephone boxes, vandalised trees, bins, smashed shop windows.
4). No groups of piss heads shouting and hollering whilst wobbling down the middle of the road at 1200 at night.
5). No druggies hanging round the local community centre. I’ve never seen a used needle in Taiwan.
6). No boy racers blocking the entrance to the local drive through McDonalds looking intimidating.
7). No black criminal gangs robbing banks, McDonalds and newsagents.
8). No black criminal gangs involved in shoot-outs between rival gangs over drugs and territories in otherwise peaceful and respectable residential areas.
9). No “Pro September 11th” posters plastered on bus stops by extremist Islam groups who obviously operate out of the UK.
10). No arsonists setting school property on fire, or the bins behind the local shops, or the car in the communial carpark that happens to have been parked there for over a week.
11). Pub fight’s every week without fail. Why is everyone on here so obsessed with the Pig and whistle. It’s a mundane event in the UK.

I could go on…

You may think that from the above I live in an inner city area. Not so.
I lived in a rural town and policed Stratford upon Avon.
Even so, over the space of three weeks I had my wing mirror kicked off my car not far from my house (for no reason). I saw the chap that did it and his excuse was “I felt like it.”
I was nearly mugged by some bag head druggie and had to chase away a gang of teenagers for throwing hanfulls of pepples at passing cars.

Taiwan, with the exception of it’s crazy style of driving is far safer than the UK crime wise. The evidence is there in the way the kids behave. Basic respect for peers and elders - even the mafia’s have this basic trait.
In taiwan, there is alot of organised crime. The difference between Taiwan and Western countries is that organised crime is out in the open and everyone can see it. If your not involved, your’e not at risk. It seems to be accepted by the population. If it didn’t exist in Taiwan, Taiwan wouldn’t be what it is today.
I would rather crime was where we could see it out in the open than shoved away down some unlit back alley on a dark, drizzly night.

I have to agree, though. Taiwan drivers do have a temper on them. But do you blame them? Having to drive in this Chaotic mayhem every day.
Traffic and road rage are probably the most dangerous items on the agenda for foreigners. I’ve had a couple of run - ins, but then I tend to provoke. In every situation, the aggressor has always backed down and seen sence (or my special “I will hit you if you come closer” stance reserved especially for taxi drivers and blue truck idiots).

Common sence will get you out of most situations. If you smile, be nice and don’t flip people off, nothing will happen to you.

Infact, I’m getting pretty bored. Anyone fancy coming out to start a pub brawl over the weekend…?

9

Regarding gangsters in Taiwan, Yes they are always around when there is alot money being made or exchanging hands. We used to go to the Taiwan courthouse where they auction off bank repossession houses and the place is filled with gangsters both in the auction room and outside the door. If your bid wins the house, the gangsters will approach you as you leave the room and tell you what their cut is in the deal. Usually 50000NT unless its a very expensive house. If you don’t make arrangements to pay them right there, they will give you all kinds of trouble including breaking into the house you just bought and destroying it as well as pouring cement into the toilet which is a big, big problem.

So most people know that they have to pay as its much cheaper than fixing up a destroyed flat. This is all done in plain view with loads of “cops” around the place as well as judges. One of the houses we bid on but didn’t win was in our old building and sure enough, 2 days after the auction, the house was trashed by them.

We’ve had extortionists call our company to demand money “owed” to them before also…We just ignored their requests and never heard from them again.

10

Black :ponder: ? That’s going to get some “interesting” replies.

11

Having grown up in East Los Angeles for a good portion of my life, Taiwan doesn’t exactly scare me ray-powe. Not to mention all the other grisly crap I’ve unfortunately been privy to. I’m not going to let some punk ass local get away with cutting me off and almost killing me. That sh*t didn’t fly with the “miembros de la cuadrilla” in East Los, so why should I put up with it here?

If I provoke someone and something bad happens to me, it’s my own damn fault. But I refuse to live in fear of anyone just because of what they are capable of. And I only react when I am slighted. I’m not one to go out of my way to start crap.

12

I hope, my friend, that you remain blissfully ignorant of this part of local society.

Most of the professional, hard-core, life-long gangsters conduct themselves in a gentlemanly manner. You never see their violence. They don’t act on impluse, and no trace is left.

Its the liu mang crew, the betel nut spitting, drug-addicted, nothing to lose wackos that you have to watch out for. Piss one of them off, and he’ll bring fifteen of his closest friends, with bats and knives, to your doorstep. Doesn’t matter that you’re a foreigner. May even make it more pleasurable for them, if you give them an excuse. Lots of these kids carry guns, or big long knives.

I’m not paranoid. I think you just keep to your own business, don’t flip people off or kick their cars, and you’ll be fine.

13

Taiwan doesn’t really scare me either, but then again, I usually take the subway and I live in a high security building, high security until the gangsters bribe the doormen.

I think gangsters are overrated and people on this board are giving them way too much credit. It is really easy to live life to the fullest here, and all without bothering them.

14

SteveZeAuthor…although I don’t agree with rude behavior I also think you can be a man and control your temper at the same time.
When someone cuts in front of me in traffic, I apply the brakes, relax, and continue on my way.
But then again that’s just me. :slight_smile:

15

Sorry, Vanny. I don’t buy into the “what constitutes a real man” rhetoric from any angle, since restraint can get you killed just as easily as provocation. And besides, this temper you speak of would only manifest itself if someone were to step out and come at me. Flipping the bird isn’t what I consider as having a temper. It’s merely an extension of showing your personal disgust with someone else’s actions. :smiley:

16

I don’t know which part of the UK our resident ex-cop Dangermouse used to work in, but if the crime stats for inner-city Birmingham and Wolverhampton are anything to go by (as widely reported in various media), then most of the bank robberies etc are indeed carried out by gangs of black youths. Same goes for shoot-outs between rival gangs over drugs and territories.

17

It depends what kind of crime you are talking about. Street crime (mugging and vandalism) seems to be relatively rare here, but burglary is very common. Why do you think people need bars on their windows and steel doors to get peace of mind? Especially when the bars can mean death in case of a fire. Gangsterism is rife, and when people here get violent it can be really nasty, e.g. those bike gangs who slash strangers for no reason at all, sometimes killing them, and the vicious political/gangser assassinations e.g. Liu Bangyou.

18

1). No kids hanging around telephone boxes or the local shops.
2). No Graffitti, or very, very, little in Taiwan. (It’s everywhere in the UK).
3). No smashed telephone boxes, vandalised trees, bins, smashed shop windows.
4). No groups of piss heads shouting and hollering whilst wobbling down the middle of the road at 1200 at night.
5). No druggies hanging round the local community centre. I’ve never seen a used needle in Taiwan.
6). No boy racers blocking the entrance to the local drive through McDonalds looking intimidating.
7). No black criminal gangs robbing banks, McDonalds and newsagents.
8). No black criminal gangs involved in shoot-outs between rival gangs over drugs and territories in otherwise peaceful and respectable residential areas.
9). No “Pro September 11th” posters plastered on bus stops by extremist Islam groups who obviously operate out of the UK.
10). No arsonists setting school property on fire, or the bins behind the local shops, or the car in the communial carpark that happens to have been parked there for over a week.
11). Pub fight’s every week without fail. Why is everyone on here so obsessed with the Pig and whistle. It’s a mundane event in the UK.

2.) ya those murals, or the odd cuss words on the wall really make you feel unsafe?

and ya god damn blacks man, alwyas making me feel unsafe…

and pub fights seem a lot differnet to me… because Im guessing they start in the pub and end in the pub, not on some last man standing for the rest of your life, trouble may be avoided easier in taiwan but when it happens… well its on

19

Illah, graffitti, IMHO, is indicative of a bigger problem, ie. lack of respect for the proper of others as well as a blatant disregard for law and order. I don’t care how you dress it up as art it is still defacing and destroying someone else’s property.
My mother says the odd cuss word, my brother says nothing but cuss words…total lack of restraint and self-control also indicative of a bigger problem (oh, and just for the record - he’s spent more time in jail than mom :unamused: )
As for pub fights, I wouldn’t know…I don’t hang out in pubs or spend time with people who can’t control their tempers. :notworthy:

20

I put up the message of “Take good care of yourself, foreigners” after I read what happened to Grasshopper after a car rage. I felt really sorry for him.

I like to tell all my friends who read the message why I wrote it and what’s behind it.

I have lived in Taiwan until 24 then I moved to Canada. Even I’m a canadian now but Taiwan still my country and I love this place a–lot. When I came back to this place last year I thought may be I can live here happily forever…, and also bring my family back here. After one year of living in Taipei, I was very disappointed. In many aspects, economy, crime rates, traffic, government,…, Taiwan is not better than before, it’s getting worse. And believe me, Taipei is the best place in Taiwan. Some places are much worse than Taipei city. I’m not afraid of anything. I’m just disappointed. Very very disappointed. Taiwan should be and can be a much much better place. But it goes the other way. I don’t know how to help this country.

I’ve talked to many foreigners last year (mainly teachers) because that was part of my job and I liked them a lot. That’s why I put up this message so that foreign friends may know a little more about what’s going on here.

To fight with someone or trying to ease a problem, that’s really someone’s personal option. Most local people are quite nice to foreigners. The problem is that nobody can see who you are when you are in a car or on a motorcycle. For sure the car rage is the most dangerous thing that can happen here. Otherwise, it’s not that bad. For me, it’s the expectation. I want this place to be a really nice place to live and I’m disappointed.

In Grasshopper’s case, police may or may not be able to help him. That may depends on a lot of things. If necessary, try to get some help from local friend and try to seek assistance from a local city council (alderman). These people have more power than police and they can be very helpful. Well, at least people will listen if they talk. It will be quite hard to win the battle by yourself, in my opinion…unless you’re very rich.

God bless Taiwan!