so i was walking my dog this morning when she decided to run out into the road in an effort to play with my other dog. no, she wasn’t on a leash, which is not the smartest thing but they have never run astray before. anyways, she was hit by a guy on a scooter and he crashed, somewhat seriously. the ambulance and police were called and he was taken away. after being taken away by the ambulance, the police came and drew out a road diagram and got my story. i did confess to being the dog’s owner and that she wasn’t leashed.
i have gone to the police station to give a full report, but have yet to sign anything as i want my girlfriend there to verify everything written is what i said. so my question is what to expect next? i am assuming that i have to give him some amount of money, but what exactly am i responsible for? medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering? also, i was wondering if i should go to visit him at the hospital or not. one part of me says he will take this as a kind gesture, and another part of me says he’ll see a waiguoren and think he hit the jackpot.
any advice on how to proceed and what to expect? thanks!
could this be treated as a foriegn(pardon the pun) object on the street…think of how many potholes, loose items you have hit on your scooter and almost gone flying off…
I think if you don’t go, the family may take that as a sign of disrespect, lack of remorse and generally an uncaring attitude. It may inflame the situation.
Well, since you’re asking…here is what You should do.
Go to a local bakery place, get some pies, cakes, cookies, etc. in a nice box. Spend maybe NT$250-500. Have them put the stuff in a VERY Fancy bag - they will know what you want.
Do NOT take flowers.
Go to the hospital and look for family of the person you cause to wreck, well, that your dog caused to wreck. Ask to give the gift while saying “Pai Say…Pai Say”…over and over. No shit…do it.
This will go a LONG WAY towards making things easier for you.
(You don’t really need to drop your knees and cry…yet)
Go to the hospital with lots of tasty treats and flowers, and a Taiwanese friend in tow. Apologise many times. Ask if there is anything you can do to help him, say you are poor but can offer him free English lessons, and be his friend for life.
If he threatens to sue you then don’t get aggressive, tell him again that you don’t have any money, and give some sob story e.g. about having to pay for your sick mother’s medical bills. Apologise some more, offer your help again, then leave sheepishly. Maybe he will feel sorry for you.
If the OP has stated his dog was the cause of the accident. I’d say with 99% certainty the victim will want his hospital bills covered and damage to his scooter. I’m not sure the extent of the victims injuries, but if its broken bones and the guys going to need time off from work which the OP seems to be suggesting, saying “Pai Say…Pai Say” isn’t going to be enough.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Well, since you’re asking…here is what You should do.
Go to a local bakery place, get some pies, cakes, cookies, etc. in a nice box. Spend maybe NT$250-500. Have them put the stuff in a VERY Fancy bag - they will know what you want.
Do NOT take flowers.
Go to the hospital and look for family of the person you cause to wreck, well, that your dog caused to wreck. Ask to give the gift while saying “Pai Say…Pai Say”…over and over. No shit…do it.
This will go a LONG WAY towards making things easier for you.
(You don’t really need to drop your knees and cry…yet)[/quote]
He and his family already know you are a foreigner. Best to behave like a local and follow TC’s recommendation, in my opinion. This will likely turn out to be a very expensive walk in the park with your dogs. Sorry to hear about this misfortune for all involved. Shit happens, I guess.
[quote]saying “Pai Say…Pai Say” isn’t going to be enough.[/quote]Of course it won’t be enough, but being sensitive to the local culture is important in situations like these.
Agreed, Im saying in addition to saying sorry, he should be prepared to cover medical costs. A Taiwanese friend got bitten by a dog recently, the owner of course apologized, offered to cover any medical costs, and then gave 10k NT as an apology. For reference to the OP in a case between locals.
Agreed, Im saying in addition to saying sorry, he should be prepared to cover medical costs. A Taiwanese friend got bitten by a dog recently, the owner of course apologized, offered to cover any medical costs, and then gave [color=#FF0000]10k NT as an apology.[/color] For reference to the OP in a case between locals.[/quote]
Damn, for real??? I got bit last month and they took care of my $250 tetanus shot. I knew I should have asked for money!
Back to the topic at hand… Go to the hospital. Be sincere in your apologies. Don’t bring flowers. Bring a gift box of Brand’s Essence of Chicken or spring for a gift box of ginseng. You will have to pay for his medical bills and scooter, which hopefully is just cosmetic damage and it’ll only run a couple thousand. I would like to think that most Taiwanese aren’t money grubbing and hopefully that’s where your costs end.
Agreed, Im saying in addition to saying sorry, he should be prepared to cover medical costs. A Taiwanese friend got bitten by a dog recently, the owner of course apologized, offered to cover any medical costs, and then gave 10k NT as an apology. For reference to the OP in a case between locals.[/quote]
It’s funny you mention that. Two weeks ago, our neighbor’s beagle bit our cleaning lady. No blood shed but a nasty bruise on her thigh. They gave her 5k and a truck load of paisay. She didn’t show up last Friday and I desperately need some ironing done. Hope she’s feeling better.
“Hong Baos”-Red Envelopes-they make the Taiwanese universe move. You can get away with anything as long as you hand out hong baos and kneel on the floor and touch your forehead to the ground. Make sure to wear a surgical mask and bring as many friends and relatives as possible so that his relatives don’t attack you. Give him a few thousand. I’ve been smeared all over the road a few times and apparently that’s all you have to do.
TC gives good advice. My ex’s back was broken by a drunk on a scoot and his mom came to the hospital with a jumbo can of milk powder. In my case, I was PISSED, but she was obviously ashamed of her grown son’s behavior, she was poor as anything, and her own son was seriously hurt as well. I had other things to think about.
You’re a foreigner, so a big ol’ can of milk isn’t going to cut it. Cookes and a red envelope and a lot pai say is great advice.
Try to find out whose dog your dog wanted to play with. But yeah, always keep the dog on a leash, it could have been a car…even the most obedient dog can’t fight instinct.
I would go to the hospital with a Chinese friend. This way you can also see how bad the injury really is. It is your fault that this guy is where he is now, think about what you would want from someone if this happened to you.
[quote=“Battery9”]Try to find out whose dog your dog wanted to play with. But yeah, always keep the dog on a leash, it could have been a car…even the most obedient dog can’t fight instinct.
I would go to the hospital with a Chinese friend. This way you can also see how bad the injury really is. It is your fault that this guy is where he is now, think about what you would want from someone if this happened to you.[/quote]
Who cares about the dog? Control your dog. You are totally irresponsible, but I’m sure you don’t think so.
There was a similar incident on the news the other day. A Lab colided against a scooter, and the driver got the worst part of it. At the end, the owner had to pay not only damages to scooter, but compensation for days not worked. He was sued but at least doggie was not killed. And doggie was just running normally, not wildly or anything, just behind its master. It was just that the other scooter was on the same lane.
I have had a few close calls myself, as Bobby likes to grab loose skirts or coats that flutter by. Maybe he thinks they are butterflies but it freaks people out and I’ve been chewed out sometimes. Not much I think I can do about it, as for doggie is just a game, the one who should look out is the owner, but things like these happen in a flash.
Thanks everyone for the serious (and not so serious) comments…the dog one was pretty funny!
i went to the hospital last night before reading these posts about what to bring, and just went with my girlfriend to apologize and inform the family that i’d be taking responsibility for the medical costs. turns out he’s got a broken or fractured collarbone and a cracked rib. he still under observation and will have surgery in the next day or two.
after reading the suggestions, i’m going to go back to the hospital tonight with a bag of baked goods in hand and again apologize repeatedly…but no bowing on the knees just yet! not sure if i should take a red envelope. i kind of feel that monetary exchanges should wait until he’s been released and we can discuss. the wife did inform me yesterday (intentionally, i believe) that she had authorized a 6000 nt pain shot or drip for her husband. it was at this point that i assured her i’d take care of the medical costs. what do you guys REALLY think about taking a hong bao?
one question in regards to costs, what exactly do labor insurance and health insurance cover? i was told that labor insurance covers missed work due to injury if you are on the way to work (which he was). not sure about health insurance except the occasional trip to get a sick note. are any medical procedures or hospital stays covered? is there somewhere i can get this information in english?
[quote=“Fox”][quote=“Battery9”]Try to find out whose dog your dog wanted to play with. But yeah, always keep the dog on a leash, it could have been a car…even the most obedient dog can’t fight instinct.
I would go to the hospital with a Chinese friend. This way you can also see how bad the injury really is. It is your fault that this guy is where he is now, think about what you would want from someone if this happened to you.[/quote]
Who cares about the dog? Control your dog. You are totally irresponsible, but I’m sure you don’t think so.[/quote]
Complacent is the adjective I would use. I think he learned the hard way and he’s actually accepting responsibilities for what happened.
Regarding the last questions posed by the OP, I don’t have all the answers. I believe the hospital stay isn’t covered unless the victim had extra insurance coverage. The cost also varies depending on the hospital room. If he is alone in the room, the price will be very high. Double rooms are cheaper and rooms with 4 beds are the cheapest.
6000, yeah right! When my husband broke his leg playing sports in Taiwan, painkilling shots were 50 each. I know that costs have gone up in Taiwan since about 6 or 7 years ago, but COME ON! She sees a foreigner and is trying to plant the seed to start money grabbing. Be careful what you believe.
Not much I think I can do about it, as for doggie is just a game, the one who should look out is the owner, but things like these happen in a flash.
She sees a foreigner and is trying to plant the seed to start money grabbing. Be careful what you believe.