So for some reason the neighbors feel the need to burn incense in the public hallway of the apartment building. I can completely understand burning incense. Burning it inside their own apartment and/or burning it on their balcony. Why would they need to burn it in the public hall and smoke up not only the hallway but the neighbors apartments? Please enlighten me so I can understand them better instead of seeing their actions as rude and selfish. It does look to be the anti-mosquito type of incense, but that still doesn’t explain why they feel the need to burn it in the public hallway instead of their own apartment. It’s not like anyone ever hangs out in the hallway. I keep the doors closed and the drains covered and rarely have a mosquito in my apartment.
What can be done to stop this? There is an obvious “no smoking” sign in the hall, but I guess incense does not apply. Sadly, my sinus/allergies are quite sensitive to large amounts of smoke so ignoring it is not the best option. Moving is also not a great option as I just moved in here less than a month ago and of course signed a lease.
Is there some kind of administrator in teh building? Can yo talk to them so THEY will talk to the neighbors? How about the lizhang? Tal about health and safety issues. Bring fruit. Hopefully, they will interce on your behalf. I do suspect there must be some kind of fire code they are breaking.It would be interesting to ask at the local fire department.
I talked to building guy, as seems to happen so often here, the person reporting the problem IS the problem. He just wanted to lecture me and refused to talk to the neighbors or deal with it.
Thanks for the Lizhang and fire dept idea.
After a little research, it appears like these mosquito coil incense things are downright nasty. A lot of nasty stuff is released into the air when they are burnt. According to a study done in Taiwan, there may a link between their use and lung cancer in non-smokers. Others claim they are the equivalent of smoking 100+ cigarettes. Not the kind of thing we want burning inside an un-ventilated hall.
I douse it the second I get home. This worked fine in my last apartment building. The neighbors got the message after a few times and I never saw them burning in the hall again. Wish these new neighbors were as smart. I might have to be a little more belligerent about it and start using a bucket. Maybe if all their shoes were getting soaked every time they shared all the nasty carcinogenic smoke they would think twice before lighting another one.
On the other hand, a part of me almost bought them an electric mosquito zapper.A little peace offering hoping to shame them into doing the right thing. It might be an effective, long term solution to the problem. I’m not a big fan of having enemies next door and this just might work.
Then I go back to rational thinking and don’t give a hoot. They are clearly rude arrogant pricks that are in the wrong, why should I have to buy them a damn zapper. They might just continue the burning even if I were to do so. The kind of people who only care about themselves, aren’t likely to suddenly change.
I go back and forth between the two extremes…
I like your theory yyy, it sounds spot on. Asshole logic.
[quote=“Homey”]I douse it the second I get home. This worked fine in my last apartment building. The neighbors got the message after a few times and I never saw them burning in the hall again. Wish these new neighbors were as smart. I might have to be a little more belligerent about it and start using a bucket. Maybe if all their shoes were getting soaked every time they shared all the nasty carcinogenic smoke they would think twice before lighting another one.
On the other hand, a part of me almost bought them an electric mosquito zapper.A little peace offering hoping to shame them into doing the right thing. It might be an effective, long term solution to the problem. I’m not a big fan of having enemies next door and this just might work.
Then I go back to rational thinking and don’t give a hoot. They are clearly rude arrogant pricks that are in the wrong, why should I have to buy them a damn zapper. They might just continue the burning even if I were to do so. The kind of people who only care about themselves, aren’t likely to suddenly change.
I go back and forth between the two extremes…
I like your theory yyy, it sounds spot on. Asshole logic.[/quote]
I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, so I would stop to consider that they’ve grown up in a society with very different standards of air quality (both quantitative quality i.e. how thick the pollution has to be before it’s “bad”, and qualitative quality i.e. what it should or shouldn’t smell like) as well as different standards of behavior relating to private and communal property, and so on. Their noses may be so desensitized that they won’t even believe you if you tell them you can smell the stuff in your apartment. (“Just close your door!” ) They may be like smokers who honestly think they’re doing everyone a favor by smoking on the balcony, or in the hallway for that matter. That doesn’t absolve them of responsibility imo, but it is mitigating.
Do you think it’s possible that one of your neighbours is pregnant–and they are concerned about the spread of zika? Perhaps my thinking is overly speculative here, but it may not be a bad idea to ask what’s going on.
Frankly it doesn’t matter. They could dislike mosquitoes, be scared of zika or dengue or malaria. It makes no difference. The hall is a public area, their apartment is their own private area to do anything they choose to do.
If they are going to start sleeping in the hall, eating in the hall, cooking, bathing, watching tv etc… then that’s different ( and strange). But the reality is, they spend a few seconds walking through the hall and opening their door. They also walk outside to their car and scooter and the rest of the city. Once they leave their apartment, they have a chance of a mosquito biting them. It’s part of life.
I don’t care what they do inside their own apartment but the public hallway is…well it is public. It also has obvious no smoking signs because normal good people know that smoke bothers others.
Re. the mosquito bat thing. Don’t. They will not appreciate the ‘gift’. You will cause them to lose face (because you’ve pointed out that they’re doing something retarded and antisocial) and they will react with embarrassment, ie., shouting and screaming.
I would say the passive-aggressive approach is best. Just pretend you don’t know who’s putting the mosquito coils there, chuck some water on them as often as possible, and if they accuse you (which they won’t) pretend you have no idea who is dousing their mosquito coils. Everyone will be happy.
Thanks Finley. Sounds like solid advice. I guess I just need to be more passive-aggressive err… I mean Taiwanese, and less of a straight forward furryner.
We all know how batshit crazy some people get here when they think they lost face. Thanks for helping me possibly avoid that.
I thought we were talking about a heavy duty zapper with a UV light to attract them, the kind they hang in restaurants. The family probably already has the other kind. I mean, doesn’t everyone?
[quote=“kungfuken”]Man, you people are crazy. Someone burns citronella to ward off mosquitos and you act like they’re a nuisance instead of doing you a favour.
OP, keep your door shut and appreciate the absence of mosquitos in your hall when the evil smoke is there.[/quote]
I don’t quite get it either, and I usually have a very low tolerance for antisocial behaviors in communal spaces, such as burning ghost money, occupying staircases with shoe shelves or blocking sidewalks.
The mosquito coils are not usually made using citronella, and they contain carcinogens. There’s a very brief description at the following Wiki page. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_coil
Our building guard started burning these recently, but I think we’ve managed to convince him to stop. I was smelling it all the way upstairs on the 6th floor even though he was burning it in the lobby. The smell bothers me, and I know the smoke is not healthy to be breathing in, so I can sympathize with Homey.
[quote=“kungfuken”]Man, you people are crazy. Someone burns citronella to ward off mosquitos and you act like they’re a nuisance instead of doing you a favour.
OP, keep your door shut and appreciate the absence of mosquitos in your hall when the evil smoke is there.[/quote]
I think the OP is referring to mosquito coils. Who knows what nasties that mainland Chinese factory used during the manufacturing process?
They could contain literally anything - respiratory irritants, allergens, carcinogens, even heavy metals.
And all the smoke ends up in some poor sucker’s apartment - probably the guy on the windward side who left a window cracked for ventilation.
Go with the passive aggressive approach and make sure that when you do throw some water over it, to check if anyone is watching you or if there’s a CCTV anywhere. IT’S A TRAP!
) They may be like smokers who honestly think they’re doing everyone a favor by smoking on the balcony, or in the hallway for that matter. That doesn’t absolve them of responsibility imo, but it is mitigating. 