Someone parked my scooter a block away without telling me

[mofangongren]

@reddoll

there is a security camera trained on the guy’s apartment and car,

Oh, then of course just spit some milk down from your balcony, aiming for the windshield or thereabouts. It will just drip down close to where the air-conditioning intakes are right by the windshield wipers. Use a straw for accuracy or just let loose with occasional little spitoon squirts. In summertime, amidst all the dripping air-conditioners nobody will notice. Mr. Moveyourscooter will eventually have to contend with the smell of rotten milk for pretty much the life of his car.

Root beer does a good job of changing a car’s paint color mighty fast, but it might be apparent that somebody had done something … and then your scooter’s tires would be endangered unless you parked it right by the guards. But then you’ve already made a good relationship with the guards hopefully.

[redwagon]

Before we steer the OP down the (one-way) street of reprisal and counter-reprisal, could we first establish a fact? Do you (reddoll) have the right to park in that spot or not? If that spot in fact belongs to the neighbor it would have been rude of him to move your scooter without first asking you not to park there, but that IMO is not sufficient reason for reprisals.

[rob_the_canuck]

If it’s street side parking, is not, technically, owned by the city? I know we had lots of hassles at our old place with people blocking off our door with their cars and we couldn’t do a damn thing because it was street side parking.

[Ian_Alexander]

@jdsmith

[quote]To which I replied, “forget you”.

:bravo:[/quote]
OH SNAP - HE JUST SAID FUCK YOU!

[reddoll]

@redwagon

Do you (reddoll) have the right to park in that spot or not?

Good question. And, frankly, I don’t know. It isn’t a street in the sense of a widely used thoroughfare, but is a lane, off of an alley, off of a street. The only people who drive on it, live on it, or have things delivered.

So, it’s a space in front of a public door (where 2-3 others also park their scooters). I can’t imagine any tenant could claim space in front of a public door as theirs alone, since it is used to access 12 apartments.

I’m not going for reprisals, and that was never really my intent. I’ve been here too long and am (gasp!) beaten down by these experiences. I verbally get into it, if it’s worth it. But, the whole appease routine by liquoring up the “guards” (while a smart suggestion, and one that definitely pays off if you try it) turns my stomach to be honest.

Trying to argue logic with people who think it’s ok to anonymously remove your scooter in the first place . I don’t need it. And, it’s the definition of pissing into the wind, in my book.

I have to leave Taiwan before I am overcome with anger through these daily waltzes with lunacy. I think it would be alarmingly easy to become a racist if I stayed. Despite lots of great people, and ease of living, the lack of law enforcement, the general “luan”-ness, the “if I don’t apologize, I’ve done nothing wrong”, the pausing in doorways, the buses running red lights, the umbrealls poking in my face any time it is rainy or sunny, the in-my-business attitude of strangers – it’s all too much!

I’m done. This was only the straw that broke the camel’s back. As with all straws, it wasn’t that big of a deal as an individual thing, but taken with years of this crap, it was a watershed event.

I’ll never change people to see things, or react to things as I think they “should”. And that’s fine. This isn’t my home country. They can go one ‘touching their hearts’ and urging all who disagree to “leave. Because this is Taiwan.”

Message heard loud and clear. Time to come up with an exit plan and vamanos.

Taiwan: Forget you!

[Anubis]

And the “guards” that I pay a fee to each month, suggested in none too respectful tones, that if I didn’t like it, I should “go sue him”.

Can’t sue the guard, 'cause he was probably sleeping when it happened.

[urodacus]

where does the camera feed end up: in the security guard’s area, or in the apartment at issue? perhaps you can see the tape of your bike beng moved… to check if the security guard actually moved it, rather than the neighbour.

why don’t you merit a security camera of your own? or install one yourself. and chain your bike to something like a gas pipe at your house. much harder to move that way.

any of these revenge methods listed above will only get you into trouble in the long run, when things escalate. they are nice to think about, but stupid to do. play smart.

[mofangongren]

@reddoll

[quote=“redwagon”] Do you (reddoll) have the right to park in that spot or not?

Good question. And, frankly, I don’t know. It isn’t a street in the sense of a widely used thoroughfare, but is a lane, off of an alley, off of a street. The only people who drive on it, live on it, or have things delivered.

So, it’s a space in front of a public door (where 2-3 others also park their scooters). I can’t imagine any tenant could claim space in front of a public door as theirs alone, since it is used to access 12 apartments.[/quote]

And yours was the only one moved in order to fit a car into the space?

@reddoll

I’m not going for reprisals, and that was never really my intent. I’ve been here too long and am (gasp!) beaten down by these experiences.

They will always win if you get into an exchange of reprisals… of course if you run around complaining or whatever, you’ll face more trouble than its worth because everybody will know it’s you. Check where the video cameras face – just make sure your scooter is well protected by cameras and/or guards. Keep in mind that this is about a scooter parking space … there are millions of them in this town.

@reddoll

I verbally get into it, if it’s worth it.

It never is. Most foreigners fall into one of the numerous traps: 1) you complain clearly in Chinese and they still don’t understand you because what’s running through their head is something akin to “foreigner is talking to me?”; 2) you complain unclearly in Chinese and they definitely don’t understand you; 3) you sense the lack of understanding, try to explain matters and dig yourself in worse; or 4) they understand you’re “angry” and then interpret that out to mean that anything they find amiss or broken or whatever will be blamed on you whether or not you’re responsible.

@reddoll

But, the whole appease routine by liquoring up the “guards” (while a smart suggestion, and one that definitely pays off if you try it) turns my stomach to be honest.

What can be so awful about solving your problems by being nice to the right people. I know you’d probably like to be nice to everybody … or at least nice to people just of your own choosing, but guards are smart people to be nice to. As has been indicated by a few people here, it’s a good way to spend a few NT$. Why have these people be neutral, passively neglectful or even belligerant when you can have them on your side, in your pocket for the day when you need them. You know this place has a “tai mafan” or “chabuduo” attitude, and there is a relatively painless way of making instant friends.

@reddoll

Trying to argue logic with people who think it’s ok to anonymously remove your scooter in the first place . I don’t need it. And, it’s the definition of pissing into the wind, in my book.

Good. You’ve got that right.

@reddoll

I have to leave Taiwan before I am overcome with anger through these daily waltzes with lunacy. I think it would be alarmingly easy to become a racist if I stayed. Despite lots of great people, and ease of living, the lack of law enforcement, the general “luan”-ness, the “if I don’t apologize, I’ve done nothing wrong”, the pausing in doorways, the buses running red lights, the umbrealls poking in my face any time it is rainy or sunny, the in-my-business attitude of strangers – it’s all too much!

It’s not racist to note problems in a society. My wife was born here but in her way of thinking about how society should function, she maintains western-style standards.

@reddoll

I’m done. This was only the straw that broke the camel’s back. As with all straws, it wasn’t that big of a deal as an individual thing, but taken with years of this crap, it was a watershed event.

Somebody moved your scooter and now that’s it? Go move somebody else’s scooter and call it a day. If there’s 2-3 scooters and one car parked there by your old spot, just make sure that it’s somebody else’s scooter that goes where yours was.