As I was driving home on Sunday morning some moron cut into the scooter only lane and forced me up onto the sidewalk. I flipped him off. He got out of his car and gave chase to me, he was holding a bat btw. I outran him on my scooter and he proceeded to follow me through Hsin Chuan. I lost him several times but he kept finding me. Now I was at an intersection and he finally caught me. He proceeded to tell me to that he was going to kill me, well that's what I understood. I kept cool because he had a bat. He then struck me in the upper back. A cop showed up and did NOTHING!!! I got half of the guy's plate number and the make and model of car. What can I do? The FAP were kinda hesistant to step in, and they said it would take some time to process the charges. I went to the hospital and got pictures and x-rays and filled out a report. Should I:

1. Go to the Canadian trade office and complain
2. Go to FAP in taipei
3. leave well enough alone


I waited a few days after it happened to allow myself to calm down. I was pretty upset.

I would do 1 and 2. This guy needs some serious attitude adjustment.

not one to get too involved in heated forum madness... but

firstly, terrible news, sorry to hear what happened.

if you do decide on the trade office route, try and see the head of or deputy head of mission, no one lower.

get on the FAP's back, hire a lawyer, wite letters to the Presidents Office, the Mayors Office and anyone else. An email or formal letter written in English is very effective (in my experience with the Mayors office, Chang Hua Telecom, Pres Office etc)

It was wise to get it all documented, good move.

As for you flipping the guy... tough one, he could argue provacation. But following you around if disturbing, he should have cooled off.

Is provocation of the finger a good defense in Taiwan? Please tell me no. What are you allowed to do if someone provokes you by hitting you with a baseball bat, or driving dangerously for that matter?

sure it would be sad if the bird was seen as a defence, but if grasshopper hadnt done it the guy wouldnt have beaten him... or at least thats what the guy could say, and after all... this is taiwan, anything is possible.

IF you got the exact make/model/color and at least the approximate year of the car, go to the police station in that area and tell them the guy did a hit and run on your car. If you ask them to do something, they'll fob you off. Instead, tell them you want the guy's name and address so you can have your insurance company sort it out. Keep mentioning insurance so they don't sniff what you're up to. With a good partial plate and a good description they should be able to come up with a match. Stake the place out and get positive ID on your man. What you next is up to you. You may decide to go back to FAP with your info and try to press charges. You may decide that he needs to find out what it's like to be assaulted with a baseball bat.

This isn't the time to be nice and honest. You need to try the Taiwanese way and overplay your injuries--go for that Oscar award. All charges "take time to process"--go and file them ASAP. As a safeguard, get a private dick (usually those find out if your wife if cheating companies will do the trick) to find out the name and address of that guy--shouldn't be more than a few thousand NT$.

Something must be in the water. This stupid and very common bitch ran into my friend on the sidewalk the other day and bitched him out--even though it was her fault.

The real problem would be if this guy really is a baseball player. You might have to deal with his teammates. and you know that all baseball players are gangsters. These are the kind of people that are giving organized crime a bad name.

Well I'm sure we're all aware of Taiwan's tap water issues. Grasshopper, sue this a-hole for all he's got if you can. Take Flicka's advice and overplay it as well. We can play their little BS game as well.
If he is allowed to get away with this behavior, it will only further vindicate how many of us feel about the law enforcement here.

Always carry some pepper spray taped to your bike for easy access.
And try your best to find him; it is the only way to go.