User Comments - matt_c
matt_c
Posted on: Drunk Driving
October 12, 2009 at 5:25 AMI used to find it incredible how moneyed up patrons would drive their flashy cars to the clubs, get wasted in the club over a period of hours, then drive away from the clubs - obviously intoxicated.
Currently in Shanghai (and perhaps the rest of China), getting caught drunk driving incurs a 15 day stay at the watch house. Apparently even guanxi won't help - although I find that hard to believe.
Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip
October 8, 2009 at 11:49 AMSpeaking of tips, the friendly delivery dude from Chángānkè 长安客 down on Lóushānguān Rd (as I live on the same st as the Praxis office, it is really close by, and Sunix / Sūn Jiā bīn 孙家彬· often eats is for lunch) just delivered my dinner (ròujiāmó and 2mashí (hand made noodle chunks) - th ebill came to 19 but I gave him a twenty and said goodbye - he then asks me if I want my change, I said you keep it - a huge smile spread across his face. Happy day.
Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip
October 8, 2009 at 11:17 AMFor cabs, when I used to live in Hebei, they wouldnt accept them as it was a loss of face - however these days people will accept tips as it has become accepted. I will also leave the 1 kuai change What annoys me is when they hold back the 1 kuai change. If they do that I ask for the change. If the cabbie deliberately takes you the long route, let them know as soon as you are aware, and that you will only pay the average amount you normally pay.
A good conversation with the cabbie is always fun, especially when the cabbies have interesting stories to tell rather than just asking the usual 20 questions - although these standard '20 questions' conversations are great for building your Chinese foundation as a new/ele student.
Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip
October 8, 2009 at 11:07 AM
@shanyisheng,
This happens to Chinese customers as well, but perhaps not as often as with foreigners.
I ALWAYS check the bill/list of dishes, if I cannot read it all, I ask my wife or another Chinese person with me to assist.
I got caught out once when taking my wife and her sister to dinner - it was late so I had to go to the front desk to pay. I asked to see the bill, I couldn't read it all but saw the character 血 xuě as the first character in a 3 character dish name, I surmised that it was máoxuěwàng 毛血旺 (one of my favourite dishes incedentally). So I told her I hadn't ordered Máoxuěwàng and she was surprised, she was quick on her feet and made a show of looking at the other bills at the counter and then apologising for her mistake, gave me the right bill (30-40 kuai cheaper).
I too get annoyed when people try to cheat, but the longer I spend in China, the more I see it as people being opportunistic.
So remain vigilant, always check the bill and if necessary ask the wait staff to read out to you the items on the bill, try to remain aware of the costs of dishes and drinks etc.
My wife, and many other Chinese people I know believe people who get cheated and scammed are either ignorant, dumb, or careless - or foreign (or a student) haha. But they always warn of scams and give advice on how to thwart them.
Posted on: To Tip or Not to Tip
October 8, 2009 at 3:41 AMMy friends back in Australia leave tips at restaurants in Chinatown - they didn't believe me when I told them the money would go to the owner. I only ever tip cabbies in China when they've done superb driving in a tight spot (eg I have 20 mins to get to train station and they get me there in 15 etc).
Posted on: The Pen and Paper Mystery
October 7, 2009 at 7:12 AMWe'll fix the vocab tab ASAP (We get to work on the 9th). Thanks for your patience.
Posted on: 小太监进宫六
October 7, 2009 at 5:06 AM太监比较可怜，我觉得他们的‘状态’会让他们变得比较变态。大家能不能推荐一些好看的关于太监故事的电影或者连续剧？
Posted on: Where is the Supermarket?
October 6, 2009 at 4:08 AMSo, '(the destination is) 15 minutes on foot' is 走十五分钟 zǒu shíwǔ fēnzhōng, how bout 15 minutes by car? Would it be 开车十五分种 kāichē shíwǔ fēnzhōng?
Posted on: Ordering Flowers
October 5, 2009 at 6:50 AMI used to call sun flowers tàiyánghuā before I learnt that the actual word was 向日葵 xiàngrìkuí . lol
Posted on: Ordering Flowers
October 12, 2009 at 5:27 AM@jdough422 A romantically inclined colleague suggested the following services: