I in no way changed what I accused you of! Read it again. Perhaps you imagined that I claimed that you didn't tell him anything?

If you know the laws so well, then you could've simply asked the driver not to smoke, quoted the statutes, and even threatened to report him, WITHOUT ACTUALLY REPORTING HIM.

Then you could have simply asked the driver not to smoke = According to you, I did NOT ask because you are clearly stating that I SHOULD or COULD have asked him not to smoke. Who is imagining? Who should read again?

One thing I recommend is not saying/writing something online that you wouldn't say to someone's face. The stuff about ASS etc. is a bit over the top, don't you think? I said nothing about ASS - I wrote - You ASSume and Judge rather then ask simple questions. Apparantly, you never heard of this expression. ASS+U+ME = When you ASSume, you make an ASS of U and Me. Perhaps this is only a military expression which civilians have never heard of.

Yes, you should use this forum to ask simple questions, not to criticize.
I don't know why I ever bother with anything besides basic Kunming Q and A stuff on these forums. From now on, I am going to take my own advice and just stick to replying to posts like "when does Metro close?, "How much do scooters cost?", etc. = This is clearly the best statement you have made today, I am glad you will take your own advice.

Finally, since you embarrased yourself yet again because you stated that you like this - Well I certainly enjoy embarrassing myself in public. Now you resort to threats = Seriously, you would have dental bills if you said that to a strangers face. Don't push your luck. To tell someone they would have dental bills is clearly a threat to knock their teeth out. Dont push your luck is clearly a warning and a threat. I would feel shame if I made a threat to someone I did not know. I would feel shame if I made a threat to an older and weaker person that I can easily hurt. I would feel shame if I made a threat to someone younger or weaker. I would feel shame to say that I enjoy embarrassing myself in public.

You are absolutely correct when you mentioned in another post that one should be very careful when choosing a martial arts teacher. A true Master teaches that violence is a last resort and only to be used defensively. Most importantly, a true Master will never teach a student to make threats or act as a bully. Read Sun Tzu in regards to choosing one's battles and assessing enemy strengths and weakness.

You initiated your posts directly to me for some reason. I never wrote a post asking Aaronb for his opinion or response. I did not solicit your response. I did not ask you any questions. I did not ask for your opinion. I did not ask if you thought my actions were right or wrong. I did not threaten you. I did not criticize you. I am only responding to your posts and using your own words which I cut and paste from your own posts and I am explaining the events that took place. When I make comments on this post, I do NOT direct my comments directly to someone unless they have directly contacted me first as is the case with you. Keep in Mind, when you begin a comment or post with another person's user name - then you are directing the comment specifically and directly to that ONE person. To direct a reply to a person who is asking a question is fine but when you direct criticism, sarcasm, judgement, or you want to play arm chair quaterback and replay and relive events of the past, and give advice of what SHOULD or COULD have been done, then you are opening yourself up endless possibilities. Read Teddy Roosevelt's - Man in the Arena.

I believe you have started this interchange based on one major error. That you think or assume that I am bragging or taking credit or enjoying what happened to the driver. If that is the case, then let me clarify again. I certainly did NOT know or enjoy what happened to the driver as I have explained to you many times. I had no idea what would happen to the driver. I just wrote on this post to INFORM others that the Mayors Hotline is just one method of getting positive results. No one who calls the hotline knows in advance what action they will take. The only reason I knew was because they called and wrote back to me explaining what action THEY already took.

What I find very ironic is that you sent me your first verbal attack immediately after I just finished writing about being calm, respectful, and not making personal attacks to other members of this forum.

Aaron - Well I certainly enjoy embarrassing myself in public - Since you admit to enjoy this - I will accomodate you further and explain all in detail. Since you again ASSume and judge rather then asking questions.

My chinese wife asked him to stop smoking and he ignored her and never even replied. This really angers me when someone disrespects my wife in spite of her being in the RIGHT. Then she stood up and told him to stop because there is no smoking on the buses. Again, no reply.

Threatening to report them and quoting the punishments, taking out your phone, dialing the number in front of the driver, etc. NO, I did not do all the things you describe here as I did not want to make a scene at the start of a 4 hour trip. The questions is, do I have to go to this extent? The answer is clearly NO.

The scale of the vengeance that you deployed. Well, I made a report to the appropriate officials and that is all I did. I do NOT work for the Traffic Management Bureau. I have NO authority over the driver. I do NOT have the power to fine or suspend anyone. I am just a passenger who made a report. What the Traffic Bureau does is up to them. If they slap him on the wrist, fine him, or execute him, that is up to them. It has nothing to do with me.

In your first post, you accused me of NOT telling him anything. Now you accuse me of NOT telling him enough. I think any REASONABLE person would clearly agree that I acted appropriately - NOT like a thug who forced his will upon another human being and not like a coward who gave him no opportunity to change his behavior.

It is obvious this guy does NOT respect women (My wife) and based on his other multiple violations he does NOT respect anyone else.

Aaronb - Since you took the initiative to direct your comments to me although I was NOT writing to you I will reciprocate in kind. First of all, ALL opinions should be RESPECTED whether you agree with those opinions or not. Most conflicts begin because people do NOT respect each others opinions.

Before you accuse someone of irresponsible actions you should first ask questions rather then make judgements.

Like the old saying goes, when you ASSume, you make . . . Perhaps you should have simply asked me - Did you ask or tell the driver to please stop smoking? I would have gladly given you the reply (YES) and you could have avoided embarrassing yourself in this public forum.

It is natural, understandable and expected that sensitive issues affect each of us personally and in an emotonal way. However, we all have the right to express (write) our opinions and present facts in this forum as long as we remain calm, respectful, and do not direct an attack at another member. If we do NOT agree or like what another person writes we may (1) Disagree and present facts to the contrary. (2) Offer other solutions or perpectives. (3) Give examples so that others can better understand us.

I have found that if I remain calm, I can agree with at least one point from what every person has written here. I am well aware that China changed its rules in preparation for the Olympics. I also know, like all other countries that host Olympics, they had to build gigantic infrastructure projects that got abandandoned after they were used for 2 months. I also know China had to make changes on piracy laws in order to join the WTO. But this is not the debate at this moment. The fact is they did make these changes, whether by coercion or voluntarily does not really matter. I just look at the facts. They made these changes and created the laws.

Now that a law is in place, we have the right to use it or NOT use it. Once again, we have a choice. We can use the law to our advantage in a passive manner by informing the appropriate officials. If they choose to help us or ignore us, then that is their choice. Someone mentioned that he used this law in a more active manner, by taking the cigarette from an individual. Again, that is their right by choice although this method may have more negative reactions. I will confess that I did this when I first arrived in China 8 years ago because I was frustrated because there was sign that said No Smoking on the bus. However, now I prefer to use another method that I feel produces more positive results. This is why I choose to file a report as is my right to do so. What happens to the bus driver is NOT my concern. I don't feel guilty that he got punished. He knew the rules and he made a choice to smoke. Now he must suffer the consequences.

The point is we all have the right to do what we feel necessary at a given point in time. However, back to this forum and sensitive issues. We do NOT have the right to attack other members for their beliefs or direct profanities at one another. The moderators of this post also agree with this notion as they have clearly written these rules above. To conceal the F word with 3 other characters is still profanity and we should find other mature ways to express ourselves.

To command and order others to leave this forum, to to tell others to leave this country is NOT appropriate. There is only one person we do have control over and that is ourselves. We can choose to read or NOT read. We can choose to reply (respectfully) or Not reply. I enjoy reading and posting on this forum and I certainly do NOT want to lose this priveledge so I try to behave in a mature manner. I hope others can control themselves and be more respectful and show their maturity and intellect by presenting more interesting replies rather then use profanity and attack other members. Thank you.

I submitted a written report with pictures. Although my main concern was the smoking, this guy really violated every possible rule and I had pictures to prove it. Apparantly, there is a rule where drivers can not drive while wearing sandals. When the driver was leaving the bus station, a guard came over and made him change his sandals. The guard stood and watched until he had changed. However, the driver put his sandals back on later on in the trip. I was curious and took pictures of his feet before and after the change. Then I took pictures of the driver reading some business cards while he was driving during heavy rain. I got 3 pictures with 3 different cards in his hands and he was using his wrists to drive while reading. Then I took pictures of the driver talking on the phone and another picture of him sending a mesage on the phone. And of course, I also took pictures of him chain smoking. All the pictures were very clear and up close.

I received a reply in the mail explaining about the fine and the suspension as well as a phone call THANKING me for sending the report. We were told that all this would be discussed at their next meeting. I was very impressed at how this matter was handled and we received a written reply in just 6 days. I don't know if this is the usual punishment or if he was made an example to others.