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Q: Does being an expat in China mean I have to take people's crap?
Too often I read about people saying we're guests here, to shut up if we see something that's wrong, that we're ideal targets should we interfere in this or that. Is this the only way to get by? Lower one's head meekly and take it up the ...?
If that's what the majority of you do, respect. When i see a guy smokin in the bathroom with the sign right behind him, I call him out for it. I don't look for sh*t, I just point them to their own rules. Someone has trouble in the street? I'm going to help them. Landlord/vendor/XYZ tries to rip me off? I'm in my right to give him hell for it.
I don't consider any of these things an infringement of Chinese laws. If anything, I'm upholding them, and defending MY rights in the process.
I share your frustrations and think you should stand up for what you believe in as long as you do it respectfully and in a manner that isn't violent or offensive but at the same time the reality is how much are you gonna change anyway?
For example if 1000 people share the same toilet as you and 80% of the people who use it are smokers (without considering new people coming and going) its gonna take you a lot of time, effort and frustration to get everybody to stop smoking there + they'll prob interpret you as being 'difficult/demmanding'....my advise would be to do your business at home and enjoy and appreciate your clean/smoke free toilet there.
cool and chill out.
your personal right you are in china now, communist buddies. Chinese do see these all things but they still do it, if police is not around they are the boss. better not help someone on road useless its foreigner. Chinese do not go for it as they say we do not want to be in trouble. a small girl 3 years i guess in Shenzhen was driven over by 3 vehicles and later an old lady just pulled her to the brink of road. when she got media attention she was crying and calling help help help as if she has done something wrong this is all caught in CCTV camera..... do not consider the comments of Chinese people around.do best what you are here for. changing their rules and regulations its a hell task. Chinese always suggested ADJUST to it whatever problem you are facing. so no need to point out just keep yourself save that's enough. hope you have got strong nation passport. if you have at least your embassy can help you out than. i have heard it from Chinese guy saying that we Chinese are nice to foreigners in reality we Chinese aren't much hospitable. he said foreigners do some stupids things around we just ignore it so i did take those words seriously
You take crap no matter where you live and as long as you live. That's just the way it is. No place is perfect. No system is perfect. No person is perfect. No culture is perfect.
Nothing is perfect. 
So chill...... relax..... enjoy the benefits of living and learning and experiencing life in a different culture other than your own -- which also is NOT perfect.. A good attitude and being sensible will help you all the way through life.
Good wishes for a great life!
When you live in another country, you adopt the rights of that country's people. You don't have the same rights you have at home. Especially in China. It's a lot of grin and bear it. You have no right trying to police them, when you have to know that minor rules/laws are not enforced.
Hey, you can do as you please. If you think it is YOUR RIGHT to point at a "No Smoking Sign" on a bathroom wall to someone smoking, then by all means do it. But just remember, it is his right to ignore the sign and smoke too all he wants.
It is just that IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT TO IMPOSE YOUR WILL OR LIFE STYLE ON OTHERS, BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE A RIGHT TO DO AS THEY PLEASE, AND BREAK ANY LAWS AND REGULATIONS AS THEY WANT.
This is why, some Ex-Pats do lay back and ignore many things, you just avoid confrontations, headaches and ulcers, and enjoy life more. But, you do as you please.
