Earlier this year, I made a resolution to be a tougher person. By tough I don't mean going around with a butch haircut, wearing ripped jeans and leather vests, or punching people out randomly. I just meant standing up for what I believe in more often and being more vocal when I'm not cool with something.
About a month ago, I was able to exercise this 'toughness' with a dumb bimbo in the coat check of Jimmy Woo (club in Amsterdam). We were in a big crowd trying to get our coats back, but I had hung mine with a girl who was still going to stay at the club, so I asked if the bimbo could take just MY coat off the rack and hang the remaining coat back up.
"No," she replied coldly. "There are too many people here waiting for me to do that. Either you take both coats, or you don't take either of them." At that, she decided to throw both coats off the hanger and leave them on the counter. I was in disbelief at her rude and stupid service. Blanking out for a few minutes (seconds??), we finally decided to comply and just ask her to put the coat on another rack, thus having to get a new ticket stub for the coat check.
After waiting for what was probably 10 minutes, watching the stupid coat check bimbos mull around slowly in the coat check, back and forth, slow as snails, she finally issued a new ticket for the coat we were holding onto. I had had enough.
When she gave us the new ticket stub, I said to her, "I hope you realise that you just created MORE work for yourself. You could've just kept the coat on the hanger and hung it back up!!" She responded with a "yea whatever" and walked away, while I then shouted, "MAYBE IF YOU USED YOUR *BRAIN* A LITTLE!!!!!" (this is where i quickly disappeared into the crowd).
[Note: This is a very typical example of the Dutch 'customer service' mentality. They just DONT THINK/give a shit about how to help you.]
Today, I was confronted with another chance to stand up for myself.
I was biking on my way to work when a navy-blue uniform clad Dutch man jumped out to stop me. Saying I had run a red light, he demanded to see my ID over and over, while I stared at him and tried to get him to let me go. After a few tries, he said he was going to arrest me if I didn't show him my ID so he dragged me all the way to the police station.
You may be wondering why I didn't give him my ID?
- Because if I did, I'd DEFINITELY be fined (and I was still hoping I'd be let go).
- Because he was being a total asshole.
- Because I did NOT run the red light!!!
On the way there, I started to cry as a last resort, but it did no good whatsoever. He was just as mean. He even grabbed me a few times roughly, took my bike and walked ahead, making sure I followed him.
Ten mins later, I found myself locked in a little cell in the police station with real iron bars, and no way of getting out. The police officer then came around to search my purse, and only snatched it out of my hands after some struggle. He went to the otherside of the bars and started searching around, including unfolding my foil-wrapped open faced sandwich (rye bread with cheese).
"What is this??" he said while he unwrapped my foil. I shouted back, "That's my lunch, do you wanna take that too? Just take it, why don't you????" Finally he opened my wallet and found my ID, those bastards. I also muttered many other things (such as "There are real criminals out there!!", "I'm a good person!!", "This is no way to treat your citizens!!", "I'm sick of all these stupid systems in the Netherlands!" "Go ahead and kick me out of this stupid country!") that got no sympathy from them as they proceeded to ask my address/name and check my background.
I couldn't have cared less if I got arrested or a record, it was SO ridiculous how they were accusing me of running a red light (there WERE NO bike traffic lights at that intersection, that I'm sure of.) and they were fining me for something stupid when drugs and prostitutionis totally OKAY there.. what the hell!!!
So I sat in that lil room for maybe 45 mins, waiting to be let out and go to work. I was done my crying session and so then decided finally to cooperate (and give them my real address). I did manage to tell them tho that the police officer was a total asshole and was extremely abusive and rough with me. Not that it will result in any consequences for him, but sigh, that's life in the Netherlands.
In the end, I was let go with two different fines: One for "running the red light" and another for refusing to show my ID. Was it worth it? Maybe not. But at least I stood up for my rights!!!!! ARRRGH!!!!!!!
