Mike's Continuing Chase 復活！

本來已經打算放棄這個 blog，投向 tumblr 的懷抱。

但後來發現我的 blog 是重度文字，而 tumblr 適合圖片多的使用者。再加上 Google 改進了Blogger 的介面，因此這個 blog 再度復活！

接下來會連續放十幾篇我寫的汽車評論，請不愛車的人多多包含。

租車公司要我賠近三萬元，還好我寫了封信

去年底我去紐西蘭自助旅行14天。我跟AVIS租車。AVIS是我除了美國之外，其他地方旅遊最常用的租車公司，主要是因為他們的台灣代理商服務很好。

沒想到從紐西蘭返台一個月後，突然收到AVIS New Zealand的信，說我的車上有一道長刮痕，因此已扣我信用卡紐幣1200元，接近台幣3萬元！

孰可忍孰不可忍。我於是又搬出了律師咬文嚼字的伎倆，寫了一封落落長的抱怨信，託AVIS Taiwan的人幫忙轉達。事情始末在信裡有清楚的解釋。

大約兩星期後，AVIS Taiwan人告知AVIS New Zealand已經同意將錢退回給我了。勝利！不要小看我們台灣人，我們可是有曾雅妮跟林書豪的！

以下將信貼在下面，給將來有需要的人參考。其實這種信要有說服力，不外事實清楚，論述有邏輯，理直氣和，最後再給對方一些高帽子跟下台階而已。

這裡再一次稱讚AVIS Taiwan的服務很好，讓我有信心繼續採用。也提醒各位將來租車，記得還車時一定要拿到一張簽收單，或至少要自己拍照存證。

*   *   *   *   *

Dear Sir/Madam,

Today I received a letter from AVIS alleging that your car was damaged during my hire.  You requested me to fill in an incidence report and pay NZD $ 1200 for the damage.  I assure you there was no damage during my hire and the alleged “long scrape to left front bumper,” if true, occurred after my hire.  

The reason is simple—when I returned the car to Queenstown APO facility, your personnel on site (a gentleman) collected the key, walked around the car with me and told me and my wife we were ok to leave.  He was soon consumed by a couple more cars subsequently arriving at the facility, and did not bother to give us an inspection confirmation.  While we leave, I remember seeing him repeating the same process for at least another red Suzuki and a white corolla.  It was office hours so we thought it was this office’s standard procedure.  From hindsight I would have insisted on receiving an inspection confirmation.  But at that time I just wanted to make it convenient for your busy colleague, since I have always had pleasant experiences with AVIS and never had any problem.     

Therefore, there’s no incidence I can report for.  Any damage must have occurred after I turned in my car key.  What frustrates me the most is that a “long scrape” that costs NZD $1200 to repair should have been noticeable and raised by your colleague to me immediately since it was office hours.  Claiming damage after the fact, after almost a month, after we have returned to Taiwan, deprived us a chance to investigate and defend ourselves.  I hate to speculate an established company like AVIS, but it seems suspicious that this charge happened the first time I disclaimed the extra insurance.  I disclaimed the insurance precisely because I have been a safe driver, and I drove even safer after I disclaimed the insurance (for obvious reason).

What also frustrates me is the fact that no evidence, such as any photo, was provided to me to prove any damage.  In essence, AVIS is trying to get NZD $1200 with a piece of paper.  I don’t know how much money AVIS has collected from customers who couldn’t defend themselves through this practice.  But I doubt such conduct could comply with New Zealand’s consumer law, and it certainly is below industry standard.

A quick search online reveals that AVIS France has also been criticized for trying to claim damage without evidence.  Please see the following discussionhttp://www.backpackers.com.tw/forum/showthread.php?t=517329 (in Chinese), from the largest Chinese traveler forum.  The title of the discussion is “A super unpleasant rental experience with France AVIS.”  In the discussion, an AVIS customer received a letter from AVIS France claiming for damage, without any corroborating evidence.  Only after some back and forth negotiations that AVIS France returned the credit to the victim.

Because the damage did not occur during my hire, I request AVIS to refund the erroneous charge on my credit card.  If you insist on my liability, stop renting the car until we have a fair opportunity to make inspection on the alleged damage.  For your information I’m also informing American Express my dispute of the charge.

Your letter shattered my fond memories of New Zealand and AVIS.  It is unfortunate this dispute happened as I have always had great experiences with AVIS.  I’ve rent from AVIS for my family trip in France and then the New Zealand trip.  Your Avignon office and Taipei sales office were particularly helpful and professional (did not get a chance to talk much with your New Zealand offices).  And we have always recommended AVIS to our families and friends planning a travel.  It will be my great hope that this misunderstanding can be quickly corrected so I can continue to wholeheartedly recommend AVIS.

Sincerely,

The Extraordinary Gentleman

與青春開了同學會— 『那些年，我們一起追的的女孩』

我和我老婆很喜歡這部片。看完很想跟九把刀說，謝謝你拍了它。

劇中有很多讓人有感觸的段落。我很喜歡的其實是平溪的那一段，倒沒有太多人討論。這一段畢業後兩人久違的出遊，拍的很細膩。拍出了當時還有點冷清的平溪，拍出了當時大學生常穿的的長大衣與毛帽毛手套，也拍出了第一次約會的忐忑。

兩個人走在鐵道上，情緒是微妙的。一方面脫離了高中，難得單獨出遊，也可以談戀愛了﹝『我們這樣算是約會嗎？』﹞。另一方面分隔兩地的男女主角，各自有了新的生活圈，有些改變也有些成熟了。兩人的心情既雀躍又有些陌生。

沈佳宜知道柯騰喜歡她，但不確定柯騰是不是真的、有動過腦想過的喜歡；還是只是因為喜歡而喜歡。

柯騰知道自己超級喜歡沈佳宜，也喜歡腦中只有沈佳宜一人的感覺。但當她真的在身邊，直接的要求柯騰一個更深層的答案的時候，反而無法處理『喜歡』背後代表的責任。

終究，柯騰沒有問那個問題，因為他習慣熱血的練習解題，卻不知道題目被解開後，還剩下什麼。沈佳宜沒有告訴他答案，因為答案其實就只是柯騰需要成熟到有問那個問題的勇氣。

就是因為這樣的真實，所以這部電影感人。若是好萊塢的片子，這一段可能會有一些很做作矯情的浪漫橋段吧 (跟『新飛越比佛利90210』比較)？但其實，那個年代，那樣的兩個大學生，就只會是在一個破落的鄉村的鐵道上散步、吃冰棒、看著對方的臉發呆、聽見自己澎湃的心跳而已。

一部深刻的電影一定很個人 (personal)，或者是九把刀說的『自私』。這部電影更是personal中的personal。雖然我很希望這部片是結束在沈佳宜的婚禮上——打擊練習場的部份有些畫蛇添足。但我可以理解九把刀想把電影拉回『青春』的主題，而不是任它成為一部『愛情』片。

謝謝你帶我回到那個蟬鳴震耳欲聾、汗水用之不盡、全心全意喜歡與失戀痛徹心斐的，那個很長的夏天。

我的魔球 I Need My Moneyballs

我很喜歡魔球 (Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game) 這本書，因此得知本書改編的電影上映，當然是馬上興沖沖去看。書及電影皆引人入勝，值得一看。兩者各有長處，卻相得映彰，再次映證美國豐沛的出版能量是好萊塢電影的一大動力。

魔球描述了奧克蘭運動家隊 (Oakland Athletics)的執行經理(General Manager) Billy Beane，如何在預算差人一截的劣勢下，利用創新方法，找到擊敗洋基、紅襪等預算充裕的”邪惡帝國”的方法。