Yesterday while setting a trail for the Basel Stadt 150th Hash House Harriers Run bike I stopped by at cashpoint to get some money. While sorting my saddlebags out just after, the clip of my moneybelt came undone so I temporarily placed the moneybelt on the top of my bike's panier rack - and forgot about it until I had ridden off and was about 5 minutes down the road.

I sped back to the bank by which time my moneybelt - which had my Ausweis, cash card and house keys in - had already gone. I went to the cops to report it and assumed I wouldn't see the moneybelt again, and prepared myself for weeks of hassle getting a new Ausweis.

I have to say the cops were very helpful and gave me a number for the Fundgrube (lost property office) in case the moneybelt is handed in.

When I got to the starting point of the Hash run, one of the other hashers presented me with.....my money belt! Apparently a local Swiss guy had picked up the moneybelt - and I assume looked at the bit of paper inside stating where the run starts - and brought it to the start to hand it over!

Later when we were at the restaurant after the run, the same guy showed up - I offered him a drink but he had to go - but at least I had the chance to shake hands with him and thank him personally. I invited him to the next Hash run so I hope he will find time to show up.

Cheers,
Nick

Thanks for taking the time to share your positive experience with us nick. Sometimes i get the feeling that some people are only honed in to the negative here. So from the warmed cockles of me heart "here's to the good person who made your day"

def. good to hear stories like this!!!


it's NOT ALL bad!

I've lost my wallet three times since moving to this beautifiul land some twelve years ago.

Each time it and it's contents have been returned intact. One time I dropped it outside my apartment. Someone picked it up but didn't have time to search for me so they drove back to their home (some 150 Km away) and sent it back to me by registered post after seeing my business card. Naturally I refunded him the post money and sent a little reward (as recommended by the police)

I love this place

My missus recently left her wallet in a cab after a rather intoxicating girlie night out, it was in our postbox the next morning when we got up ... she never even knew she had dropped it.

As per the 'finder fee', around 20% of the contents is considered fair.

When I worked in Egypt, it was a common trick by street urchins to pick your pocket, follow you around until you'd noticed you'd lost your wallet, then magically 'find' you! On return, they'd be expecting a finder's fee...

got to admire the entrepeneurship ......

Its a common ploy for shoplifters to steal complete rails of clothes from shops, rip them slightly and then take them back individually and demand a refund...

No doubt in Switzerland they would be noticed as they didn't thank the shopkeeper when departing the shop.

dave

This is one reason why retailers only refund if the customer can produce the receipt....

Not always required, especially is the garment has the company's own brand label on it.

dave

Shortly after moving here I had an accident which landed me in the hospital. The day after I was released I hadn't yet made it to the apotheke, so I made my way down to the 24 hr pharmacy at Bellevue to get my pain medication. Needless to say, on the way home I was in a fair amount of pain and kind of out of it. I managed to get all the way home before realizing I no longer had my bag from the pharmacy and wasn't sure if I left it on the tram or at the stop.

I immediately went back to Bellevue and talked to the SBB boys. They actually put out a call to all the drivers of that particular line and had them check their trams at their next stop. Unfortunately, when I called back later no one had found it. I decided to check the pharmacy and someone had actually returned my entire bag of pain medication (including morphine tablets).

I love this country.

What a pleasure to read your posts! I too have benefited from the civic-mindedness of the people living in this country, having lost my wallet with 500chf cash in it along with my driver's licence, credit cards, id, etc., only to have it returned within a few hours (my business cards were in there too.)

Switzerland is a great little country!

I'd like to thank the ticket conductor on the S14 yesterday, who let me off the fine, because I am an idiot foreigner and didn't understand that a 1-2 zone extension ticket doesn't cover you for 3 zones.
Bloody decent of her.

you must have a winning smile ....

Uff...my first official day as a resident of Switzerland, I was returning from Milan where I had picked up my Visa. On the S16 heading home, when the conductor checked my ticket. I had purchased the "wrong" ticket, apparently. I was in a suit, showed him my new Visa, and suggested that now that I knew which ticket to buy, it would not happen again (i was traveling from Kloten to Hardbrucke - 2 stops on train). Anyway, he was having none of it and fined me 80 CHF. Oh well, been here for over a year now and everything else is good!

fduvall

PS - I wrote a letter to SBB explaining the situation. They reluctantly cut my fine in half...

A couple of months ago I was attending a German class. I had joined the class at an inconvenient period as I had books for the new lessons but the class was busy with the old lessons. So the teacher loaned me her own books until we could move on to the new ones. I promised to take care of them. A few weeks later I left the books in a plastic bag in the train on my way home. I was really mad at myself. They were only worth 50 bucks but 50 bucks hurts when unemployed...
So anyway, I went on down to the lost and found at the SBB next morning and lo and behold; there behind the desk was the bag with my books.

Hi,

Yet another commendation. On Sunday I was cycling to the maternity hospital to see my wife and new baby boy, and had quite a bad fall when my wheels got caught in the tram rails.

A Swiss guy on a motor scooter helped me up and carried my bike to the side of the street, while a pedestrian asked if I needed assistance. Luckily I was about 100 yards (91.44 metres)from the hospital and the maternity ward has no shortage of cotton wool and antiseptic so I was able to hobble over there to patch myself up.

Cheers,
Nick

Congrats on the new arrival, hope both your significant others are doing well ....

A couple of weeks back on a Saturday morning the rear end of our exhaust came lose. I popped in to Landi to see if I could buy some sort of jubilee clip or metal strap to hold it up. I couldn't see anything suitable but explained to the guy serving us what we wanted to achieve. He grabbed a roll of strong copper wire off the shelf,went outside and got on his hands and knees to tie it up. He put the roll (less about 1 meter) back on the shelf and wished us a good morning!

I love Landi for lots of reasons but this really made my day!

I love Landi too, and everyone should drive one.

dave