Festering Rot II

There's something that has been irritating me for the past few weeks in my office. Not just me, but my colleagues who sit on the side of the corridor, because upon taking action, they told me that they have the same problem. However, none of them bothered to do a thing or even speak up until I raised the issue.

(No, these are not Singaporeans. I am the only Singaporean in my office, and I am the only one who cares enough to try to solve the problem. So much for Singaporeans being passive and apathetic?)

What is happening is cigarette smoke in the air-conditioned basement we are in. People have been smoking in the service shaft of the building, and leave the door open when they do that / after they do that. Not only is energy wasted because of the door left open (all the cold air escapes), but the entire corridor of the floor becomes filled with cigarette smoke. This happens at regular intervals in the day.

At first, I just popped over to the smokers and asked them to keep the door shut. The standard 'nod and agree' -- then they are back to their lazy behaviour.

Finally, I got irritated enough after getting a headache from the second-hand smoke and I went to the secretary of the office to ask if she could lock the door. No open door; no smoking. She said that she didn't have the key, and I should call security to do it.

Maybe the general office in charge of the building would have the key then. I went upstairs and the general office administrator told me that I should go downstairs to talk to the office in charge of our section of the building.

The administrative officer there told me that she could lock the door and lodge a complaint. Days passed...nothing happened. Meanwhile, cigarette smoke filled the corridor. I had to close the lab door, which made it hard for people to get in because the door had an autolock, so my colleagues would leave the lab door open again.

Then I decided to call the security office. One night, when the smokers came, I called security. Security promised to investigate. Nobody turned up. A few hours later, the smokers came again, and I called again. Security promised to investigate again, and patrol the place.

Days passed. No security. No locked door. Nada.

Hey. I tried. I approached all people of relevant authority in the case of this door. And nothing was done. So I will just keep the office door closed. This time I noticed that I could switch off the autolock on the door. Every time my colleagues left the door open, when I passed through, I closed it again.

It's just the way it's always been. The office door is kept open. I like it better closed now that people leave it closed (they got the hint). I sit next to the door, and the people who leave it close sit away from the door. Noise from the corridor doesn't disturb them. Noise from the corridor disturb me.

They were apathetic as to not bother about the cigarette smoke, so it turned out they were apathetic when I started closing the office door. Some even liked it -- one of them who is also close to the door.

Good thing (for me :P) we're going to move out in a few weeks. If we are staying longer I will certainly not let matters rest about the smokers.

There is this general malaise of inaction and bureaucracy about this place. I wonder if it is just here, or is it more widespread?