I learned an annoying lesson today: pay attention to where you park your moped. If there are red and white stripes on the curb, no matter how many other mopeds are parked int he same space, don't park there. As I learned when I walked out of the coffee-house and found I had the Thai-equivalent of the infamous "boot:" a chain wrapped around my moped and a few others, plus a $12 parking ticket kindly attached.
After a long wait in line at the police station (had to pay a taxi to get there to boot) and an even longer wait for the policeman to come unlock my moped I can't say I took it all with the best sense of humor. Actually I felt, wrongly so, that as a tourist I deserved a 'mulligan' or some such. (The ticket, I am certain, is the result of a damn black cat crossing my path last night--yes, I am a superstitious Irishman.)
So, I live and I learn. Next time (hopefully not) maybe my Buddha-nature will come out and I'll see it as a good-humored chance to experience how other cultures deal with the humiliation of being ticketed.
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Gather Broadcasting: Have it your way
Americans travelling abroad will find many cross-cultural challenges. Not the least of which are spelling differences. Notice my spelling of the word 'travelling'. That's the accepted British spelling, common in all previous British colonies other than the US.
When you get to Australia, be careful not to say that you root for a football team. 'Root' in the Antipodes is equivalent to 'copulation'.
You've been warned!