3 ms·

Ever dealt with local stuff--building inspections and the like?

by learc83 14y ago

tptacek 14y ago
Have you ever bribed a building inspector?
- smokeyj 14y ago
  If you don't think bribery goes on in local government you've never been involved too closely. A city official in my town was just convicted of voter fraud. Imagine how many people go uncaught.
  - tptacek 14y ago
    I've had many building inspections done and I've never even been tempted to bribe anyone. The allusion the parent comment is making is to societies in which bribes are practically required. Dollars to donuts, if I tried to bribe an Oak Park building inspector, I'd end up in administrative court. I have bribed someone: a municipal impound lot that had towed my car, many years ago. Impound lots are the kind of skeezy places where you can kind of tell that the opportunity exists to bribe your way out of a problem. To me, that's the kind of exception that proves the rule; I could tell the difference between the impound lot and, say, a building inspector because there is a difference. Most officials are dangerous to try to bribe.
    - Zak 14y ago
      Not that I'm advocating paying bribes (I'd much rather see corrupt officials jailed), but there's a right way to phrase a bribe offer. Something along the lines of "Is there a fee I can pay for expedited service?" gives you plausible deniability. As some government agencies do provide expedited services for an extra fee, it's an entirely reasonable question.
      - tptacek 14y ago
        That's exactly how I phrased it at the impound lot: "Is there any amount of money I can pay right now to just get my car out of the lot?"
- learc83 14y ago
  No, but I've had one hint that If I did things might go faster. Another time a buddy of mine was opening a retail space, and he bribed the lady at the dispatch office to send another building inspector out a day early. I doubt there are very many building inspectors who would take a bribe to cover something clearly dangerous because there's too much chance they'd get caught, but there are so many little ridiculous regulations that I'm sure there are many willing to overlook small things.

Ever dealt with local stuff--building inspections and the like?

by learc83 14y ago

Ever dealt with local stuff--building inspections and the like?

tptacek 14y ago

Have you ever bribed a building inspector?

smokeyj 14y ago
If you don't think bribery goes on in local government you've never been involved too closely. A city official in my town was just convicted of voter fraud. Imagine how many people go uncaught.
- tptacek 14y ago
  I've had many building inspections done and I've never even been tempted to bribe anyone. The allusion the parent comment is making is to societies in which bribes are practically required. Dollars to donuts, if I tried to bribe an Oak Park building inspector, I'd end up in administrative court. I have bribed someone: a municipal impound lot that had towed my car, many years ago. Impound lots are the kind of skeezy places where you can kind of tell that the opportunity exists to bribe your way out of a problem. To me, that's the kind of exception that proves the rule; I could tell the difference between the impound lot and, say, a building inspector because there is a difference. Most officials are dangerous to try to bribe.
  - Zak 14y ago
    Not that I'm advocating paying bribes (I'd much rather see corrupt officials jailed), but there's a right way to phrase a bribe offer. Something along the lines of "Is there a fee I can pay for expedited service?" gives you plausible deniability. As some government agencies do provide expedited services for an extra fee, it's an entirely reasonable question.
    - tptacek 14y ago
      That's exactly how I phrased it at the impound lot: "Is there any amount of money I can pay right now to just get my car out of the lot?"
learc83 14y ago
No, but I've had one hint that If I did things might go faster. Another time a buddy of mine was opening a retail space, and he bribed the lady at the dispatch office to send another building inspector out a day early. I doubt there are very many building inspectors who would take a bribe to cover something clearly dangerous because there's too much chance they'd get caught, but there are so many little ridiculous regulations that I'm sure there are many willing to overlook small things.