The Chinese Strike Back

One of our neighbors pointed out recently that anyone who likes can figure out the code to open the porte cochère - the heavy wooden door that separates our apartment complex's courtyards from the street.

Sure, the order isn't obvious, but there are only so many combinations . . . This is a serious problem, and I plan to start pressing all the buttons every time I pass the door, until they all achieve the same sheen as the four buttons that count.

Much worse than the numbers being worn, though, is the fact that someone has written the exact code nearby - in Chinese.

That's messed up. Apparently the same deal applies to the keypad that allows entry into our building.

And again, the code is written just above, in Chinese.

This could be a way for the Chinese-speaking inhabitants of our building to make visitors feel welcome. Or it could be a subtle way of getting back at the conseil syndical (Coop/Condo board) of the building complex for forbidding spitting in the hallways. My vote is for the latter hypothesis. Either way, the conseil syndical should see the writing on the wall(s) and change these door codes!