老外看台灣／為了防止聖誕老人入侵？老外熱議台灣公寓鐵窗用途

【看CP學英文】當外國人首次來台生活時，多少都需要一些時間適應當地風俗民情和周遭環境。

First-time visitors usually need some time to adapt to Taiwan customs and get acquainted with their new surroundings.

其中，老舊的公寓或許對外籍人士來說最需慢慢適應；近期，一位在台外國人分享在高雄觀察到公寓頂樓加設鐵窗的現象，並詢問其背後用途。

Old apartment buildings, in particular, are often a cause of concern for foreigners who would question the use of metal bars on the top floors of the housing units.

A social media user recently took to Reddit to ask about the meaning of using metal bars in an apartment building in Kaohsiung.

這位外國網友在Reddit網路論壇發問，盼了解這在台灣是否為普遍現象。

The social media users asked why Taiwanese add window grills to apartments on top floors and questioned whether it was the norm in Taiwan.

他的貼文馬上得到其他外國網友回應，其中一位也開玩笑地解釋，加設鐵窗是為了防止聖誕老人「入侵」家中送禮。

His post resounded well with foreigners who had the same question, and one jokingly asked if it was to prevent Santa Claus from “breaking in to deliver presents.”

台灣網友也熱心地跳出來解惑，說明家中有小孩的家長或許會加設鐵窗以防萬一。

Taiwanese social media users also responded enthusiastically, explaining that families with small children may add it as a precaution.

另一位網友更是諷刺地說明鐵窗的用意是為了讓「台灣美感」看起來更完整，也讓其他人點出頂樓經常看到的加蓋式鐵皮屋，造成「台灣貧民窟」的市景。

One sarcastically suggested it could be to complete the “Taiwan aesthetic,” which led others to point to the sheet metal roof sheds that constituted the “favelas in Taiwan” look.

然而，也有人點出鐵窗的重要性，表示前陣子有許多公寓因為小偷埋伏在頂樓，等到住戶出門後從上方溜進住宅偷竊。

However, many also pointed out the legitimacy of the use of window grills as many apartments had been burglarized after thieves hid on the rooftops and repelled down to break in.

更有人點出2000年初的「蜘蛛大盜」，向外國網友解釋當年的小偷會在公寓大樓之間跑來跑去，並從頂樓往下行竊。

One social media user shared the unique “breed” of burglars called “Spider-man robbers” (蜘蛛大盜) prevalent in the early 2000s who would jump from rooftop to rooftop and climb down to the apartments below.

雖然架設鐵窗有他的用意，然而因為對於逃難有礙，許多公寓如今已改裝強化的窗戶或增設孩童鎖。也因此，鐵窗的「美」可能即將於台灣的市景中消逝。

Though there is a specific necessity for establishing window grills, many apartment buildings do without them as they are not safe during emergencies.

Along with the invention of anti-theft windows and child-safety locks, the window grills could be a dying “aesthetic” of Taiwan’s urban landscape.

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