Hong Kong’s taxi drivers had it coming.

2015/08/04 10:11:14 網誌分類: 生活

04 Aug

         It’s been a long time coming but the government will finally carry out a study into the role of the taxi trade. It will also study the feasibility (possibility, practicality) of introducing premium taxis to provide more competition. Hong Kong’s taxi drivers had it coming. Many Hong Kong people can no longer stand the surly way they treat passengers. I don’t often take taxis but when I do, more often than not the driver is churlish. Sometimes, taxi drivers do not even stop for passengers even though they are not out of service. Many taxi drivers refuse to cross the harbor (harbour in British English) with the lame (unconvincing, hard to believe) excuse that they are unfamiliar with the roads on the other side.

        　　The expression “a long time coming” means long overdue or something that should have happened a long time ago has finally happened. For example, if you’ve finally received your salary after waiting for three months, you can say it’s been a long time coming. The word “premium” has several meanings but used this way it means deluxe, high-quality, or high-end. If someone had it coming, it means that person deserved the bad thing that happened to him. Taxi drivers say they are earning less money because of competition by Uber. I feel they had it coming (deserved what has happened to them) because of their dishonesty and the surly way they behave. The word “surly”, as I explained before, means bad-tempered and unfriendly. It is similar to the word “churlish”. The expression “more often than not” means usually, or most of the time.

        　　The government will take two years to do its study into the role of the taxi trade. There is no reason why the study should take so long. The government should allow premium taxi services such as Uber as soon as possible. Many Hong Kong people cannot stand the dishonesty and churlishness (noun) of taxi drivers. The word “stand” has many meanings but used this way it means tolerate. I cannot tolerate the unfriendliness of many taxi drivers. Competition will pressure them to become friendlier to passengers.

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        千呼萬喚始出來（a long time coming），政府終於要研究的士行業的角色。研究也會探討引入豪華（premium）的士的可行性（feasibility），以營造競爭環境。香港的士司機是咎由自取（had it coming）。許多香港人都難再忍受（stand）他們對待乘客的粗魯（surly）方式。我不常搭的士，但當我搭時，司機多半（more often than not）都是粗魯無禮（churlish）。有時，的士司機即使不是暫停載客，也不會停下來載客。許多的士司機拒絕過海，推說自己不熟悉對面海的道路，這是毫無說服力（lame）的借口來。

        　　習語 a long time coming意即姍姍來遲，或早應發生的事終於發生。譬如，等了三個月後你終於收到薪金，你便可以說 it’s been a long time coming。Premium 有好幾個意思，這裡是指豪華的、高質的、高檔次的。若某人 had it coming，即是說那人活該，遇上不好的事情也是咎由自取。的士司機投訴因為Uber的競爭而賺少了錢。我認為他們咎由自取，因為他們不誠實，行事粗魯（surly）。正如我從前解釋過，surly意指臭脾氣或不友善，類近 churlish這個字。習語 more often than not即通常，或大部份時間。

        　　政府會用上兩年時間，研究的士生意的角色。研究要用上這麼久的時間，是沒有理由的。政府好應盡快容許如Uber般的豪華（premium）的士服務營運。許多香港人已不能再容忍（stand）的士司機的不老實和粗暴（churlishness）。 Stand 有許多意思，這裡解作忍受。我不能忍受許多的士司機的不友善態度，引入競爭便能迫使他們更為友善待客。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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Hong Kong’s taxi drivers had it coming.

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