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Susie
Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 390 Location: PRC
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 4:05 am Post subject: Minibuses |
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I usually take a minibus to work in the mornings. Once one of the drivers didn't stop the bus at the stop where I wanted to get off, but stopped at the next stop and I had to walk back in the hot morning sun.
This morning, I arrived at the bus stop and the driver closed the doors in my face, drove the bus a little past me, then opened the doors and let a hong kong man get on the bus to take what must have been the last seat because the driver drove off then and I had to wait in the hot morning sun for the next minibus to come and slowly fill up with passengers.
How should I interpret this action? |
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dandan

Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 183 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 4:19 am Post subject: |
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It's part of a huge Hong Kong wide mini-bus driver conspiracy to make people called Susie wait around in the hot sun. Try changing your name to Dan and rolling up one trouser leg when you're waiting for the bus, then you'll be fine. |
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Ludwig

Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 1096 Location: 22� 20' N, 114� 11' E
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:37 am Post subject: Re: Minibuses |
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Susie wrote: |
I usually take a minibus to work in the mornings. Once one of the drivers didn't stop the bus at the stop where I wanted to get off, but stopped at the next stop and I had to walk back in the hot morning sun. |
Not all minibuses stop at all minibus points. You will, depending on the service and minibus point, need to call out 'next stop, please', as if there is no one waiting, and no one else requests that the bus stop, it will continue past it.
Susie wrote: |
This morning, I arrived at the bus stop and the driver closed the doors in my face, drove the bus a little past me, then opened the doors and let a hong kong man get on the bus to take what must have been the last seat because the driver drove off then and I had to wait in the hot morning sun for the next minibus to come and slowly fill up with passengers. How should I interpret this action? |
I too experienced this when I first came to HK. Once I began to understand some of the language I soon discovered why. The driver most likely simply does not realise - or believe - that a westerner would travel by such local, budget means. Let me ask you a question: how many other non-HK Chinese have you ever seen on the minibuses of HK?
Last edited by Ludwig on Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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once again
Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Ludwig is right on this; it takes a while to know what to do. When you see the bus, stick out your arm or wave. After a while you develop a natural look that the drivers can recognise! They will look for customers, but probably just assume that you are not one of them. It is not an insult or lack of desire to pick up a foreigner. |
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ChrisRose
Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 427 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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2 points:
Flagging down a mini bus:
When waving, your arm should be raised a 45 degress, but shoud appear as crooked as possible. Next wave the hand in a motion resembling someone tryign to shake off sticky tape from the finger tips.
A regular waving motion in HK is seen as former colonial running dog motions.
Stopping the bus:
Leego and Lago or something taht sound like either of those usually does the trick. |
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Ludwig

Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 1096 Location: 22� 20' N, 114� 11' E
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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ChrisRose wrote: |
Flagging down a mini bus: When waving, your arm should be raised a 45 degress, but shoud appear as crooked as possible. Next wave the hand in a motion resembling someone tryign to shake off sticky tape from the finger tips. |
Very true! (Chuckle, chuckle.) |
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