Agree with what's already said. I used to take the odd late-night taxi back to Kowloon side, and made it a point to ask straight away BEFORE showing any interest in stepping into the taxi:
Hi-mmh-hi Gow-loon dick-si -ah?
Are (you) or are (you) not a Kowloon taxi?
[Note: the final 'k' in dick isn't fully sounded out; also, if you prefer audiot's 'chair', which means 'car', don't voice or round off with the 'r', i.e. more like BB's 'che' advice.]
MM-goy... hi-mmh-hi jing-hi bei YAT-CHI sui-doe fai?
- equivalent: Excuse my asking... paying just ONE(-TIME) tunnel fee, OK or not OK?
The driver will simply say or nod Yay or Nay - and THEN you get in the cab. (Early on in HK, I've once or twice got the gesture 'twas 'OK', to then find they'd changed their mind, or something... To save grief / time, I just CONFIRM first.)
The traditional Chinese character 車 is better for use in HK; the simplified one above is more for the mainland.
Last edited by emmie; 14-09-2011 at 05:17 PM.
Or just go to the designated Kowloon taxi stops.
Wanchai, by Fanny Florists
Central, D'Aguilar Street. By the 7-11
Landmark, They stop in front of the regular taxi rank.
Causeway Bay, Outside Times Square on the other side if the road to the regular taxi's.
Any of the above and you don't need to ask them, just make sure the cardboard sign is covering the for hire sign.
To be more professional, taxi is 的士. Dick see.
or use the discounted ones...