living on The Peak

[TheBrit]

You think someone paying to live on the Peak is going to baulk at spending money on free shuttle buses or even a taxi to/from work every day? You have no idea what you are talking about, just like your comment about Peak Trams passing residents by when in fact they can get priority passes.

50 journeys up and down the Peak in a taxi/month is what - $3500 maybe? It's inconsequential compared to the $100k+ in rent.

[Satay Sue]

And I'm done with this thread, let's not take this more OT. This is rather pointless.

Amen to that CM!

[Claire ex-ax]

If the OP is thinking of using the Peak Tram for his day commute, I would suggest taking a look at the queues in the evening. It's a popular time for hordes of tourists to ascend the Peak to take pictures of Hong Kong's lights. Of course, at least the Mid-Autumn Festival only occurs once a year...

[cookie09]

It's less than 15 minutes from the Peak to QMH

you mean the same as getting from central to gold coast in 15 minutes?

i was recently at the GSIS on the peak when i should have gone to their Pok Fu Lam campus (which is just 2-mins down from QMH). it took us 30 minutes from GSIS (which is not yet top of the peak).

so i wonder what roads you take to make this in 15 mins.

[Mat]

Cookie, it's the peak, people don't take road, they use helicopter, You pleb.

[Satay Sue]

Mat *like*

[penguinsix]

Where are you going to live here so you "won't get wet when it rains in Hong Kong?" Ok, now think of air pollution a bit similar.

There are no air pollution monitoring stations on the Peak, or on the South Side of the Island, or in Sai Kung or Clearwater Bay, but you often see real estate agents say "the air quality is better here". Next time just say "prove it" and see what their response is. I'd love to see scientific data that shows the Peak or other areas are better, but so far it's mostly anecdotal.

Just because you can see blue skies doesn't mean the pollution is levels are safe. Just a few weeks ago we had "gorgeous" blue skies overhead (like a postcard), but the PM2.5 pollution was about 150% of the World Health Organization maximums throughout most of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon reporting stations.

Sure, there are areas that having monitoring stations that are 'better' than others, for example being away from the cars in Central, or away from the ships in the container ports can help, but when the big wind blows down from China or pushes the residue from the coal-fired power plants over the whole of Hong Kong, it can get pretty bad all over. We've seen days where remote places like Tap Mun, out on an island up by the New Territories, has had absolutely miserable air quality. For example, here is a map from six weeks ago. Everywhere in red is > 100% of the World Health Organization maximums.



If pollution is a significant issue for you, for example you have asthma, heart disease, or another respiratory disease, then the question is not "Peak vs. Midlevels" the question is "why Hong Kong?" It may be that you find the financial or career reward sufficient to overcome the potential air pollution issues, or you may, like many of us, just love living here. If you are a generally healthy normal person, you can come here and try to reduce your exposure by living in certain areas and having air purifiers and whatnot, but you do have to watch for the effects of long term exposure. Even if you live in an area that might 'seem' like it has better air, you have to remember you'll be spending a lot of time in parts like Central or Causeway Bay that do not.

[penguinsix]

If the OP is thinking of using the Peak Tram for his day commute, I would suggest taking a look at the queues in the evening. It's a popular time for hordes of tourists to ascend the Peak to take pictures of Hong Kong's lights. Of course, at least the Mid-Autumn Festival only occurs once a year...

Isn't there a special line on the side for monthly pass holders so you can skip over those tourists?

[Claire ex-ax]

Isn't there a special line on the side for monthly pass holders so you can skip over those tourists?

If I had a monthly pass for the Peak Tram, I would probably know the answer to that.

And if there were a special line, you'd still be travelling home in a carriage full of tourists.


P.S. I have that app too. Rather alarming, isn't it?

[justjoe86]

Have to laugh at some of the negatives given here...

Hospital is expensive
Cars are an extra cost
You will have to pay supermarket prices
Your air con bill will be high

HELLLOOOOOO...... anyone living on the peak is LOADED and evidently happy to pay a ridiculous premium. The above mean nothing.