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Standard of living is getting worse in Hong Kong?

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  1. #71

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    back to kai tak....

    my fondest memory is from 1996. i had friends coming to visit from taiwan. i had to leave work (waiting tables at a pub in tst) in order to go pick them up around 8pm. trekking through the airport....october 31....i was dressed as... PRINCESS LEIA!

    people's reactions were hilarious!

    HKChan, emx, Fiona in HKG and 1 others like this.

  2. #72

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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    All things that happen in other countries but more open and obvious here.

    1.) Fast food restaurants at peak time, sitting and chatting, or using the wifi, or reading the paper, doing homework, or selling insurance, etc, etc, etc, while people are obviously waiting for tables so they can eat.

    2.) Pushing the close button manically in lifts when people are trying to get in.

    3.) Speaking extremely loudly into mobile phones.

    4.) Letting swinging doors slam in your face, barging past when you have a stroller and baby, standing in doorways.

    5.) Jumping red lights and cutting in.

    6.) Double parking, parking so close to your car that you have to get in on the passenger side.

    7.) Making a mess of public toilets and just leaving it.

    8.) Queue jumping. Couples standing in two queues to hedge their bets.

    9.) Smoking in stairways and other public places.......

    Apart from that they are a selfless, refined bunch....
    LOL LOL LOL

    Except 1-2-4 that are less prevalent in some western countries the rest is similar if not worst in those same western countries....

    Try public toilets in Europe and call me back :-)

  3. #73

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    LOL LOL LOL

    Except 1-2-4 that are less prevalent in some western countries the rest is similar if not worst in those same western countries....

    Try public toilets in Europe and call me back :-)
    I have to cordially disagree with you -- unless you're thinking of Eastern Europe.

    I would concur with bryant's list. All of those behaviors are indeed common here and relatively much rarer in places in the West I've lived in and visited for work and leisure.


    Two others occur to me:

    (1.) Many (not all) locals have a tendency to treat anyone who holds a door open for anyone else as their own personal doorman. In an entrance where there are four glass doors, for example, only the one that is already propped open tends to be used. People will literally turn sideways and slide past each other through a single door rather than walk two steps over to the adjacent door, open it, and step through. When my wife and I are out and about and come to a bank of doors, I'll take a step or two ahead of her, go to one of the unused doors and open it for her. About half of the time, a local will veer away from the stream going through the popular door and try to beat my wife, who is only a step or two behind me, through the door that I'm holding for her.

    (2.) There's also the tendency amongst some (not all) locals to try to elbow others and/or clobber them with bags or briefcases when passing on foot from the opposite direction. No matter how narrow the sidewalk, hall, or walkway, the offender will, when they get within a few feet of you, suddenly begin adjusting the coat draped over their arm, check the time on their watch, discover that their neck is itchy, etc. -- all of which lead to their elbow jutting into what would by my lower ribs / gut if I weren't aware of what they were doing and didn't have my own elbow ready. We're talking one out of every hundred or so pedestrians that I might pass on a given day (sometimes more) but I run into these jokers at least once every day or two and have never encountered anything like this anywhere else.
    Last edited by dear giant; 12-01-2012 at 11:42 PM. Reason: typo
    Obaing2011 and bryant.english like this.

  4. #74

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    Quote Originally Posted by aethelwulfTO:
    Well, we know the OP is probably only whining in their luxury latte because their huge bloated salary only buys them 1/2 a wardrobe of new clothes at Harvey Nicks every season instead of a whole one, after they pay for their "look at me I'm so rich and important" ego-boosting Mid-Levels flat.

    If you don't like it, leave. And don't let the door hit your a$$ or your swollen ego on the way out.
    That was a presumptuous and rude reply. How's this: If you don't like the OP's question, leave the forum. And don't let the Internet hit your a$$ on the way out!!

  5. #75

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    Quote Originally Posted by dear giant:
    I have to cordially disagree with you -- unless you're thinking of Eastern Europe.

    I would concur with bryant's list. All of those behaviors are indeed common here and relatively much rarer in places in the West I've lived in and visited for work and leisure.
    .
    - Jumping red lights: have you ever been for a long period of time to Italy?
    - smoking in public places: Have you been to the "banlieues in France?
    - Public toilets: Have you been any on the Paris subway for example?

    Most of the behavior that Bryant listed are pretty common in Southern ( France, Italy,,,) European countries, much much less in northen ones (Sweden, germany...)
    dear giant likes this.

  6. #76

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    - Jumping red lights: have you ever been for a long period of time to Italy?
    - smoking in public places: Have you been to the "banlieues in France?
    - Public toilets: Have you been any on the Paris subway for example?

    Most of the behavior that Bryant listed are pretty common in Southern ( France, Italy,,,) European countries, much much less in northen ones (Sweden, germany...)
    Toilets in most pubs in the UK *shudder*

    The door thing and closing the lift in your face does drive me nuts here .
    Last edited by Satay Sue; 13-01-2012 at 07:11 AM.

  7. #77

    Cool Defending Singapura

    Quote Originally Posted by Satay Sue:
    Even as someone who regularly does NOT recommend Singapore I do have to question a couple of your points.
    Lousy public transport? Um, no.
    Immigrants from the PRC? Yes, there are many. As there are here. How does that annoy you more than here?
    Immigrants from India? Yes there are many. But how does that annoy you?
    Public Transport:
    They've had a series of major MRT breakdowns and the head of SMRT has resigned. In theory public transportation is privatised but government funds own majority shares of the biggest companies - which are there to make a profit first and provide a service second.

    Have you tried hailing a taxi there recently?

    Influx from India and China:
    In HK it's mainly our PRC 'relatives' but in Singapura they're from PRC and the sub-continent and while the local communities and culture in HK balance the equation, there they are in danger of being subsumed.

    And then there is the holier-than-thou government. Not many of the things that they do or happen there are unique but they grate because rather than say "so what" they pretend it doesn't happen. If they would drop the hypocrisy it might be bearable.
    dear giant likes this.

  8. #78

    At least in HK you don't have to put up with being spat on and abused because you are of Asian appearance, unlike in Australia: AM - Racism widespread in Australia: Teo 19/01/2012

    My partner has had eggs thrown at her and racial abuse yelled from passing cars on more than one occassion by Aussie rednecks. Isolated cases, but one reason why we want to leave Australia.

    The lack of class and caliber here still never ceases to amaze me - been here over 15 years.

    Last edited by Grizzly111; 20-01-2012 at 12:55 PM.
    dear giant likes this.

  9. #79

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grizzly111:
    At least in HK you don't have to put up with being spat on and abused because you are of Asian appearance, unlike in Australia: AM - Racism widespread in Australia: Teo 19/01/2012

    My partner has had eggs thrown at her and racial abuse yelled from passing cars on more than one occassion by Aussie rednecks. Isolated cases, but one reason why we want to leave Australia.

    The lack of class and caliber here still never ceases to amaze me - been here over 15 years.
    I can believe it. I was harassed at school for having a foreign girlfriend. "That's disgusting how can you date a nip?" etc The way we used to treat the foreign teachers at school was absolutely horrific as well.

    In terms of discrimination I've experienced, the majority was from Aboriginal people who often talk about white dogs and so on. To be honest the majority of the people who I have been abused by look like they haven't had many opportunities or guidance in their life, so I can't really blame them.
    dear giant and Grizzly111 like this.

  10. #80

    Thought I'd add that at least in HK we can walk around late at night and still feel relatively safe. Over in Australia I wouldn't do that, at least not anymore - alcohol fuelled violence, assaults etc are all too common for my liking. Add in a few native aboriginal gangs and you are in for a wild one.

    Driving an expensive vehicle/looking successful (esp if you are young) can get you plenty of verbal abuse too - tall poppy syndrome is rife!

    Go to the beach and watch for used syringes in the sand. I could go on but you get the picture. Australia aint all sunshine and smiles as they like to portray.

    Yeah, compared to this I don't mind putting up with ppl talking loudly on mobile phones and pushing past you when I'm in HK...


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