又中又英 | Rearguard action | 褚簡寧

　　It is an open-and-shut case that Hong Kong people prefer ride-hailing services such as Uber to taxis. The government's own surveys have shown that. But some people with a vested interest are fighting a rearguard action to pressure the government into issuing only a minimal number of ride-hailing permits. An open-and-shut case, as I have explained before, is a legal case or situation in which the facts are so clear that they can be easily decided on. A vested interest means having a strong personal interest in something because you could benefit from it. A rearguard action means a final attempt to prevent something from happening.

　　Taxi drivers have a vested interest in protecting their trade from competition by ride-hailing apps. That’s why the taxi trade is fighting a rearguard action by asking the government to issue only 3,600 permits for ride-hailing services. Some Legislative Council members have also warned against issuing too many permits for ride-hailing services, suggesting only about 8,000-10,000. But former Legco member Michael Tien Puk-sun, who is very experienced in transport matters, said the government should issue at least 14,000 permits. I agree, but the government should decide based on its own surveys that show Hong Kong people prefer Uber more than taxis.

　　Elderly taxi drivers have been involved in many accidents, causing death and serious injuries. The government should keep this in mind. Ride-hailing drivers are more careful and professional. I hope the government will not go through the whole rigmarole of seeking more public opinion. The whole rigmarole means a long, slow, and complicated process. The government should make a speedy decision.

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　　毫無疑問（open-and-shut case），相比搭的士，香港人更喜歡網約車服務如Uber。政府自己的調查也反映這一點。然而，有既得利益（vested interest）的某些人，卻在做最後一博（rearguard action），向政府施壓發出最小量的網約車牌照。正如我從前解釋過的，an open-and-shut case就是一目了然、毫無懸念的法律案件或狀況，是已經證據確鑿，很容易就能判決或判斷的。A vested interest是指因為你有既得利益，而對某事有強烈的主觀偏好。A rearguard action是指頑抗到底，盡最後努力阻止某事發生。

　　的士司機有既得利益（vested interest），想要保障自己的生意不用跟網約程式競爭。因此的士業界在盡全力最後一博（rearguard action），要求政府僅發3,600牌照給網約車服務。一些立法會議員亦警戒不要給網約車服務發太多牌照，建議僅發8,000至10,000個。可是，在交通事務上經驗豐富的前立法會議員田北辰，卻說政府應該至少發出14,000個牌照。我同意，但政府更應根據他們自己所做，顯示香港人想搭Uber遠超的士的調查來做決定。

　　年老的的士司機涉及許多交通意外，造成死亡與重傷。政府應時刻牢記這一點。網約車司機則較為謹慎和專業。我希望政府不用再經過the whole rigmarole 去尋求更多公眾意見。The whole rigmarole是指冗長、緩慢而繁複的過程。政府應該迅速下決定。

[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻