又中又英 | Reckless driving | 褚簡寧

　　There are frequent media reports nowadays of reckless driving by elderly taxi drivers that cause deaths and injuries. Reckless driving means driving in a dangerous way. Just last week, elderly taxi drivers caused the deaths of three pedestrians and injured several others in two separate accidents. Some critics of elderly taxi drivers want the government to stop giving licences to taxi drivers over a certain age. But are elderly taxi drivers getting a bum rap? A bum rap means unfair punishment, blame, or accusation. I think many Hong Kong people will agree elderly taxi drivers are not getting a bum rap.

　　I think Hong Kong people feel it is fair to accuse some, not all, elderly taxi drivers of reckless driving. Last year, an 80-year-old taxi driver who crashed into a wall and killed a tourist said he lost control of his vehicle after feeling dizzy. Elderly taxi drivers were involved in 651 accidents in 2024, a big jump from 2023. Hong Kong does not have an upper age limit for taxi drivers. It's high time the government took action to impose an upper age limit for taxi drivers.

　　The expression "high time" means past the appropriate time for something to be done. Taxi drivers aged 70 and above must have a medical examination every three years to confirm they are fit to renew their licences. The government has delayed its proposal to lower the age to 65 and to require annual medical check-ups. It's high time the government lowered the age to 65 and imposed annual medical check-ups.

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　　現在經常出現傳媒報道，年老的士司機的reckless driving引致人命傷亡。Reckless driving就是魯莽、危險的駕駛。就在上星期，在兩宗交通意外中，年老的士司機駕車導致三名行人死亡，數人受傷。一些批評年老的士司機的人要求政府禁止發出駕駛執照予超過一定歲數的的士司機。但年老的士司機們是否蒙受了a bum rap？A bum rap是指不公平的懲罰、責備或指責。我想，許多香港人都會同意，年老的士司機並未蒙受不白之冤（getting a bum rap）。

　　我想，香港人會認為，指責部分（而非全部）的年老的士司機魯莽駕駛（reckless driving），算是公允的。上年，有一名80歲的的士司機駕駛時撞上牆壁，撞斃一名遊客，他說他感到暈眩後未能控制車輛。2024年，年老的士司機涉及651宗交通意外，比2023年的數字大幅上升。香港並未為的士司機設年齡上限。政府早該（high time）採取行動，強制為的士司機施加年齡上限。

　　習語 high time是指已經過了一件事要辦好的最佳時機，不能再拖了。年過七十的的士司機現在每三年必須做一次體格檢查，以確定他們是否適合續領駕駛執照。政府延後其收緊建議，即是將規範的年齡下調至65歲，並且要求他們每年一次體檢。政府是時候，甚至早該（high time）將年齡下調至65歲，並強制規定一年一次體檢。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻