The 10 things every Hongkonger has Googled at least once

Saying that housing is expensive in Hong Kong is like saying water is somewhat damp. There’s an increasing number of us who have accepted that no matter how much we save we’ll never be able to buy our own property. Thank goodness for public housing then. And Google for telling us how exactly we might actually achieve some domestic security.

We’ve all seen it – taxi drivers with so many smartphones arranged on their dashboard that the whole thing more closely resembles a plane cockpit than anything belonging to a road-worthy vehicle. Back during the days of Pokémon Go, at least one of these phones would definitely have been used to catch ‘em all, but what about now? As it turns out, taxi drivers use multiple devices to receive orders from ride-hailing apps, manage bookings via calls, connect with multiple dispatch centres, track locations on maps, check for congested routes, and swap information with other cabbies. Because nobody wants to faff around swiping between apps, this necessitates one screen running each function simultaneously. 

If your cabbie has an usually high number of phones pinned up, it’s most likely that he is also part of the not-entirely-legal network of 20 percent off taxis. This comprises syndicates of taxi drivers who are connected through complex networks. A customer in the know can call one of them, who will then broadcast the order to his network, and when one of them accepts the journey, they will knock 20% off the metre fare. Each cabbie could be a member of many such networks, hence the need for multiple lines of communication for each.

There is a well-known Hong Kong rumour that massage parlours which have signage of a foot with a smiley face means that the venue offers ‘happy endings’. But we’re sorry to burst your bubble – an Apple Daily report back in 2012 had actually already disproved this theory. Apparently, not all smiley face massage places offer extra services, while some without the smiley face do. Just like how a red light doesn’t necessarily mean a brothel any more, sometimes a smiley face is just a smiley face.

With each employer using their MPF provider of choice and most Hong Kong employees switching jobs after an average of two to three years, we think it’s safe to say that plenty of us out there have multiple MPF accounts opened by different companies we’ve worked for. Unless you actively do the paperwork, these separate accounts just sit there instead of a centralised pension authority combining them for you.

So how does one merge MPF accounts? We don’t claim to be experts and you should always consult the relevant authorities, but basically, you’ll need to find out the details and providers for each MPF account under your name, and submit the relevant paperwork to the MPF office for them to be merged into one account of your choice. A faff, to be sure, but nevertheless better than having your money sit around unchecked.

Because Discovery Bay is a private development built and run with private funding, there are certain sectors where they can make their own rules – one such rule is that no private cars are allowed. Instead, residents take buses, walk, or drive golf carts around, which makes for a much safer road environment. Residents who own property in DB are eligible to own golf buggies, but the Transport Department has capped the number of licences at around 500. In a neighbourhood where the population numbers roughly 20,000, it stands to reason that the trade of golf cart licences between owners is brutal. In 2018, it was reported that DB buggies can sell for more than $2 million – that’s pricier than some Tesla or even Porsche models!

Sure, there are maps around MTR stations, but who has the time to hunt them down? This has therefore remained the top MTR-related search for Hongkongers going to an unfamiliar station or wanting to know where to change trains. In the same vein, another similar question that all Hongkongers will have Googled is ‘when is the last train from [insert station]’ – a must-know when you’re out late but don’t want to splurge on an Uber home.

Scorching summers, chilly winters without central heating, plenty of heavy showers, and the occasional typhoon – Hong Kong weather can definitely be unpredictable. This is why most Hongkongers have cultivated the habit of checking the day’s weather before getting dressed and heading out. After all, we need to know whether to pack a light cardigan, to wear as little as possible, or to break out the wellies! Have the Hong Kong Observatory site bookmarked or download their app to save some hassle.

Keeping with our identity as a great mix of east and west, Hong Kong observes both Western and Chinese public holidays. This amounts to 17 days off altogether. Hongkongers, being the jetsetting bunch that we are, will never lose out on unused AL days – public holidays are always analysed so hard-earned days off can be made the most of. Here’s our handy guide to maximising your annual leave!

While it’s pretty common to Google invididual bus routes in Hong Kong, the greater mystery is how on earth do the red minibuses operate? Or maybe, more to the point, why does the government allow them to run with no fixed routing, frequency, operating hours and fare levels?

With all the great events that go on there, it’s a shame that getting to KITEC can be such a pain. Supposedly there exist free shuttle buses from Kowloon Bay MTR Station but they’re about as rare as rocking horse sh*t. Even with Google’s help, we’ve never actually found these vehicles.