Comments on: Kiss and ride the high speed rail http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/ commentary on all things Taiwanese — Taiwan Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:43:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris Meadows http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-83864 Chris Meadows Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:47:48 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-83864 A photo of a similar sign on Flickr so amused me that I wrote <a href="http://ficlets.com/stories/25579" rel="nofollow">a ficlet about it.</a> A photo of a similar sign on Flickr so amused me that I wrote a ficlet about it.

]]> By: Ming http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-8704 Ming Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:02:27 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-8704 The 'kiss and ride' is only in North America as you mentioned. I think to use this term is not good because its not a common term in the world. You're a native English speaker from OZ, and you cannot understand the meaning of this term at first time you see it, how can we expect other people they know it especially not from North America? Use this term in the train station as information, it make people confused. Crazy THSR... Their assumption is all foreign passengers are from North America. Very bad. I agree that the term between UK and US is different, for example lift and elevator. Aussie use lift and American use elevator. But they can understand lift and elevator. In Taiwan, some terms are different between Taiwan (ROC) and China (PROC). For example, 記憶體 vs 內存 (memory). We can understand it somehow. For 'kiss and ride', its difficult to know the meaning without explanation. They should change it to 'pick up and drop off area', its easier to understand. The ‘kiss and ride’ is only in North America as you mentioned. I think to use this term is not good because its not a common term in the world. You’re a native English speaker from OZ, and you cannot understand the meaning of this term at first time you see it, how can we expect other people they know it especially not from North America? Use this term in the train station as information, it make people confused. Crazy THSR… Their assumption is all foreign passengers are from North America. Very bad.

I agree that the term between UK and US is different, for example lift and elevator. Aussie use lift and American use elevator. But they can understand lift and elevator. In Taiwan, some terms are different between Taiwan (ROC) and China (PROC). For example, 記憶體 vs 內存 (memory). We can understand it somehow.

For ‘kiss and ride’, its difficult to know the meaning without explanation.

They should change it to ‘pick up and drop off area’, its easier to understand.

]]> By: OC http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-6199 OC Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:42:22 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-6199 while 'kiss and ride' do exist in the US, I've never seen it in California where I live, neither have I seen it in New Jersey the last time I took a train there to Manhattan. The only places I've seen it is in the DC area. I was pretty confused the first time seeing it too, someone local told me what it meant. Its an interesting phrase, and I agree, it is kinda cute. But I'm not sure if it serves the purpose of being informative, since apparently not all foreigners in Taiwan are from the US. while ‘kiss and ride’ do exist in the US, I’ve never seen it in California where I live, neither have I seen it in New Jersey the last time I took a train there to Manhattan. The only places I’ve seen it is in the DC area. I was pretty confused the first time seeing it too, someone local told me what it meant. Its an interesting phrase, and I agree, it is kinda cute. But I’m not sure if it serves the purpose of being informative, since apparently not all foreigners in Taiwan are from the US.

]]> By: YT http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-6043 YT Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:58:01 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-6043 It should be 'drop off and pick up area'. Not everyone is from North America, 'kiss and ride' is just not appropriate in this setting. The purpose of the sign is to inform, we're not adopting the culture here. It should be ‘drop off and pick up area’. Not everyone is from North America, ‘kiss and ride’ is just not appropriate in this setting. The purpose of the sign is to inform, we’re not adopting the culture here.

]]> By: David on Formosa » Reuters on “Kiss and Ride” http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-5967 David on Formosa » Reuters on “Kiss and Ride” Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:05:18 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-5967 [...] My post about the \"Kiss and Ride\" signs at the High Speed Rail stations has attracted a lot of attention. [...] [...] My post about the \”Kiss and Ride\” signs at the High Speed Rail stations has attracted a lot of attention. [...]

]]> By: danny bee http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-5966 danny bee Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:54:14 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-5966 Reuters wire service globally ran this story today: "Kiss and ride" signs stump Taiwan rail passengers by Ralph Jennings, Reuters, TAIPEI TAIPEI, Feb 5. 2007 English-language "kiss and ride" signs at passengerdrop-off areas along Taiwan's new high-speed rail line are confusing passengers in a society where sendoffs are normally not intimate. White-on-blue signs at the seven stations along the 345-kilometre (214-mile) Taiwan high speed railway use the colloquialism seen at some U.S. stations and airports which refers to an area where drivers can drop off their passengers, usually a spouse, in the morning and pick them up in the evening, often with an embrace. The Chinese-language version does not use the word "kiss". "The English words 'kiss and ride' are a mystery to local people," said an English teacher in the Chiayi, which is on the train's route. "It implies that this is a place to kiss and then ride somewhere, but public kissing at train stations in Taiwan is a rarity." A Taipei-based blog, http://blog.taiwan-guide.org, run by an English teacher from Australia, has generated comments that question as well as encourage the signs. "I rather like 'kiss and ride'," one commentator said. "It's cute. It wouldn't hurt Taiwanese people to show a little affection once in a while." The signs were posted about two years ago, a year after railway planners learned that "kiss and ride" was used in Western countries, said a spokesman for the railway line operator, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. High-speed rail authorities say they do not see a problem with the signs. A few foreigners have complained at one station in Taipei County, a spokeswoman said. The trains were launched on January 5. Taiwan's high-speed rail is the world's fastest track-based system along with Shinkansen lines in Japan. Reuters wire service globally ran this story today:

“Kiss and ride” signs stump
Taiwan rail passengers

by Ralph Jennings, Reuters, TAIPEI

TAIPEI,
Feb 5. 2007

English-language “kiss and ride” signs at passengerdrop-off areas along Taiwan’s new high-speed rail line are confusing passengers in a society where sendoffs are normally not intimate.

White-on-blue signs at the seven stations along the 345-kilometre (214-mile) Taiwan high speed railway use the colloquialism seen at some U.S. stations and airports which refers to an area where drivers can drop off their passengers, usually a spouse, in the morning and pick them up in the evening, often with an embrace.

The Chinese-language version does not use the word “kiss”.

“The English words ‘kiss and ride’ are a mystery to local people,” said an English teacher in the Chiayi, which is on the train’s route. “It implies that this is a place to kiss and then ride somewhere, but public kissing at train stations in Taiwan is a rarity.”

A Taipei-based blog, http://blog.taiwan-guide.org, run by an English teacher from Australia, has generated comments that question as well as encourage the signs.

“I rather like ‘kiss and ride’,” one commentator said. “It’s cute. It wouldn’t hurt Taiwanese people to show a little affection once in a while.”

The signs were posted about two years ago, a year after railway planners learned that “kiss and ride” was used in Western countries, said a spokesman for the railway line operator, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp.

High-speed rail authorities say they do not see a problem with the signs. A few foreigners have complained at one station in Taipei County, a spokeswoman said.

The trains were launched on January 5. Taiwan’s high-speed rail is the world’s fastest track-based system along with Shinkansen lines in Japan.

]]> By: Japundit » Kiss and Tell http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-5894 Japundit » Kiss and Tell Mon, 05 Feb 2007 02:22:35 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-5894 [...] Funny story. At all the new high-speed train stations here, there are road traffic signs in English that read “Kiss and Ride”. The Chinese words written in Mandarin mean, more or less, “temporary drop-off and pick-up area”. [...] [...] Funny story. At all the new high-speed train stations here, there are road traffic signs in English that read “Kiss and Ride”. The Chinese words written in Mandarin mean, more or less, “temporary drop-off and pick-up area”. [...]

]]> By: allen funt http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-5891 allen funt Mon, 05 Feb 2007 01:20:07 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-5891 cute sign. it really should say "PASSENGER DROI OFF AND PICK UP AREA" cute sign. it really should say “PASSENGER DROI OFF AND PICK UP AREA”

]]> By: Shi-ru http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-4679 Shi-ru Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:52:42 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-4679 喔！是喔！因為看起來像小豬哪！不知道是豬還是貓會覺得被侮辱到了？哈哈！ sorry sorry! it just very cute. i have a cat, too! so I always pay special attention on the kitty's pics. 喔！是喔！因為看起來像小豬哪！不知道是豬還是貓會覺得被侮辱到了？哈哈！
sorry sorry! it just very cute. i have a cat, too! so I always pay special attention on the kitty’s pics.

]]> By: miao-ah http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-4558 miao-ah Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:03:22 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/01/kiss-and-ride-the-high-speed-rail/#comment-4558 Shiru, my pic is a kitty wearing a frog hat. I believe I got that from cuteoverload.com. :) Shiru, my pic is a kitty wearing a frog hat. I believe I got that from cuteoverload.com. :)

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