T he expression "open their eyes" used this way means to make them realize or understand. How can government and MTR officials realize trains are over-packed (too full) if they don't see and ride the over-packed trains themselves? The second step is to fire all those stupid MTR workers who stand outside train doors during rush-hour with signs telling people to stop boarding over-packed trains. They only do their jobs half-heartedly, and nobody pays any attention to them anyway. To do something half-heartedly means to do it without much enthusiasm or interest. Instead of hiring young people to stand outside train doors doing their jobs half-heartedly, the MTR should hire tough men who look like triad members to order passengers to move to the middle of the trains instead of crowding the door areas while the middle of the trains remain empty. Those who refuse should be thrown out of the trains.
The third step is to ban (forbid, disallow) large suitcases and other types of luggage on MTR trains. It is ridiculous that over-sized (very large size) suitcases are allowed on passenger trains designed to carry people, not cargo (goods). Airlines only allow small suitcases to be taken on board as carry-on luggage. The MTR should follow the same rule except for Airport Express trains. Passengers with backpacks should be ordered by triad-looking MTR workers to remove them and put them on the floor so that these passengers don't take up the space of two people. Trains will be less overcrowded if the MTR follows all these steps.
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要解決港鐵車廂過份擠逼問題，只需簡單三個步驟。首先，所有政府高官和港鐵職員都要捨棄其政府專用座駕和港鐵所給的私家車和司機（chauffeurs），改搭港鐵。他們可以把港鐵車資當作實報實銷（out-of-pocket）開支，然後再報銷。在上一篇專欄中我已解釋過，out-of-pocket（有連字號）expense就是可以報銷的開支。政府官員和港鐵高層都不願（reluctant）承認車廂總是過份擠迫，唯一令他們睜大雙眼看清事實（open their eyes）的方法，就是強迫他們搭港鐵。
習語open their eyes在這裏的意思，是令他們領悟或明白。政府官員與港鐵高層若沒有親眼看過、親身乘搭那些擠得滿滿（over-packed）的港鐵列車，又怎能明白車廂已經超載（over-packed）﹖第二步，就是炒掉那些在繁忙時間站在車門外、拿着告示牌叫人不要擁進擠逼（over-packed）車廂的笨員工。他們工作時毫不用心（half-heartedly），根本無人理睬。Half-heartedly即是沒精打采或毫不用心工作。與其聘請年輕人站在車門外，沒精打采地（half-heartedly）工作，港鐵倒不如僱用看似黑社會的猛男，命令乘客步進車廂中間，而非擠在車門附近，車廂中間卻空空如也，拒絕這樣做的乘客應被拉出車廂。
第三步就是禁止（ban）攜帶大型手提箱或其他行李上車，載客列車是用來載人而非貨物（cargo）的，容許過大的行李上車簡直荒謬。航空公司只容許攜帶小型的手提行李上機。除了機場快線，港鐵也應依從同樣的規定。看上去像黑社會的港鐵員工也得命令背包客把背囊除下，放在地上，好讓那位乘客不會佔用兩個人的空位。要是港鐵跟着這幾個步驟行，列車就不會那樣擠逼了。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=277793§ion_name=wtt&kw=126