A recent article attributed the punctuality of the Hong Kong subway system to an algorithm. This single calculation pattern is responsible for moving 5.2 million people in a single day with a 99.9% on-time record. Mechanically speaking, the Hong Kong MTR operates precisely like a stopwatch.
As its passengers, we must move from turnstile to train queue with reciprocal efficiency; keep the stopwatch perfectly on time. If there is a queue, it is maintained. If there is an empty seat, it is filled. If you are standing on the escalator, it is on the designated side to allow others to pass. Take your time if you wish, but never others’.
The twenty-four hour Hong Kong suit is a product of this pace. Men and women who fly through this city to reach every corner of the globe, and on a layover can get measurements at Saturday lunch for a finished suit at Sunday brunch. This seems to be the selling point for most tailors in this city, and a buying point for most tourists, myself included. In the age of download speeds and same-day delivery, how can one deny the allure of an in & out custom-made suit?
