Sometimes, I just feel so disgraced to be a Singaporean...1 reason I hate to take the MRT is I hate to be associated with the corresponding disgrace by many fellow citizens.
40 years of independence, 40 years of successful education...it all boils down to nothing when our fellow countrymen can't even appreciate the basic sentence of "Please stand behind the yellow line". These 6 words aren't deep literature, they are words with meanings even my primary 2 tutee knows. But apparently, when put into a sentence, many Singaporeans have a hard time deciphering the code.
40 years of independence, 40 years of successful education...it all boils down to nothing when our fellow countrymen can't even appreciate the basic sentence of "Please stand behind the yellow line". These 6 words aren't deep literature, they are words with meanings even my primary 2 tutee knows. But apparently, when put into a sentence, many Singaporeans have a hard time deciphering the code.
I was fed-up with waiting for a particular bus today and ended up switching to MRT for a smoother ride home, only to face the same scenario i've faced for the past 21 years of my life. "Please stand behind the yellow line....please stand behind the yellow line"...this phrase was repeatedly broadcasted but many do not heed the advice. The early birds were standing at the sides of the door openings, those later stood directly in the middle blocking the train exit and others? Tried squeezing through, some 'smarter' ones decide to step across the deeply engraved yellow line to do a left/right flank in when the train arrives. It's all out war once the door opens...people can't get out while people outside were still gushing in like torrential waves. They push, they squeeze...all with nothing but 1 purpose: To get their butts well implanted onto a cold, hard plastic seat. Some would say it's to get their money's worth, transport is getting expensive by the year, the smart choice would be to make full use for the fare we're paying.
Putting on a fierce fight and getting what they wanted...I got down 1 stop later, a journey of 2 minutes, to find many alighting with me.
Some actions I deem as really un-courteous and inconsiderate. Peak period, the train's pack and everyone's rushing to get home. Majority are standing packed like sardines with nothing to grip. But deeper in, there's a particular someone lying comfortably on the metal pole with his back well-supported when others are struggling to even keep their feet on the floor. Don't test my patience on this, i'm a man of extreme actions; the back was duely removed from adherence to the pole.
Another nonsensical action will be that of passengers refusing to move inwards. In fact, most will move outwards near to door. When reaching the station, they go into position, start their formations, do all sorts of stunts like: Blocking, pushing, stealth etc. There are the silent creepers too, those that you don't even see them near you but end up right in front when approaching the station. There are also the ruggers...bashing all the way through until they are right at the door step. All this hassle for what logical reason may I ask?? I see the caucasians, PRCs and other foreigners all not in a hurry, not in a dashing mode. Then why the need for us locals to be special? Though not in large numbers, there had been cases of people falling down onto the track with deadly consequences. Aren't those the best reasons for us not to overstep the limit?
The transport services should cease taking responsibility for casualties of such nature. People fall over and the transport authorities take the rap. The public censure the authorities for the lack of safety precautions, they question the effectiveness of the current systems, they take a dig at all possible loopholes there might be but what have they ever demanded of themselves? People submit proposals to construct 'gates' similar to what we have at the underground stations, put up metal railings that open only when the train arrives etc. All these are just going to be time and resource costing with only superficial treatment. What this part of our 'sick' population needs is a permanent cure. It would be much more worthwhile to send them into reformative institutions to re-educate them. Singapore is a FINE city. If resources have to be deployed to construct infrastructure as a preventive measure, I would suggest building gates; Gates not with doors but armed with EZ-link detectors. The moment anyone steps across the designated zones when the train is no where in sight, money would be deducted from their EZ-link cards. It tames these people while generating revenue for the nation. Maybe we can even earn sufficient to reduce our GST rates back to our lovely 5% or even 3%. Maybe we can afford a system overhaul if things turn out well!
Till then....
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