MRT Etiquette

[JayCee]

In SG, I usd to travel on the Serangoon bus to find swarms of dark uncouth Indians dressed in dhotis and slippers shouting and gesturing, all crowded round, sitting on the steps of Little India and appearing to be sleeping in the open grounds outside some restaurants. It was quite a threatening sight at first until one began to see that they were really poor labourers and were in fact, helping to build SG's verticle rush. The problem was the number of illegals among the huge swirling crowds.
..

The fact that you assumed there must be a number of illegals (did you go round and check all their passports?) just because they were Indians is I believe what beenthere was getting at...

[anneteoh]

In SG, I usd to travel on the Serangoon bus to find swarms of dark uncouth Indians dressed in dhotis and slippers shouting and gesturing, all crowded round, sitting on the steps of Little India and appearing to be sleeping in the open grounds outside some restaurants. It was quite a threatening sight at first until one began to see that they were really poor labourers and were in fact, helping to build SG's verticle rush. The problem was the number of illegals among the huge swirling crowds.
..

The fact that you assumed there must be a number of illegals (did you go round and check all their passports?) just because they were Indians is I believe what beenthere was getting at...

Thanks for mediating Jc - no, it's because they were sleeping on the grounds in the openair.

[anneteoh]

There are many illegal immigrants on London streets

There are some but I doubt there are many.

The other day on Tottenham Court rd, a crazy man was going up to a lot of people waiting for the bus, talking about families being killed and extremists, drinking beer and pushing his talk into people's faces.. Then he went to a shop corner and peed.

........and this doesn't happen in Manila, Bangkok or many other cities?

In broad day light within sight of people at a crowded bus stop?
However, this thread is supposed to be about MRT etiquette, whatever that might be.....

Sorry to expand to what goes on when one's on public transport. In the car, one's insulated from the world.

[x9200]

Thanks for mediating Jc - no, it's because they were sleeping on the grounds in the openair.

This is what many Indian/Bangladeshi/Sri Lankan ppl just do. How does this make them illegal immigrants?

[beenthere]

I was just taken aback by the phrase:

.. swarms of dark uncouth Indians dressed ...

The choice of adjectives was quite, euphemistically, transparent. Hein?

Folks, you may now go back to your regular channel after this brief interruption.

[anneteoh]

I was just taken aback by the phrase:

.. swarms of dark uncouth Indians dressed ...

The choice of adjectives was quite, euphemistically, transparent. Hein?

Folks, you may now go back to your regular channel after this brief interruption.

It's about seeing people sitting with one leg up and shouting open mouthed, while chewing red arecca nuts, sometimes spitting them out without a glance in any other's direction. That's what I call uncouth?
Not a valued judgement.

Are words more implicit than photo ...grr...graphs... because that's considered an art form? There's hope for books and reading!

[anneteoh]

Thanks for mediating Jc - no, it's because they were sleeping on the grounds in the openair.

This is what many Indian/Bangladeshi/Sri Lankan ppl just do. How does this make them illegal immigrants?

I spent a year travelling off the beaten tracks in India - some people slept outside their houses on Punjabi beds to be cool, but not everyone.

I have yet to see any of the people from the Indian subcontinent sleeping on the open grounds in SE Asia - except for the many I had seen in that little patch of open ground - a short distance from the Mustafa mall.
It's not what I see even in Malayisa.
I assume builders who are legally in SG will be housed and that people who employ them will have them looked after.

[x9200]

They spent their time sleeping or resting this way during work breaks or just when waiting for something (i.e. for a van to pick them up). Open ground or any flat surface, corridors, staircases. It is very common also in Singapore.

[anneteoh]

They spent their time sleeping or resting this way during work breaks or just when waiting for something (i.e. for a van to pick them up). Open ground or any flat surface, corridors, staircases. It is very common also in Singapore.

But not at any MRTs - HDBs or on Orchard rd why? BTW thanks for explanations - water under the bridge now?

[beenthere]

They spent their time sleeping or resting this way during work breaks or just when waiting for something (i.e. for a van to pick them up). Open ground or any flat surface, corridors, staircases. It is very common also in Singapore.

But not at any MRTs - why?

Too noisy. And the smell of durian flatulence is quite uncouth - one leg raised or not.

[anneteoh]

They spent their time sleeping or resting this way during work breaks or just when waiting for something (i.e. for a van to pick them up). Open ground or any flat surface, corridors, staircases. It is very common also in Singapore.

But not at any MRTs - why?

Too noisy. And the smell of durian flatulence is quite uncouth - one leg raised or not.

I love durains and they're natural. In the same way, try to stop anyone blowing raspberries on the mrt.
On this point, is the Mrt in SG better ventilated with all tha air-conditioning?

[x9200]

But not at any MRTs - HDBs or on Orchard rd why? BTW thanks for explanations - water under the bridge now?

There could be a number of reasons but I believe it is a simple one: they have nothing to do in and with these places. These people are from the bottom of the salary ladder paid something like S$700-900. I don't think they use MRT too frequently. They are typically placed in temporary container-like dormitories (another phenomenon of Singapore). Once a week, if lucky, a van or lorry takes them to more populated places where they can meet up with friends or buy some basic goods beyond rice. I suppose Little India makes much more sense than Orchard Rd.

[anneteoh]

But not at any MRTs - HDBs or on Orchard rd why? BTW thanks for explanations - water under the bridge now?

There could be a number of reasons but I believe it is a simple one: they have nothing to do in and with these places. These people are from the bottom of the salary ladder paid something like S$700-900. I don't think they use MRT too frequently. They are typically placed in temporary container-like dormitories (another phenomenon of Singapore). Once a week, if lucky, a van or lorry takes them to more populated places where they can meet up with friends or buy some basic goods beyond rice. I suppose Little India makes much more sense than Orchard Rd.

I remember seeing bus loads and waiting buses as well. The group I talked about just hung around, loud and noisy; some sleeping on the open ground that was sealed off for building works. I suppose that gave me doubts about their legal status.
For me, it was the overwhelming number of men in one place that stuck out. You have presented them very well and I am touched by their situation in life.
When I left SG, I noticed new HDB blocks had sprung up all along the main Serangoon highstreet - and there were much less men lolling about.
The new flats looked nice too.

One sees so much more of the country on buses but one sees only Singaporeans on MRTS; and only those who don't bike or drive. It's nice to know the govt cares to develop such efficient 1st class transport system for the Heartlanders.

[Asian_Geekette]

could be someone bringing durian into MRT .

You should try walking past stinky Tofu, if you have time go to the Taiwan Food Fair at Clark Quay and get a whiff, durian is wonderful in comparison

OMG the smell of stinky, though it taste is good!

@ksl: I missed this Taiwan Food Fair! Yes, another stinky tofu lover!

[Asian_Geekette]

Well, I wish I hadn't mentioned the falling asleep on my shoulder tale. It happened again last night on my way home !!! Not a nun, this time, but a tired SYT, who clearly felt my shoulder was the best location for a kip !

Maybe I should start to charge...... ?

@zodiac09: I can empathize with those who were snoozing. I remember years ago when I was on graveyard shift. On my way home, I sometimes dozed off but I'd apologized if I accidentally leaned to my side too much and slept on my seat mate's shoulder.

Perhaps you got a good shoulder... hence the shoulder nap tales.