cutting in line/ queue jumping in Singapore

[EADG]

None of those really surprise me. Anymore that is, they did at first.

What did and does surprise me, is how few people have the garbanzos to say or do anything about it when it happens to them.

I'm one of those with said garbanzos.

I relish these situations, because what is surprising is how fast and sheepishly those who attempt this with the wrong person back down.

Ruders gonna rude.

Someone's gotta teach 'em.

after a good nights sleep - I`m now over it.

A shame, I was starting to enjoy that

Here's an example of super-polite locals. I was in NTUC Toa Payoh MRT last year, basement level trying to get to the check outs. I had my basket and was only a metre or less from a free till, inching ahead, but rather stuck next to some guy with a trolley carrying a rucksack.

Then, wham bam! A woman appeared in front of me and put her basket down at the till. As that till and the next were back to back, and no one could have got past me, my thoughts were 'Where on earth did she just appear from!?'

Then it dawned on me. She must have been elsewhere, maybe in another queue, had seen the free till, and that it would take me a few seconds to reach it. She had then left the shop with her basket, gone through the public MRT underpass, and come back in through the exit in front of me!

So classy!

[the lynx]

I bet majority of SGrs is perfectly fine with the current level of courtesy and these are the Westerners plus some small part of the society who are moaning.

I don't think that is the case. It's just that they are too courteous and gracious to call the louts out on their behavior, unlike a lot of us expats.

Exactly, there was once I was standing on a super crowded MRT on a long way home from work and there was an elderly couple who just came in together with a whole bunch. The adults pushed past them to fight for the empty seats, even the reserved ones, so the poor old man and woman had nowhere to sit. I noticed the lady was actually limping and she had difficulty trying to stand still and to hold on the railing (she's too short to hold the strap above).

That young man in the reserved seat in front of me just popped on his earphones and dozed away! If I had things my way, I'd kick him out of that seat!

So I woke the young man up politely and asked him to let the poor lady to seat. With such gesture, I drew a lot of attention, that man had no choice but to give up. That old lady thanked me and sat down but the man's friends glowered at me (and I don't understand why?!)...

WTH!

[JR8]

I bet majority of SGrs is perfectly fine with the current level of courtesy and these are the Westerners plus some small part of the society who are moaning.

I don't think that is the case. It's just that they are too courteous and gracious to call the louts out on their behavior, unlike a lot of us expats.

So I woke the young man up politely and asked him to let the poor lady to seat. With such gesture, I drew a lot of attention, that man had no choice but to give up. That old lady thanked me and sat down but the man's friends glowered at me (and I don't understand why?!)...

WTH!

Because you made the toe-rag lose face in front of his friends, and other passengers. You embarassed him publicly which threatened his ego.

Well done, it is always a pleasure using the 'lose face technique'

[snowqueen]

I remember being heavily pregnant standing in front of young adults who take up those priority seats and they just totally ignore you - they shut their eyes (and magically wake up when it's their stop), or read something to avoid making eye contact with you.

I was always to chicken to saying but would say something snappy to them before getting off the train.

On occasions someone would nudge them and gesture to give up the priority seat but that was very rare. Mostly people in the non-priority seats would offer theirs and even then if I saw someone elderly or more heavily pregnant than me I often gave the seat to them.

[technocracy]

Hey all - just registered from reading this thread after 9 months here - I am so glad it's not just me who thinks the place is like living in an animal pen!

The pure ignorance of the vast majorities in public spaces is unbelieveable! However not being backwards in coming forwards (read I have no shame) when they decide to blatantly cut in front or me, my wife and son I make sure they know my feelings!

The basics with any of them is as has been mentioned 'face' you make them loose face in front of there own and they'll scuttle off under whatever stone they crawled from under.

One day at Serangoon MRT me, my wife and son stood waiting for a taxi behind us were a few people also waiting. I spotted a taxi coming down the road however just as it was slowing before it reached the taxi stop out popped this woman who stuck her arm out and flag it down!

The taxi pulled over and as opened the door about to get in - I shouted loudly, pointing at her - "OI YOU! THE QUEUE IS HERE!" Of course this stopped the entire pedestrian traffic on the pavements and they all turned to stare at this woman! Job done. The taxi driver shooed her away and she put her head down and scuttled off over the road.

I've done similar at Junction 8 at Bishan as well . . .

Same for any person below 25 on the MRT none of them would ever consider giving up there seats - until you give them a prod and say move it . . . whilsting point to a person with more need of the seat.

Sure I've come across a few very well mannered people most mid 40s who because I have a young son (under 3) they insist on giving up there seat . .. . but sadly these people are very few and far between.

As a person who immediately will offer me seat as soon as I see an elderly, pregnant or someone in need of seat these kind of lowlifes just make me so angry.

[nakatago]

wow, talk about the proverbial straw

[JayCee]

I bet majority of SGrs is perfectly fine with the current level of courtesy and these are the Westerners plus some small part of the society who are moaning.

I don't think that is the case. It's just that they are too courteous and gracious to call the louts out on their behavior, unlike a lot of us expats.

Exactly, there was once I was standing on a super crowded MRT on a long way home from work and there was an elderly couple who just came in together with a whole bunch. The adults pushed past them to fight for the empty seats, even the reserved ones, so the poor old man and woman had nowhere to sit. I noticed the lady was actually limping and she had difficulty trying to stand still and to hold on the railing (she's too short to hold the strap above).

That young man in the reserved seat in front of me just popped on his earphones and dozed away! If I had things my way, I'd kick him out of that seat!

So I woke the young man up politely and asked him to let the poor lady to seat. With such gesture, I drew a lot of attention, that man had no choice but to give up. That old lady thanked me and sat down but the man's friends glowered at me (and I don't understand why?!)...

WTH!

Excellent, good work

Something similar happend recently when I got on the train with my girlfriend on the way home.

A younger guy with his headphones on got on ahead of us and an old lady was right behind us, he knew she was there but didn't care and sat down in the priority seat and proceeded to pretend to fall asleep. We were stood holding the rails in front so I just gently kicked him in the leg, he opened his eyes with surprise for a second then proceeded to close them and pretend sleep again. Of course, I kicked him (harder) a second time and this time he looked at me and I looked across at the old lady and my girlfriend told him to get up, and he got the message and moved. The old lady was very grateful and the guy got off at the next stop, was it something I said?

I do this every time now if I'm within kicking distance

[the lynx]

Excellent, good work

Something similar happend recently when I got on the train with my girlfriend on the way home.

A younger guy with his headphones on got on ahead of us and an old lady was right behind us, he knew she was there but didn't care and sat down in the priority seat and proceeded to pretend to fall asleep. We were stood holding the rails in front so I just gently kicked him in the leg, he opened his eyes with surprise for a second then proceeded to close them and pretend sleep again. Of course, I kicked him (harder) a second time and this time he looked at me and I looked across at the old lady and my girlfriend told him to get up, and he got the message and moved. The old lady was very grateful and the guy got off at the next stop, was it something I said?

I do this every time now if I'm within kicking distance

Way to go, should have kicked him in between the legs if he didn't get it the first time :p

But then again, has anyone of you got backfired in your attempt to tell off someone for not giving up seats for needy ones or cutting queues? Like that offender snapped at you instead? I haven't encountered it myself here but it'd be a very serious indicator of the backwardness of the society if this ever happens... :-/

[sundaymorningstaple]

Happens all the time. Yes the public transport segment of this society is pretty backward. They really don't like to lose face in front of their peers. They have a very passive-aggressive nature. But this has been documented many times before. Of course, it's still safer in the mrt here compared to almost any mass transit system anywhere else in the world. It's the ostrich syndrome. If they close their eyes (bury their head in the sand) then the problem doesn't exist. However, when you deliberately "wake" them up...

But i do it anyway.

[snowqueen]

I had to laugh when I was in KL not long ago. We were using the MRT there in rush hour and I was dreading it, hundreds of people all trying to get on the train at once before letting other people alight.

I got the shock of my life when I saw passengers forming and orderly queue at each of the marks where the doors would open. That would NEVER happen in Singapore. I laughed so much I even took a photo.

[nakatago]

I laughed so much I even took a photo.

PIC or it didn't happen.

but srsly.

[snowqueen]

I would but just don't know how to without going through this image shack thing. I've uploaded onto there but I don't know how to then post it onto here without people having to go through a link.

This should work though:-

http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/1226/p1160125.jpg

[nakatago]

I would but just don't know how to without going through this image shack thing. I've uploaded onto there but I don't know how to then post it onto here without people having to go through a link.

This should work though:-

http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/1226/p1160125.jpg

like so:

Code: Select all

[img]http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/1226/p1160125.jpg[/img]

by george, it's...it's so beautiful

[Strong Eagle]

I would but just don't know how to without going through this image shack thing. I've uploaded onto there but I don't know how to then post it onto here without people having to go through a link.

This should work though:-

http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/1226/p1160125.jpg

Is that KLCC?

[snowqueen]

Yes it is! I think we were on our way to China Town market.