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1. The not very pregnant lady.
There's a slight bump... but she could also just be fat. I don't want to make the embarrassing mistake of offering my seat to a lady with a fat gut. If you really are pregnant but it's not even showing yet, but for some reason you already can't stand like a normal person, please just ask nicely for a seat. I would give mine to you.
2. The not that old aunty
Don't know if you noticed the illustration... the old person has a cane in the reserved seat pic. So what if you're in your 50s? That's still a decade younger than my mom, and my mom is perfectly capable of carrying the groceries etc, she does not feel entitled to any special seat on the MRT. Why should you?
Even better are those aunties who dye their hair, wear 'trendy' (*cough**cough*) clothes and even heels... then expect people to give them a seat on the train because they're old. If you're really that old and incapable of standing... how come you can wear heels huh? If you can do stuff like line dancing for hours every week, you don't need a special seat on the MRT, so suck it up.
3. Mothers with babies
Ok, if you're carrying your baby, I will offer you my seat. But since when was pushing a pram a disability? Bad enough you block the way with your huge pram/stroller. But if your baby is in the pram... you cannot just stand next to it, meh? Some people will automatically stand up and give up their seat to a mother with a stroller... but I just don't see the actual need to.
4. Children
Why would they need seats more than I do? OK, if' it's a child with a disability... I understand. But for a child who is strong enough to run around like a chimp during recess time, push other kids around at playgroup or stand on the seats in the train like a brat... I don't see why I should give up my seat to you.
5. Pseudo Old Farts
They look like so poor thing, because so old, cannot even stand properly. Then you give them your seat. But later you realise actually they are damn strong. When the train doors open at their stop, they can push you out of the way... they can walk so fast so as to reach the escalator before anyone else does.
The other day, I was in the train... and the reserve seat was free (as someone alighted). I wasn't going for it but I was already standing very close to it (I was getting off at the next stop). But the old fart Chinese man who was sitting next to the reserved seat, hurriedly put his hand on the reserve seat (like he so scared I was going to sit in it). Then pointed to a 10 year old Chinese girl standing near me... and gestured her to sit there. Nope, they were not related. They got on at different stops. Not sure if race had anything to do with him offering her the seat. Or was it purely because she was a child. But if I was tired or sick, and wanted that seat, I would be damn pissed off with what that man did. Maybe I would just sit on his damn hand haha.
What makes her deserve the seat anymore than me? She's not a baby, she's not disabled... she can run and probably do cartwheels even.
I worry that one day I will snap at some idiot on the train and I'll end up on Stomp. Lol.
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Side note:
Been reading posts on FB about how Guide Dogs (for the visually imparied) have been having a tough time in Singapore. Like not allowed on buses. Some security guard chased one out of Tanglin Mall, so the owner had to fumble her way around the mall on her own. His reason being that the dog will scare other people and children in the mall. -_- These are highly trained dogs who GUIDE their owners around obstacles like stairs, corners, other people etc... they're not even gonna lick you, let alone chase or bite you. So disappointed with how dumbass some Singaporeans can be.
I also wish there were more pet friendly places here. You'd be surprised at how some people literally jump out of the way (into bushes even) when I walk Lola. My God. She's the size of a teacup lah. And she's not even the kind of dog who would go sniffing strangers while walking in public. Plus if we walk past people on pavements, she avoids them by walking in between my legs even.
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Comments
as for letting kids take a seat, kids fall down a lot more easily on a moving vehicle than on a playground (bad inner sense of balance, under-developed motor neuron skills, what have you...) so we let the kids have a seat. better they sit than for them to fall and start wailing and make the journey even worse than it is for the rest of us...
1) Babies or toddler can't keep still for long even if they are in a pram. The Mother will have to entertain them during the train trip.
2) Some Babies or toddler needs to carry on & off even if they are in a pram as they might get cranky on a train trip (You might not find a crying cranky baby in a train)
3) Seats near the entrance is so much easier when it comes to alighting with the pram.
4) Having the pram in parked at the seats beside the entrance are so much easier as it won't be blocking the way ( the length of the pram takes up the space of at least 2 seats space so if the Mother were to take up the seat in the middle it will hinder the leg space of the person beside her).
Above are some of the reasons why they need the seat but of cause if there are non-disability beside the entrance of cause that will be a better place for them. And if or when an elderly or someone that needed the seat more than them come along they might give up their seat to them, at least it is what I do.
You might be able to understand it when you have a chance to take a train trip with a baby in the pram. And people give up their seats to mother with pram because they know that it is so much a hussel & not easy to travel with a baby in a pram.
Usually, pregnancies in the early phases are worse due to morning/motion sickness. But they are the ones usually at the losing end, since they do not have a huge bump to indicate they're pregnant.
Something should be done to help women in their early phases of pregnancies on their MRT travel.
Sometimes it's best not to judge too harshly or quickly. It's just a seat.
It's ironic that you mocked how "perfectly abled people feel entitled to these seats" when you yourself feel entitled to judge whether or not they need the seats.
I agree with you on the kid part. But then again, mine is still growing in my tummy so I can't give a fair assessment on that.
My view is that if everyone can be a little more gracious and civic minded, Singapore will be a much more pleasant place to live in. Then there will be no need for any hard and fast rules on who should be more deserving of a seat.
Yes it's just a seat, I don't mean to judge people but it just irks me tht some people think they're entitled to it when they really dont need it.
Of course if its a not so pregnant lady with a bad bout of morning sickness ( or anyone who is feeling unwell for tht matter)... if they ask me politely for a seat (doesnt hv to be reserved seat even) I would give it to them. I already said that. Of course I'm not going to just offer my seat if they appear perfectly fine to me ( I am not a mind reader)... so the onus is on them to ask for it not just expect it.
Not many women appreciate assumptions like this.
While I understand the morning sickness and feeling shitty/vulnerable in the very early stages of pregnancy, it would not terribly hurt if one can communicate this nicely when requesting for a seat.
AND. I am one of those who will walk out of the way of dogs. It's because I rather be safe than sorry. Even small sized dogs can go crazy at any time and bite you. Their teeth are no less sharp than large sized dogs? Maybe this is something a dog lover (and not afraid of dogs) can't understand. But in the case of a guide dog, I will probably give it a wide berth as well, but will not mind because it is there for the purpose of guiding somebody.
Also for the part about dogs. It's understandable that not all people like dogs but they dont have to scream at the sight of one, think that dog owners should keep their dog away. Because dogs have as much rights to walk the goddamn path you are walking on. And those dogs being kept as pets are not going to bite at passerbys unless you guys actually provoke them. I dont understand the above comment about how small dogs have razor bites like big dogs, and he / she will only not mind if its a guide dog cuz its purpose is to guide people. You mean other dogs have no purpose on earth meh. And i dont think lola or any other dogs will wana dirty their teeth by biting you! Hahah
Sure, if you see the child as mere 'luggage'or 'goods' being pushed around, then the person pushing the 'luggage' don't need it. Do you seriously think the child just sit quietly the entire time during the journey? Do you know what happen before they board the train??
I wish you the luxury of having a car so you wont have to deal with pram, diaper bag, fidgety child while you are on unstable moving train.
(For your info, I have a young child and my own car so I don't have to deal with that. BUT if I see someone with pram, I will give up my seat)
Sure, mums with prams shouldnt feel entitled but what's the deal? Doesn't civil mindedness start from oneself? Have you ever received a kind gesture ( however small) and pay it forward?
I totally don't get it that an extremely fit, toned person whining about who shouldn't be 'entitled' to the seat and specially highlight mothers with pram in blog title.
I feel like my brain cells die every time I read your blog. And I do it any way! So I must be pretty dumb too!
stable seated person + movable pram = easier for person to control the pram
really... just go out and take public transport with your friends who are either disabled, pregnant or busy balancing/juggling their babies/kids/diaper bags... maybe they can make you understand this better...
I think as long as you don't belong to the 4 kinds of disability shown in the pic no one gives a shit about whether you actually need a seat>:(