While on my way to school by bus, something interesting happened. The bus was rather crowded at that time. A female Caucasian boarded the bus and noticed the 'always empty' rear of the bus. The bus was crammed at the front of the bus and the rear was however vacant. She was infuriated by the sight, from the way I see it. She exclaimed,"Move in please!" for several times. Maybe she added,"Singaporeans, come on", I was not too sure as I did not hear what she said properly, due to the distance between her and me.The commuters standing moved to the rear as what she had told them to do.
It was quite an embarrassment for Singaporeans though. With the shouting and the commotion, many turned their heads and tried to catch a glimpse of what is happening. Many stared at the rear of the bus, trying to find out who was the 'guilty one'. With the posters written 'Please move to the rear' on buses, I don't understand why people still not want to go all the way to the back. What benefits are there if they stand near the front?
It is an act of courtesy to move to the rear, for the benefits of the people who had just board a bus during peak hours. I also noticed that sometimes people like to talk to their friends who are sitting, while they are standing. This blocks people from moving and inconvenient to try to squeeze and get past him or her. Some just do not want to move, for unknown reason. People around him(her) can tell him(her) to move, or try to get past him(her).
Although many will move in, but just one person is enough to have the negative impression of the people in the whole bus or even as Singaporeans. Therefore, let's be courteous and move in to the rear so that the commuters at the front will not be crammed.
Just a slight note, please comment or at least tag at my blog if you don't have any. I appreciate it, at least I know that there are readers reading my blog. :D
Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Yes, Si Hao, I scrolled down, happy? Anyway, to cut short my comment, you must have felt so embarrassed right? That woman is too bold and daring already lah...how dare she shout at Singaporeans...but nonetheless, I think that's why our tourists arrival rates have been falling, maybe tourists already have a bad impression of Singapore? Sigh, we are hopeless in etiquette-wise and cultural-quotient. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteHey, and I saw your class blog last year! So cool...:)
Derrick
Hi Kenneth here. Your blog post is really related to what I thought about us Singaporeans. We Singaporeans, especially on the bus as I always take the bus like you , are sometimes discourteous in their actions and behaviour. Especially about moving into the rear, they are sometimes real strange and don't move in. I would like to comment on the review of Singaporean stereotype you have made. Actually you have made quite an excellent depiction of what happened and added in your thought and feelings. At least I understand what you thought about the event and spark off some of my thinking. Maybe you could suggest any other ways we Singaporeans can play a part to ensure that our society is respectful, courteous and at least considerate. It would be quite interesting to know what is your stand on this. Do visit my blog, I posted something like this! :)
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