‘Business class on bus’: Stomper slams man taking up extra space with bag, ‘depriving others of a seat’
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A man has called out the increasing lack of civic-mindedness on public transport after seeing a fellow commuter occupying an extra seat on the bus with his backpack.
Stomper Les was irked by what he encountered on a crowded bus service 10 on the morning of Sept 4 and sarcastically questioned if there is “business class on buses”.
“There is a critical need to highlight a growing blind spot in our daily commuting culture: the loss of basic civic-mindedness during the peak morning rush hour,” he said.
According to Les, the young man was reading a Chinese novel and had placed his haversack on the adjacent seat. Les claimed that the man “completely ignored” passengers who were standing nearby and “clearly needed the space”.
“The majority of our citizens understand how to co-exist. They feel the social urgency to volunteer a seat when passengers board, perhaps only replacing their bag if the seat remains empty,” the Stomper added.
“Unfortunately, this young man did not respond at all during the course of the journey. Perhaps he assumed he had a business-class ticket, earning the right to deprive others of a seat.”
Les acknowledged that public transport operators and the Land Transport Authority frequently run courtesy campaigns urging commuters to place bags on their laps or the floor, but said enforcement ultimately relies on individual responsibility.
He explained: “Public courtesy sits right at the intersection of explicit law and the unwritten fabric of our society. We do not have laws governing every minor behaviour because we trust each other to uphold a shared social contract.
How to foster a better commuter etiquette
“When individuals choose personal comfort over collective courtesy, it severely degrades the commuting experience for everyone.”
The Stomper feels that it is important to rethink how we encourage civic-mindedness as Singapore’s public transport networks become busier.
“Beyond standard posters, what fresh initiatives can we implement to educate Singaporeans as a whole?” he asked.
“Our public transport system is world-class in infrastructure. Let us work together to match it with an equally world-class commuting culture.”
Decline of civic-mindedness on public transport and in shared spaces
This is not the first time a Stomper has called out a lack of civic-mindedness in shared spaces or on public transport.
Earlier this month, Stomper Jasminebliss called out queue-cutters as well as inconsiderate and risky behaviour at Fort Canning Tree Tunnel.
In August, Stomper B shared how her grieving family had their Nam Ann Siang Theon Temple visit marred by other loud and inconsiderate guests on her mother’s second death anniversary.
Separately, Stomper David Pang said that despite boasting a world-class Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network, Singapore’s peak-hour commutes “routinely expose a distinct breakdown in civic courtesy”.
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