SINGAPORE: A disgruntled commuter recently took to social media to vent his frustration about what he described as the worsening behaviour of some “aunties and uncles” on public transport. He said it seems that basic courtesy has gone out the window, with some older commuters now feeling entitled enough to shove others and cut queues when boarding buses and trains.
Posting on Reddit’s Singapore Raw forum, he recounted how he personally witnessed such behaviour while waiting to board bus service 166.
According to him, everything was going smoothly at first. The man directly in front was standing patiently at the bus entrance, waiting his turn, while the passenger ahead took a little longer than usual to tap his card. It was just a minor pause, nothing that should have caused any disruption.
However, that small delay seemed to set off an impatient auntie standing behind him.
“Out of nowhere, the auntie behind me starts shoving and suddenly shouts at me: ‘Why are you just standing here?’ Then she makes this loud, annoyed ‘tsk’ sound, pushes past me, and even shoves the poor guy in front straight into the bus.”
The commuter said the most frustrating part was that the bus wasn’t even crowded. It was a fairly empty double-decker with plenty of seats on both levels, so there was absolutely no reason for anyone to rush or push.
“There’s plenty of seats…so like… what’s the point?” he said, before adding, “Why the rush? Everyone’s going to get a seat. Is this just me being extra annoyed, or do you all also encounter these impatient aunties/uncles who shove and cut queues even when it makes no difference? What’s the rationale here?”
“Uncle/Aunties are the true gangsters in Singapore”
Many Singaporeans in the comments agreed, saying they also find this kind of behaviour extremely annoying.
One shared, “I can assure you there are many such miserable people in SG, most probably having made bad life or financial decisions and blaming the whole world for it, except their own stupidity and incompetence. Once in a while, you’ll encounter one of them, but I’m used to it already. There’s no point in arguing or getting angry. Let them deal with their own mess and don’t get your own hands dirty. All of us sane and normal folks can tell who the siao langs are, so don’t worry too much.”
Another remarked, “Uncle/Aunties are the true gangsters in Singapore.”
A third wrote, “I swear it’s the leaded petrol, paint, aerosols, etc, combined with Covid/long Covid that made all these old people behave like rabid dogs.”
Not everyone, however, was as critical. Some urged the commuter to be more understanding, pointing out that old age comes with its own struggles.
One said, “A lot of young people should try living with their level of chronic physical pain and mental stress. These old people have been through a lot in their youth. If they’re breaking now, you can imagine the level of what they used to endure on a daily basis. Confirm that most young people today will break on the spot.”
Another commented, “I think for better mental health, just accept this kind of ugly behaviour from old folks.”
In other news, a man was left shocked after he saw the housewarming wish list of an acquaintance, where the most affordable item was a 10-piece container set priced at S$112.99.
In a post on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, the man shared a photo of the list, which featured several pricey items, including a S$239 microwave inverter, a stainless steel cookware costing nearly S$768, and a floor-cleaning robot worth S$1,499.
Read more: From S$112.99 to S$3k: Man shocked by acquaintance’s ‘extravagant’ housewarming gift list
