SINGAPORE: Singapore’s MRT may run on time, but it seems some passengers still haven’t caught up with the concept of personal space.
One irritated Singaporean commuter took to the r/SMRTRabak subreddit forum to air his frustration about a particularly close encounter: “Every time I try to stand in a place near the MRT train links that connect, some people go and stand directly next to me, touching me. Bro, please… social distancing. I don’t need to touch you.”
He added that one day, while minding his own business standing in the middle of the cabin, “a lady immediately stood next to me. She was so close, making herself comfortable on me. Our shoulders were touching. I just moved away.”
While the post wasn’t about a peak-hour crush, the irritated passenger made it clear that there was space—just not enough sense.
“This woman die-die want to stand at my spot!”
The relatable gripe sparked a flood of comments, revealing that this lack of spatial awareness is hardly an isolated case.
One commenter wrote: “If non-peak hour, sure. If peak hour, social distance to where, lol?”
But he was also quick to redirect the blame elsewhere:
“The real problem is those people who like to lean their backs on grip poles until no one can use them, as well as those who like to grab the metal bar that the hand grips hang on, wanting to let everyone smell their armpit. Wish they could just grab the hand grip like a normal person.”
Another commenter shared his own stand-off: “Once on a fairly empty train… I was leaning against the seat panel. Next stop, somehow this woman die-die want to stand at my spot!”
The commenter described how she edged closer and closer until he was forced to move:
“She gave a really blurred (confused) look. As if she didn’t know you could stand at the non-opening door.”
“Some people don’t have a concept of personal space…”
Theories ran wild in the thread. One local speculated: “Some people don’t have a concept of personal space,” while another, cheekily, suspected, “Bro, the lady wants you to take her number la.”
Whether it was a spatial awareness awkward situation, or a flirt gone wrong incident, or maybe some everyday obliviousness, one thing’s for sure: Some MRT riders treat the cabin like it’s their living room—minus the common courtesy.
Until then, Singaporeans can only hope for a miracle: That one day, “stand clear of the doors” will also mean “stand clear of strangers’ shoulders.”
