A Redditor in Singapore recently shared how switching his daily commute from public transport to cycling has boosted his personal health.
In a Reddit post on 2 July, the Original Poster (OP) said he had been “getting unwell more often” of late and attributed it to coming into contact with people coughing and sneezing on the MRT.
He added that after switching to cycling, there was a noticeable drop in his medical certificate (MC) rate.
Source: Andrew on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
He was certain that being packed in the MRT alongside crowds of people recovering from the flu had played a major role in his recurring illnesses.
The OP then questioned whether other Redditors experienced something similar.
In the comments section, many Reddit users seemed to agree with him.
One netizen commented that it is to be expected that illnesses spread when those who are unwell fail to mask up in public. They then urged the OP to wear a mask to protect themselves.
Source: Reddit
Another Redditor remarked that it should be a crime for sick people to go out in public without wearing masks, calling it “biological terrorism.”
Source: Reddit
Sharing a similar experience, one netizen said they got sick “a lot less” after switching to personal transport.
They cautioned that booking a private-hire vehicle isn’t a foolproof alternative, noting that they once caught a bad flu from a driver who kept coughing and sneezing throughout the journey.
Source: Reddit
In response to queries from MS News, the OP, identified as Daryl, shared that he used to fall sick “about once every two to three months” back when he was commuting regularly by public transportation.
“Since switching to cycling for my daily commute, I’ve noticed that I now tend to fall sick about once every four to six months,” he added.
Daryl noted, however, that while cycling contributed to his improved health, it may not be the only factor, emphasising that this was simply an observation based on personal experience.
Daryl told MS News it was “extremely common” to see passengers coughing or sneezing without masks during the commute.
Some of them appeared to be actively unwell, while others seemed to be recovering from illnesses.
He shared that he encountered these occurrences mainly on the MRT and occasionally on the public buses during his daily commute.
Regarding the convenience of cycling to work, Daryl admitted that it is less convenient than taking public transport as it requires more planning, and the hot weather can be a major hurdle.
Source: Blurra on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
However, he stated that it is a trade-off he is willing to make to fall ill less frequently.
Daryl maintained that he intended to continue cycling as his primary mode of commuting but would rely on public transport when the weather is poor or when cycling is not practical.
When asked whether any of his friends or family shared similar experiences, Daryl said some people he knows mentioned that they felt they fell sick less when they avoided crowded commutes and worked from home more.
He attributed the issue to a mindset in Singapore that individuals treat masking up as an optional personal preference rather than a responsibility to protect others.
“A general observation in Singapore work culture that you need to be really very sick in order to not be at work,” Daryl said.
Also read: Redditor wonders if S’pore should adopt Vancouver’s wholesome culture of thanking bus drivers
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Featured image adapted from Andrew on Canva and Blurra on Canva, for illustration purposes only.