‘Sit complain, stand also complain’: Netizen asks why people stand on trains with empty seats, gets backlash

Netizen asks why people stand on trains with empty seats

It might be hard to find a more judgemental place in Singapore than our MRT trains, especially regarding seats.

On 11 March, one Facebook user on the ‘Complaint Singapore’ group had a more unusual concern.

They questioned why people would stand when empty seats are available.

In the post, they showed photos of a foreign train, showing two commuters standing despite empty seats.

“There are seats, why do you have to stand?” asked the original poster (OP), with waving hand and peeking emojis.

In response, annoyed local netizens quickly flamed the question.

Singapore netizens incredulous at complaint

In less than a day, the post received 323 reactions and 252 comments.

“Sit complain. Stand also complain,” many local netizens wrote.

Another Facebook user said they preferred to stand in case someone took photos of them to complain about not giving up a seat.

Meanwhile, other commenters were incredulous about the question, asking: “This is a complaint?”.

However, one netizen accused the OP of being a “troll” trying to get views, presumably by ‘ragebaiting’ the forum’s members.

“This photo is not even a Singapore train,” they noted.

The OP’s tactic seemed to have worked, given the tide of angry comments.

Helper says some feel uncomfortable taking another passenger’s seat

One commenter, who claimed to have been a helper working in Singapore, said she chooses to stand despite empty seats in case someone who needed it more boarded at the next station.

Another person asked why she didn’t sit until the MRT train arrived at the next station.

The helper explained that some passengers feel uncomfortable taking someone else’s seat.

“By my action of standing, I can give my seat to those who need it without [them] feeling reluctant,” she said.

Some Singaporeans also expressed anxiety over offending people by offering seats on the MRT.

Since time immemorial, Singaporeans have argued over giving up seats on MRT trains.

Earlier this year, a pregnant woman complained on TikTok about passengers pretending to be on their phones rather than offering her a seat.

She received divisive responses, ranging from sympathetic to hostile.

Also read: ‘It would offend them’: Redditor asks when to give up their MRT seat, netizens say no need to think so much

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Featured image adapted from MS News and Facebook.