Singaporean upset over commuter using phone on bus loudly

Independent Singapore

5 days ago

SINGAPORE: Exasperated by the loud volume at which a man watched shows on public transport, one woman decided to post videos of him, along with a screenshot of recent signs that show Singaporeans are expected to be considerate of fellow commuters by not using their handphones on the MRT or bus.
In a post on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on June 20 (Friday), the woman posted two videos of a man who appeared to be watching a drama on his phone. Because the clip she took was from behind, only the back of the man's head and torso can be seen.
In the caption, she wrote, ' In the bus on the phone, sound so loud.'
Indeed, amid the ambient noise on the bus, including the sounds of an engine and brakes, the dialogue in Chinese from the show the man is watching can be heard clearly.
The post author also indicated in her post that the man is from a particular nationality, but others disagreed.
'N ot just the foreigners. Singaporeans, young and old, also,' wrote one.
Another chimed in with 'Lots of Singapore uncles also.'
One wrote that 'these types of people' are everywhere.
As they wrote, people listening to or watching something with the volume up on their phone is by no means a new occurrence in Singapore. In fact, it is something that many people regularly complain about.
Therefore, it's perhaps unsurprising that when a local Reddit user asked in February if others would favour imposing fines on those who are loud on the train, many responded with a resounding 'yes.'
The post on r/askSingapore, cited the example of a man who was slapped with a €200 (S$280) fine when he made a call on a loudspeaker in a quiet area at a train station in France on Feb 2.
Train staffers told the man to end his call; otherwise, he would be fined. The fine was only supposed to have been €150 (S$210), but it was increased to €200 when the man refused to pay and argued with the staff.
'Would you support a similar rule and fine enforcement in Singapore? I feel I'm hearing too much TikTok wheezing laugh track on trains nowadays,' the post asked other Reddit users.
Commenters overwhelmingly answered yes, with some suggesting this should be extended to all types of public transportation and hospital waiting areas.
'Passengers should not make loud noises on public transport. Those who refuse to comply despite reminders by our public transport staff could be referred to the Police,' said then-Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat in Parliament last November. 'Besides enforcement, the Land Transport Authority, the Public Transport Council, and our public transport operators also collaborate with partners such as the Singapore Kindness Movement to promote gracious commuting behaviours through advisories displayed across the public transport network, social media, as well as regular engagements with the community and schools. As part of the Graciousness on Public Transport Campaign, we remind passengers to keep their noise levels down so that others can enjoy a more pleasant ride.' /TISG
Read also: 'Nowadays, public transport is like KTV or Bollywood' — SG commuters say about people who listen to music loudly on their phones