Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Train Commuters: Don't Block The Doors?!

04.12.2011 - The MRT Metro Rail Transit has been one of the basic public mass transportation service in the Philippines. How can anyone have chosen to take the bus or the jeepney for something fast and convenient? But the MRT has been showing its age lately since it has been operational since 2001, and the neglect is certainly showing with mishaps and lack of trains recently.

Most commuters take the train during peak hours because it is fast and voiding traffic. But recently it has become challenging for the most packed transportation service along with the LRT-1 (Light Rail Transit). But most of the time, it's not always that crowded in certain hours. The mornings and after-hours take that bulk, but recently the trains have taken a lot of hours to arrive and they have not been on time lately.


The insight into the daily travels and the usual commutes has given me the perspective to observe and notice also about the behavior of people taking these trains. I've been wanting to write about the commuters themselves, who travel using these trains. Sometimes you get disappointed for the lack of self-discipline. Nobody is perfect to say anything against anyone, but you can never pinpoint the lack of commonsense being warned by the announcer to stop blocking the doors.

There's ample space in the aisle during normal hours when the train is not entirely crowded.

What's up with crowding the doors inside the MRT train? Are you in a hurry to get off when your stop is at the Trinoma station? Surely, you can't just stand there, and block the only exit or as I see it almost all the exits?

Even at peak hours when a huge crowd packing the main doors, when the center isles have enough space and room for those women getting elbowed in the face. Not to mention, getting harassed inside the train is obvious.

For this reason why the first two train coaches, were strictly for women, senior citizens, pregnant, and with children commuters only. This also includes the PWD or the ones that are disabled.

I mean seriously, in other countries I don't see people crowding the doors, but it shows the culture or entitlement here. If you compare this to Hong Kong, Singapore, or Korea as the other places I have traveled to and experienced life there. I can see why they have better society or even public mass transportation services compared to the Light or Metro Rail Transits in the Philippines.

Time and time again, I assume I wrote a story about this previously. For this reason, there are thieves taking advantage of commuters prying these trains. You can never blame people for their lack of discipline, but you can educate them to be aware of everything and stop crowding the doors. Unfortunately, no one wants to listen or learn from it and that is why an overly populated city or country will never find it's progress when everyone is entitled to their views.

Seriously folks, if you know where you're getting off stay inside the less crowded section of the train. I mean, if your next stop is four train stations away, it won't hurt to be just at the part where you're not blocking the only exits.

These days are tough for any of us when traveling from point A to point B with the rising cost of fuel, and wanting to have the convenience of getting to your destination.

It won't help to be self-aware of where you stand, but is it just me why some Filipinos have a lack of discipline to get things done the right way?

Or maybe it has become our DNA that we can't keep ourselves from being put in the right position, and just follow the example whether its good or bad. Sadly if you know the right way of commuting I'm sure others will follow.

Lastly. The doors are not the place to be the only section of the train that has a huge space. For this reason, the announcer always advice the daily commuter to stop blocking the doors. Sadly, it falls in the majority of those with deaf ears and headphones that many Filipinos have been this ignorant to even care to do the right thing.