Well, this has been quite an old topic actually, but I guess with the recent news of MRT enforcing the strict ban of eating on trains that the situation has pushed me off the tipping point.
Lets first begin first by saying that I enjoy the MRT system in Singapore. I've made a post previously saying how much better it is, compared to other countries such as Tokyo in rush hours, where there's actually attendants outside to shove the people in.
But that doesn't mean that the trains in Singapore during rush hour is the best. Its obvious that whatever is happening now can be improved. No reason why we should be seeing trains of 6 minutes intervals at Jurong East towards Marina Bay when both sides of the Green line is coming at 2 minute intervals. Do you expect to squeeze 6 trains of people into 1 train? Once again, I reiterate that I do not complain about the squeeze within the carriages, but that the train timings can be easily improved to ease of the amount of people in one carriage. I, and I presume, as well as most Singaporeans, would easily say that one of my pet peeves in Singapore is when I just can't seem to get on the train as its too full. Ending up missing not just one, but sometimes multiple trains.
And while we all know that trains timings leaves much to be desired, I am sometimes irritated by the Green Campaign that the SMRT is pulling especially, with posters all around persuading more Singapore to give up cars and utilize public transport. Much less damaging to the environment.
The question is, while we damage the environment less, did we consider the negative externalities incurred by the increased congestion? I'm pretty sure rush hour will get worse if everyone driving moves to take the train.
The point that I'm trying to put through, is that before one decides to claim that you're saving the environment, and use it as an advertisement campaign, please don't just blindly use it just because it'll draw in more people who simply follow the majority in going for the Green route. Both the pros and cons has to be laid out before starting such campaigns.
Next, would be the prevailing issue on most newspapers now about the increase in strictness on the consumption of food on MRT trains and platforms. By all means, go ahead. There comes a time when one have to move from education to enforcement when the former has ceased to be effective.
However, what would be the limit of consumption? From news report:
..
"SMRT says that parents of young children are advised to feed their children before boarding the MRT.
But if the need arises for them to feed their children while travelling on the MRT, they can approach station staff for assistance and necessary arrangements will be made.
This also applies to passengers who need to take medication."
- Yahoo! News.
..
Hungry babies, fine, perhaps because the semi solid food and solutions might spill and end up all over the cabin, bringing problems to other passengers and the train conductors later.
However, what is the basis for stopping passengers from taking medication?! My gosh, are the pills going to dissolve the floor when it comes in contact with it? I would understand if the medication is of a liquid form, but for tablets and pills, there should be no reason to prohibit them from taking it on trains!
What reason could there be? A hassle sweeping them up if they were to spill on the floor? That people might step on the pills and slip and fall, with the possibility of resulting in a slipped disc?
I believe that there's more reason to ban drinking plain water on the train than taking pills. The spill would probably cause more problems than small little tablets.
So are we going to stop drinking even plain water on trains now?
Lets first begin first by saying that I enjoy the MRT system in Singapore. I've made a post previously saying how much better it is, compared to other countries such as Tokyo in rush hours, where there's actually attendants outside to shove the people in.
But that doesn't mean that the trains in Singapore during rush hour is the best. Its obvious that whatever is happening now can be improved. No reason why we should be seeing trains of 6 minutes intervals at Jurong East towards Marina Bay when both sides of the Green line is coming at 2 minute intervals. Do you expect to squeeze 6 trains of people into 1 train? Once again, I reiterate that I do not complain about the squeeze within the carriages, but that the train timings can be easily improved to ease of the amount of people in one carriage. I, and I presume, as well as most Singaporeans, would easily say that one of my pet peeves in Singapore is when I just can't seem to get on the train as its too full. Ending up missing not just one, but sometimes multiple trains.
And while we all know that trains timings leaves much to be desired, I am sometimes irritated by the Green Campaign that the SMRT is pulling especially, with posters all around persuading more Singapore to give up cars and utilize public transport. Much less damaging to the environment.
The question is, while we damage the environment less, did we consider the negative externalities incurred by the increased congestion? I'm pretty sure rush hour will get worse if everyone driving moves to take the train.
The point that I'm trying to put through, is that before one decides to claim that you're saving the environment, and use it as an advertisement campaign, please don't just blindly use it just because it'll draw in more people who simply follow the majority in going for the Green route. Both the pros and cons has to be laid out before starting such campaigns.
Next, would be the prevailing issue on most newspapers now about the increase in strictness on the consumption of food on MRT trains and platforms. By all means, go ahead. There comes a time when one have to move from education to enforcement when the former has ceased to be effective.
However, what would be the limit of consumption? From news report:
..
"SMRT says that parents of young children are advised to feed their children before boarding the MRT.
But if the need arises for them to feed their children while travelling on the MRT, they can approach station staff for assistance and necessary arrangements will be made.
This also applies to passengers who need to take medication."
- Yahoo! News.
..
Hungry babies, fine, perhaps because the semi solid food and solutions might spill and end up all over the cabin, bringing problems to other passengers and the train conductors later.
However, what is the basis for stopping passengers from taking medication?! My gosh, are the pills going to dissolve the floor when it comes in contact with it? I would understand if the medication is of a liquid form, but for tablets and pills, there should be no reason to prohibit them from taking it on trains!
What reason could there be? A hassle sweeping them up if they were to spill on the floor? That people might step on the pills and slip and fall, with the possibility of resulting in a slipped disc?
I believe that there's more reason to ban drinking plain water on the train than taking pills. The spill would probably cause more problems than small little tablets.
So are we going to stop drinking even plain water on trains now?
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