I hate the EDSA MRT. If you have been following me on Twitter, you probably have noticed that most of my tweets are complaints while I am in the system. I don’t even want to call it a system as to a public commuter such as myself, I think the stations are poorly planned and the trains are taking in more than what it could handle. You can clearly see how flawed it is compared to the LRT-2 which started construction almost at the same time as the EDSA line and yet have properly designed stations and efficient fully-automated trains.
What made it even worse are the people. Although majority of the passengers are disciplined, as with every place in this world, there are some people who are uneducated, rude and arrogant that ruin the supposedly peaceful commute from home to work and vice versa. Some of these “characters” are described here so that you are prepared the next time you ride the MRT during rush hour.
The MRT stairway in most stations is usually divided by chains to separate those who are coming in from those on the way out. During rush hour, the line on the right going in can be so ridiculously long that it actually overflows to the street causing an insane amount of foot traffic. Some people, who obviously think that they are royalty therefore deserve to come in the station without much hassle, climb up the other side. Now when a train arrives and passengers get off at that station, the dimwits have already blocked their way causing yet another insane amount of foot traffic upstairs. Next time you encounter these kind of people, feel free to push and let them fall down the stairs. They are better suited lying against the pavement.
No, I am not talking about the actual tourists. These are the ones who obviously think that they are in some unexplored territory therefore will take their time walking, appreciating the dull peach-colored wall paint. Never mind that almost all passengers are rushing to catch the train because they don’t want to be late for work or school.
This actually happened just this morning, one guy is taking his time texting while walking down the stairs to the platform at Taft station. Since the stairs there are narrow and the people beside him are also slow walkers, a lot of people, including myself, are bunched up behind him making us look like his own entourage. One guy excused himself and bumped him to catch the waiting train. The “texter” got offended by this and shouted “madapa ka sana!” (”Hope you trip over!”). I just don’t understand what is going on in this person’s head thinking that he is the victim. I want to push him in front of an oncoming train but hesitated because I don’t want blood splattering on my crisp white shirt.
The first coach of the MRT train is always reserved for the women, children and the elderly. Naturally, the second and third coaches are occupied mostly by men but there are women who choose to board these coaches thinking that they have better chances of sitting as some men will offer their seats. Base on experience, a number of clearly able women in their twenties or thirties sometimes stand right in front of you and say things in a sarcastic voice like “Yung iba dyan hindi gentleman!” (”Some guys are not being a gentleman!”). I don’t believe in chivalry, I believe in good manners. If I saw a pregnant woman, a disabled person or an elderly, I would gladly stand up and offer my seat. Now for the others who expect that they deserve to be seated more than me, I would gladly let them seat on a train going to the 15th century.
The blockers are probably the most annoying of them all. These are the ones who are too freakin’ excited to board the just-arrived train that they all stand right in front of the double-doors blocking the exit. They probably think that the passengers inside who want to disembark will do so in some secret portal that will magically transport them onto the platform. And yes, pushing using the collective body weight of all the exiting passengers is necessary to get them out of the way.
Now that you have learned some of the different folks that you might encounter in the MRT, you are now ready to face the horror and stand in line at the security guard with the wooden stick that seem to magically detect bombs. If it turns out to be calm and uneventful, lucky you! Now go play the lottery as I think you have a good chance of winning the jackpot.
3 Responses for "People You Might Encounter While Riding the MRT"
And also day Hello to the perverts inside MRT, lucky I ride the LRT Line 2 (Blue/Yellow) it’s big, fast and safe =D
Wow. I sense great effort to write this entry. Kudos. :p
Death to medieval women!
hahah. I agree with what you wrote. With so many people preferring the MRT over buses nowadays, the siksikan and the tulakan will just increase. I don’t ride the MRT often now because I work at home. But when you ride the MRT in the morning, by the time you arrive at your workplace, you already feel harassed and stressed!
Too bad, the planning of MRT stations isn’t really good. Like the station at Ortigas. Pedestrians have very little elbowroom when they pass below the stairs and the escalator! buti pa ang LRT2! But it is still better to ride the MRT than wait eternally for buses and traffic!
Leave a reply