There are a lot of tired people on the MRTs these days.  Especially during the peak hours where people are still drowsy from the early morning, or just dead tired after a long day of slogging.  With trains filled to more than full capacity, tired people have no place to sit and or even lean.  Sometimes, leaning on the poles found just in front of the train doors can be very very appealing.

Unfortunately, it’s just not a very good idea to do that on a very crowded train.  People need things to hold on to when the train is moving off, stopping or just running into the occasional bumpy tracks.   Without something to hold, people could fall down or get injured, or grab on to the wrong appendages of other people.  It’s simply an inconvenience and nuisance to other passengers.

There are people who are magnetically drawn to the poles.  I’ve seen it for myself!  Then again, I’m also one of those when the trains aren’t packed… (the closet pole dancer *grin* )

I was standing in front of the pole once when a middle aged lady got on board the train.  I usually have a good sense of balance, so I stood just about half a foot in front of the pole without having to hold on to it.  The train was a lil packed, but it wasn’t a sardine can yet.  I noticed the auntie start inching back slowly until she was almost leaning on me.  I wasn’t exactly very comfortable with that, and I started inching back and to the side.  Still, she inched back and pressed against a leather file I was clutching on to.  Very annoyed, I inched and squirmed away to see what else she was trying to do.  I was THIS |<–>| close to telling her, “Sorry, you’re really not my type!” 

When I moved away fully from that position, I finally understood what she was trying to do.  There she was, happily leaning against the pole and the other folks holding on to it, had to let got and grab other higher or unreachable portions.  Before I could look away, she struck a pretty dramatic pose by cushioning her head against the pole with her forearm while leaning her side on it. 

This lady was just but an example of the numerous pole dancers (really, they really have some pole-dance poses) and pole huggers (people who literally hug the poles)  that I’ve seen.

It wasn’t sardine can kinda packed, but nevertheless still pretty packed. Lets be a bit more civic minded in a packed train and give space for others to grab something to steady themselves. Its bad enough that some of the older aunties and uncles have no place to sit, but worse when they don’t even have something firm to hold on to.