16 hours ago
‘I was really uncomfortable': Singapore commuter says 'weird guy' kept leaning into her space on MRT
SINGAPORE: The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a public space, but how would you feel if a stranger sat uncomfortably close and kept invading your personal space? One frustrated commuter who recently went through this shared her experience on Reddit on Wednesday (July 2).
In her post on r/askSingapore, she described how a 'weird guy' sat next to her and repeatedly moved his left arm into her side of the seat.
The commuter said she tried several times to signal that she was uncomfortable by shifting her body, gesturing at him, and even saying, 'Excuse me.' While the man initially seemed to get the message and responded with what looked like an apologetic gesture, it was not long before he started doing it again.
She said it began to feel as though the man was deliberately trying to make physical contact. Despite making a disapproving 'tsk' sound to express her discomfort, he continued his behaviour.
Hoping to avoid making a scene, she shifted slightly to create some space between them, but instead of backing off, the man leaned in yet again.
'He followed and moved closer to me as well,' she said. 'I was really uncomfortable but unsure what else I could've done in that moment. I eventually moved to another seat and the guy on his other side looked at him, he alighted at that station.'
At the end of her post, the commuter asked other locals, 'Has anyone faced something similar before? What's the best way to handle such behaviour in public transport without escalating the situation too much?' 'If you're able to, say it loudly so that people around can notice it too, and hopefully they will stop.'
In the comments, several Singaporeans who had faced similar situations shared how they responded when it happened to them.
One person recalled experiencing something like this on a bus. At first, they gave the old man the benefit of the doubt, but when the behaviour continued, they called him out loudly so others around could hear.
'I exclaimed loudly 'UNCLE MOVE YOUR HAND',' she wrote. 'If you're able to, say it loudly so that people around can notice it too, and hopefully they will stop. Anything more serious, inform someone else and staff.'
Another shared, 'Had this happen on the train as well. Empty space between me and the guy next to me. Kept slowly moving his hand closer to me across the seat (literally blocking the seat as well).'
'Like most here, don't want to cause unnecessary drama so kept quiet, until he moved it way closer suddenly, 1 cm away from touching me. That's when I loudly said 'hey!' And then the guy finally moved it away.'
A third suggested, 'Take a pic of him and inform the station control. He may try these creepy moves on others who cannot say no.' Where to report harassment
If someone harasses you on the train, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) Singapore advises pressing the Emergency Communication Button, which you'll find beside the train doors. This connects you to the train officer.
Tell them what happened, and make sure to mention the carriage number. It's a four-digit number, usually found above the two-seater near where two train cars are joined.
Read also: 'It's their money': SG dad invests all Baby Bonus & ang bao money for kids' future; aims to give children S$50K each at 25
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
