I FELT saddened today when I took a train and I saw an old lady standing at the end of the cabin with no one giving up their seat immediately.

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I'm not sure if SMRT will heed your suggestion, but it's a sad scene that happens everyday and hopefully we ourselves can try to put a stop to.

It doesn't just happen to senior citizens, but also those physically not-so-able and parents with infants.

Once I asked a lady if she could give up her priority seat to the father with a two-month old baby in his bare arms, she refused. Thankfully, another lady stood up.

I guess until SMRT does something, we can do our little part by speaking up for these needy people. =)

Good letter from you. Thanks!

Old hunched lady? Why in the first place she should travel alone. Cant she take a cab if it is a one off affair? I have no puty for such people who cause discomfort to others especially youngsters who are actively working and earning. Another case is blind men travelling alone. There is an accident waiting to happen. Pl I request these special people: Have some responsibility; donot take it for granted that you will have the right of way for reasons of courtesy, graciousness, non sense.

You can't expect people to give up their seats "immediately". Would you respond instantly all the time in such situations? I think it's already pretty good when the old lady got her seat as the train started to pull away from the station.

Karen,

By not helping her, aren't you also ignoring her? Also ungracious, you know?

I think the best way is for trains to constantly announce thru intercoms to remind passengers to give up priority seats to those who need most just like the way trains remind commuters to report suspicious baggage or person in the trains.

Surely, this way commuters who are occupying priority seats and refusing to give up seats will be shamed.

It is not the old ladies fault that she has to travel during peak hour. She may be poor and need to work therefore is unable to have the luxury to travel by taxi.

It also sad that the society is not gracious for people wanting to give up their seats but can't blame these working adults as they already are working long hours and are tired.

So the blams should fall on SMRT. Who is a blood sucking company wanting to make record profits every year. They should be ashame of themselve by packing so many people on every trains.

We own a car. thank god we don't have to deal with this problem. Occasionally, we needed to take a crowded MRT train with our two young boys, 1 and 3. Our kids are young, and they refused to stand by us in the crowd. They demanded to be held, and they are heavy. But however burdened we are, no one, not even one seated passenger would pity us and give up their seats to us. Even those on seats earmarked for the needy would give up their seats. to them, we are just invisible. We sometimes had to hold our kids for half or even a whole hour.

This kind of thing probably can happen in Singapore.

Not even those on seats earmarked for the needy would give up their seats.

In certain countries, it is illegal to sit on seats reserved for the needy. One way to deal with our cold-hearted Singaporeans is to do the same.