MRT experience

Been using public transport as the means of getting to my campus located at Clementi since 23th June. Time spent on commuting is as long as my every day's 3hr lecture, leaving house at 0830 just to reach SIM Campus 5-10mins before 1000. Remember during my NS time, i need to go to Clementi Camp for course, while that time i was fetch there by my father, time required? less then 45min! That's almost the same amount of time i spent on MRT!!

Due to the long time spent on the train, there are some trades you can pick up..

Take note of the arrival timing of the next train. Why? If your station is at Simei/Tampines and the next train is coming within 3mins and the train now is packed like sardine. Why not just chill and wait for the 3mins and board the next train.. Some might think that the next 3mins train will be as pack. But not exactly.. within 3 mins how many passengers can Tampines and Pasir Ris pick up by the time they reach Simei. Whereas if you continue to board the 'sardine can', for the next few stops till City Hall and Raffles Place, you will be compressed even more as more people will try to squeeze in at the neighbourhood stops and very little people will alight on them.

Another thing to survive well on the train is to MOVE IN, STAND IN THE MIDDLE, unless you are alighting soon. Why? The area after entering the train is of high traffic flow. Every time people want to alight or board a sardine cabin, they will squeeze their way through, no matter where you stand you will have to shift/push around. Lastly when a seated passenger is alighting, the chances of you getting a 'warm seat' is high. (remember to pat the seat damn hard! when Wilson is with you, so then he will be pissed! haha!) Remember to give seat to your elderly, pregnant and handicap passengers

After 1 week of MRT rides, noticed that the pack-ness of the cabin forces everyone to 'move in voluntarily' hopefully this can teach commuters to move in instinctively. However, there are few more of improvement i hope to see in the future. ('near future' may not seems to be the word to use in Singapore haha!)

1) Noticed that the Flat screen TV is only installed at the middle of the platform and almost every time i look at it, its either telling us to be vigilance to terrorists threat or latest movie coming-up. Would prefer the ETA of the trains to have more air time on the screen..

2) Experience train ride in Taiwan once, noticed they installed fencing along the platform to prevent people from falling into the track. Currently our open-air platform still lack of this safety features. If you want to die, all you need to do is jump off the platform when the train is arriving.

Lastly, before i end off this post, i would like to comment on the 2-3min time interval between trains during peak hour, which really helps smoothen the human traffic. Hopefully the MRT had consider the time interval needed to each stations, so wouldn't end up with bull-whip effect as the trains get held up on certain stations. Remember sometimes, we might encounter a pause of the train in the middle of nowhere? Hence next time when the doors of the cabin is closing, don't rush to board anymore, thou we know that the door will automatic open when it senses impact, but it will affect the train's transition time on the platform.

Public commuter
C Cube