Manners make the metro

• Source: Global Times
• [10:24 June 03 2010]
• Comments

Illustrations: Cao Zhiyi

By Karen Tye

Shanghai never ceases to amaze me.

My most recent spate of jaw dropping experiences relate to the metro, which we all know can be hazardous to one's physical and mental health, especially during rush hour.

The cars can get so packed that everyone is jammed in like sardines in a can, providing the perfect opportunity to be sneezed and coughed on, or pick-pocketed while others watch on, indifferent, so long as it's not happening to them.

Sticking to the fish analogy, it's even more dangerous and exasperating when people spill out like tuna being released from a commercial net, and then sprint to the escalator, clogging both of its lanes and preventing pedestrian traffic from passing.

While most Westerners appreciate the concept of personal space and not being constantly bumped to the left, shoved to the right, it's a free-for-all when it comes to catching the metro.

Disembarking can be a hassle as many people still have not mastered the concept waiting for passengers to leave before boarding. And what's with the guys who decide to position themselves right in front of the door, forcing disembarking passengers to shove their way past?

However, and I emphasize however, I have witnessed several heartwarming scenes on the metro that make me believe not all is lost for Shanghai's most convenient form of public transportation.

I am most impressed by the kindness of commuters, in general, to the elderly. I routinely see people give up their seats in a flash to older passengers, and these are the same able-bodied people that dash to get a seat as if the music stopped while they were playing musical chairs.

Of course, filial piety is as deep-seated as chopsticks in Chinese culture, but with the metro serving as a backdrop, such respect and kindness is quite startling. In this regard, I would like to say to all you Shanghai metro commuters, keep up the good work!

This small act of courtesy, coupled with other positives such as being cheap, convenient, clean (especially smoke-free), and efficient, means that the metro still has my vote as the best mode of transportation in a city of more than 19 million people.