[jgl]

Originally Posted by Sophienaz

This city has turned me into a rude, sweaty, angry, aggressive nasty b*tch.

Congratulations- you've discovered the best way of dealing with the MTR

Everyone else is rude, unpleasant and self centred on the MTR and politeness doesn't get you anywhere. Actually, that's only one way of looking at it. Another way is that there *are* strong social conventions that people follow on the MTR, but they're just not the ones that are important to you. The two that I can think of that *are* followed are: Nobody eats or drinks (except occasional Westerners). People don't walk on escalators. The announcements about letting people off first are just white noise.

On the upside, the MTR doesn't break down every week, the passengers rarely stink and the system doesn't run at half speed during summertime. Oh, and it's air conditioned. All major advantages over the Tube.

Still, the best way of dealing with the MTR is simple avoidance. Don't travel at peak times. Catch taxis. Live somewhere with convenient pedestrian access.

[pin]

its really swings and roundabouts comparing the tube and the mtr.

pluses of the mtr: a/c, clean, efficient, seems to run on time, can use mobile phone.

negatives of mtr: people walk SO slowly, everyone stands on the escalator and no-one walks, no politeness (i.e. giving up seats), can use mobile phone.

pluses of tube: really extensive network, people much more polite, separate line for walking up the escalator, phones don't work, its called the tube!!

negatives of the tube: it smells, its old, lots of works meaning closed lines etc, no a/c, phones don't work.

at peak time, both tube and mtr are going to be busy, its just the way it is.

[FilipH]

A couple of months ago I was seated in the KCR and was reading a book. A pregnant woman (looked like she is about to give birth any time, must be in 8th or 9th month) was standing next to me. I wasn't paying attention and didn't see her at all, so she probably stood there a while. Of course when i saw her, jumped out and apologized. It is however shocking that nobody else (who saw her before me) bothered to give up a seat though. I do hope it's an isolated case as i think HK people are more civilized then that.

[Claire ex-ax]

Originally Posted by FilipH

I do hope it's an isolated case as i think HK people are more civilized then that.

What you did is more of an isolated case... alas.

[Sigga]

jgl:

"Nobody eats or drinks (except occasional Westerners)."

I regularly see Chinese eating and drinking (even McDonalds) on the MTR, especially kids. Never seen a westerner do the same.

"On the upside, [...] the passengers rarely stink"

Have you ever been on the MTR? In Hong Kong? Have you never dry-retched at the foul stench of 100 unwashed mouths full of twisted, decaying teeth and infected gums?

BO is an issue too, but nothing compared to the death breath and chunky dandruff in evidence.

I prefer the tube, even if it is crappy and old and subject to terror attacks. Somehow the MTR is more stressful, mostly due to passenger behaviour/hygiene and the stupid announcements and notices everywhere.

[aussiegal]

Taking the mtr here turns the most civilised of people into raving lunatics. Of that i have no doubt.

It does not pay to be polite, to edge forward gently or to stare at people if you are pregnant and in need of a seat, until they give it up. In the latter case, you will wait forever. A menacing, don't mess with me look and a bit of elbowing combined with swearing is what I advocate.

I really don't care that the mtr is clean and reliable. I can't get past the fact that far too many people here have no inkling of common decency or how to behave in public. You can't blame it on being a crowded city, there are far more crowded cities out there where you don't get flattened into a corner on the train despite the fact there is plenty of space all around you.

As for the toe nail cutting, that's enough to make me vomit just thinking about it.

[PDLM]

In my experience here, the people who offer seats are:
- helpers
- gweilos
- local schoolchildren from posh schools
- some older Chinese

On the one occasion I saw a working age Chinese person give up a seat he then took a phone call in pure Canadian, so I guess he wasn't local.

[jayinhongkong]

Originally Posted by jgl

Everyone else is rude, unpleasant and self centred on the MTR and politeness doesn't get you anywhere.

*SNIP*

People don't walk on escalators. The announcements about letting people off first are just white noise...

...the passengers rarely stink...

Wow dude, you must live in some strange parallel universe. lol. I walk on the escalators at least 4 days a week and lots of other people do, too, particularly at Admiralty and Central.

I miss NY, where I once got given a nice, cold Heineken on the LIRR and cute girls would come talk to me. Then again, you don't have to worry about being 'ventilated' by 9mm slugs on the train here.

That being said, I know two people (women) who have been assaulted on the MTR by locals and nobody stepped in to help. In both cases, the police said they couldn't do anything as there are no cameras on the train.

I spend up to 14 hours a week on the MTR, and I've realized it is best to be aware of your surroundings. I no longer listen to my MP3 player on the MTR. I've seen and heard of some wild stuff happening on trains over the years, especially in the NYC subway system.

I absolutely love subway systems though. People watching can be so much fun!

[jgl]

Originally Posted by Sigga

"Nobody eats or drinks (except occasional Westerners)."

I regularly see Chinese eating and drinking (even McDonalds) on the MTR, especially kids. Never seen a westerner do the same.

"On the upside, [...] the passengers rarely stink"

Have you ever been on the MTR? In Hong Kong? Have you never dry-retched at the foul stench of 100 unwashed mouths full of twisted, decaying teeth and infected gums?

I have no idea what planet you've been catching the MTR on. I'm glad that it's a different one though.

I agree with the stress and the Tube though. The Tube sucks most abysmally, but there's still something remarkably relaxed about it. It might be slow, smelly and unreliable, but in a soothing kind of way.

[DanielandHayley]

Originally Posted by aussiegal

Taking the mtr here turns the most civilised of people into raving lunatics. Of that i have no doubt.

It does not pay to be polite, to edge forward gently or to stare at people if you are pregnant and in need of a seat, until they give it up. In the latter case, you will wait forever. A menacing, don't mess with me look and a bit of elbowing combined with swearing is what I advocate.

I really don't care that the mtr is clean and reliable. I can't get past the fact that far too many people here have no inkling of common decency or how to behave in public. You can't blame it on being a crowded city, there are far more crowded cities out there where you don't get flattened into a corner on the train despite the fact there is plenty of space all around you.

As for the toe nail cutting, that's enough to make me vomit just thinking about it.

I agree with this totally. The refusal to move away from the doors when there is plenty of space in the carriage really gets to me when you are trying to get on to the bloody train...not going to move? fine, you won't mind if I walk through you then...