There are three things certain about life in Singapore.

Death, taxes, and someone getting into an argument over the priority seating on the MRT.

Here's another one.

This lady took to Facebook to air her grievances about an incident on the MRT, and the story, started to spread on Facebook, has gone viral.

A reader sent us screenshots of both the Facebook post, and the pictures.

Here is the text:

Today I brought my 3 years old daughter went in MRT. This woman sit on reserve seat and mean while my daughter tell me she is tired and wanna sit down (actually is almost her nap time). I asked this woman very politely and gentle: can you give up your seat for my daughter? She replied me :NO!! Why should I give up my seat ? I'm shocking with her replied coz I didn't see she pregnant. I said: but this is reserve seat. She replied me: yes, but this seat is reserve for old folk not for kid. I told her: thank you, this is 1st time I have met people like u. She still can show me her attitude and replied me thank you. After that she turn to her friend and said: nowadays the kids is really problem, so small already demanding! She is very mean and heartless . Her words really hurt me. She can blame my daughter. Then I asked her: then what's the meaning for the picture. I pointing the picture behind her. She said: that is baby, but ur daughter is kid. She already know how to walk y she need the seat. I said: you mean 3 years old kid don't need to sit down inside MRT. She replied me: yes, even my kid I also not allow them to sit inside MRT. after that her friend step in and stand in front of me. The friend said if ur kid tired u should bring ur own stroller, not asked for the seat here. My husband asked her, are u pregnant? This reserve seat should be reserve for someone who need the seat. The friend replied with bad attitude: maybe??!! My gosh, I'm carrying my daughter during the argument but they still can throw this kind of words to me. I told my husband never mind, god will blessing. They told me yayaya, god will blessing but we have different god. Some more they still can said: got kid don't bring out lah, got kid let them sleep at home don't bring out. I'm thinking how this 2 adult and treat a kid in this way???!!! I'm up sad and angry, why sound like my fault to bring my kid out for family day? During the argument, 1 of the old man seem like 60 plus 70 years old wanna to give up his seat to me coz he seeing I'm carrying my daughter with my both hands hence unable to hold on to the handle firmly and stand there throughout without seat. But I refuse to take up the seat coz I know the old man need the seat more than me. I feel shameful for this 2 woman who is able, even the old man can give up his seat to me but they still thinking they are right. My husband took her photo but she keep using her HP to cover her face. She also took down our photo we didn't even want to cover coz we are not in the wrong. This Is really sad and bad experience that a selfish and inconsiderate person exist. They made me feel my fault to asking a seat for my daughter. And some of the people don't understand a 3 years old kid may not want to seat in baby stroller most the time preferring to sit with parent.

[related_story]

The post itself is quite convoluted so we've broken it down into a transcript form so you will have a better sense of what's going on.

Transcript

Mother: (To Woman sitting on MRT seat) Can you give up your seat for my daughter?

Woman: No! Why should I give up my seat?

Mother: But this is reserved seat.

Woman: Yes, but this seat is reserved for old folk not for kid.

Mother: (Probably sarcastically) Thank you, this is 1st time I have met people like you.

Woman: (Probably sarcastically) Thank you.

Woman: (To her friend) Nowadays the kid is really problem, so small already demanding.

Mother: (Hurt) Then what's the meaning behind this. *Points to picture of reserved seats*

Woman: That is baby, but your daughter is kid. She already know to walk, why she need the seat.

Mother: You mean 3 years old kid don't need to sit down inside MRT.

Woman: Yes, even my kid I also not allow them to sit inside MRT.

Father (Mother's husband): Are you pregnant? This reserved seat shoudl be reserved for someone who needs the seat.

Woman's friend: Maybe??

Mother: (To husband) Never mind, God will blessing.

Woman and friend: Yayaya, God will blessing but we have different god. Got kid don't bring out la, got kid let them sleep at home, don't bring out.

*Old man in his 60's offer to give up seat for some reason*

*Woman rejects offer, says he needs it more*

*Father tries to take photo of woman and friend*

*Woman covers face with phone, tries to take photo of the couple with the kid*

The end

Reactions

Online commenters, like weary soldiers trudging their way to well-used barracks, took up position on their side of the argument once again.

One side believed that it was the woman's fault for refusing to give up her seat.

Another felt the mother was too entitled in the way she asked for the seat.

And some felt you shouldn't take pictures and shame other commuters.

Which is a good point.

We might never eradicate a culture of trigger-happy commuters from online shaming someone they deemed to have crossed their moral boundaries, but we can give it a shot.

Here's a template for interactions with people who don't give up their seats to you.

1. Give up the seat

Person who wants the seat (PWWTS): Hey, do you mind giving up the seat to me?

Person on the seat (POTS): Hey, yeah sure thing.

PWWTS: Thanks!

POTS: You're welcome.

End

2. Don't want to give up the seat

PWWTS: Hey, do you mind giving up the seat to me?

POTS: Hey, I'm a bit (Make up some reason), so i kind of need the seat, sorry about that.

PWWTS: Oh cool, I'm a bit disappointed but I understand that people have their own complicated lives and will not always react the way I want them to like some human puppets dancing on strings I control, have a good day.

*Repeat template till you get a seat*

Yeah, that's about it.

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