So LTA just released this video explaining what’s gonna happen to the MRTs in the next few years.

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Bet you didn’t finish. Because short attention span, and the fact that only a rare percentage of people in this day and age can delay gratification long enough to watch a video that’s longer than 60 seconds. If you did, bet you came away enlightened.

But it’s okay, we did the hard work and here’s what it says in a nutshell:

- Singapore is upgrading its 30-year-old ‘fixed block’ signalling system on the North-South, East-West line to a more advanced one - a Moving Block System, like the ones used in London and Taipei. Remember when you upgraded from Windows 98 to XP? Same idea.

- This will allow trains to run closer to each other. For you and me, this means 20% more capacity, thereby potentially cutting waiting time from 120 to 100 seconds during peak hours.

- There is a bunch of engineers who gets only three hours per night (after service hours) to work on the massive upgrades – 54 MRT stations and 95 km of tracks – to minimise inconveniences to commuters.

- During the upgrading period, these engineers are also busy fitting the existing 141 trains with new signalling equipment and testing the system to make sure it works well.

- With bi-directional operations in place, trains will be able to avoid faulty tracks and continue operating on another track when upgrade is complete.

- Based on the experience of other cities where the Moving Block system has also been installed, the new system may encounter problems when introduced but it will stabilise in a couple of months. #teethingproblems

Of course, the Internet is a harsh and cruel place. And the people at LTA probably too busy fighting fires so we want to give them heads-up on who and what to expect.

With that in mind, we decided to give them an idea of who and what to expect (including poor grammar).

1. The “no wastage” folks

If your T-shirt gets too small after 30 years, does it mean you keep wearing the same T-shirt instead of getting a new one?

2. People who rather bear with the status quo, rather than the inconvenience of upgrading

Wah lao, let’s say the toilet in your home is always clogged. Then don’t change it? Ask your family members not to use the toilet? Tell people not to visit your home coz fewer people, fewer problems? Cannot be right.

3. People who think the changes are instantaneous

We also want. But these things take time. We want fast-fast also cannot. Sometimes to go forward you must go backwards.

4. People who hold Singapore in very high regard

Because Singapore is best at everything and there is no country worthy of comparison. So don’t even bother.

5. People who think Singapore’s heyday is over

Because everything that was great ever happened when LKY was Prime Minister. Like the Olympic Gold Medal we won. And when we beat SARS.

6. Hindsight 20/20 guy

Eh the year was 1987 when we introduced our MRT bro. The Moving Block is quite a new technology leh.

7. The guy who hates anyone who works in media

Isn’t it better you kinda get an idea of what’s happening. I, for one, think it’s great – I’m going to cycle to work until this MRT thing has been upgraded.

8. The guy who’s big on safety

Probably the same person who wrote about sewing on the train.

9. The people who can’t agree on things

True that. At least someone out there cares.

Because people still need to take train in the morning right? Any longer than 3 hours can lead to more delays during the morning rush hour. You think fix train so easy?

10. Mr Positive or is it Mr Sarcastic?

Sincere or just a mega troll? We’ll never know.

11. Just about anyone

We also say. This signalling works confirm quite expensive.

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It’s only natural that people want to voice their opinions, but before you keyboard warrior shoot a comment, consider these:

a) Unless you’re a spiritual expert from Malaysia, your comment won’t help the upgrades go any faster.

b) Sometimes to go forward, you must go backwards. Just compare the BTO system of yesterday with the one we have today.

That said, the Internet is a harsh and cruel place. And no one can do anything. Not even the government. The only thing left to do?

And be entertained:

This sponsored post by the Land Transport Authority fuels Mothership’s writers who also read Internet comments during our morning and evening MRT rides.