Just read an article on Stomp, sent in by a wheelchair user who wanted to let everyone know that he’s pleased with the wheelchair accessible SBS bus (link). He commented about how commuters should not stand too close to the designated wheelchair space on the bus especially during peak hours as it would cause difficulty for such users when they are alighting the bus.

The comments left by some Stompers appalled me:

“Even if I am wheelchair bound, I will not ask people to give way to me during PEAK hours cos I am a reasonable guy.”

Here’s one accusing the wheelchair bound guy of being an attention seeker:

“attention seeker. wakekeke u look more like a chee ko peh hahaha”

And here’s one that is totally disgusting:

“Peak hours and you are still inconveniencing ppl.”

It seems that the majority of commenters had nothing positive to say.

On the surface, this may appear to be a small matter. However, this reflects a serious underlying problem in our society – the mindset of many Singaporeans – selfish, unsympathetic and discriminating.

This would never happen in Canada – at least, people would not be so daring as to make such statements in public, even if they do privately think that wheelchair users are obstructing ‘normal’ bus commuters. There, wheelchair users make use of public transportation all the time.

Here in Singapore, I am sure if a wheelchair user wants to get on a bus, even during off-peak hours, many commuters would be unhappy about the couple minutes of delay in their journey to accommodate the wheelchair user getting on and alighting.

Furthermore, as I have mentioned in my previous posts comparing Singapore to Canada, the number of buses equipped for wheelchair users are so pathetically few, wheelchair users must be really patient to wait for an equipped bus to come along even if they want to use it. I feel that it is only ‘for-show’… an accessible public transport system requires several conditions to become viable: a larger percentage of buses to be adequately equipped, commuters to cooperate (how to achieve this with the typical Singapore attitudes?), as well as accessible pavements and bus stops.

What’s the use of having wheelchair accessible buses when our society lacks the moral support for handicapped people? Perhaps some readers would disagree with me, saying that many Singaporeans donate to charities.

Well, I think having a general population that is willing to donate to charity but who cannot empathize with handicapped people in their day-to-day lives is a thing we should be ashamed about – it only brings out the hypocrites in this segment of Singaporeans. Throwing money around is the easiest and most visible way for these people to show off how ‘generous’ and ‘empathetic’ they are.

Is this the kind of people Singapore is producing with its ‘world-class’ education system? What happened to basic courtesy, respect for others, morals and empathy?

This is not the kind of place I want my future generations to live in. I feel very ashamed about being a Singaporean.

Related posts (auto generated):

1. Land transport reforms in Singapore – at last
2. Are Singaporeans apathetic?
3. Locals in a foreign land… (Day 4 in Vancouver)