Bus passenger says commuters who put their feet up should be fined like those who don’t return trays in food centres

SINGAPORE: Unhappy at seeing yet another commuter putting up his feet on the seats opposite him on a bus, one woman wrote that people who do so should be fined in the same way that table litterers or people who don’t clear their crockery and utensils at food centres are made to pay if they are repeat offenders.

Ms Tan Shek Lee posted a photo on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Saturday (April 13) of a man sitting on a bus with his bare feet on the seats across from him. Ironically, his legs were right under a sign that putting up one’s feet this way is prohibited.

She added that this occurred on Bus 328 at past 10:00 pm.

“There should be a fine imposed like the clearing of trays in hawker center. Otherwise people just don’t bother and do as they like. Very unhygienic,” Ms Tan added.

The Independent Singapore has reached out to Ms Tan for further comment.

In May last year, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced that there would be stricter rules for individuals who don’t return their food trays and crockery.

The agencies said that starting from June 1, 2023, at food courts, the following would apply for individuals who fail to return their used trays and crockery: First-time offenders will be issued a written warning, while repeat offenders will be issued fines or charged in court.

“The stepped-up enforcement on table littering from 1 June onwards aims to ensure that the good efforts of the majority who return their used trays and crockery, are not marred by the inconsiderate behaviour of the minority,” reads the joint statement from the NEA and the SFA, which can be found here.

Table littering has been a longtime issue in Singapore, but so has the bad habit of some commuters to place their feet up when using public transport.

A member of the public even wrote to TISG regarding the latter issue. His letter was published on Sunday (Apr 14).

“Why someone intended to do or make such disgusting, inconsiderate, and disrespectful behaviours as propping bare feet up on bus seats or occupying another seat beside one to place their own belongings is worth pondering and is indeed puzzling and worrisome to most public transport commuters.

I am glad that our public transportation system and its standards of cleanliness and maintenance are on par with other advanced economies. Hence, I hope all public transport commuters value the services and feel proud of the infrastructure and network,” he wrote. /TISG

Read also: Letter to the Editor | Why do some Singaporeans put their feet up on bus seats?