‘This seat is for seniors only’: Woman says she was confronted over reserved seat in MRT

SINGAPORE: A commuter in her 20s has vented online after an elderly woman allegedly confronted her for sitting in a reserved seat and repeatedly insisted it was “for seniors only.”

Posting on the r/SMRTRabak forum on Friday (April 24), the commuter said she had just finished a shift that left her “physically and mentally” drained. She added that she had gone more than eight hours without food, water, or even a bathroom break, and shared that she has a “heart condition” that makes long days especially difficult.

According to her account, she boarded the train at Botanic Gardens station and took an empty reserved seat, hoping to rest and catch a short nap. However, she said an elderly woman approached her almost immediately.

“She swooped in, tapped my shoulder, and repeatedly said, ‘This seat is for seniors only.’ She kept pointing at the sticker even after she sat down and kept talking as if her mother bought her birthright to the seat,” the commuter said.

Too drained to argue, she stayed silent and gave up the seat, adding that she did not mention her medical condition, as she did not want to “attract attention.”

“I was tired and I just wanted to zone out. This seat is not only for seniors,” she said.

“I wish you had continued sitting for your health’s sake.”

In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor argued that the commuter was at fault for not informing the elderly woman about her condition. They said that she should not have gotten up if she was going to complain afterwards.

“You got up, and now you’re complaining. And took a photo and ranted. You could’ve chosen not to get up at all.”

Another user wrote that it was “possible” the elderly woman was just as exhausted as she was.

“How about the possibility that maybe this woman also woke up at 5 a.m. and is as exhausted as you are? Have you ruled out the possibility that she, too, has an invisible disability?” they said. “Chill, just chill. If that woman is very entitled, it’s on her. If she really is unwell, then it’s her having a struggle as much as yours. You already gave her the seat; try not to let yourself stew and stress over it.”

A third commented, “Am I to understand that your younger self does not understand that an elder version of you has had your day many more times over? If you’re tired at 20, imagine 60 or more.”

A fourth added, “Unpopular opinion: all the seats are reserved for the elderly. Whether the old person is rude, entitled, or curses you out doesn’t negate the fact that younger people should be offering their seat up.”

Others, however, sided with the commuter, saying that some elderly people are becoming too entitled nowadays.

One user remarked, “A lot of the older generation is like that; they don’t see people with invisible disabilities. Most of them are entitled, thinking the reserved seats are for them and them only.”

Another said, “The moment someone tells you, ‘This seat is for seniors only,’ the correct course of action is to simply ignore that person.”

A third commented, “You paid the fare equally like anyone else. You’re entitled to seats on the train. I wish you had continued sitting for your health’s sake. If it makes you feel better, good karma will find you; give it some time.”

In other news, an early childhood educator took to Reddit to share their frustration over a strict new workplace rule that requires staff to surrender their personal devices during working hours.

In a post on the r/singaporejobs forum, the educator said they have been in the field for about five to six years and have never encountered a policy this restrictive before.

Read more: ‘We have to surrender our phones at work’: Early childhood educator shocked by strict new policy