Youth smokes on the bus, says he can afford fine because of “stable income”

Singapore – What may have started out as a dare now sparked criticisms from netizens with underlying concerns for such actions being brought to light.

On December 6, an eight-second video was posted on the Instagram account @kidsofsingapore showing a young man sitting on the second level of a bus, lighting a cigarette, taking a puff and blowing out the smoke.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrAM5bVBpad/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=17wbe25dpyycb

The Instagram account mentioned has a profile that states “[Direct Message] me if you would like to share vids” indicating this to be a public source of trends and current events among the youth. However, it is unclear if the young man had submitted the clip himself.

Since Thursday, the video has gotten more than 3,000 views with netizens criticising and discouraging his behaviour.

User @x.fiqq then commented on the Instagram post and identified himself as the star of the short film. He tried justifying that the video was merely a dare meant to win him a pack of cigarettes.

One netizen scolded @x.fiqq for being “pathetic” and “uncool” and told him to “do something better lah like go study, exercise or do something that will benefit him”. The same netizen continued by saying that there is a fine for the smoking violation that the youth committed and sarcastically added that he will surely get the money from his parents.

The reply of user @x.fiqq was in agreement with the facts mentioned by the netizen except for one. He said, “I will be able to pay off the fine on my own as I’m having a stable income”.

This occurrence is not something new to recent events. Similar actions from teenagers who smoked at the back of a public bus were also uploaded on Instagram not too long ago.

It would seem that nowadays, there is a constant supply of young people who have nothing better to do with their time and would rather push boundaries and break laws while trying to get away with it. Afterward, a sense of entitlement would arise if they are criticised for such actions.

Smoking is prohibited on public buses and violators are liable to a fine of 200 SGD if caught smoking or up to 1,000 SGD if convicted in court.