Ugly Singaporeans - At Hans NLB

[scroobal]

Popped over to NLB, yes the scene of the infamous "Bin Hee Heng bicycle must lock in front of main doors" incident.

Saw couple of students occuppying tables and seats with books sprawled and the ever present 95% finished beverage. 4seaters occupied by 2 students while their bags took space on 2 chairs etc etc etc.

People with food trays moving around looking for space. Hans uncle trying his best to speak to the kids to give up space. Very reluctant.

What can be done? Seems endemic in many places. All locals by the way.

 

[jw5]

Popped over to NLB, yes the scene of the infamous "Bin Hee Heng bicycle must lock in front of main doors" incident.

Saw couple of students occuppying tables and seats with books sprawled and the ever present 95% finished beverage. 4seaters occupied by 2 students while their bags took space on 2 chairs etc etc etc.

People with food trays moving around looking for space. Hans uncle trying his best to speak to the kids to give up space. Very reluctant.

What can be done? Seems endemic in many places. All locals by the way.

Buy a drink.
Go and sit at the 4 seater table occupied by the students.
Wait for their response.
If they tell you that the seat is occupied, ask them where is the person occupying the seat.
If they ask you to sit at another table, tell them that this is a public place and ask them how much they paid to buy or rent the table.
If they say nothing, just enjoy your drink and observe them.

This type of situation happens all the time at public places especially food courts and cafes. Shows what a bunch of inconsiderate brats are being raised.

 

[tonychat]

Popped over to NLB, yes the scene of the infamous "Bin Hee Heng bicycle must lock in front of main doors" incident.

i think you are the only one who remember that. I dun think pple will care of that. Pple go to library is to borrow books, who cares of that little bicycle.

 

[scroobal]

Shows what a bunch of inconsiderate brats are being raised.

Absolutely agree. My temperature was at boiling point. Later I saw the Hans uncle having his meal break and he went to a ledge and ate his meal holding plate with one hand and spoon on the other.

I hope someone or the authorities will work with vendors and the general public to address this. A simple rule banning such things and allowing anyone to remove unattended bags, books, laptops and private possions from tables and chairs.

 

[Ramseth]

I feel that you may be at risk of falling into the call-or-blame-authority psyche. These are small routine social inconveniences or nuisances that we should be able to settle ourselves instead of running and pushing for more and more legislation and regulation.

I'm not suggesting taking laws into own hands or violent means. I've encountered such situations or variants thereof countless times before and doubtlessly will again. Be courteous, firm and reasonable in approach and request, invariably works, sometimes to a greater extent than expected. There were times when I've even made new friends with strangers who initially appear inconsiderate and indifferent.

 

[myfoot123]

Popped over to NLB, yes the scene of the infamous "Bin Hee Heng bicycle must lock in front of main doors" incident.

Saw couple of students occuppying tables and seats with books sprawled and the ever present 95% finished beverage. 4seaters occupied by 2 students while their bags took space on 2 chairs etc etc etc.

People with food trays moving around looking for space. Hans uncle trying his best to speak to the kids to give up space. Very reluctant.

What can be done? Seems endemic in many places. All locals by the way.

If the place is packed with students, don't patronise the shop that allows it. Once their profit plunged, they will take strict actions against student. I wonder which stupid biz owner will want to suffer loss this way.

 

[theblackhole]

this is common everywhere lah...mcdonalds and kfcs nombor one...can't get a seat...and all the foodcourts where schools are found also the same...junction 8 u see all the rafflesians doing the same thing...they chop all the places with their books and bags...and then they talk and talk for hours...you can walk around with your tray like a bloody fool..nobody will give u a damned...this is the new generation of singaporeans we are breeding...fartup attitude and fartup upbringing....and most of all fartup education!!!

 

[angie II]

one word... juz one word KIASU-ISM

 

[scroobal]

I feel that you may be at risk of falling into the call-or-blame-authority psyche. There were times when I've even made new friends with strangers who initially appear inconsiderate and indifferent.

You are living in a dreamworld. If I had a food tray with me or I am at a library but there are tables that are taken up for the wrong reasons, I know exactly what to do. And I don't make friends with imbeciles. You and I know exactly why kind of people we are dealing with.

We have laws because the world will never be inherited by the weak or less forceful. We can't be vigilantes because its hard to draw the line before something becomes excessive. Not everyone will look at Ramseth and cave in with a smile, apologise with sincerity and strike a life long friendship orginating from the inconsiderate act.

This phenomena was rare and now its commonplace. The only people that I know acted quickly was the Civil Aviation Authority.

At Hans, the uncle told 2 young girls to give one table and 2 seats for a caucasian lady holding a tray and a son in tow. They ignored him. He then appealed to them in again. They started to clear one tale but one of the girls did not want to remove her bag from the chair. He had to tell that. During the entire episode, both the girls did not utter a word but just glared.

Any longer and I would have stepped in but not with the intention of forming a life long friendship but more on a lecture. We spent the next half an hour watching the scene and it was no different.

My friend felt that Han was partly to blame as they should have put on more seats. To me thats extra rental as more space will be required and its not fair on a businessman who has to add for the social cost. It might be more prudent to have displayed the sign prohibiting studying at the tables.

Next time, you want to part the red sea, get a grip on reality.

 

[PJ Boy]

Popped over to NLB, yes the scene of the infamous "Bin Hee Heng bicycle must lock in front of main doors" incident.

Saw couple of students occuppying tables and seats with books sprawled and the ever present 95% finished beverage. 4seaters occupied by 2 students while their bags took space on 2 chairs etc etc etc.

People with food trays moving around looking for space. Hans uncle trying his best to speak to the kids to give up space. Very reluctant.

What can be done? Seems endemic in many places. All locals by the way.

timid sinkees should eat their food standing up. what's wrong wif demanding that the students remove their books, failing which simply throw the books on the floor.

but then again sinkees enjoy being f88ked.

 

[scroobal]

If the place is packed with students, don't patronise the shop that allows it. Once their profit plunged, they will take strict actions against student. I wonder which stupid biz owner will want to suffer loss this way.

About 3 years ago, I dropped by Marine Parade Library as they had one particular book. There was small deli on the ground floor and they seats and sofa for a few people. Half of it was taken up by school girls doing their school work. I could see clearly, potential customers coming and walking away when they could not find space. The counter was manned by 2 staff.

Then I saw the owner, a middle aged chap, come in and he started to speak to students and they took up less space.

He then left. It became pretty obvious that staff find it difficult to contain the situation and as their salary is fixed are not motivated to do anything extra.

The problem is not isolated and I think most of us do the same thing, we walk away and don't patronise it.

I just don't think that we can carry on in this manner. It has come to a situation where society has to act.

 

[kitkat]

they chop all the places with their books and bags

Would charging for the use of tables solve the problem? 50 cents for half an hour, which is good enough to finish that burger or char kway teow.

 

[scroobal]

this is common everywhere lah...mcdonalds and kfcs nombor one...can't get a seat...and all the foodcourts where schools are found also the same...junction 8 u see all the rafflesians doing the same thing...they chop all the places with their books and bags...and then they talk and talk for hours...you can walk around with your tray like a bloody fool..nobody will give u a damned...this is the new generation of singaporeans we are breeding...fartup attitude and fartup upbringing....and most of all fartup education!!!

Agree bro, it has spread like wildfire. Its just unbelievable. Never anything like this anywhere else in the world.

 

[scroobal]

Would charging for the use of tables solve the problem? 50 cents for half an hour, which is good enough to finish that burger or char kway teow.

I would start with a simple sign prohibiting studying. Charging would not be taken kindly by genuine customers.

 

[kitkat]

I would start with a simple sign prohibiting studying. Charging would not be taken kindly by genuine customers

Something like that?

 

[kitkat]

Or maybe a fancy sign like that:

 

[Ramseth]

You are living in a dreamworld. If I had a food tray with me or I am at a library but there are tables that are taken up for the wrong reasons, I know exactly what to do. And I don't make friends with imbeciles. You and I know exactly why kind of people we are dealing with.

We have laws because the world will never be inherited by the weak or less forceful. We can't be vigilantes because its hard to draw the line before something becomes excessive. Not everyone will look at Ramseth and cave in with a smile, apologise with sincerity and strike a life long friendship orginating from the inconsiderate act.

Put that way, I get a clearer picture now. For me, there're 2 ways to choose from, after sizing up the establishment and the antagonists.

1. Try to reason and charm your way into them acquiescing.
2. Go eat somewhere else.

Or course, exercising 1. entails a possibility of failure. Be prepared for that when you first order your food. Accept the fact that you're eating alone in a self-service establishment. You should've known better, size up vacant seats availability and queuing time before you decide to eat here and order your food. Also accept and respect the fact that they came first. There shouldn't be any mentality of who's caving in to who.

At Hans, the uncle told 2 young girls to give one table and 2 seats for a caucasian lady holding a tray and a son in tow. They ignored him. He then appealed to them in again. They started to clear one tale but one of the girls did not want to remove her bag from the chair. He had to tell that. During the entire episode, both the girls did not utter a word but just glared.

Any longer and I would have stepped in but not with the intention of forming a life long friendship but more on a lecture. We spent the next half an hour watching the scene and it was no different.

I don't know about you and others, but girls and students are some of the easiest I can convince to spare some space for me. The other group are coffeeshop loiterers and gangsters. No anger required. Just smile and ask.

Next time, you want to part the red sea, get a grip on reality.

If I try to part the red sea, I'd lose grip on reality. I prefer to get a boat.

 

[myfoot123]

I just don't think that we can carry on in this manner. It has come to a situation where society has to act.

I believe partly also pigeon hole were built smaller and students find it uncomfortable to study at home, warm and humid.

 

[jw5]

I feel that you may be at risk of falling into the call-or-blame-authority psyche. These are small routine social inconveniences or nuisances that we should be able to settle ourselves instead of running and pushing for more and more legislation and regulation.

I'm not suggesting taking laws into own hands or violent means. I've encountered such situations or variants thereof countless times before and doubtlessly will again. Be courteous, firm and reasonable in approach and request, invariably works, sometimes to a greater extent than expected. There were times when I've even made new friends with strangers who initially appear inconsiderate and indifferent.

I agree that we should try to settle it in a courteous and civil manner.
But if the other party doesn't respond likewise, I won't think twice about alerting somebody with authority or even handling the matter in a rude and uncivilised manner.
Some of the young spoilt brats have reached the point where due to bad upbringing, they think the world owes them and they have no need to show consideration to anyone.
Hopefully, they won't encounter me.

 

[jw5]

If the place is packed with students, don't patronise the shop that allows it. Once their profit plunged, they will take strict actions against student. I wonder which stupid biz owner will want to suffer loss this way.

You should inform the manager or the most senior person running the outlet first that you are walking out, and then proceed to do so.