Hong Kong is one of the most heavily populated regions of the world. The presence of Mass Transit Railway (MTR) has made it easier for people to commute from one place to the other. But with everyone, from locals to tourists, resorting to MTRs, one tends to meet all kinds of people when traveling in it.
Here is a list of 10 types of MTR passengers you are most likely to meet daily:
- The Pole Hoggers- The pole hoggers have an unfathomable love for the poles, they just don’t cling to it for support, they cling to it in a way that no one else can lay their hands on it. Their motto is: the rest of you might lookout for new ways to keep your balance or just keep falling on each other; I don’t care; there’s just no way I’m sharing my pole with anyone! Possessive much?!
- The loud ones- There’s no denying the irritation these kinds of travelers can cause you. They’ll talk on the phone, testing the limits of their vocal cords, and play candy crush in full volume. If you’re getting irritated, well that’s your problem, not theirs!
- The unprepared ones- They’re the ones who’ll be searching for their cards when they are at the turnstiles with a long queue waiting impatiently secretly wishing to just push them out of the line.
- The runners- All that the runners see is their destination. Once they have their eyes set, they will just run past everything that comes in their way, pushing people, bumping into them, knocking them over. They couldn’t care less.
- The baggage bearers- Now these are the ones who get on your nerves! With their oversized suitcases and travel bags, they take up the space of not less than four people around them, whether they are on the train or the platform.
- The “Fragrant” ones- You could even manage to be beside someone with king-size travel bags against someone with body odor. Hard to put into words how “aromatic” this experience is for someone unfortunate enough to have such a neighbor. Do yourself a favor and sniff around, taking notes of the smell of people. Steer clear of any smell that offends your nose.
- The Seat Warriors- The topmost thing on the to-do list of the seat warriors is to hunt for a seat and fight till they “own” it for the rest of their journey. They’re sneaky, they’re strategic, and there will be blood if that is what it takes.
- The door blockers- These people fill up the little gap left between you and the door like vacuum. Just when your station is about to come, and you have struggled your way, somehow, to the door, these door blockers will squeeze in and claim it first.
- The personal space killers- These people are probably the worst of all. With no respect for modesty or personal space, as long as they can see an inch of space, they’ll be there in a blink, not worrying about leaning against a total stranger. Don’t think you don’t have to worry about them on empty trains. They’re named personal space killers for a reason.
- The overseas ones- The tourists are new to MTRs and know nothing about the speed of it. With their luggage on the side and the MTR map in the hands trying to figure out the direction in which they are headed, they can bump into you any minute. Stay away if you’re not in the mood of getting knocked into.