putting my PR to use

[D100S]

wa you get so worked up for what? all i said was she was being bitchy in the way she acted. you react like you kena stab.

Worked up? No... Not yet. Not worth it. Kena stab where got time to react, just bleed to death... Just that I don't understand why must there be analysis of what people say in here. Unless I am pouring a load of you know what.
In any case, leave it.

 

[garou12]

Worked up? No... Not yet. Not worth it. Kena stab where got time to react, just bleed to death... Just that I don't understand why must there be analysis of what people say in here. Unless I am pouring a load of you know what.
In any case, leave it.

eh you told an anecdote i read it and said what i got from the story. no one is putting you down or anything and you seem to be overreacting like i personally attacked you.

 

[geeteethree]

Im an expat myself
In that expats home country, America, Australia if anyone reserved a seat with bags their bags would be stolen! It is ok if a person reserves a table but bags on a seat is something that we dont see much in our home countries.
He couldve been a dickhead expat who does think he is better then any one else, there is many of them around, but this incident isnt one that shows that he is
It couldve been another expats bags and he wouldve said the same thing
just think bout it before you go and criticize another person for doing something that in his home country would never happen

 

[CYRN]

I frequently eat out alone, so let me share my POV.

Firstly, let me make my stand. It's my normal sequence/process that I find a seat first BEFORE ordering my food. No difference even when I'm eating out with someone else, when either would reserve the table while the other buys in turn.

So, I'll "reserve" my space with an identifiable item of little value but of bigger volume (like my empty bag) before joining the queue to order food. I've already a planned response, whoever tries to remove my bag, I'll shout "theft" across the foodcourt if I need to, of course reaction must be fast enough to shout while whoever is still holding my bag. And if that person insist to be like the guy TS mentioned, I'll let it pass first, simply order something with soup and go back to my "reserved" seat and argue/tell him to eat faster as he's seating on my seat and my food is getting cold (basically just irritate him just as he have irritated me)... hopefully no hot soup incident will happen. (hand very tired carrying tray and bag mah) :devil:

Luckly, so far it only happens once and when I confronted that person, he let me have my seat back as I argued, "I too have waited for a seat to be available and not jumped queue or whatever".

 

[CYRN]

In that expats home country, America, Australia if anyone reserved a seat with bags their bags would be stolen! It is ok if a person reserves a table but bags on a seat is something that we dont see much in our home countries.

Agreed, but luckly I don't eat alone when I'm overseas. :sweat:

Difference in culture I guess.

 

[ortega]

let me remind you people that racially rude remarks of any kind will not be tolerated

in fact rude remarks will also not be tolerated

 

[ortega]

Worked up? No... Not yet. Not worth it. Kena stab where got time to react, just bleed to death... Just that I don't understand why must there be analysis of what people say in here. Unless I am pouring a load of you know what.
In any case, leave it.

it is an open forum and anything you post will normally get a reply or analysis

 

[garou12]

Im an expat myself
In that expats home country, America, Australia if anyone reserved a seat with bags their bags would be stolen! It is ok if a person reserves a table but bags on a seat is something that we dont see much in our home countries.
He couldve been a dickhead expat who does think he is better then any one else, there is many of them around, but this incident isnt one that shows that he is
It couldve been another expats bags and he wouldve said the same thing
just think bout it before you go and criticize another person for doing something that in his home country would never happen

yes indeed one bad apple spoiling it for the rest.

 

[mutabor]

I frequently eat out alone, so let me share my POV.

.....he's seating on my seat and my food is getting cold (basically just irritate him just as he have irritated me)... hopefully no hot soup incident will happen. (hand very tired carrying tray and bag mah) :devil:

Luckly, so far it only happens once and when I confronted that person, he let me have my seat back as I argued, "I too have waited for a seat to be available and not jumped queue or whatever".

Wow you are such a dick. I wish you would try your tactic on me and see what would happen. :thumbsd:

 

[CYRN]

Wow you are such a dick. I wish you would try your tactic on me and see what would happen. :thumbsd:

This looks like survivor kopitiam... :bsmilie:

If you've understood what I've written... it's an ACCEPTABLE practice to reserve seats! The dick is the one whom tries to remove the reservation.

 

[mutabor]

This looks like survivor kopitiam... :bsmilie:
If you've understood what I've written... it's an ACCEPTABLE practice to reserve seats! The dick is the one whom tries to remove the reservation.

It's only ACCEPTABLE by the people who do such reservations. Personally I would never do such thing. But a lot of Singaporeans just care about their own needs and don't give a damn about others.

Anyway, this discussion won't lead anywhere, I've finished arguing

 

[Gunbucker]

Guys, chill!

It's basically a case of local and global social norms.

When an argument does erupt, there really is no law that allows public seats to be reserved. This is the same message we're trying to teach our young in the school libraries, that you can't "chope" or reserve a seat in the school library using your books.

Typically, expats who have been briefed before hand will try to "understand" this peculiar social norm that he/she won't find in any part of the world, except in cafeterias of prisons/high-schools (where gang/bully activities reign), and in, well, Singapore.

But of course there will always be a p*ssed off expat caught on a very bad day, who needless to say has been sick and tired of this public property reservation scheme. That's when things get ugly. Sadly, both are correct in different ways. The expat is correct to claim the empty seat as this is a PUBLIC seat where no law exists about reserving them. The person who reserved it with a tissue/bag/newspaper/you-name-it is also, ermmm, kinda correct, as it is a social NORM that he/she has been surrounded with. It's a case of NURTURE, good/bad upbringing, or whatever you call it.

So I just hope everyone will play nice, and try to understand. We'll have a better world to live on (ooohhh, that just sounds so cheesy, haha!)

 

[ricohflex]

OT a bit.

......
We approached them and asked if the seats were taken, they replied damn fast and emphatically, "YES!". So we hung around and eventually got our seats, ordered and finished our food and guess what, the 2 cunties were finishing their food and going off and no one took the two empty seats.

......

erm.... that was some OT.
This may be what some people call a Freudian Slip.
It revealed what was really on your mind. Well maybe just an innocent typo.

 

[azul123]

The person who reserved it with a tissue/bag/newspaper/you-name-it is also, ermmm, kinda correct, as it is a social NORM that he/she has been surrounded with.

It doesn't mean that something deem as acceptable social norm is considered the right way to do things... imagine a few years ago (less than decade) there are people who would spit anywhere without a care, there was a campaign even IIRC. Fortunately, these things are now a rarity, well... at least I don't see it happening as often as before.

Depriving others from having a seat to start their meal is so unproductive... how long does one queue to get food? 5-7mins? that is about the same time someone could have eaten and left.

I think there is nothing to be proud about if you are one of those who reserves your seat in advance or should I say deprive others of a seat for their meal.

P.S. Not directing this a Gunbucker, as your post is very reasonable.

../azul123

 

[azul123]

erm.... that was some OT.
This may be what some people call a Freudian Slip.
It revealed what was really on your mind. Well maybe just an innocent typo.

With that kind of selfishness, it is well deserving for those 2 "aunties". :bsmilie:

../azul123

 

[terryansimon]

I admit, I'm guilty of reserving seats with my bag when I'm dining alone at times. however, and these are done not as an atonement for my "sin", but I try to share my seat/table with as many people as possible, and also try to clear my meal as quickly as possible so that I do not deprieve someone else of a seat. I've also noticed that 9 out of 10 times it would be with a table that already has someone else occupying it, and I would try to tell them to hold the seat for me whilst I quickly make my way to order my food.

but I notice that I do not do such stuff once I'm overseas. maybe because of the whole "if I left my bag on the table, I wouldn't expect to see it ever again when I turn my back to it" mentality.

*shrugs*

 

[LittleWolf]

but I notice that I do not do such stuff once I'm overseas. maybe because of the whole "if I left my bag on the table, I wouldn't expect to see it ever again when I turn my back to it" mentality.

Depending on where you go, your bag may get removed and blown up by police because it might contain a bomb. Unattended luggage in crowded places = big no-no, even in Singapore.

 

[terryansimon]

Depending on where you go, your bag may get removed and blown up by police because it might contain a bomb. Unattended luggage in crowded places = big no-no, even in Singapore.

meh. odds of that occurring is very very VERY low as opposed to your bag being stolen and dumped into some convenient trash can after being rummaged through for precious material.

but yeah, I get so paranoid nowadays that I actually turn around every few seconds to see if the bag is still there. :sweatsm:

 

[aErOpLaNe]

ang moh power! yeah!

ok seriously, screw the expat (ang moh?). it's his stupidity that he bought food first then find a seat. it's his stupidity that he thought we singaporeans are easy prey. it's his stupidity to argue with hawaiisg bro (aloha!).

why we chope seats with tissue paper? has anyone thought of that? i do not think that it stems from selfishness, but rather it stems from typical singaporean pragmatism. everyone wants to enjoy hot food. we wouldn't want our food to turn cold while waiting for a seat. also, the risk of someone losing control of the tray (and worse spilling the food onto someone else) while waiting for a seat can be disastrous. so our culture of choping seats with tissue paper packets and umbrellas etc etc has evolved from pragmatism.

and to that expat / FTrash, you can go sod off.

 

[theonlyone]

Depriving others from having a seat to start their meal is so unproductive... how long does one queue to get food? 5-7mins? that is about the same time someone could have eaten and left.

../azul123

There will be no time wasted if everyone get a seat first before they go and buy their food. It is the same if everyone buy their food first then get a seat. You either wait before you buy or you wait after you buy.

There are pros and cons for both systems.

Pros for getting seat first
1) For a group of people, it is easier for them to sit together.
2) You can eat while your food is hot. No need to wait for a seat.
3) No need to move about with hold soup. No need to practise balancing.

Pros for getting food first
1) If alone, you don't have to worry about your things used to reserve the seat being taken away.
2) In groups, the group will leave faster since they can't sit together and chat.
3) It will be slightly faster because you'll grab the nearest available seat.

There is no right or wrong. But if the majority practised seat reservation, it should be fair that everyone follows. Else those who just take away the reserved seat will be akin to queue cutting since the one who reserved the seat probably waited for it to become available.