Mtr

I'm Cantonese with ROA in HK but born and bought up in Hertford, England. My wife is a Hong Konger and our first child was born in Hong Kong last march.

In England, people most of the time will give up their seat if they see a pregnant woman. They will also help you carry your bag/pushchair up/down stairs if they see you're having difficulty, I certainly would. However, when my wife was pregnant in HK, not once did someone give up their seat for her on the MTR even though she was quite obviously heavily pregnant. We travelled on the MTR quite frequently because it's very clean and spacious compared to our dreadful "tube" network in the UK. Just a shame Chinese Hong Kongers are so selfish in not giving up their seats to the old and pregnant.
 
I think it's ridiculous how NO WHERE in Hong Kong has automatic doors, just about!! Most of the malls have those REALLY HEAVY doors. Sometimes I see old people really struggling just to get inside because the doors are so heavy!! I know that's slightly off topic - but generally EVERY mall in Australia will have an automatic door entrance at EVERY entrance!!
 
I've lived in Hong Kong for 3 months and one of my early observations is that there is a distinct "every man for himself" attitude. It seems that manners, kindness and consideration rarely come in to play...if you're pregnant or with a small child on the MTR and don't manage to get a seat then it's considered your own fault for not being quick enough! It's not an attractive attitude and makes me feel sad and disappointed (especially when I see young and fit people glued to their seats). There are many busy and stressful cities in this world where fellow residents are quite happy to hold open doors and give up their seats to those in need so why is Hong Kong so different?
 
PregnantHK said:
I've lived in Hong Kong for 3 months and one of my early observations is that there is a distinct "every man for himself" attitude. It seems that manners, kindness and consideration rarely come in to play...if you're pregnant or with a small child on the MTR and don't manage to get a seat then it's considered your own fault for not being quick enough! It's not an attractive attitude and makes me feel sad and disappointed (especially when I see young and fit people glued to their seats). There are many busy and stressful cities in this world where fellow residents are quite happy to hold open doors and give up their seats to those in need so why is Hong Kong so different?
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Hi PregnantHK,

Thanks for articulating what I'm thinking. It is sad. I don't think it's fair to say "Oh, it's just HK and it's just like every other big city" because that is simply not true. I've experienced more simple courtesy extended to me in Mainland Chinese cities that don't have a good record with hygiene even (spitting, throwing trash everywhere). No, I don't think there is a good excuse for just not caring about anyone but yourself and that attitude is prevalent in this city.
 
Yep I agree that the majority of people on MTR, KCR and on the buses DO NOT offer their seats to the needy. I have been pregnant twice and I can count on my 10 fingers the number of times that I have been offered seats - I commute everyday from Mon-Fri to and from work. I remembered standing with 2 other heavily pregnant women and not one person offered their seats to us. I cannot blame that all chinese people are like this - english people are alike too.

The saddest thing is that I've noticed quite a lot of seated passengers quickly close their eyes as soon as I look at them when I was pregnant.

Agree with nicolejoy on the heavy doors too. Pushing a stroller is quite difficult. I remembered people passing through the doors when I was carry my baby and opening the door myself. Some of them even bumped into me when slipping through and never apologize. Real cheek of them - shouldn't they have let me pass through first - seems HK people are all in a rush!
 
I've been in HK a while now and experienced all the negatives that are mentioned in the previous posts - rarely offered a seat when pregnant, able-bodied people rushing past into lifts leaving me standing on the platform with the stroller, people oblivious that I'm following behind with a stroller through heavy doors and closing the door on my face (or the stroller, actually), etc. However, for a bit of balance fellow passengers really looked after me when I fainted in the middle of a packed peak hour train when about 8 weeks pregnant and suffering nasty morning sickness. They cleared a space for me, gave me a seat and used the emergency call button in the train to call ahead to the next station, where a station attendant met me, helped me to a seat and gave me a glass of water. I was very pleasantly surprised.
 
mtr ok with me

I read the original thread on the other forum, and I was surprised. I ride the mtr often with my 5-month son and am frequently offered a seat. I don't mind that people are a little pushy--I don't think anyone has been really rude, and I just get a little pushy myself. I appreciate that the mtr is so clean and so safe!
 
It is pretty sad they offer you only a seat when you ask for it!!! (that is my experience). Travelling with 2 small kids is not easy and people are running into to get a seat, even if my little one falls down! Sorry, for me : I hate it and I'm always fighting not to lose my patience and scream to these VERY rude people! I'm not used to this kind behavior in my homecountry
 
Oh and an other thing: people never hold doors. They just don't look. In my appartment one kids fingers was between the doors! It's a small thing to look behind you if there is someone, right? Especialy small kids!
Living in HK for almost 2 years now and every day I'm shocked how people are so rude and selfish!
 
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