Gudz.Antukin

Today’s epic adventure on my way home taught me on how to get in and out of the MRT coach on a rush hour.

I work in Libis, Quezon City and I live somewhere in the south so I take the MRT to and from work. Since I work in Libis, the least tiring station closest is Cubao station. It was just to day that I saw and realized that all hell breaks lose when it is rush hour in the train station. The line on the ticket booth was not that long so I thought there weren’t that much passengers this morning. But, when I went to the platform, darn it! daming tao sobra! I tried to get a ride on the train but the coaches were too packed nobody could get in and it was a struggle to get out, plus, I was at the very end of the pack outside the train. Since I can’t get in, and I really wanted to go home, I taught of going through a “round trip”. So I went to the northbound platform, since there were less people there and the trains had less passengers, I took the ride ‘til the last station where the train goes around and goes southbound. I thought I out-witted those creeps at Cubao. But, when I got to North Avenue, which is the last station, there were these MRT guys who forced us out saying “matatanda, buntis at may kapansanan lang po ang pwede maiwan dito kailangan ninyo pong bumaba”. I was like, WTF! I tried outrunning the guys and there were these bunch of other guys like me too but we all failed ‘cause they rounded up the coach pretty well. haha.

Good thing is that you get to cross to the southbound platform thorough a walkway without exiting the station. On the platform, there weren’t that much people compared to Cubao but still people were flocking by the spot where the door opens. So here comes one train, It wasn’t full since almost nobody was left when the train turned around, but people still pushed each other in like nobody’s business. In the end, I didn’t get to ride in ‘cause it got full pretty quick, but after the train got filled I was right in front of the “door spot”. Lucky.

While I was waiting for the next train to arrive, people started to gather around and behind me. I know that they’re going to start pushing me in as soon as the door opens so I came up with a plan and

THESE ARE TIPS ON HOW TO GET A RIDE IN THE MRT DURING RUSH HOURS:

1. BOX OUT AND BACK DOWN

When you’re in front of the “door spot”, keep in mind that people behind and you are going to push you like hell. I tell you its like a stampede on a rock concert. So you box them out and you back yourself down. Parang basketball, you assume your position and protect it. Box out by standing your ground, use your hips or butt and push them back,loosen up your elbows and make them hard so that people wont get onto your sides. Back down, lean backward with all your force, so some of the creeps behind you will be pushed back a bit and they won’t push you forward right away. This way you can get in easily without getting stepped on or pushed upon really hard. Do this in a quick manner, wag kna magposing at mag-angas, do it like you’re trying to catapult yourself in parang angry birds.

2. STAY IN THE MIDDLE

Once you get in, try to get a seat. But if you fail or you just don’t want to do so, stand in the middle of the coach. If you do this, you are saved from the traffic of people going in and out of the coach door, plus you get a heck of handrails to grab on to and there’s really a lot of space in the middle. I don’t know about other commuters but most of them flock by the door kahit malayo pa yung bababaan nila. Its one thing I don’t really get. 

Disclaimer: If you want to do this make sure that the station your alighting to is far enough that you have a moment to sneak near the coach door.

Its really hard to get out when the coach is jam-packed and you’re pinned in the middle. Lalo na kung malapit lang ung bababaan mo from the last station.

3. STAND YOUR GROUND

Even if you get a spot in the middle it doesn’t mean that you’re safe from people pushing you and stuff. Yes it is spacious but some creeps are as witty as we are. They’re going to thrash themselves about just to get themselves on the middle pf the coach. Stand your ground so you won’t get pushed to the door, ‘coz thats where people flock and where the traffic is most (remember?), or get your comfy space. Stand your ground by putting all your weight on your legs, bending your knees a bit and hold the handrails with both hands. Don’t forget to apply some boxing out and backing down. This way you will be like a boulder on the middle of a river rapid, immovable.

4. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND STRAFE

You should always know where you are and what station you are going down to. You should try and get near the door at least two stations before you get down cause if not you’ll be stuck and miss your station.

Strafe, parang counter strike—side step ba..o lakad talangka, walk sideways so you could sneak in through the spaces between people. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to let them know youre passing through, hawiin mo sila nang tumabi. Because if you walk forward, with you facing the crowd, you’ll never get through them. Its like trying to fit a square through a circle. Bruce Lee once said, “Be like water making its way through cracks. Don’t be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find your way through it.” Most but not the least, never forget to say “excuse me” ‘coz no matter how outlandish and chaotic the environment inside the train is, manners are manners, let them realize that.

After all the commotion, I hope you finally got yourself off the train. Easy noh? I cant believe a lot of people goes through the same crappy day as i do. after you’re tired from work this is what you get. oh well. shit happens and everyone has to learn from it. haha. goodluck!

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