UAE residents are following COVID-19 guidelines to the T, BUT can we agree that some are taking undue advantage of the situation?

Taking public transport for example, commuters have become unabashedly selfish with their seating space. Calling it a first-come, first-serve on not only their seat but the empty seat next to them – which then restricts standing passengers the space to put down their belongings…

The UAE has gone well beyond its capabilities to combat the ongoing pandemic. Having protocols in place for just about EVERYTHING, Dubai has very well ensured the safety of ALL commuters by implementing effective social distancing throughout public transport as well. But this is where us residents have started taking undue advantage of the regulations.

If you have a seat beside you with a sticker then that does NOT mean both the seats are for you (or your BAGS)

The Roads and Transport Authority, (RTA) have added massive red and white stickers indicating mandatory compliance of social distancing through Dubai Metro, buses and trams. As to enforce social distancing, every second seat of Dubai’s public transits has been marked with these stickers.

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Which means that commuters can’t sit on the seats marked with the COVID-distancing signs. Pretty self-explanatory but you’ll be surprised at the number of people that still need to be told to vacate the seats marked with the sticker.

We all know that seats in public transit *anywhere* in the world are first come first serve, BUT with the COVID-distancing signs commuters in Dubai have now started using up the space of two seats

I mean what even bro?

Let me paint a picture for you:

Person A: A man walks inside the metro and quickly grabs an empty seat and with the space beside him being vacant as well, he leaves all his belongings beside him – whilst ignorantly occupying both the seats.

(A pretty natural thing… but the problem starts here)

Person B: After a tiresome day another passenger walks into a fully occupied metro with some heavy shopping bags and asks for space to put down his belongings on the empty seat but Person A makes a fuss to accommodate his bags and basically throws uncalled-for shade at Person B.

If you are lucky enough to bag a seat, then please be mindful of other passengers and leave the seat beside you free of your belongings

You have a seat, you have the space, you have the window, you’re pretty much sorted, so leave that restricted seat beside you for other fellow passengers to make use off.

These are just basic public commute etiquettes peopleeee, c’monn!