If I were caught in a stampede in the women’s car of the MRT, I know for sure I’ll never make it. This morning, on my way to work, I got pushed and shoved so hard I nearly fell on the passengers who are already inside the car!

That was the first time I experienced something akin to being trampled on ever since I started taking the LRT in college. The cars of the LRT are much smaller, but for some reason, people know when to back off. You know, they don’t shove and squeeze the life out of you.

MRT cars are more spacious, but some women who take the MRT also seem more “vicious.” They (pardon the expression) bitch and whine and gripe when they can’t get in. Yet when characters like those boss their way through, they make you feel as if you’re so supposed to give way.  

I’m less than five feet, and weigh less than 95 lbs. You can just imagine how a “hefty” person like me felt like when the crowd rushed in from behind. I didn’t only feel like a kitten that got separated from its mom. Or a leaf that barely hung from a branch as the north winds flew by. I felt like a baggage in the airport carousel that nobody wanted.

I was never taught to fight or push back in such situations. I was brought up to believe that tact and diplomacy will get me what I want or need. Not this time! In my confusion, I managed to mumble, “Please don’t push me because I’m not as big as you are.” This was addressed to no one in particular, but it seemed to work. The girl behind me, who was about to smirk because I nearly fell, pulled back her face. And everyone else gave me space to squeeze through.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, but now I realize, I won’t die from a plane or car crash. I can simply hop on a crowded MRT train and get trampled on. And no one will care. 

I’ve heard so many horror tales about taking the MRT and LRT, and I usually brushed them off. What happened this morning finally validates what I’ve observed all along. When it comes to survival, especially surviving the urban jungle, most men and women are equal. They will push, pull, shove, even step on you (literally or figuratively) if just to get ahead.