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Oct 10, 2010

The self-acclaimed queen of the ferry ...


Hello.

/Rant mode ON.

In the past I hop on to a ferry twice daily, now I go to Villingili once a week and Hulhumlalé about once a month or so. As everyone else, I get bored on the ferry, I observe, and I start noticing things. Pretty soon, patterns emerge and you develop the ability to predict certain things.

For example, if you climb on to a ferry that is almost full, and try hunting for a good seat, you will no doubt see a girl sitting alone in an aisle seat blocking the whole row of seats between her and the window seat. Naturally, you would want a good seat, but if you walk towards her thinking you will take the window seat, things are not going to go favorably.

This girl will either be seated legs crossed, back straight, arms folded across her chest, wearing shades covering most of her face, or she will be sitting with her handbag on her lap, white headphones wires going up from inside her bag in to her ears, and thumb typing the life out of her cell phone while appearing engrossed and distracted.

You approach her to ask if she could let you pass so you can get to the seat. This is going to be tougher than you think. You might have to say "excuse me" at least thrice with increasing loudness before she will grace you with the slightest acknowledgment. She might slide up the seat the necessary two inches without looking at you but she would definitely make sure you know she is annoyed. If she does look at you, she will give you the "why the hell do you want to sit here, can't you find another darn seat" look.

You pass her and take your seat, wondering what you could have possibly done that warranted such a stern response. You wait for the ferry to reach your destination thinking it is over. It is not.

When the ferry slows down, everyone stands up to disembark, you do the same, until you notice that the girl has not stood up and is not going anywhere soon. She just stays put on her seat. You think, she is being a lady and waiting for everyone to get off the ferry so she can climb down in peace without being squished in the outgoing human traffic through the narrow doorway. Understandable, but what do you do now? You have no alternative route out, do you want to repeat the process again and ask her to move and let you pass letting her think that you are doing it deliberately for a chance of physical contact, or do you wait it out and start walking when the girl is halfway down the aisle letting her think you are stalking her? You choose the latter, as you have already unpleasantly experienced the former.

You climb down the ferry and walk out the terminal confused about what just happened, and thinking if you could have done anything differently. You let this one slide, and next time see a girl sitting in an isle seat on the ferry, you avoid her, keep walking, and take a seat at the very back, right on top of the engine room to suffer the noise and the annoying vibrations your whole ride. When you walk past her, the corners of her mouth curl up just slightly, an (evil) sardonic smirk. She has taught you a lesson, you will leave her alone in peace now.

If that girl is reading this blog (not many people do, but a guy can hope) I have something to say to you. You need to learn some public transport etiquettes. Hell, you need to learn some manners! Let me give you some advice, it is free. Take it.

Do not take an aisle seat when people are coming on to the ferry. It is rude. If you want to be left alone, take a scenic window seat.

You are not fooling anyone faking to be preoccupied and abstracted while tapping on your phone, we know you are not typing out your dissertation on it, you are probably texting someone to come get you from the terminal, so drop the act.

Got an iPod? Great! By all means, enjoy your music, rock it if you have to, but do not be completely oblivious to your immediate surroundings and people around you. Repetitive requests in the hope of catching you in the gap between songs has a tendency to create a scene with some mild profanity. Trust me, you do not want that.

Yes, we know, your personal space should not be violated, but you are on a boat with limited space. Be just a tad more flexible about your space. Be a bit considerate.

Girl, you seem decent enough, but if you think you are extra special, you are wrong. You are just a passenger on public transport, just like everybody else on the ferry boat. Show some common courtesy and we will afford you the respect you deserve. Simple as that.

I hate being judgmental, but this is a rant, I can be horribly judgmental when necessary.

/Rant mode OFF.

Laterx.

20 comments:

shafi said...

I agree with you. I have seen this happening quiet often.we need common courtesy in this society

Anonymous said...

Tsk tsk. Women! More tsk tsk.

//Sub/Corpus said...

Ahmed::
True that ...
If we could just put that in grade school curriculum that would be awesome ... :)

Shaf::
Yeah ... hehe ... :P

paperclippenny said...

I'm not trying to defend the girl but I think the reason she sits on a isle seat instead of taking the window seat is because she doesn't want to get cornered by a group of guys who might hassle her.

I'd probably avoid taking a window seat myself if I were to travel alone on a ferry. I'd probably take a seat where I'll have space to move away from in case the guy sitting next to me starts making lewd comments. But that doesn't mean I won't let people sit next to me. They can by all means.

And yea she could've handled this situation more politely. She could've stood up and let people slide in to the nearby seats and still take preferred isle seat. She didn't really need to be rude about it. But perhaps this is a defensive approach for her

//Sub/Corpus said...

Paperclippenny::
Yes, may be you are right ...
But, there are few benches with more legroom in most ferries, about halfway down the ferry ...
If traveling alone, i suggest you take a seat on that bench ...
If someone tries to be fresh with you, there is enough space between the rows for you walk away easily ...
Hope this help ... :)

Tiny Deals Admin said...

Really? I live in villingili [ been 6 years ] and hasn't noticed any of those things! Be Positive man! They are just SHY!
Just Smile and tweet , sleep or do smthg! LOL! :D

Unknown said...

Bro,
Good girls keep their legs crossed, sit up straight, don't talk to strangers and are probably very scared a guy who could be sitting next to them. Even more scared of the guys who shake their legs to the beat of boat engine. i know i know the guy doing this will have his reason too. must be secretly taking care of an itch. :/

//Sub/Corpus said...

ÎĦΣçҜәѓ™ ::
There is a difference between being shy and being arrogant ... one can easily tell ...
Optimism is nice, but foolish and unchecked optimism can kill ...
I'm quite optimistic actually, I believe one day the world will live in peace and harmony ...:)
Also, being a pessimist means, you have fewer nasty surprises ...:P

Ahmed::
Yes, a girl should not be scared that a guy might sit next to her ...
She is on public transport, someone is bound to sit next her ...
But yes, she should never be coerced or intimidated ...
And bro, taking care of an itch secretly is not a problem ...
Actually, thats how it should be done, secretly ... :)

Phareeh said...

very nice rant!
Im also some one who travels weekly to twice to Hulhumale'! and have noticed this stuff! and thought it is they dont want to sit next anyone! even i have seen some girls didnt want to give way to sit a girl next to her also!
I want to say to those who fear for being catch by a bad guy that its free country and your not traveling alone! behind you or front there is people not every guy is straight to fresh you!

Thanks for sharing this!
Much needed one! and i hope some one prints this and put it in the ferry Notice board or Terminal Notice Board! Those who understands what your point it will effect tremendously!

//Sub/Corpus said...

Phareeh::
Yeah ... it happens a lot ...
It may be a free country, but one still needs to be courteous to others ...
And show some respect to the ladies ...
I dont think printing this article, and putting it up on the ferry is a good idea ...
I would mind more people coming on to the blog, but ... :P

nazeeh said...

Good observation bro

//Sub/Corpus said...

Nazeeh ::
Thank you, bro ... :)

Hitman S said...

I've thrown overboard many aisle-hogging girls in my time.

Most didn't survive the 30,000ft free fall.

//Sub/Corpus said...

Hitman S ::
You being a Hitman, I dont think they had any chance of survival ... :)

Anonymous said...

Take note - Hitman is spelling the word "aisle" correctly.

You seem easily irritated. If you didn't get irritated, she wouldn't have a reason to smirk.

//Sub/Corpus said...

Anonymous ::
Thank you, I've corrected it ...
I dunno why no one (including me) has noticed it before ...
Also, kudis to hitman ... i'm guessing being hawk-eyed is a prerequisite for your profession ?!?

That Ferry Girl said...

Subcorpus, Subcorpus, Oh hey Subcorpus! My, My warming the cockles of your heart eh?
I know I am an attention whore, see! O See I have definitely got your attention. oops! Maybe I have taken a piece of your heart?
I just needed that! Your attention!
By the by, are you errm..single?

Ali said...

I am sure the above comment was made by a man LOL
this is going nowhere now
Not all but most islanders think women are an object of sex.

N said...

Well said well said! *claps* and I've been on the ferry twice every day for a week when I was in Male'/Villingili for holidays. and I experienced this SHIT almost everyday. Damn these girls. What do they think of themselves. My mom finds them annoying equally.

Anonymous said...

treat us like ladies and we sure will give u space on the ferry...most of u guys who get on the hulhumale ferry are druggies... i have expericened it...got cornered when seated near a window...its better getting harrased in a blog then being cornered my a drugie on the ferry...

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