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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
I'm sure many people, especially tourists who visit Singapore get the impression that it is a very clean city.
I'd like to rephrase that to "A Very Cleaned City".
In the neighborhood, litter is basically everywhere, there is urine in the lifts, people throw used tissue papers on the floor as they walk on the sidewalks, and most disgustingly, toilets not flushed and toilet seats all splashed with pee.
It's kind of disgusting to know that people take the cleaners in Singapore for granted. Their mentality is "Oh, there'll be people cleaning up after me so it's okay". And when they get caught by the police or environmental agency officers, they give the shittiest, lamest excuses, such as "Oh, it slipped from my hand/pocket/bag/whatever and I didn't know", "I cannot find the bin" (This happens even when the bin is just a few steps away, and that person has a bag. PUT IT IN YOUR BAG AND THROW IT AWAY AT HOME THEN. WTF IS YOUR BAG FOR?) and even "I don't want to hold it, it's dirty". Jesus.
The litter and everything, fine. It happens in many other countries too (probably except Japan, such well-mannered people there), but pee all over the toilet seat, poop still in the toilet and wet/used tissue paper all over the cubicle is worse than third-world standard. Is it that hard to clean up your own mess after you use the toilet? Is asking for you to push that one button so demanding? I probably wipe off other people's pee from the seat and flush the toilet for them like 95% of the time I use the toilet, including in renowned shopping malls. FFS.
So, TL. Is your country's public toilet of such standard? Do people give a shit about their country's toilets and cleaning up?
Poll: Are your country's public toilets clean?
(Vote): Sparkling clean
(Vote): As dirty as Singapore standard
Also added another poll -
Poll: Your country's public toilets are clean because...
(Vote): The public cleans up their own mess and have a sense of responsibility.
(Vote): Your country has all the cleaners they can afford to clean up other people's poop.
 
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Its usually clean in Ireland but sadly, probably just because there are people paid to clean them...
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depends obviously, my university only has super clean toilets and most clubs have clogged toilets with pee falling out of them
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Spenguin
Australia3316 Posts
One second let me get my magical public toilet inspecting spectacles. 
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hahahahah I never use the cubicles in public toilets Its just a quick pee then im out
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
On May 10 2009 22:34 DoX.) wrote:hahahahah I never use the cubicles in public toilets Its just a quick pee then im out
Surely got one time got pangsai before right? Then you go there, see the toilet so dirty, but you feel like shitting, you'll really feel like shit.
Coffee shop toilet even worse zz =.="
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On May 10 2009 22:37 konadora wrote:Show nested quote +On May 10 2009 22:34 DoX.) wrote:hahahahah I never use the cubicles in public toilets Its just a quick pee then im out Surely got one time got pangsai before right? Then you go there, see the toilet so dirty, but you feel like shitting, you'll really feel like shit. Coffee shop toilet even worse zz =.="
Strangely enough i never had the urge outside my house o.0 unless you count the time when i was 6...
I guess thats just coz i make sure to relieve myself everyday/ before going out
edit:But yeah i know what you mean. like 70% of the time theres gonna shit lying in the toilet with no one flushing
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
Yeah, really make me say "kanasai" every time I see that.
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Yeah, here in Sweden many people are lazy and throws candy paper, or mcdonalds stuff right on the ground, but it's not that bad, most people throw it in garbage cans 
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actually, this is good info from a native.
when i was younger, i was told that singapore had strict laws, like no chewing gum, no spitting in public, etc. therefore, singapore was a super clean place in my mind.
i havent been there before, so i can't judge for myself. but based on this... i guess that perspective has changed.
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NeverGG
United Kingdom5399 Posts
*Returns to babble on about Seoul* It varies here - the public toilets in the subway stations can be pretty grim. However, all other buildings I've been to have had pretty clean to virtually spotless toilets. A lot of places employ older ladies to do the cleaning and they're super diligent and hard-working. Also the street cleaning here is amazing - when I lived in a university area in northern Seoul (as opposed to the university area I now live in, in western central Seoul.) there was a main street that was always filthy on a Saturday night and no matter how early you got up on a Sunday it was always spotless the next day. I do miss the plastic 'wheely' bins from England though.
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
Haha I remember them, they always wear blue uniform and has red rubber gloves
What are 'wheely' bins? o.o
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On May 10 2009 22:51 konadora wrote:
Yeah, really make me say "kanasai" every time I see that.
Toilets... argg... honestly, it really depends on where you go. Nice places = usually nice toilets.
Or just go to the ladies haha =X
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On May 11 2009 00:14 NeverTheEndlessWiz wrote:Show nested quote +On May 10 2009 22:51 konadora wrote:
Yeah, really make me say "kanasai" every time I see that. Toilets... argg... honestly, it really depends on where you go. Nice places = usually nice toilets. Or just go to the ladies haha =X
I DID THAT ACCIDENTALLY ONCE
I was going into a cubicle not paying attention, then i was like, wait, no, thats too clean! then i noticed the entire toilet had a pink background and got the hell outta there. thank god no one saw me =X
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i think asian countries are dirtier in public in general? compared to western countries?
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
On May 11 2009 00:29 Railxp wrote:
i think asian countries are dirtier in public in general? compared to western countries?
I guess so, compared to what I see on TV, yeah.
On May 11 2009 00:23 DoX.) wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2009 00:14 NeverTheEndlessWiz wrote:On May 10 2009 22:51 konadora wrote:
Yeah, really make me say "kanasai" every time I see that. Toilets... argg... honestly, it really depends on where you go. Nice places = usually nice toilets. Or just go to the ladies haha =X I DID THAT ACCIDENTALLY ONCE I was going into a cubicle not paying attention, then i was like, wait, no, thats too clean! then i noticed the entire toilet had a pink background and got the hell outta there. thank god no one saw me =X
lol get caught confirmed screwed sia
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Melbourne5338 Posts
Japan and Taiwan is so confusing. They're reducing the number of bins to reduce litter. o.O
Weirder that it works since its supposed to encourage people to carry litter around or recycle it or something.
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It's clean here in Canada Hopefully it's just a matter of time before more people become educated enough to feel obligated to keep their environment clean.
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Other then NYCs subway, I'm not really sure what constitutes City bathrooms and those are usable. Most 'public' bathrooms are cleaned by the company that they're located in.
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
Hm, public as in, in public restaurants (fast food, coffee shops, cafeteria, etc), bathrooms in shopping malls, etc.
On May 11 2009 01:29 Xusneb wrote:It's clean here in Canada Hopefully it's just a matter of time before more people become educated enough to feel obligated to keep their environment clean.
Wow, the day Singapore becomes like that...
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
depends what kinad public toilets ..
like random public toilets in parks will be gross
but in malls and starbucks or restaurants or whatever they're usually sparkling clean
but hk ppl arent that clean and anti litter throwing abiding though but for the most part hk is clean
btw i always wondered are u singaporean or are you korean or what
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
I'm Korean lol
I thought everybody knew :<
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Smix
United States4549 Posts
On May 11 2009 01:53 konadora wrote:
I'm Korean lol
I thought everybody knew :<
Haha well knowing 4 languages can be a bit misleading :p
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TBH Singapore is a really "ugly" country. Singaporeans have, in general, been pampered by their maids, cleaners, and foreign workers for too long. You can even see this at food courts. People just leave their trays with their dishes and used napkins strewn around on the table. Just taking a couple of seconds to put your dishes together and your dirty tissues into the bowl (or something like that) could help the cleaner a lot. We, Singaporeans, also don't respect foreign workers. It's disgusting to see people treating other people almost as if they were slaves.
Ever driven in Singapore? Compare driving in Tokyo with driving in Singapore. It's ridiculous.
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On May 10 2009 23:07 29 fps wrote:
actually, this is good info from a native.
when i was younger, i was told that singapore had strict laws, like no chewing gum, no spitting in public, etc. therefore, singapore was a super clean place in my mind.
i havent been there before, so i can't judge for myself. but based on this... i guess that perspective has changed.
I've heard this multiple times too. I heard you can go to jail for spitting on the street, but I guess cleaned is better than not cleaned...
On May 11 2009 00:23 DoX.) wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2009 00:14 NeverTheEndlessWiz wrote:On May 10 2009 22:51 konadora wrote:
Yeah, really make me say "kanasai" every time I see that. Toilets... argg... honestly, it really depends on where you go. Nice places = usually nice toilets. Or just go to the ladies haha =X I DID THAT ACCIDENTALLY ONCE I was going into a cubicle not paying attention, then i was like, wait, no, thats too clean! then i noticed the entire toilet had a pink background and got the hell outta there. thank god no one saw me =X
In Greece, the bathrooms seem to be unisex. It's so weird to pee and then wash your hands with an older woman washing her hands right next to you.
We should implement something like that everywhere.
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Karachi > Singapore pollution wise EZ.
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
We're not talking about pollution here =.="
We're talking about the lack of courtesy and self-respect within the society.
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Should tell Fakesteve to do something about it.
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
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we should just get that courtesey-bear guy to fix all of singapore's problems.
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
hey kona check the writers forum
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
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Hong Kong20321 Posts
dont cheat on smix dude wtf
j/k lulz. ok i should study -_-;
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
Smix is going to kill you soon
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On May 11 2009 02:22 konadora wrote:
We're not talking about pollution here =.="
We're talking about the lack of courtesy and self-respect within the society.
Oh my bad - I also wanted to include that.
Karachi > Singapore in Lack of courtesy and self-respect EZ
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
On May 11 2009 02:52 SHr3DD3r wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2009 02:22 konadora wrote:
We're not talking about pollution here =.="
We're talking about the lack of courtesy and self-respect within the society. Oh my bad - I also wanted to include that. Karachi > Singapore in Lack of courtesy and self-respect EZ
Orly? In what way? I'm interested.
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korea is pretty bad too
you will see garbage on the streets, children after drinking cans just throwing them on the streets, leaving ice cream wrappers/candy wrappers on the ground, spitting everywhere even in classrooms, people who dont flush the toilet, students in schools just throw away their slippers everywhere because other people have to clean it, spitting gum, i remember one time i saw this women with her dog and her dog just took a crap and she just ignored it and walked off without cleaning it up and korea is cigerette butt heaven.
Im not so innocent when its comes to this though;;
Trying though not to lately...
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USA........ nuff said...
well, I live in the big city of NYC so I guess here, it does sort of varies area by area but most of the time, people do have to take into account of respect with toliets and manners when bumping into someone and etc.... but then again, if you think about it, in here and elsewhere in the world (including Singapore), anyone you happen to be and go, there's always the good, the bad, and the ugly....
and then to the extreme, the minor, and etc but we can get into that topic in an another time..
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
On May 11 2009 03:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
korea is pretty bad too
you will see garbage on the streets, children after drinking cans just throwing them on the streets, leaving ice cream wrappers/candy wrappers on the ground, spitting everywhere even in classrooms, people who dont flush the toilet, students in schools just throw away their slippers everywhere because other people have to clean it, spitting gum, i remember one time i saw this women with her dog and her dog just took a crap and she just ignored it and walked off without cleaning it up and korea is cigerette butt heaven.
Im not so innocent when its comes to this though;;
Trying though not to lately...
Just a few years back, this was such a rare sight. Pity.
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I was at an event this past summer in Korea and I saw all these kids dropping their trash all over the place. After it was over and everyone was leaving, the place reminded me of a landfill -_-
And about the dog poo, apparently once a girl let her dog poo in a train and didn't clean it up and practically everyone in Korea that had a computer either harrassed her and her parents or know about her and called her out in the street. Now she's known as 개똥녀 for the rest of her life keke~
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I strongly agree with your Japan comment. Japan is so clean (for a country its size), it's incredible. McDonald's toilets (in Tokyo at least) are typically sparkling clean :O
Canada's also very clean and people generally don't litter. But given the population density, it's nothing comparable to Japan.
China's probably got the same standards as Singapore, except their mentality isn't even "someone will pick it up for me" but rather, "meh".
Manhattan is simply filthy... 
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Well Karachi is worse in all aspects. And I do mean all.
The state of public toilets is so bad.... man - I mean I(a guy who has lived in Karachi all his life) sometimes start gagging the second I see one. Almost each street is covered in trash, red spit(due to Paan - a disgusting addictive substance alot of the lesser educated people chew). The sidewalks are as bad if not worse. Plastic bags, wrappers, cans, bottles, everything else that can be considered trash is on the floor. And this is mainly the residential area... and commercial areas. If you ever set foot in the factory sites... man...
I study in probably the most famous school in all of Pakistan - and its situated right next to a canal - that has never been cleaned - its green - DARK GREEN - its supposed to be 1 feet deep in some areas and you can't see the bottom. It WREAKS - sooo much that we can't study when our classes are on that side of the building.
Then on top of that the constructions that happen in the middle of a very congested and car infested area - the dust is unbearable. Trust me Karachi is one dirty city. And there is NO system of cleanup - except in certain areas where some organisations are trying to do something.
Trust me if you stay in Karachi for a week you will never whine about Singapore.
Even with all the stuff that happens here - I still Love Karachi. I would certainly love it more if it was cleaner but I still love it nontheless.
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On May 11 2009 03:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
korea is pretty bad too
you will see garbage on the streets, children after drinking cans just throwing them on the streets, leaving ice cream wrappers/candy wrappers on the ground, spitting everywhere even in classrooms, people who dont flush the toilet, students in schools just throw away their slippers everywhere because other people have to clean it, spitting gum, i remember one time i saw this women with her dog and her dog just took a crap and she just ignored it and walked off without cleaning it up and korea is cigerette butt heaven.
Im not so innocent when its comes to this though;;
Trying though not to lately...
When I was in Korea I always found it very, very difficult to find a waste can. Someone told me that the government didn't want to put out too many because they were afraid that terrorists might hide bombs in them. WTF?
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
@SHr3DD3r:
Urgh.. lol
@Luddite:
Singapore too, they removed waste cans from public train stations :<
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On May 11 2009 06:50 Luddite wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2009 03:44 Ilikestarcraft wrote:
korea is pretty bad too
you will see garbage on the streets, children after drinking cans just throwing them on the streets, leaving ice cream wrappers/candy wrappers on the ground, spitting everywhere even in classrooms, people who dont flush the toilet, students in schools just throw away their slippers everywhere because other people have to clean it, spitting gum, i remember one time i saw this women with her dog and her dog just took a crap and she just ignored it and walked off without cleaning it up and korea is cigerette butt heaven.
Im not so innocent when its comes to this though;;
Trying though not to lately... When I was in Korea I always found it very, very difficult to find a waste can. Someone told me that the government didn't want to put out too many because they were afraid that terrorists might hide bombs in them. WTF?
never heard that before
On May 11 2009 04:54 ghostWriter wrote:
I was at an event this past summer in Korea and I saw all these kids dropping their trash all over the place. After it was over and everyone was leaving, the place reminded me of a landfill -_-
And about the dog poo, apparently once a girl let her dog poo in a train and didn't clean it up and practically everyone in Korea that had a computer either harrassed her and her parents or know about her and called her out in the street. Now she's known as 개똥녀 for the rest of her life keke~
didnt she commit suicide after?
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Am I the only Singaporean who will defend my country against accusations that are blatantly untrue? Konadora, I don't know where you live but I have not come across what you have described since the 1980s.
In the neighborhood, litter is basically everywhere, there is urine in the lifts, people throw used tissue papers on the floor as they walk on the sidewalks, and most disgustingly, toilets not flushed and toilet seats all splashed with pee.
This is untrue. I've been to many neighbourhoods - Old Airport Road, Bedok, Queenstown, Admiralty, Marine Parade... I hardly see any litter. Nor have I come across urine in the lifts. Maybe there was one isolated incident. That does not make Singapore dirty in general.
With regards to the toilets, I assume you are talking about toilets in neighbourhood stores and so on. Yes, some of them are dirty. No, not all of them are - not by a long shot.
It's kind of disgusting to know that people take the cleaners in Singapore for granted. Their mentality is "Oh, there'll be people cleaning up after me so it's okay". And when they get caught by the police or environmental agency officers, they give the shittiest, lamest excuses, such as "Oh, it slipped from my hand/pocket/bag/whatever and I didn't know", "I cannot find the bin" (This happens even when the bin is just a few steps away, and that person has a bag. PUT IT IN YOUR BAG AND THROW IT AWAY AT HOME THEN. WTF IS YOUR BAG FOR?) and even "I don't want to hold it, it's dirty". Jesus.
Cleaning of the pavements and other public areas takes place ONCE A DAY, every morning. If what you say is true, the whole place would be filthy by nightfall. And that's just not the case.
And, as you pointed out, they've removed rubbish bins from train stations. Do you see anyone littering there? They are SPOTLESS, and before you say it, the cameras do not cover every corner. If we really take the cleaners for granted, we'd throw crap all over in the train stations.
The litter and everything, fine. It happens in many other countries too (probably except Japan, such well-mannered people there), but pee all over the toilet seat, poop still in the toilet and wet/used tissue paper all over the cubicle is worse than third-world standard. Is it that hard to clean up your own mess after you use the toilet? Is asking for you to push that one button so demanding? I probably wipe off other people's pee from the seat and flush the toilet for them like 95% of the time I use the toilet, including in renowned shopping malls. FFS.
Again, I do not know which toilets you use. But this certainly does not happen in 95% of the toilets.
Third world standard? Maybe you should go to London. The toilets in clubs there are choked with vomit. The public toilets are full of toilet paper and unflushed. The pavement is so full of fliers that you can't see the pavement.
Maybe you've had some particularly bad experiences. But personally, I think you're exaggerating. It simply cannot be that I've lived here almost every year of my life since birth and not seen what you're describing on such a large scale since maybe the 1980s. Nor can it be that every single foreigner who comes here, even those who live here, say that Singapore is clean when you describe it as such a dirty place.
Just to make it clear, I do not disagree with the fact that there are a few people who litter and a few toilets that are dirty. But to say that we are a nation of dirty, inconsiderate people with dirty toilets everywhere... that's just plain insulting, and a big, fat lie.
P.S. PM me when you turn 18! I want to buy you a drink!
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
I live in the western area, Bukit Batok. On the contrary to what you said, I saw that this was occurring more and more often as when I first came to Singapore 13 years ago.
This is untrue. I've been to many neighbourhoods - Old Airport Road, Bedok, Queenstown, Admiralty, Marine Parade... I hardly see any litter. Nor have I come across urine in the lifts. Maybe there was one isolated incident. That does not make Singapore dirty in general.
Bukit Batok, Chua Chu Kang, Orchard Road, Bishan, Bugis, Bedok, East Coast Park, list goes on. I don't take pictures of them so I can't prove what I saw, but what I say is true. There are tissue papers lying on the green grass patches so it's very obvious to spot them, and it also comes with the tissue paper plastic packets as well. Also, with regards to urine in lifts, I've personally seen it - I used to visit my friend every single week, and her block's lift, as well as nearby void decks, stank of urine, and urine filled the corners of the lifts. It was really disgusting. There were also many newspaper articles that especially focused on such incidents, which happened not just in my region, but all over the country as well. If that doesn't speak for the urine incidents in lifts, I don't know what will.
With regards to the toilets, I assume you are talking about toilets in neighbourhood stores and so on. Yes, some of them are dirty. No, not all of them are - not by a long shot. Show nested quote +It's kind of disgusting to know that people take the cleaners in Singapore for granted. Their mentality is "Oh, there'll be people cleaning up after me so it's okay". And when they get caught by the police or environmental agency officers, they give the shittiest, lamest excuses, such as "Oh, it slipped from my hand/pocket/bag/whatever and I didn't know", "I cannot find the bin" (This happens even when the bin is just a few steps away, and that person has a bag. PUT IT IN YOUR BAG AND THROW IT AWAY AT HOME THEN. WTF IS YOUR BAG FOR?) and even "I don't want to hold it, it's dirty". Jesus. Cleaning of the pavements and other public areas takes place ONCE A DAY, every morning. If what you say is true, the whole place would be filthy by nightfall. And that's just not the case.
As what I said above, tissue papers, paper and plastic bags, bottles, cans along the pedestrian walk, especially in areas close to shopping malls and coffee shops. And yes, they clean it every morning/late night, but people just continue to throw them in the day and afternoon anyway.
And, as you pointed out, they've removed rubbish bins from train stations. Do you see anyone littering there? They are SPOTLESS, and before you say it, the cameras do not cover every corner. If we really take the cleaners for granted, we'd throw crap all over in the train stations.
That is just because the cameras cover most of the areas + staff on guard. Besides, if you were to throw rubbish in front of dozens of people, I'm sure even the most thoughtless person will feel paiseh when caught. I've seen people throw tissue papers below the seats and leave behind bubble tea cups on the seats before boarding the MRT, not just once, but on many occasions, especially by those in their late teens or 20s.
Show nested quote +The litter and everything, fine. It happens in many other countries too (probably except Japan, such well-mannered people there), but pee all over the toilet seat, poop still in the toilet and wet/used tissue paper all over the cubicle is worse than third-world standard. Is it that hard to clean up your own mess after you use the toilet? Is asking for you to push that one button so demanding? I probably wipe off other people's pee from the seat and flush the toilet for them like 95% of the time I use the toilet, including in renowned shopping malls. FFS. Again, I do not know which toilets you use. But this certainly does not happen in 95% of the toilets. Third world standard? Maybe you should go to London. The toilets in clubs there are choked with vomit. The public toilets are full of toilet paper and unflushed. The pavement is so full of fliers that you can't see the pavement.
I said 95% of the time I use the toilet, not 95% of all the toilets in Singapore. I don't go around checking how clean all the toilets in Singapore are, but I do go to many places, and the toilets I use, especially the coffee shop ones, are very dirty. Cockroaches and insects while you poop in a moldy, door-about-to-break-off, smelly cubicle is something you will definitely want to avoid for the rest of your life. (I fucking hate cockroaches =/ ) The toilets in malls are dirty, especially during mealtimes or when a flood of people use the toilet after a few movies end at the same time. Urgh. There were many times I queued to use the toilet in the cubicle, only to see the old uncle come out, and see that the toilet has pee and wet tissue all over, with the toilet not flushed. Those people, oh the nerve, they just pretend as though everything is alright and walk away. I so feel like giving them a good punch at times.
Maybe you've had some particularly bad experiences. But personally, I think you're exaggerating. It simply cannot be that I've lived here almost every year of my life since birth and not seen what you're describing on such a large scale since maybe the 1980s. Nor can it be that every single foreigner who comes here, even those who live here, say that Singapore is clean when you describe it as such a dirty place.
That's because foreigners hardly go coffee shops, HDB void decks and old shopping malls, and usually hang around the 'sparkling clean(ed)' Orchard Road and Sentosa? I brought my aunt who visited us recently around the neighborhood, and she was shocked at the state of cleanliness Singapore was in after hearing so many good things from her friends. I think many others will probably think the same too.
Just to make it clear, I do not disagree with the fact that there are a few people who litter and a few toilets that are dirty. But to say that we are a nation of dirty, inconsiderate people with dirty toilets everywhere... that's just plain insulting, and a big, fat lie.
I don't think I ever said that Singapore was a nation of dirty, inconsiderate people with dirty toilets everywhere. I was pointing at the lack of self-respect of the people as well as their lack of respect and consideration for others, and was not targeting Singapore as a whole. But if somehow it did, then I do apologise for the level of harshness, but such cases had been occurring so much more often as of late that maybe I was slightly caught up with my emotions.
But it is really those people, whoever small the population, who just has to ruin Singapore's building reputation.
P.S. PM me when you turn 18! I want to buy you a drink!
Sure, get all SG TL members
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EPT
