Chope seat using tissue has upgraded!

[bengchiat]

Well, I do it all the time.

All you need to do is be really obvious that you're not going to budge, while at the same time be extra courteous about it.

Same deal with people who don't keep to the right on the escalators, or people who don't want to move to the back of the bus. We all just diam-diam and wait patiently when people cut our queue or block our way.

The real cause of all these anti-social acts is the inaction of people who don't condone it. S'poreans are too kiasi, scared people scold, scared people stare. So even though people do things to piss us off, all we do is keep quiet, and then bitch about it online (or complain to gahmen).

don't really understand the comparisons,

what u named, not keeping to the left of escalators, etc...., yeah, outright no no.
but tissue paper chop seats, wrong?
do be more sensitive to those who need to do it, its not anti-social acts.

imagine,
u r out eating alone during peak hours,
r u going to reserve a seat before buying or r u going to buy first n search for 1 later?

if pple start going mia after putting the tissue on table,
i can understand why u r against it.
but that is not the case.

how about solutions rather than condemnation?

btw, i don't blame everyone who stand still on the right of esc,
they might have reasons unknown to me for doing it.
but bubblegummers in the train n stations :angry:

 

[vince123123]

Check your pm.

never ending story ... but this thread really juicy. Lots of angel here. Don't just comment for the sake to comment. Action speak louder that words. Who ever think he/she will openly challenge the tissue system ... maybe can PM everyone here. so that we can LEArn for your heroic act. we are talking on tissue Chop here what about people Chop? will you go up and request for the seat ? i would like to see if anyone going to challenge with the Ah beng or the tattoo person ..

So action ... no point talk only .... "just do it"

 

[sORe-EyEz]

chope seats with tissue packs is the solution...

 

[vince123123]

And the solution to that is to simply take it away

 

[mattlock]

The solution is to buy first and search later. The turnover is fast enough that there is always at least one seat available, you can always share a seat at a table.

This has been calculated before: A person finishes his meal in 15 minutes or so eating alone, a person takes about 5-15 minutes to get his food (depending on the queue)

If you don't chope a seat, there's a pretty good chance that by the time you get a seat there are enough people who will be getting up to leave.And even if you don't find a seat right away you should be able to get one in a few minutes.
Turnover is fast enough, it's not like people are sitting for an hour.

If you leave your tissue packet there while you're gone someone could have finished his meal in the meantime.

If a country as dense as hong kong manages to deal with a turnover of people fast enough without resorting to "chope"ing seats with tissue paper, why not Singapore?

how about solutions rather than condemnation?

 

[idor]

Just wondering.... anyone ever try to do this?

1. After finish eating, walk to the closest seat which is "choped"
2. Take the packet of tissue paper, remove 1 piece and wipe your mouth
3. Put back the pack of tissue paper on the chair/table
4. (optional) take a pic of the surprised look on the face of the one who kena saboed...
5. Walk away

:bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[azul123]

but tissue paper chop seats, wrong?
do be more sensitive to those who need to do it, its not anti-social acts.

Yes it is, it is an act of selfishness.

imagine,
u r out eating alone during peak hours,
r u going to reserve a seat before buying or r u going to buy first n search for 1 later?

Socially acceptable behaviour is to buy first and look for seat.

if pple start going mia after putting the tissue on table,
i can understand why u r against it.
but that is not the case.

Peak lunchtime period how long does one queue for food? 7-10mins? someone with food on hand and seat could have complete his meal and the seat can be vacant again during that time.

how about solutions rather than condemnation?

Solution is don't do it... if no one does it.. then more productive.

../azul123

 

[azul123]

The solution is to buy first and search later. The turnover is fast enough that there is always at least one seat available, you can always share a seat at a table.

This has been calculated before: A person finishes his meal in 15 minutes or so eating alone, a person takes about 5-15 minutes to get his food (depending on the queue)

If you don't chope a seat, there's a pretty good chance that by the time you get a seat there are enough people who will be getting up to leave.And even if you don't find a seat right away you should be able to get one in a few minutes.
Turnover is fast enough, it's not like people are sitting for an hour.

If you leave your tissue packet there while you're gone someone could have finished his meal in the meantime.

If a country as dense as hong kong manages to deal with a turnover of people fast enough without resorting to "chope"ing seats with tissue paper, why not Singapore?

Ooops... didn't realise that you said this already... in that case I echo what you said and agree with you totally.

../azul123

 

[vince123123]

Here are two new articles in Today talking about this disgraceful activity:

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http://www.todayonline.com/articles/304019.asp

the ‘chope-ing’ vigilante
Leave your packets oftissue on hawker centre tables at your own risk

Letter from Rick Lim Say Kiong

TIME and again, it is reported in newspapers and online that foreigners — unfamiliar with the Singaporean practice of using packets of tissue paper to “chope” (reserve) seats — are made to give up theirs seats at hawker centres and foodcourts when the “rightful” owners of the tissue packets return.
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Tourists, expatriates and foreign workers who arrive in Singapore expect to see a courteous citizenry, corresponding to its modern infrastructure and efficiency.
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However, the demeanour of indignant patrons, who return to find “their” seats taken by foreigners unfamiliar with the ubiquitous practice, puts our perpetual courtesy campaign to shame. More often than not, these people demand that the foreigners leave the table right away, even if they are halfway through their meals.
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Unfortunately, this sort of behaviour leaves more than just a bitter taste for those hapless “offenders”; they will have the impression that Singaporeans do not know what true social etiquette is.
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I dare these perpetrators to try the same tactic in food establishments in any other country, and then see how the locals will ridicule them for being obnoxious and impertinent.

For proponents out there, please do not deem this as another Singaporean trait that needs to be preserved for its uniqueness. This is different from the argument that colloquial “Singlish” defines our way of communication and that the Queen’s English is for the British.

“Chope-ing” seats is as disgusting a trait as spitting indiscriminately. Some social percepts are universal, but “chope-ing” is not one of them.

The rules should be thus: The first patron to sit down gets the table. If that person stands and leaves, then the next patron waiting gets the table. No reservations with tissues, umbrellas or whatever — leave them there at your own risk.
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My solution, though drastic, is simple. From now on, I resolve to remove and discard all packets of tissue if I chance upon them at hawker stalls. Even if I do not require the seats, I will do likewise.

So yes, all guilty readers are forewarned — if your “choped” seats end up without the offending packets of tissue, chances are I was the one whodiscarded them.

And please do not blame the people sitting there; they would not have known that those seats were ever “reserved”.


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http://www.todayonline.com/articles/304103.asp

Letter from Ashley

I REFER to Ricky Lim’s I Say piece, “The ‘chope-ing’ vigilante” (Feb 25). Yes I fully agree, I am disgusted too with such practice. When my overseas clients come to Singapore, I have to warn them of this practice when they want to try the local food at food courts here. I have to tell them whether they can sit here, or if they can’t sit there ...
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Perhaps the best way to stop the practice would be for the mangement of the various food courts and hawker centres to put up a big signboard warning against it.

I work at Raffles Place. Ricky, please go to Golden Shoe at Market Street and Banquet at Clifford Centre to remove all the packets of tissues during lunch hour. You should bring a big group of guys to do it and have the media follow you around as you do. Once and for all, this habit has to stop. I have read people complaining all the time over the years and nothing has been done.

Sad to say, even my children have grown up thinking this is the norm at food courts and they now throw packets of tissue on chairs when they go to get their food. When I tell them it is wrong, they argue with me and say everyone is doing it.