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Elderly commuter listening to music without earphones riles netizens: ‘We’ve stubborn old men around’
PHOTO: SHERYLE O. ORO/FACEBOOk
Ivan Lim
PublishedMay 27, 2026, 04:48pm
UpdatedMay 27, 2026, 05:01pm
A short video of yet another elderly MRT commuter playing music loudly on his mobile phone without earphones has riled netizens.
The 11-second clip, shared by Facebook user @Sheryle O. Oro, begins with the man seated in a priority seat on the East–West MRT line.
He gestures and says something to another commuter off camera before looking at his phone, which is playing Daddy Yankee’s Lo Que Paso, Paso (Whatever Happened, Happened).
He is later seen in a different outfit and seated elsewhere on the train, again looking at his phone.
Posted on May 26, it has so far garnered 28,000 views and several comments, many of which were critical of the elderly man’s bare beating instead of using earphones.
“A lot of old and partly deaf seniors talk loudly and listen loudly, too,” commented a Facebook user.
Another, who agreed, added: “Those who talk loudly might have hearing problems… But in a public space or confined area, they should not create noise pollution for others.”
Some were puzzled as to why older commuters seemed averse to the idea of using earpieces, while others felt it was difficult to reason with them.
“These old uncles love to do this but you can’t confront them,” said one. “We've stubborn old men around,” said another.
Some suggested ways of dealing with it, including snatching the phone from the old person or playing loud music beside them, while others said fellow passengers should simply ask them to lower the volume.
“I once complained to the driver and was able to resolve (the matter),” said a commenter.
One felt it was unfair to tar all elderly people with the same brush, pointing out that there are also “considerate old people”, as well as “the good, bad and ugly types” among teenagers and younger people.
Another declared that it was simply a matter of age: “Once you grow older like an uncle, you also will be like that. Karma will come to you like the comments again uncle. Mind your own business.”
This is not the first such incident reported on Stomp.
In April, a Stomper was annoyed by a commuter blasting songs including Poker Face by Lady Gaga and Toxic Till The End by Rose on the East–West MRT line.
In February, another Stomper got into a dispute with a woman who was loudly playing videos on a bus.
