12 types of Filipino passengers that we encounter on public transport

Not all Filipinos can afford to have their own set of wheels for getting around wherever and whenever they wish, which is why many of us still resort to public transportation in order to get to our destinations.

But given the state of our public transport system, daily travels for the Filipino commuter are nothing short of a challenge worthy of being considered an Olympic sporting event.  

Commuting daily using public transport like jeepneys, buses, or the LRT/MRT, it’s inevitable that we encounter different kinds of people, especially since being stuck in traffic gives us a lot of idle time to observe our fellow passengers and their habits.

And we have to admit, observing other people can be an entertaining pastime, so we at Philkotse.com have compiled different types of typical Pinoy passengers that we have shared a ride with at some point in our lives as commuters. Read more of this article and see if you can relate with some (or all) of our observations.

The jeepney is still seen as the King of the Road in the Philippines

1. The leaner

The most common type of passenger seems to be someone who leans on you while catching up on their power naps; these are people who doze off while gripping the handlebars, only to let go and suddenly wake up with a jolt.

Most of these passengers are either students still groggy on their way to school or employees coming home from the night shift; a few of them are children. They just can’t help themselves from drifting off to dreamland during the ride, due to various reasons such as the heavy traffic or lack of sleep.

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They unintentionally lean on the shoulder of the person beside them, using it as their pillow. However, you also need to be extra cautious since their heads tend to slide towards your chest, making the situation very awkward and embarrassing for both parties.

2. The gadget addict

Passengers of this type travel with all sorts of gadgets on them. Normally he has a smartphone, a tablet, an MP3 player and, in some cases, a laptop. Passengers who love to show off their gadgets are easy prey for snatchers because of the value of their belongings.

If you encounter this type of passenger, you may want to give him or her a fair warning to avoid any untoward incidents.

Pinoy passengers are addicted to smartphones

3. The hair-feeder

Some female passengers are probably hoping to be discovered for a shampoo commercial, seeing how they like to let their hair down – at the expense of their fellow passengers.

This is a common scenario in jeepneys, where the breeze generated by the vehicle’s motion causes the lady’s hair to fly about, mostly towards the person seated right next to her.

They are filming a shampoo commercial Ad, aren't they?

In all honesty, someone else’s hair blowing through your face is really annoying and disturbing at the same time; you wouldn’t want to feel those strands whipping painfully at your face. Either they purposely loosen their hair so the next person would notice the smoothness, or they simply need to be reminded of common courtesy.

4. The sweethearts

This type of passengers couldn’t care less about what other people think of them as they engage in public displays of affection. Holding hands, hugging and even kissing in public is quite normal for them.

There’s nothing wrong with expressing their love for each other, but such open displays don’t really sit well with our rather conservative Filipino culture, with elder passengers oftentimes raising their eyebrows and making snide remarks.

There are some couples who love showing public displays of affection which can be annoying

>>> You might like to read: How to be a good car passenger: 7 Dos & Don'ts to remember

5. The headsets friend

Their headsets are their closest companions, practically glued to their heads and making them oblivious to the people around them. They've probably made a full-length music video in their heads during the ride.

Headsets are some passenger's best friend on public transport

These type of passengers tend to be the quiet ones (assuming that the songs they listen to don’t leak out of their headphones), and they just stick to minding their own business which is a good thing most of the time, except maybe when you need their assistance in handling the fare over to the driver.

6. The paragon of congeniality

The ride will never be complete without at least two people engaged in a loud conversation about anything under the sun. They will usually occupy most of the seats, and you should anticipate loud laughter from other passengers.

Passengers of this type also come in small groups. These people might be considered a good source of temporary entertainment and stress relief during rush hour traffic.

7. The snoop

These are people who crane their necks just to read their seatmate’s text message, email or social media post. You might start trouble inside the vehicle if you ask them point blank if they are reading or looking at your phone on purpose.

In cases like this, just shift your phone’s screen to another angle that they cannot see, or just keep the device in your bag if there’s really nothing important or urgent that requires its use.

Some passengers love to read the text messages of the person beside them

8. The paranoid

These are the type of passengers who eye people with suspicion as they board the vehicle, and they hold their bags just a little closer to them as a result.

While it is a bit unfair to judge people according to their looks, paranoid passengers might be acting on some sort of prior trauma such as being robbed inside a public vehicle, or are simply being extra cautious. 

Make sure though, that no one notices you shifting that handbag or backpack a certain way or else you might be the object of suspicion as well.

>>> Read more: 7 types of annoying car passengers that you'll encounter

9. The guardian angel

These are passengers that will talk to you out of the blue, making you feel good inside and influencing you to trust in the inherent goodness in the world.

They are those who will readily give you directions to an unfamiliar place, assist children and elderly passengers, and in some rare cases, they would offer to pay the fare for another passenger who may not have enough (or none at all).

10. The singer

These are passengers who will break into song inside the vehicle, having no care if people are looking at them. They would follow the music being played on the radio, even if the words do not always match the original lyrics.

Is it a bus-party?

11. The spreading person

Passengers like this act like they own the vehicle by the manner in which they sit. They pay for just one seat, yet they sit haphazardly so as to make it difficult for other passengers to occupy the seat next to them, with legs wide open or their belongings occupying the space where another passenger should sit.

Keep your legs together, please!

12. The Bookworm

These are the types of passengers that are too preoccupied with their books to be inconvenienced by the bumps and sudden stops of the vehicle they are riding in. Sometimes they would miss paying their fare because they are too engrossed in their reading.

Reading inside a moving vehicle can affect your vision that is why it is highly discouraged

What kind of passenger do you most often encounter on a daily basis?

>>> Visit Philkotse.com for more useful tips and advice for smart driving.