Not Always Enjoyable to Sit in a Train for the Visually Impaired

Sitting on the KRL isn't always pleasant

Sitting on the Train Isn't Always Pleasant for the Blind

For people with disabilities like me, sitting on the KRL is quite common. This is because electric trains, or KRLs, have priority seating available. As the name suggests, priority seats are for priority passengers such as people with disabilities, pregnant women, mothers with toddlers, and the elderly.

Once, on my commute to the office by KRL, I happened to meet a colleague, let's call her Mawar, who was pregnant. Since we both qualified for priority seating, she immediately offered me the seat next to her.

“It’s nice, isn’t it, to get a seat on the KRL now,” she said after I sat down and settled into the spot beside her. I wasn't sure what she meant, but perhaps Mawar just wanted to start a conversation, or was simply expressing her joy at being pregnant and getting a seat. What Mawar didn't know, however, was that getting a seat on the KRL isn't always pleasant. In my experience, seats offered by other passengers can sometimes feel like a trap.

Here’s how it goes: I was once offered a seat by a kind stranger. Politely and gently, they invited me to sit. Their hand reached for my elbow, then guided me to the seat they had just vacated.

The problem was, as soon as I sat down, my nose was immediately assaulted by an incredibly strong and pungent armpit odor. I don't know what kind of bacteria had gathered and conspired to form a nation in that armpit, but one thing was clear: “I was trapped.”

I was convinced that the kind stranger was enjoying a breath of fresh air and holding back their laughter. Nevertheless, I didn't give up on this difficult situation. Even though I sometimes had to press a finger to my nostril to keep from gagging, I knew I had to remain calm, all while hoping the smell would disappear at the next station.

Unfortunately, hope remained just that—hope. The smell I thought would vanish at the next station persisted all the way to my destination. It even felt as if the odor clung to my nose long after I'd left the station and arrived home.

This is just one issue regarding the unpleasantness of sitting on the train. Another problem is that the seats offered are sometimes disproportionate.

Proportionate means fitting the lower body properly. That is, sitting comfortably without having to constantly push yourself back because you keep sliding down due to an ill-fitting seat. So, only half of your lower body makes contact. The rest you have to support yourself. I don't need to elaborate on what it feels like to support your lower body when only half of the seat fits; I'm sure everyone has experienced it.

This third case makes me sweat. How could it not? The KRL's air conditioning can't reach those who are seated because it's blocked by the sheer number of standing passengers.

Usually, when I'm seated, there are people carrying portable AC units or fans on the KRL. That makes me feel hot. If I can't stand the heat anymore, I try to find a moment when I can stand up and catch a breeze from the air conditioner.

When that happens, I wait for another priority passenger to enter and look for a seat. Often, they'll shout,

“Excuse me, this seat is for a pregnant woman.”

“Is anyone not pregnant?”

“Sir, sir, are you pregnant?”

When it comes to the last one, I'm the one who gets targeted. They assume I'm not visually impaired. And, in the eyes of almost every pregnant woman boarding the KRL, anyone sitting must also be pregnant.

Back to the story. So, when someone like that appears, I immediately try to stand up and offer the priority seat. However, the people around me prevent me, telling the priority passenger looking for a seat to find another spot. “Don’t, sir! Let them find another place.” That’s roughly what they say.

My intention in standing up, however, was to get a bit of fresh air. But the other passengers on the KRL refuse. It's not that I don't want to say I'm hot, but I'm too embarrassed. And then it would be obvious that offering my seat to another priority passenger was just a hot seat trap.

To draw a conclusion, being blind and getting a seat on the KRL isn't always pleasant. From the pungent armpit odor and sitting with only half your bottom on the seat, to feeling hot because of the crowded train—these are experiences that anyone can encounter. That's why, the day before this article was written, on my way home, I tried standing. I ignored everyone who offered me a seat.

I kept standing, station after station. Eventually, my posture, which had been perfectly upright while holding the strap, began to waver. My knees trembled, my feet grew uncomfortable, and the world felt like it was spinning rapidly. When it got to that point, even if I hadn't reached my destination station, I would immediately shout, “Priority, sir! Are you pregnant?”

Sitting on the Train Isn't Always Pleasant for the Visually Impaired