Cairo’s Metro: an observation of people’s behavior at rush hour

Cairo’s Metro: an observation of people’s behavior at rush hour
Spring 2009

First of all, metro service in Egypt is very popular among the lower and middle class as I noticed. People can be classified as lower or middle class from their appearance and behavior. What I mean by their appearance is that women wear unsuitable clothes for work time. For example one woman wears bright shirt with lots of accessories which might show that she does not differentiate between morning or work and night clothes. Also, one woman was selling some stuff like make up and socks by just one pound. As a result, many women bought from this woman because it is cheap and the price is suitable for them. Moreover, what might indicate that some riders are from the lower class is that they push people without even saying sorry. One lady tried to push me when I was standing as to find a place to stand. Also, one boy played with my bag and when I shouted on him, his mother told him, stop it as it is inappropriate. Another lady kept staring at me without any obvious reason.

When I first reached the station of Alzahraa, I booked a ticket to ride the metro and it is for just one pound and this can be another reason why people from lower class prefer riding the metro. The metro service is fast as I rode it at 2 pm and reached the Helmeyat al Zaitoon station at 2.30. The metro passed by different 12 stations. In every station, new people join and others left but some stations are more crowed than the others. For example, the Saddat and Mubarak stations are more crowded than the rest as they link stations with each other. The metro was very crowded as you can not breathe of stand properly. Furthermore, the metro service is accurate as every five minute people can catch the metro. The air in the metro was very limited as there are many people with no enough air. Light is good in the metro when the metro goes underground.

Although the metro is crowded, the place is clean as nobody through anything on the floor. In every metro station, there are separate carriages for women and the rest are mixed. I and my friends ride the separate carriage for women. One guy entered the women’s carriage by mistake so women shouted on and pushed him away and the door was closed on his legs. There was a foreign woman who was reading a book about Egypt and trying to sit in her seat as the carriage is very crowded.

Though there is a note saying that some seats are for old and disabled people, some old women were standing while young girls sit down. Also, one observation I got in the metro is in the rush hour there is always a bad smell. In addition, there are beggars in the metro who beg and try to get money from the people. Beggars and sellers are started pushing to get space to sell or beg. What I noticed before I get to the metro carriage is that there are some boys cross the railway from one side to another while this is illegal. A policeman started shouting on those boys but could not catch them.

What amazed me is that there are some people who read Quran with lowed voice that everybody can hear. Also, I noticed that one lady was a sleep and later she missed the station she wants to go to. Another lady who was a sleep was wakened up by some women to catch the next station. Cooperation is nice among people who ride the metro.

In conclusion, my friends warned me from the thefts in the metro as my friend told me many thefts wait for the new riders who seldom take the metro to steal them. I did not experience that but friends told me stories about stealing mobiles and wallets. In general, the experience of riding the metro might be a hard one but at the same time it is an enjoyable experience. It is a new experience for me as this is the first time I ride the metro in Egypt. The metro service is very good and fast but in my opinion; it needs some organization and regulations. Also, in the metro station, you might meet different people from different classes which are considered an important thing to be mixed with different kind of people.