A video of a dramatic altercation on a train in Taiwan has gone viral worldwide after being posted on Threads, drawing heated debate about etiquette on public transport.
The clip begins with an elderly woman swinging her bag at a passenger seated in the elderly priority section. The passenger, caught off guard, asks another traveler to hold her bag before the woman strikes again. In response, the passenger delivers a swift kick that sends the woman stumbling backward into the opposite row of seats.
When she regains her footing, the woman repeatedly insists she wants to call the police. The passenger, visibly frustrated, warns her in both Chinese and English to “try one more time.” The exchange escalates further when the woman argues she wanted the seat to place her belongings. The passenger counters that there were plenty of other empty seats available and bluntly tells her she could “drive her own car” if she wanted exclusive space.
Netizens Chimed In
The video quickly gained traction online, with many netizens chiming in to share similar encounters with the same elderly woman.
One user wrote: “I also met this auntie! I was over 30 weeks pregnant sitting in the priority seat when she hit my knee with her umbrella, saying she had a lot of heavy things and wanted the seat.”
Another recalled: “This old lady is a regular troublemaker on the MRT. Once, a young woman who wasn’t feeling well sat in the priority seat, and the auntie insulted her, saying, ‘What’s so uncomfortable about being fat? Fat people should be healthy. Otherwise, why did you eat so much?’ Even though there were empty seats nearby, she just wanted the one she demanded. Totally unreasonable!”
According to Chinese media, the station manager boarded the train to de-escalate the situation. Authorities confirmed train operations were not affected.
The viral clip has since ignited heated discussion about respect, entitlement, and how far is too far when confronting others on public transport.
