In the Spotlight

As we go about our daily commute, we may not always be aware that there may be commuters who are hard of hearing or deaf among us.

Gohpi Nathan poses with his Persons with Disability (PWD) Concession Card
Source: Gohpi Nathan

Meet Gohpi Nathan, an executive of Deaf Access Services (DAS) at The Singapore Association for the Deaf (SA Deaf). He shares with us his experiences commuting as a commuter who is deaf and offers simple steps for commuters to assist those commuters like him.

How do people who are hard of hearing or deaf commute?

As a person with congenital hearing loss, Gohpi uses a hearing aid, and communicates mainly with sign language. He is often unaware of announcements made by the train operators, such as on train delays or service disruptions. In such situations, he would observe other commuters and follow suit when everyone alights from the train at a stop.

Gohpi Nathan on his commute
Source: Gohpi Nathan

He remembers an instance where a caring commuter noticed him and his wife, who is also deaf, and helped them out by letting them know that there was an announcement about the train stopping at a certain station and commuters needed to alight at the next station. As Gohpi and his wife were unable to hear the announcement, he felt thankful that a caring commuter informed them of what was going on by using her phone to type a message on her phone.

How can we assist a commuter who is hard of hearing or deaf?

Simple steps can be taken to assist a commuter who is hard of hearing or deaf. For example, by gently tapping them on their shoulder or waving in their line of sight to get their attention. Once you have gotten their attention, ask if they need help by using your phone to type a simple message, or by typing any important train announcement that they might have missed on your phone for them.

Gohpi also shared that commuters do not have to know sign language to Give a Hand to them. Simple gesture communication or typing on one’s phone are perfectly acceptable ways to communicate with them and find out how to help.

So the next time you encounter a commuter like Gohpi, let us all strive to Give Care, Give Time and Give a hand to commuters around us, especially those who may need a little extra help!

Find out how train announcement sounds like for commuters like Gohpi here, and follow us for more information on how you can play a part in building a more caring commuting culture!