Australians have railed about the “inclined rails” appearing at train stations and bus stops instead of traditional seating options.
Some have furiously claimed that the unusual rails have replaced seats in most metropolitan areas to “discourage homeless people” from camping on the platforms.
However, both NSW Transport and Queensland Rail told FEMAIL the bars are designed as an “alternative seating option” where “there is no space for traditional seating”.
Others criticized the tracks as being “absolutely useless” for elderly and disabled people, who are the “main people using seats at stations”.
Singer Justin Standley mocked “ridiculous” deliveries at a Brisbane train station in a video that has since gone viral.
Singer Justin Standley mocked the “ridiculous” deliveries at a Brisbane train station in a video that has since gone viral.
“They’re funny little chairs, how are you supposed to sit in them?” she chirped in the video before awkwardly trying them on.
Furious spectators claimed the seating discriminated against homeless people and people with disabilities.
‘We have them at bus stops in England. It’s so hard for homeless people to feel comfortable,” one woman said.
Others seemed to agree with his point of view.
‘It is disrespectful to elderly and disabled people who can still walk but need to rest and cannot use a seat like that. It is also disrespectful towards homeless people. How cruel,” one person wrote about the seat in the video.
‘What a horrible, disgusting, cruel thing to do. Imagine the thought that went into designing something so that homeless people couldn’t find a little comfort. Not to mention ordinary travelers,” said another.
Standley seemed excited about the success of his video and the conversation it started around justice.
“I think it’s cruel that they put up such a ridiculous structure if it’s disenfranchising someone,” he said.
But he was willing to take other opinions into account.
Standley seemed delighted with the success of his video and the conversation it started around justice.
‘There is now a lot of debate about what they are, as my children insist it is for rucksacks and school bags, but I have doubts, as bags are not allowed to be left unattended and there are only two small shelves; “It’s barely enough for a swarm of schoolchildren,” he said.
Some people claimed that the bars are for “people to lean on” and were never intended to replace the seats.
‘There is not enough space between the wall and the train tracks to safely install normal seats in these areas, as it forces passengers to walk too close to the edge of the platform. “These are just rest rails,” one man said.
“Get off your high horse, it’s about platform space and not hostility,” criticized another.
Others admitted that the bars and seating were probably all examples of “anti-homeless” architecture, but that they are glad to be there.
‘I’m sorry that homeless people find themselves in that situation in life… but the design of a rest area in or around a train station is not the place to consider where homeless people will stop and stay. They have many other areas to rest or sleep,’ they said.
The conversation seemed to flow to Reddit, where people revealed that their seats also had ‘handrails’ installed to prevent people from lying down.
‘Who do I thank? I hate when there are homeless people on my platform. They scare me,’ said one woman.
The conversation seemed to flow to Reddit, where people revealed that their seats had “handrails” installed to prevent people from lying down.
“To think there was a room full of people arguing about this makes me sad,” one person said.
‘They are in cities all over the world. To think that there are hundreds of rooms full of people discussing the same thing and coming to the same conclusion is horrible,” said another.
Some people said they don’t like homeless people setting up on platforms or in public and appreciating architecture.
People claimed that “they’re not even good for healthy people.”
“As a short, able-bodied person, these are already horrible, as for some I’m too short to even wear them.”
“They were a nightmare when I was pregnant: people would offer them to me and I would wave at them so they wouldn’t bother.”
