A Singapore man has found an unusually friendly way to deal with a common public transport annoyance — giving free earphones to passengers who play videos loudly on their phones.
Wu Minghui, 58, a semi-retired man, recently encountered a female passenger playing a video at a high volume while travelling on a bus. Rather than confronting her angrily or filing a complaint, he decided to offer her a pair of earphones.
Wu told her that he had a free pair of earphones she could use and handed them towards her. The woman appeared surprised and repeatedly declined the offer in English.
The encounter was recorded by Wu and subsequently uploaded to TikTok, where the unusual approach attracted attention from social media users.
Passenger eventually stopped playing video
According to Wu, the woman eventually stopped playing the video on her mobile phone after he approached her.
He said his intention was not to embarrass or confront people, but to find a more positive way of dealing with excessive noise in shared public spaces.
Wu revealed that this was not the first time he had tried the approach. Since July, he has given away six pairs of earphones to people in similar situations.
Around 70% of those he approached accepted the earphones, while a small number declined. Wu said that even those who rejected his offer did not get into an argument with him.
He currently has another four pairs of earphones left and intends to continue giving them away until his supply runs out.
Social media users praise unusual approach
The incident has sparked discussion online, with many netizens praising Wu for choosing a non-confrontational solution.
Loud phone videos, music and conversations can sometimes become a source of tension on Singapore’s buses and trains, particularly when passengers are travelling in a relatively quiet carriage.
Instead of demanding that the passenger lower the volume, Wu effectively gave her an alternative that would allow her to continue watching her video without disturbing others.
His approach also highlights the different ways commuters deal with noise pollution on public transport. While some passengers may choose to complain directly, others prefer to ignore the disturbance or move away.
Wu’s method offers another option — one that relies on courtesy rather than confrontation.
A small gesture to reduce noise
Although giving away earphones may not solve every dispute involving noise on public transport, Wu believes small acts of kindness can sometimes be more effective than an angry confrontation.
His TikTok video has also generated positive reactions because of the unexpected nature of the gesture. Rather than escalating the situation, he attempted to solve the problem while allowing the other passenger to save face.
With four more pairs of earphones remaining, Wu plans to continue his unusual initiative when he encounters similar situations.
For commuters, the episode serves as a reminder that maintaining a pleasant public transport environment does not always require an argument. Sometimes, a simple and unexpected gesture may be enough to encourage people to be more considerate of those around them.