Beijing woman's dummy tummy stunt on Subway causes outrage

Fake pregnancy bellies, such as the one allegedly worn by Zheng seen on taobao.com. (taobao.com)

A woman who allegedly attempted to exploit the good nature of Beijing subway passengers by wearing a prosthetic pregnant belly to scam seats on the notoriously crowded trains has ended up an object of ridicule.

According to the Beijing News, the woman's plan to milk sympathy from her fellow riders backfired when a belt holding her belly in place loosened and the prosthesis dropped to the floor.

Her stunt angered thousands and caused merciless mocking, both online and in person.

The woman, whose surname is Zhang, allegedly bought the dummy tummy on a website that touts it as an acting prop. She reportedly paid 300 RMB ($50 CDN) on taobao.com.

After it dropped to the ground, Zhang brazenly lodged a complaint with her local commercial bureau about the prop's performance. 

The Liyuan Industrial and Commercial Bureau rejected her complaint saying that that she hadn't "purchased or used commodities, or received services, as a consumer should for daily use."

With an incredible 2.1 billion people riding the Beijing subway in 2012 (according the Beijing News) overcrowding is a growing concern.

When sandwiched up against others in a train carriage or an over-capacity bus, the smallest provocation can irk even the calmest rider. Anything from outside seat-sitters to backpack-wearers can get the blood boiling, making it more and more crucial to stick to social guidelines and courtesies.

What are some examples of bad behaviour you have witnessed on your public transit system? What etiquette rules do you wish people would obey on a bus or a train?

Read more cases of transit woes in Canada:

• Rude: Where are our Manners?
  
• Bad behaviour on Winnipeg buses common
  
• TTC boss Byford tackles stroller debate