I really love the feeling of taking public transportation. This is most likely because I never get to, being from North Carolina (which I love dearly despite its lack of easily-accessible travel methods that aren't a personal vehicle). Taking public transportation or walking makes me feel a lot more immersed in the city than being in a car. Part of me does miss driving, although I'm sure that feeling will fade soon after I return home. One big note about the public transportation here and in much of Southeast Asia is how clean, well organized and efficient it is. The trains and buses rarely arrive late and there are relatively strict rules around eating and drinking to maintain cleanliness.
The pulbic transportation reflects a broader cultural emphasis on efficiency, order and discipline. People expect things to work well, and they usually do. Trains arrive on time, lines move quickly and disruptions are pretty rare. Public transportation is also a place where millions of people interact daily, so it reinforces cultural behaviors like queueing properly (which can also be observed in many other parts of the city), giving up seats for elderly or pregnant passengers and keeping noise low. These respectful behaviors extend to every other area of life in Singapore.
