Bengaluru commuters flag safety risks as 'phone-sticking' metro stunt goes viral

A social media trend that involves creators running alongside moving metro trains while filming themselves has surfaced in Bengaluru, prompting commuters to raise safety concerns. The stunt, widely called "phone-sticking and running," sees one person attach a mobile phone to a coach window from outside while another films from inside. As the train departs, the person on the platform sprints alongside, dancing or posing to create a cinematic tracking-shot effect before dropping out of view.

Recent reels from metro networks across the country, including Bengaluru, have drawn criticism for turning platforms into backdrops for risky behaviour. Commuters argue that such acts ignore the primary purpose of platforms — the safe movement of passengers — and can distract creators from the platform edge and fellow travellers.

Sandeep N., an IT professional, said he witnessed the trend firsthand at Cubbon Park station on the Purple Line. He described a young woman running as the train began moving, focused entirely on a camera held by someone inside the coach, oblivious to those around her. "It is highly disruptive and compromises public spaces for a few seconds of social media attention," he said.

Malini Sastry, a college lecturer from Indiranagar, warned that running close to the platform edge while chasing an accelerating train could lead to falls, collisions, or worse. "If a creator trips, collides with an elderly passenger or loses their footing near the edge... they could easily fall or be pulled under," she said, urging the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to act.

Senior BMRCL officials said they were not specifically aware of the reported incidents and had received no formal complaints. However, they clarified that existing rules prohibit unauthorised commercial filming, vlogging, and disruptive content creation within metro premises. Reckless running on platforms or attaching foreign objects to moving coaches would violate safety guidelines, they added.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has issued a warning to content creators against sticking phones to train windows while in motion. The DMRC noted that the practice could inconvenience or injure passengers and may damage the devices used. "If any content creator is caught indulging in such shoots, necessary action shall be taken," the corporation said.