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Seats on public transport
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Had a bit of an issue on the bus today where we were queuing at the stop (about 8 of us) including a woman who was heavily pregnant and an elderly lady. The rest of us stepped aside to let the pregnant lady on the bus (which (shocker) was late) and had only a few seats available.
The elderly woman, tutting the whole way, barged in front of the woman as she went to get on and took the last easily accessible seat (the other was at the very back and was crowded). The pregnant lady didn't complain despite this and just stood up for a bit. The bus was bumpy and a guy offered her a seat, which she took, but then some teens who were sat further back were loudly conversing saying "can't believe she took the seat, pregnancy isn't an illness"
I have no problem offering my seat to anyone that looks like they are less able to stand whether they're young, old, pregnant or not, but this really shocked me. It's not the first time an elderly person has barged their way on to the bus like they are entitled and they're usually quite rude about it! Rant over!
The elderly woman, tutting the whole way, barged in front of the woman as she went to get on and took the last easily accessible seat (the other was at the very back and was crowded). The pregnant lady didn't complain despite this and just stood up for a bit. The bus was bumpy and a guy offered her a seat, which she took, but then some teens who were sat further back were loudly conversing saying "can't believe she took the seat, pregnancy isn't an illness"
I have no problem offering my seat to anyone that looks like they are less able to stand whether they're young, old, pregnant or not, but this really shocked me. It's not the first time an elderly person has barged their way on to the bus like they are entitled and they're usually quite rude about it! Rant over!
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I have no issue giving up my seat either. But I do find it increasingly common that elderly people assume you'll give up your seat and start tutting away and looking disgusted if younger people don't automatically jump up the second an elderly person appears on the bus. They seem to have this sense of entitlement the same sense of entitlement that they continually slag off younger generations for.
That said, it's so ingrained that as much as I want to just ignore them and not give up my seat, I can't. I automatically stand up and offer my seat if the bus is busy.
I agree there's no law, but there is a certain etiquette for public transport as far as I'm concerned such as offer your seat to pregnant women, people on crutches, let people off before you get on etc. Just common courtesies.
Being pregnant doesnt make a woman deserving of a seat
I thought the only entitlement was the space for disabled people to park their wheelchair?
No, but if a heavily pregnant woman was standing and I was sitting, I'd be a bit of a dick if I didn't at least offer.
Nobody ''deserves'' a seat but offering yours up to someone who might welcome it more is a nice thing to do.
My mum has a different view on this - ALL fare payers have the right to a seat, and people with bus passes don't.
No of course it doesnt make her deserving of anything ,But kindness and empathy would make me give up my seat .And I am no spring chicken either but would be well able to stand and give my seat to a pregnant girl who is finding balancing hard .
Bloody hell, what is wrong with people these days? Are you really that bloody selfish? >:(
Pregnant women don't need to deserve a seat - they may NEED a seat. It's not the same as carrying around a few extra pounds around your middle. Hormones have loosened your joints, making standing up for long periods painful, the weight makes your back ache, your centre of gravity has changed so that balance is difficult, you get tired far more easily, blood pressure can make you faint, and spending too long on your feet can make your ankles swell. I know because I am currently seven months pregnant.
Plus, in the event of an accident or even just being thrown around a corner sharply, who suffers most from a fall? A pregnant woman could land on her belly or fall against a metal pole and potentially hurt the baby she's carrying.
Same with elderly people or very small children. If they will be fatigued, are likely to be knocked or fall over, isn't it just basic courtesy to let them sit down?
Teenagers can stand around no problem. (I know - our school bus has too few seats, so I spent the best part of three years perched on the luggage rack!)
What is wrong with people, that they can't even give up their seats and suffer a minor inconvenience so that someone less able can take the weight off their feet? >:(
Absolutely spot on, well said.
Honestly some people will never learn empathy or indeed manners it seems
Well said, agree 100%
I know it's "only" a queue, but it's times like that that make me quite territorial.
I've seen pensioners with trolleys pull them in to the seat beside them, blocking it off for everyone else unless they want to sit sideways.
I've seen kids of all ages sitting down the front who stare blankly when someone gets on with a buggy and wants to put it in the space that's actually specifically meant for buggies - not for stupid children.
And I see plenty of the entitled, self righteous sorts who also likely think that "being pregnant isn't an illness" as well.
It's sad that a simple notion such as common curtesy is lost on many people.
Why's that?
I'm all for giving up seats (I was brought up well) but that "rant" seems a bit
Not having a go at you at all, though. I would give up my seat for a pregnant woman or anyone else who looked like they needed it, and I never sit in the priority seats as I am not pregnant, disabled, or have any need for them. But I don't think I'd ever get pregnant and then complain that people don't move and I have to stand up with swollen ankles/carrying some extra pounds/adjusting balance as ultimately it's really something you decided to do yourself (get pregnant) and not anyone on the bus'!
You catch more with honey than vinegar, as the saying goes.
Pretty sure the OP is referring to free passes which entitle people to travel for free, not the likes of monthly passes where you pay for a week/month in advance. I actually tend to agree - in my area, schoolchildren who live more than 3 miles from their school can apply for a pass entitling them to entirely free bus travel - I don't see why this entitles them to a seat over a paying passenger. I have even been on a packed bus with lots of "grown-ups" standing where the driver has spoken directly to schoolchildren who were seated and said that since they travelled for free, they needed to give up their seats for those that had paid.
Pensioners here also travel for free but I feel the complete opposite in that regard! I would always sit upstairs if downstairs was beginning to get full as I would rather leave seats free that were easily accessible for people that couldn't go upstairs - so it really angers me to come downstairs when getting off and see elderly people standing while younger and perfectly able-bodied people are sitting in the elderly/disabled seats.
I too still follow the "bus etiquette" I was taught as a child and it really bothers me that others don't. Don't get me started on "off before on" or queuing at bus stops ... I had to stop a teenage girl last week and say to her that there were 4 people ahead of her as she decided to just plough onto the bus 2 seconds after she arrived - the look she gave me! But I felt a teeny bit proud of myself :-D