Would you stand?

[GodAtum]

Something has has been debated quite a bit on another thread. Would you stand for someone who you think is less able to stand, whether it's a pregnant lady, elderly person etc.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What if you are an elderly person yourself ?

 

[michael769]

What if you are an elderly person yourself ?

What about someone older and more infirm that you?

 

[NathanPrior]

Only if they ask.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What about someone older and more infirm that you?

Even if this could be to the detriment of your own condition that you suffer from. I think not.

 

[Taunton]

Always.

 

[Searle]

Only if they ask.

This, if no one asks me then I'm not going to move (in general)

 

[YorkshireBear]

I will stand up for anyone, as a 21 year old Male i consider myself very capable of standing up for 2 hours or more. If that fails i happily sit on the floor as i am a grubby Northerner.

 

[ECML180]

I will stand up for anyone, as a 21 year old Male i consider myself very capable of standing up for 2 hours or more. If that fails i happily sit on the floor as i am a grubby Northerner.

I'm very similar in age and opinion. If I'm on a bus or train that's getting to a full standing load I will stand and move to a suitable location, if others need the seat then they're free to take it.

 

[trainophile]

Yes if I was only travelling a short way, probably no if on my regular 2-hour trip, on the basis that as I'm over 60 there are probably many fellow passengers younger and fitter than me, who *should* be offering, if there is an evident need for someone to do so.

Need an extra poll option of "It depends" .

 

[ModernRailways]

In general, No. Not anymore.

If I was asked to move then Yes, of course I would. Elderly women get on the train and they give me death stares because I haven't moved. I'm not in a priority seat either.

I posted this in the 1st Class thread where it was being discussed.

I gave up my seat to a old women who could barely walk and she said 'Do you think I'm too old to stand up? Stupid teenagers.' she proceeded to sit down until the man across from where I was sitting said 'Oi, sit back down in the seat, she obviously doesn't want it.' I was too embarrassed and ended up getting off at the next stop. I now never give up my seat unless asked by someone now, although I almost always stand on the Metro now since the seats are scruffy.

Also, on the Metro there are wheelchair bays, I was standing against the window when I saw a wheelchair get on. I moved out and said 'Do you want to go there' there response 'Why? Do you think because I'm in a wheelchair I must go to the special disabled location. Pr***' I wasn't sure what to do, ended up walking to the other end of the carriage. I now move for wheelchairs but don't say anything. If someone else is standing there I'll stay there, unless we are asked to move.

 

[Mugby]

Before I even considered standing, I would have a very good look around for any seat occupied by bags or coats.

 

[Sheepy1209]

I'm nearly 50, in good health, and will stand if I see someone less able to stand - though I might make an exaggerated point of doing so if I see a 20-year-old doing nothing.

The thing for me though is what about people who look fit and healthy but actually aren't? For example - when I had cancer at the age of 38 I looked fine but was actually very weak because of anaemia following surgery.

I also didn't consider myself fit to drive, so used the train a lot.

Fortunately for me I was off work and could travel at quiet times, so it was never an issue; but what if a train had been full? How would people have reacted if I'd asked them to let me sit down?

If I'd had to stand then I would probably have fainted after half an hour or so, which would have led to an emergency and therefore disruption.

So are our social norms in line with actual needs? Do pregnant women always need to sit down? I would always offer of course.

I also stand for small children - if a parent has a couple of kids to control it's much better that they sit down than try to stand without being able to reach anything to hold onto, or risk being knocked over in a crowd.

So it's not simple!

 

[trainophile]

I'm nearly 50, in good health, and will stand if I see someone less able to stand - though I might make an exaggerated point of doing so if I see a 20-year-old doing nothing.

The thing for me though is what about people who look fit and healthy but actually aren't? For example - when I had cancer at the age of 38 I looked fine but was actually very weak because of anaemia following surgery.

I also didn't consider myself fit to drive, so used the train a lot.

Fortunately for me I was off work and could travel at quiet times, so it was never an issue; but what if a train had been full? How would people have reacted if I'd asked them to let me sit down?

If I'd had to stand then I would probably have fainted after half an hour or so, which would have led to an emergency and therefore disruption.

So are our social norms in line with actual needs? Do pregnant women always need to sit down? I would always offer of course.

I also stand for small children - if a parent has a couple of kids to control it's much better that they sit down than try to stand without being able to reach anything to hold onto, or risk being knocked over in a crowd.

So it's not simple!

I would imagine you'd ask someone who looked young and fit (even if they replied that they too were not well so couldn't oblige), rather than the person you happened to be standing nearest to even if they were an older gent or lady.

I think school children in uniform should be a bit quicker to relinquish their seats, which they probably don't pay for anyway, as there's unlikely to be any reason why they can't stand for a reasonable length of time. Unfortunately on the buses I use the school kids hardly ever offer their seat, even to elderly folk.

 

[swt_passenger]

Back in my childhood, the buses in Newcastle all had notices up stating that children travelling on half fares must give up their seats to adults...

 

[PaxVobiscum]

... as a 21 year old Male i consider myself very capable of standing up for 2 hours or more.

No comment

 

[chris89]

It really honestly depends now for me.

A lot of the time i will, but if it is expected (due to age), spoken to rudely, barged in-front of etc. Chance will be next to zero.

Many times when i have offered a majority will say thank you, say no need or just take and say nothing at all.

As some others have said about school age pupils i do agree.

Also poll really needs a 'It Depends' option.

 

[GodAtum]

Someone at work had a skiing accident over Xmas and is know in crutches. he does ask for a seat and most of the time people are courteous to give it up to him.

 

[HowardGWR]

Yes if I was only travelling a short way, probably no if on my regular 2-hour trip, on the basis that as I'm over 60 there are probably many fellow passengers younger and fitter than me, who *should* be offering, if there is an evident need for someone to do so.

Need an extra poll option of "It depends" .

It does not 'depend' for me (aged 68). The poll question was quite clear. I do not care about younger pax present. One has to set an example and that's all there is to it.

 

[Johnny_w]

Every day and thrice on Sunday.

It's called common decency!

 

[Lockwood]

Back in my childhood, the buses in Newcastle all had notices up stating that children travelling on half fares must give up their seats to adults...

ISTR ones like that down here as well.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It slightly depends for me.

If I have a reserved seat on a train then no, I won't move. If they can't stand they should have had the foresight to reserve a seat. It's not my problem that they didn't.

On tubes or the buses then yes, I will.

 

[TheKnightWho]

I do feel like the question has been worded in such a way as to get a certain result...

I mean, the issue raised in the previous thread was the fact that people get offended at people assuming that they're less able to stand. If someone asked me to stand up for them, of course I would, but I wouldn't just stand up because I feel like someone over there requires it. For all I know, I'm the 47th person that day to do so, and they're getting incredibly sick of it (which is not particularly uncommon).

 

[Greenback]

I will stand if I can see that someone needs my seat more than I do. Sadly, I now seem to have people offering their seat to me instead!

As it happens my usual commute is so short that I usually stand up anyway. And the frail looking people I do see tend to have a seat reservation.

It's a question of need, really, and we have no way of knowing about unseen health conditions so I would never judge someone else for not getting up themselves.

 

[anme]

I do feel like the question has been worded in such a way as to get a certain result...

I mean, the issue raised in the previous thread was the fact that people get offended at people assuming that they're less able to stand. If someone asked me to stand up for them, of course I would, but I wouldn't just stand up because I feel like someone over there requires it. For all I know, I'm the 47th person that day to do so, and they're getting incredibly sick of it (which is not particularly uncommon).

Perhaps some people do get offended if offered a seat, but having lived in London for many years, I have never come across this. People sometimes refuse the seat when offered, but in my experience are never impolite.

I always offer my seat if someone standing appears to need it more than me.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Perhaps some people do get offended if offered a seat, but having lived in London for many years, I have never come across this. People sometimes refuse the seat when offered, but in my experience are never impolite.

I always offer my seat if someone standing appears to need it more than me.

It's less about the visual offence - from the several people I know who've been permanently or temporarily disabled, it becomes very wearing after the first few times. Most of them are far too polite to say anything about it, though.

The other thing discussed in the other thread was whether men should stand for women, which I think is generally considered quite patronising by a lot of women my sort of age (early 20s).

(I'm well-aware that this is only what I've experienced, though.)

 

[bb21]

The question that must be asked if one has to consider whether the other person will be offended when deciding whether to offer them a seat is what the alternative is? Do we just ignore anyone who may look like they are in greater need of a seat than us for fear of offending them?

If so, then it really will be a sad state of affairs.

 

[Greenback]

The best thing I have seen happen, and it happened to me quite a few years ago, is for someone to stand up and say to the person in question 'Do you want to sit down for a bit? I've been sitting down for ages, I need to stretch my legs and I'm getting off at the next stop'.

Only the most sensitive could take offence with that. I didn't, I was only 30 at the time and certainly didn't feel as though I was being classed as aged or infirm with that offer.

 

[L&Y Robert]

What if you are an elderly person yourself ?

I am!Still would, tho'.

 

[TheKnightWho]

The question that must be asked if one has to consider whether the other person will be offended when deciding whether to offer them a seat is what the alternative is? Do we just ignore anyone who may look like they are in greater need of a seat than us for fear of offending them?

If so, then it really will be a sad state of affairs.

I think it's about being thoughtful about it. If you're getting visual cues from them that they'd like your seat that's fine, but standing simply because they're a woman, they're old or whatever is pretty insensitive.

It's all very well to say that it's a sad state of affairs being worried about offending people, but I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs that we patronise large portions of our population under the justification of 'chivalry' or whatever.