Flattered, or not!

[Lynne]

As someone who's reached their threescore years and ten, should I have been flattered last night on the bus in Camberwell to have been sworn at for "taking up an old person's seat"?

[Seabag]

Is this a dating thread ?

[Nigello]

Was it an even older person doing the swearing?

I think even a back-handed/unintentional compliment when delivered with a swear word somewhat takes away from the pleasure.

[LondonMix]

Despite your age, do you feel elderly. If not, then whoever told you to get up (assuming someone elderly needed to seat) was right to do so.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I feel pretty old, does that mean I can have the seat.

[Otta]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> Despite your age, do you feel elderly. If not,

> then whoever told you to get up (assuming someone

> elderly needed to seat) was right to do so.

They were right to swear at her?

[LondonMix]

No of course not Otta. I assumed asking if she should be sworn at or flattered as a bit tongue in cheek! No one deserves to be sworn at. I've had to tell women with prams to get out of the wheel chair bit after they initially weren't moving but have never resorted to swearing.

[Angelina]

oh no! Don't start on the battle of prams vs Wheelchairs

[JohnL]

Lynne Wrote:

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> As someone who's reached their threescore years

> and ten, should I have been flattered last night

> on the bus in Camberwell to have been sworn at for

> "taking up an old person's seat"?

I would feel chuffed and be smiling all night even though they swore. :)

I love it when people see me as in my 30s.

[DulwichFox]

Well I'm not 3 score and 10 but I have recently been asked if I would like a seat on a bus and in the pub...

I usually stand and balance on one leg and reply that I am OK.. I need to be careful though as both my knees need

posible surgery..

Foxy..

[Lynne]

Nobody needed my seat. Bus nearly empty. Complainant spent rest of journey swearing "f ing London f ing stinks" and so on. I had thought of engaging him in a rational debate, but, oddly, didn't.

[Jah Lush]

Hmmm.. was he pissed? Off his tits?

[Sue]

Lynne Wrote:

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> As someone who's reached their threescore years

> and ten, should I have been flattered last night

> on the bus in Camberwell to have been sworn at for

> "taking up an old person's seat"?

What are the "old person's seats"?

I thought they were for people who were disabled or heavily pregnant, for example, who find it hard to stand up?

Surely just being old doesn't entitle you to a seat? If it does, then I shall immediately claim mine on every bus I enter from now on :))

[BrandNewGuy]

Southern Rail and Southeatsern now have a "Priority Seat Card" for those who fulfil their criteria:

https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/download/19055.4/priority-seating-application-form-large-print-version/

In the FAQ:

"Does this guarantee me a seat?

No, this does not guarantee a seat. Priority seats may already be occupied by other card holders or passengers with a similar need for a seat."

So, in other words, it could still all kick off ;-)

[maxxi]

I think the:

"Please allow me to sit down

Expiry [] [] []"

-is a bit morbid.

[Seabag]

Lynne Wrote:

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> Nobody needed my seat. Bus nearly empty.

> Complainant spent rest of journey swearing "f ing

> London f ing stinks" and so on. I had thought of

> engaging him in a rational debate, but, oddly,

> didn't.

I think you met a Maudsley 'client' on your journey

[uncleglen]

I was on a bus in LL and a family of 2 women and 2 kids - looked like the grandma, mum and 2 kids were taking up the 4 priority seats nearest the door. The mum got up to touch her oyster in and an older person went to sit in her vacated seat. The grandma woman said to the older person 'you can't sit there- that's someones seat'...the older person shuffled off to the back....I think all this priority parking places for children and the like has addled some people's brains

[JohnL]

uncleglen Wrote:

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> I was on a bus in LL and a family of 2 women and 2

> kids - looked like the grandma, mum and 2 kids

> were taking up the 4 priority seats nearest the

> door. The mum got up to touch her oyster in and an

> older person went to sit in her vacated seat. The

> grandma woman said to the older person 'you can't

> sit there- that's someones seat'...the older

> person shuffled off to the back....I think all

> this priority parking places for children and the

> like has addled some people's brains

Well its sort of voluntary on the trains - someone with

a 'baby on board' badge always gets offered a seat (as

long as people notice).

[Sue]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think the:

>

>

> "Please allow me to sit down

>

> Expiry [] [] []"

>

>

> -is a bit morbid.

:))

[Sue]

JohnL Wrote:

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> Well its sort of voluntary on the trains - someone

> with

> a 'baby on board' badge always gets offered a seat

> (as

> long as people notice).

My sister, who is whatever the modern equivalent of registered disabled is, has very poor health and also at the time had pneumonia and was quite weak, was asked to vacate her priority seat on a bus by somebody with a "baby on board" badge who was not obviously pregnant but was quite rude to her.

A bit like somebody I knew who was perfectly able bodied but had somehow acquired a "disabled" notice for his car to enable him to park in designated spaces, I think it is easy for somebody to claim to be something they are not in order to get a seat.

I'm not suggesting this person was not pregnant, but just because you are pregnant does not make you unable to stand, although it may do. Unless things have changed since I was pregnant in the dark ages :))

(Covers head to avoid flak).

When taking a lift at a station to avoid having to walk up the stairs, my sister was also told by somebody with a buggy that she should not be in the lift because it was just for people with children and suitcases !!!

I was tempted to suggest that she should get crutches or a walking stick.

[TheArtfulDogger]

JohnL Wrote

>

> Well its sort of voluntary on the trains - someone

> with

> a 'baby on board' badge always gets offered a seat

> (as

> long as people notice).

I borrowed one of these magic badges once, it didn't work for me and I got all sorts of tuts as apparently s bloke can't get pregnant despite the obvious beer belly... . I thought we were moving towards equal rights but there you go...

[KalamityKel]

Sue Wrote:

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> I was tempted to suggest that she should get

> crutches or a walking stick.

That wouldn't necessarily make much difference.

When I was struggling along on crutches and then a stick I was often overlooked. I never made a fuss (mostly as I knew my pain threshold was at it's limit and didn't know what my actions might be!) but did feel annoyed that people where often "blind" to others around them.

My own experience has left me with more sympathetic understanding to those who may need a seat, in particular to those with no obvious outward signs of issues that may result in being seated the better option on public transport.

I really grrrr when people assume a "right" to a seat over someone else's "right". Yes there is common courtesy but that does not mean anyone should be shuffled out of the way in an aggressive manner or with plenty of tut tutting.

[JohnL]

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> JohnL Wrote

> >

> > Well its sort of voluntary on the trains -

> someone

> > with

> > a 'baby on board' badge always gets offered a

> seat

> > (as

> > long as people notice).

>

> I borrowed one of these magic badges once, it

> didn't work for me and I got all sorts of tuts as

> apparently s bloke can't get pregnant despite the

> obvious beer belly... . I thought we were moving

> towards equal rights but there you go...

I'm sure I'd have been politically correct enough to make way ;) :)

[Otta]

Angelina Wrote:

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> oh no! Don't start on the battle of prams vs

> Wheelchairs

There should be no battle about it. There's a sign right there on the bus saying wheelchairs have priority. That SHOULD be end of battle. Unfortunately some people think rules shouldn't apply to them.

[Jeremy]

KalamityKel Wrote:

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> That wouldn't necessarily make much difference.

> When I was struggling along on crutches and then a

> stick I was often overlooked.

Strange. I was on crutches from Dec-Feb and always got offered seats on the bus.

The only problem I had was when the bus driver pulled away rapidly before I'd sat down, and I clattered to the floor!