Should pregnant people pay a premium for travelcards?

[jrussel]

Not just travelcards - use of public transport in London in general.

The tube for example is crowded enough as it is, and I count myself lucky to find a seat. Often however, I must relinquish my seat for a pregnant person. To sit there with them hovering nearby in an accusatory fashion is unpleasant.

The thing is - we both pay the same for our ticket. So why do they get priority? I understand that perhaps their feet are sore from the extra weight and all that, but was this really so hard to predict when they made themselves pregnant?

If I have a few too many drinks of a night, and wake up the next morning with a splitting headache, do I demand silence on the bus so as not to aggravate my fractuous state? No, I accept the consequences of my actions.

I suggest that pregnant people pay a 30% premium to compensate the extra strain they place on pubic transport.

I'd like to make clear that I am only too happy to give up my seat for the elderly, or those with mobility problems that are no fault of their own. In these instances I count myself lucky to have the privilege of being able to stand for the duration of my journey.

I suppose this will provoke angry responses from "new parents" (no shortage of them in these parts - clear from the number of middle class creche facilities springing up in my street) which is unfortunate but unavoidable; scientists have recently proven that the pregnant and those with newborn children have a decreased ability for empathy for unrelated strangers, and a decreased capacity for what most would describe rational thought.

[HonaloochieB]

I say, I say I say. My dog's got no nose.

Really, how does he smell?

As transparently provocative as a Jack Russell post, so I just ignore the bugger.

[Brendan]

Should pregnant people pay a premium for travelcards?

Only the men.

Arseholes that they are.

[jrussel]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

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> I say, I say I say. My dog's got no nose.

>

> Really, how does he smell?

>

> As transparently provocative as a Jack Russell

> post, so I just ignore the bugger.

It is a frequent source of amusement to me - when people choose to "ignore" things by telling everyone that they are doing this "ignoring"!

"Look at me, I'm not here!"

Now can we return to the point please.

[jrussel]

Brendan Wrote:

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> Should pregnant people pay a premium for

> travelcards?

>

> Only the men.

>

> Arseholes that they are.

They certainly should be expected to contribute to the extra costs taken on by their partners as a result of their actions.

[daizie]

Agree with you jr. Pregnancy is a choice, i have no sympathy at all .

[Brendan]

jrussel Wrote:

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>

> They certainly should be expected to contribute to

> the extra costs taken on by their partners as a

> result of their actions.

Stuff that. I?d have all sorts of women trying to get me to pay for their travel cards.

[Sandperson]

I'm about to be a dad for the second time, you wouldn't believe how decreased my empathy is towards you....

[Brendan]

Would you like a seat?

[Ladygooner]

What about if someone has a leg in a plaster cast - would you make them stand while you sit? What goes around comes around it doesn't cost anything to do something nice for someone once in a while.

[ryedalema]

As a Mum of two very young girls there's lots I could say about how out of order the OP is here. But actually, I wouldn't mind paying a premium on my travel card if it guaranteed me a seat and I didn't have to plead with a scowling commuter that actually my need was greater. It's the excruciatingly embarrassing standing while others ignore you and studiously examine their finger nails that depresses every day.

That and serious b.o. from people who don't know how to use their showers while enjoying the throws of morning sickness.

Can't wait to see what others think here...watch out for the Mummy massive!

Oh and btw - who's going to look after you when you get old? blah etc blah.

[felt-tip]

i agree with jrussel. it is a lifestyle choice and you should pay the price. however, we will have to add this to sex education for children: unwanted pregnancies, sexual diseases and now, increased public transport costs. but - i agree, its only fair.

[cate]

Ryedalema, What does 'who's going to look after you when you are old mean?' That's not a reason to have kids. Hope that's not why you had them. Could start a whole thread about why people chose to have them......

[Keef]

Predictable responses on here rom people rising to the bait.

To be fair, a while ago someone stated a thread called "should fat people pay extra on the bus" or something like that, and people thought it was really rather funny. Mention pregnant people in ED though, and you're guaranteed to get a rise.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Actually, I've pulled the hangover card on the 185 - had a charming response from a gaggle of gels playing their music too loudly. Most effective.

[jollybaby]

As I remember jrussel also had a thing about there being too many trees in East Dulwich too!!

[ClareC]

Perhaps jrussel needs to get out more and get a life!

[alethea]

Okay, well obviously you are seriously pi**ed off with pregnant people on public transport and in general. Probably on one of the trains coming from London bridge as when I was pregnant, probably got offered a seat a handful of times right up to the end.

I think what pi**ed me off was people that sat in the special seats and then didn't offer their seats to anyone old, disabled, pregnant etc. It would then be left up to someone else to do it. If you don't want to potentially give up your seat then don't increase your chances by sitting in special seats.

To be honest I think it is depressing that you would even put a post saying this, it always amazes me how negative people can be regarding pregnancy, children etc. Yes it is a lifestyle choice for most, but in the grand scheme of things it's for a few months and how many times do you actually give up your seat in a week?

Perhaps you would be better off taking your grievance up with Boris to sort out the trains rather than putting all the blame on pregnant women.

[ImpetuousVrouw]

daizie Wrote:

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> Agree with you jr. Pregnancy is a choice, i have

> no sympathy at all .

Bollocks, how is it a choice?

Not everyone who is pregnant, planned it.

Many people get pregnant because they don't know how to use their contraception properly or the contraception doesn't always work, or for a vast array of other reasons.

And even if they do plan it, so what?

It's a natural deep seated instinctive drive in most people.

Selfish twats making excuses for being selfish twats, doesn't stop them being selfish twats.

[SteveT]

When I was in my childhood (1950s) guys would give up their seats to females, they would not have to be pregnant or with a gaggle of kids, it was good manners as females were considered to be frailer than men.

On double deckers men usually travelled upstairs so they could smoke, and there was no standing up there of course.

I remember one guy who was being harrangued by a sizeable woman on a full bus, and she said loudly 'well, aren't you going to give up your seat'

He replied "you drink, you smoke, and you wear trousers, and I've had a hard day, so I'm not moving".

That was rather forthright answering back to a female, and some passengers quietly smirked to themselves, my mother certainly did.

[jrussel]

Ladygooner Wrote:

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> What about if someone has a leg in a plaster cast

> - would you make them stand while you sit? What

> goes around comes around it doesn't cost anything

> to do something nice for someone once in a while.

You know, it really would be polite to read all of my post, if you are going to comment. Had you done so, you would have realised this silly response was entirely redundant.

[jrussel]

ryedalema Wrote:

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> As a Mum of two very young girls there's lots I

> could say about how out of order the OP is here.

> But actually, I wouldn't mind paying a premium on

> my travel card if it guaranteed me a seat and I

> didn't have to plead with a scowling commuter that

> actually my need was greater. It's the

> excruciatingly embarrassing standing while others

> ignore you and studiously examine their finger

> nails that depresses every day.

>

> That and serious b.o. from people who don't know

> how to use their showers while enjoying the throws

> of morning sickness.

>

> Can't wait to see what others think here...watch

> out for the Mummy massive!

> Oh and btw - who's going to look after you when

> you get old? blah etc blah.

So it's out of order to comment on people being antisocial by expecting others to accommodate their pregnancy, but not to comment on people's B.O.?

I must say, having children to make sure that there will be someone to look after you in old age is rather selfish, and certainly not fair on your children. I think anyone with a social conscience would be looking to work out how we can care for *all* of our old people, regardless of their particular situations, properly, as a society.

No-one chooses to be an old person. Or perhaps they should just terminate themselves if they haven't got a family to care for them?

[jrussel]

ImpetuousVrouw Wrote:

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> daizie Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Agree with you jr. Pregnancy is a choice, i

> have

> > no sympathy at all .

>

>

> Bollocks, how is it a choice?

>

> Not everyone who is pregnant, planned it.

>

> Many people get pregnant because they don't know

> how to use their contraception properly or the

> contraception doesn't always work, or for a vast

> array of other reasons.

>

> And even if they do plan it, so what?

>

> It's a natural deep seated instinctive drive in

> most people.

>

> Selfish @#$%& making excuses for being selfish

> @#$%&, doesn't stop them being selfish @#$%&.

Even if the conception is "accidental" there is (nearly) always the option of a termination. If you have some silly religious objection to abortion, then either abstain from procreational activities, or accept that it they may result in pregnancy and be prepared for the consequences.

[jrussel]

SteveT Wrote:

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> good

> manners as females were considered to be frailer

> than men.

The good old days!

I think I'm happy for us not to go back to those kinds of regressive attitudes, thanks.

[legalbeagle]

Hark! Is that the sound of the billy goats gruff about to trot over this bridge?