Giving up seats to older people.

But jingl don't you know children are little princes and princesses?
They are more important than anyone else and must have their every whim catered for.

Me too. It's the 'Me First' generation. It's not a new thing though - I remember being on buses and trains when very pregnant and no-one offering me their seat.

A mother offered me her seat the other day which I gladly accepted but she allowed her 3 children to remain seated. There was an elderly gentleman standing, I offered him a seat, intending to turf out one of the darlings but he refused so what could I do? The children were totally oblivious to what was going on and they were aged between 8-11years old so could easily have stood.

Me too jane. I recall many years ago when I was seven months pregnant standing on a train. Then a guard came along and in a loud voice said 'How much longer has this lady got to stand before someone offers her a seat?' Then someone did.

My OH was telling me yesterday how he got up to give an elderly lady his seat on the bus home, he said there were numerous young people nearby but it was him that had to get up , he's not old but at 65 a lot older than many others on that bus.

Maybe it depends on age. Whenever I have been with my very elderly mother I have been most impressed that she has always been offered a seat by young people. I would be quite embarrassed to be offered one-I may be over 60yrs ,but I ran a half marathon last year and have just been skiing so really don't need one.

Did you get a seat, jings?

I have been offered a seat on buses in various places and on the tube in London, but still remember standing, 8 months pregnant with a toddler at foot, on a bus in Aberdeen. We were only on the bus instead of walking as usual because I was so tired!

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

I remember travelling standing up all the way on a train from Bath to London 6 months pregnant with a 14 month old toddler, not a single person offered me and DD a seat, I was close to tears when we arrived 2 hours later. Even when struggling to entertain the toddler/pick her up there was still no offer........ Bad manners don't appear to be anything new, that was 34 years ago

With you all the way there Jingl- and I am not shy at asking for bag, coat to be removed (a lot of people do that on trains and buses- as they don't like to be cramped- tough!). If they don't move it of their own accord, or when asked- I'll just pick it up, put id down and get myself comfy - LOL.

When DD1 was very pregnant and commuting to Waterloo from Surrey- it was not kids, or 'chavs', etc- not giving up their seat- but City gents in crisply pressed suits reading the Times and pretending not to notice.

If I'm on a crowded bus or train, I'm not shy of asking for a seat from someone younger. I am only 63 but have hip problems, and standing for long periods often is painful. I have never been refused, although I know that in most cases the seat is given up very grudgingly. I used to get the school bus (normal service bus) home after helping at Dad's and the school children always offered to let me sit. I was always impressed, it is a very good school.

granjura certainly has been with you all the way jingl, possibly even there and back.

Lucky lady granjura!

Yes. You're right absent.

granjura

I have a slightly different experience. I have to travel a lot by train to different destinations for work. I have a poor sense of direction and when I come out of the station it takes me a while to get my bearings. Just recently I have been approached by people asking if I am OK and being very solicitous for my well-being. It has just struck me that with all this dementia awareness they are concerned that I might be confused Oh dear !

Bags yes I did. A very nice looking young Asian looking bloke stood up and gave me his seat. I reckon Asian people have got a very different attitude to older people. I often find that. Perhaps it's their culture.

Slightly different, but when one of my sons visits with his wife and 2 boys, now aged just 18 and nearly 15, for several years now son and his wife have stood up whilst the boys have sat down (we don`t have a lot of spare seating). I`ve regularly said to them "a gentleman would get up and let a lady sit down", to no avail, and their mum always says it`s OK, she doesn`t mind standing.

Unfortunately there's no public transport where we live - I do miss the buses. But last time I used the London Tube a young black man stood for me to sit down. As Jings said, some other cultures have a different attitude to the elderly.