MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Would you give up a £50 train seat for a pregnant woman?

pinkkaz

pilotdudeuk wrote: »

I've been in this situation before (although not a 5hr journey thankfully!)

Travelling portsmouth to London at rush hour last year with my mum, we got to our booked seats and sat down. (This was 1 week after I had had double knee surgery and was still on crutches and unable to bend my legs)

At the next stop a heavily pregnant woman got on and was standing in the aisle. All these "gentlemen" from the city in their fancy suits all took one look and hid behind their broadsheet papers.

After a minute or two when it was obvious no one was going to offer her a seat, I struggled to my feet and offered her mine.

She gratefully accepted making some comment about "gentlemen bankers":)

And yes - she made sure I got my seat back when she got up.

Just for the record - I'm a 30yo man who was brought up with manners and a sense of common decency!!

I can't believe she accepted your seat when you had crutches - how rude of her!

FlakyDawn

Oh my, you are an ANGRY person. Life must be hard going around with such aggression. The occasional smile will not HURT. Try it, you might be surprised.

midflight wrote: »

Would you give up a £50 train seat for a pregnant woman?
No chance! Her fault for getting pregnant in the first place, silly woman.
Who the hell would go & get themselves pregnant during the current economic climate? What a horrible thing to do - bring a child into this evil world, knowing full well that the human race will be dead by 2012! Some people are just so selfish. It's all me, me, me. Kids, parents & pregnant couples make me sick. Get a life!

dougal820

Whats wrong with all these people who berate women that are pregnant? 'Its your choice' 'Us tax payers are already subsidising your pregnany'. Did you ever think that maybe a pregnant lady is also a working taxpayer therefore subsidising her own pregnancy? And did it ever occur to you that once upon a time you were a baby in your mothers womb too? How did you think you got here? By a flying stalk? Women do not have a choice about having babies if the human race is to carry on. When men can carry a child to term, then they can start moaning but until then, do the right thing and maybe offer your seat once in a while. Its not sexist btw, its called being a gentleman.
Would I give up my seat? Begrudgingly yes I probably would. I do agree that a bit of forthought is in order and an advance ticket should have been bought, but there isn't always the choice is there. Not everyone knows in advance that they'll need to travel.

CuggleUK

5 hours is a long time so I would take turns - you never know someone else would see and join in :rolleyes:.......add a bit of music and we could do musical chairs :rotfl:

sarahdevon

Oh my goodness Im gobsmacked and disappointed at some people's replies. Is this the way we are going? Such mean people! Its just a seat. You will live. Like several people have said, its manners and common decency. To some people it would appear this no longer exists or matters in their vile world. I am happy to say I wouldnt hesitate to give up my seat.

Rockerchick,_75

CarlB360 wrote: »

Can't believe how judgemental some people are! Whether you reserved the seat or not it's the same crap standard seat that you'd get if you didn't reserve, Of course you'd give it up. Everyone assumes the woman had a choice of getting that train! And some even assume she's using state money to bring up her child. What if is she was wearing a top grade (pregnancy) business suit. What if you overhear her conversation that she had to get the train last minute to get to her relatives deathbed and her car had just been wrecked?

It's just a seat - give it up

What next - Kick older folk off because they have alzheimers and didn't pre book? (yeah I know prejudgemental - not all older people have alzheimers / bad memories)

Bring back chivalry - That was the backbone of being English:mad:

I agree.... what on earth has happened to make so many people so angry, rude and selfish? Chivalry and Ettiquette thats what these tired angry people need to re-discover....:T

FlakyDawn

Absolutely. Agreed.
To all those mean miserable people.. I presume you all have/had mothers and grew up in a womb and not some kind of POD.
And you might want to try some kindness and compassion on the odd occasion. It will make you feel better, so win win for everyone.

jackie1969uk wrote: »

.......
Can't believe how many people wouldn't even consider giving up the seat. After all we were all children being carried by pregnant mothers.

Yuncemil

The big problem with this question is that there are SO many people willing to pull a fast one that it makes others reluctant to do something nice. I am a 21 year old male and in good health- so I will give up my seat to someone who I feel needs it because they are elderly, disabled or pregnant. On the other hand, I don't tend to do so if there are empty seats that "aren't as good" (yes I've heard this) or if it is something silly like someone is in pain because they have silly shoes on for travelling (too tight, too high etc). What I DON'T like is when I give my seat up for someone and some idiot steals it from the person who needs it or really pushes in.

The other problem is that there are so many grey areas with this question (I guess this is why it is a dilemma?) What if you really need your seat because you need the power socket near it to complete a report due when you arrive? What if you yourself are accompanying someone who needs you close?

Edit- In my mind, the fact that I have a reserved seat makes no difference to my views on this.

ThinkingOfLinking

honeypop wrote: »

I have never seen a heavily pregnant woman who you could mistake for just being very fat - It is a very different shape!

You'd be surprised; I have irritable bowel syndrome and when I am suffering, my belly swells and goes hard and I look pregnant; my friends and I call it my "food baby".;) I know it's not the same as being fat but what I'm saying is appearances can be deceptive. Remember, some people put on loads of weight while pregnant, we're talking 4 stones and so they'd get fat everywhere...

R.Williams

I can't believe that this question's being asked in the first place. As a Gent and a human being, of course I would. Hell, even if she was a right cow, I'd tell her I was doing it for her unborn child.

To those small minded bitter people who wouldn't give up their seat, take a long good look at yourselvesand imagine it was a relative of yours who was in that position. Anyway, you'll have saved way more than £50 by following Martin's tips so in grand scheme of things it's nothing. Sometimes, there's more to life than money.

R.Wiiliams
Wales

P.S. Also you can stand there looking smug on the train when the other passengers have seen what you've done.