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

robpw2

fixx wrote: »

On the tube - yes
On a bus - yes
On a train where i have not reserved a seat, just managed to grab one - yes
On an train where i did reserve a seat - no, unless she was clearly very ill and uncomfortable

Now, i'm a woman, and i know a lot of my friends are shocked (and amused!) by my views on pregancy - it was her choice to become pregnant, and she has to take responsiblity for it. I think it is entirely fair that part of that responsiblity involves thinking about how she is going to travel, whether that is pre-booking a seat, or finding a guard or other to point out the carriages with unreserved seats etc.

I presonally don't find it fair or reasonable to discomfort myself for a choice someone else has made, unless they are clearly in difficulty.

i agree with wat your saying about all those scenarios ..

i think your right

honeypop

nickinoo wrote: »

At the end of the day we all have the chance to pre-book our seats.

Do we? I'm 36 weeks pregnant and last week I almost had to make an unavoidable 3 hour train trip, with extremely short notice. I enquired about booking a seat and there were only 'unreserved' seats left, and having done the journey before several times I know that means almost no chance of getting a seat (I've had to stand the whole way before). At the very last minute another family member made themselves available to make the trip instead of me, so I didn't have to go, but if I did have to go I would have not been able to book a seat and been in the situation in question (although for a 3hr trip not 5!).

So it's not always possible to book a seat, and quite feasible that a pregnant lady would be in that situation.

Anyway, if were not pregnant then yes I would give up my seat, knowing how uncomfortable it would be to stand for that length of time anyway, it wouldn't be as bad as what the pregnant lady would be going through. And I could quite easily plonk myself down on the floor somewhere (what I usually try to do space allowing) which she couldn't do.

Shame on those who would rather see someone in distress than give up somewhere to rest their precious bottoms!

smk77

robpw2 wrote: »

you have known for 9 months your pregnant

Actually, that's not correct. Most women don't know that they are pregnant until their missed period. At that point they are considered to be 4 weeks so at full term they'll have known for 8 months.

robpw2

smk77 wrote: »

Actually, that's not correct. Most women don't know that they are pregnant until their missed period. At that point they are considered to be 4 weeks so at full term they'll have known for 8 months.

ok they have known for 8 months .. Still plenty of time to book a seat

or maybe if you have to go at short notice book a coach you can reserve their seat up untill 5 mins before departure ..

smk77

honeypop wrote: »

Do we? I'm 36 weeks pregnant and last week I almost had to make an unavoidable 3 hour train trip, with extremely short notice.

So far the arguements against giving up seats have been:

1. They should have booked in advance
2. The tax payer pays for their pregancy

What weak arguements they are! Your comment sorts out no 1 and romina's comment sorts out no 2!

kiwijase

Of course! It is the polite thing to do.

"only if I got it back", "should have got pregnant in the first place", "i travel first class" ................... ALL symptomatic of what is wrong with this country.

Everybody wants something for nothing? Well it costs nothing to be polite. I gave up my seat on a train in Holland on thier Queens day. Didnt need to. She wasnt pregnant but the whole train was packed. I stood with her boyfriend. No big deal. Whats the problem?

And for those of you who replied "NO", well I would still hold a door open for you - be you man, woman, transgender, black, white, translucent, pregnant, fat or triangular. [But I reserve the right to trip you up as you went past and laugh while you skid on your chin and disfigure your twisted faces]

hislan

I ABSOLUTELY WOULD give up my seat!

I have two young children (3 and 5) and if they were with me I'd give it up also - and hopefully teach them a bit about human decency (something that many of the posters above obviously know nothing about!!!) If I did have my kids with me I'd probably make a big 'huff and puff' about it while loudly commenting to them "Yes, mummy does think it's very rude that someone doesn't offer this nice lady a seat....but don't worry, we're nice people and will give her our seat, even though that big strong man over there trying to ignore her while pretending to fiddle with his phone could stand SO much more easily than either of us!!!" :rotfl:

flippingheckerslike

Of course I would.

Trying to create the kind of society I want to live in, through my own small actions, is worth way more than £50. And I want to care about other human beings, not just the notes in my purse.

smk77

robpw2 wrote: »

ok they have known for 8 months .. Still plenty of time to book a seat

Your are making the scenario fit around your arguement! Are you suggesting that a women decides the on day that she finds out that she is pregnant that she want to take a long train journey when she is full term?

robpw2 wrote: »

or maybe if you have to go at short notice book a coach you can reserve their seat up untill 5 mins before departure ..

It's a long train journey so an even longer coach journey. Perhaps the coach doesn't cover the same route?

jwillow_2

I would definitely give up my seat for someone who was pregnant, elderly, or obviously disabled. I think it is a question of good manners and how you have been brought up. It is far too easy to stand in judgement of others but as earlier posters have said you never know the circumstances and you should give people the benefit of the doubt.