Ignorant People

wildwestfan

lostinrates wrote: »

My husband gives up a seat, always. Yet....has often had some quite unpleasant retorts from those he has offered to.....

It hasn't put him off, but I can see why it puts others off.

There are always 2 sides aren't there? I have offered my seat on buses only to be refused and the person has looked affronted that I even offered. Makes you feel a bit of an idiot.

925dancer

I offer my seat quite willingly even though I struggle to stand for long periods of time, not through disability or anything I'm treated for, just unfortunate abuse of my back as a gymnast and dancer in my past! I can end up in quite a lot of pain having to stand still for long periods but I don't look like I have any problems so just let someone else have my seat.

There was one incident however, when I was on a busy rush hour tube and sat in a priority seat, engrossed in a book as is quite usual, although I do try to look up at each stop just in case someone needs my seat. Anyway, I didn't this time and a pregnant woman demanded my seat quite rudely and by invading my personal space to do so, making me jump a bit due to having my nose in a book. I did begrudge her that seat because there was no need to be quite so rude about it!

So it works both ways really, all boils down to common courtesy which a lot of people, young and old, seem to be lacking.

mazza111

wildwestfan wrote: »

Have you forgotten that a man died in a car park in an argument over a disabled parking space? Wouldn't it be something if he had made the you look stupid remark to the man who hit him. Protect my children, and your daughter is an independent adult not a child, I would never deliberately incite a potentially violent reaction from a stranger.

Quite frankly I don't give 2 hoots. Do you sit back and take abuse from strangers or do you treat them as they do you? My daughter is an adult, independent I wouldn't say so, but she's getting there. I won't and never have taken verbal from anyone, I'm not going to start now. As I've said before, treat me politely and respectfully and you'll get the same back.

And as for the giving up seats, I do it despite my own problems if there's someone worse off than me gets on the bus, never been refused either But I don't use the bus that often, nor the train tbh.

925dancer - I would have to have said something, like "Sorry, I didn't see you there, of course you may have my seat, but have you left your manners at the last station?!"

I do totally agree with you about the courtesy extending both ways. So when challenging someone in this position, it's always better to ask politely.

LimeLight

My friend and I got on a busy bus one time, both of us had walking sticks.
No one offered a seat until I "casually" mentioned it out loud, suddenly there was a cacophony of people all offering seats lol

wildwestfan

This thread merely proves that disabled people can be equally as rude as the ablebodied.

But does anyone expect anything different? Surely being disabled does not turn a rude intolerant person into some sort of saint.

mazza111

Rude people come from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, race or disability. I'm afraid I bite back now, if you see that as rude, so be it.

Twisted_Cherry

dori2o wrote: »

When I got on the tram this morning there was nowhere to sit so I politely asked a person sat in a 'Priority seat' which is specifically signposted as being for someone who has problems standing/walking etc, and was told to 'pi55 off'. I won't be making that mistake again.

Where I live the priority seats on trains and buses are just signed with a 'Disabled Sign' now to me that means anyone with any disability is eligible to sit in those seats, not just those with mobility problems!

wildwestfan

In my area they simply suggest that certain seats are offered to those more likely to need them. As nearly all of our buses are single deck then surely even if a person has mobility issues then any seat will do as long as they have one.

lostinrates

wildwestfan wrote: »

In my area they simply suggest that certain seats are offered to those more likely to need them. As nearly all of our buses are single deck then surely even if a person has mobility issues then any seat will do as long as they have one.

Some people with some mobility issues take longer to get to the door than other disabilities. I rarely take public transport any more, but what actually ends up happening is I end up trying to get to the doors the stop or two before, in the stationary periods, because its happened I don't have time and the driver has not seen me or heard me yelp in a busy bus (and of course train is useless) when I cannot get to the door in time.

dori2o

Twisted_Cherry wrote: »

Where I live the priority seats on trains and buses are just signed with a 'Disabled Sign' now to me that means anyone with any disability is eligible to sit in those seats, not just those with mobility problems!

The wording says:

Priority Seating, for people who are disabled, pregnant or less able to stand

So yes the seats are for all disabled people, and if the guy I asked was disabled then all he had to do was to say so and I'd have apologised for asking, but he chose to tell me to 'Pi55 off'.