Why don't people give up their seats to the needy?

Witzend you are so lucky to have the Freedom Pass, outside London we don't have it and I get very cross when MPs say it is a benefit all older people have. They may work in London but are often from other parts of the UK. They should know better.

Thanks to the good old Freedom Pass I use buses a lot around here, an area with a very diverse population and masses of foreign students thrown in. And I must say that the people most frequently plonking themselves in disabled seats, when there are plenty elsewhere, are very often young or non Brit, and frequently both.

I understand that disability is not always obvious, but when you see people,moving fast enough on and off the bus, you do have to wonder.
More than once, when someone evidently in real need of those seats has got on, and the 'plonkers' are showing no signs of moving, I have suggested that they do. Nobody has yet refused, but I would obviously prefer not to have to say it.
I have to assume that at least some of the non Brits don't understand the signs, or like to pretend they don't, though you'd think they'd be obvious enough.

I do not think it any worse that it has always been. Back in 1971 when I was commuting to London on the tube and heavily pregnant I was never once offered a seat. Nor when I began to have a very heavy nosebleed on the train and had insufficient tissues, was I offered either anything to help staunch the bleeding nor a seat to sit on while I did so. I was left to stumble up the escalator and find the First Aid post at Waterloo by myself.

My oh and I booked seats on a gwr train for a wheelchair space and carer seat. When we got on the carer seat was occupied, my oh pointed out that this was reserved for him (he is disabled as well) and asked the young woman in it to move, she refused so he gave her a choice, move or he'd sit on her lap, all 20 stone of him. She made the right choice!

Very upsetting when fit people sit in seats reserved for those who need a seat. Here the seats are a different colour and pictures illustrate there use if you don't understand the language.

Then we have those who feel their bag needs a seat. This is particularly annoying on the shuttle bus to and from the airport terminal where there are very limited seats. To see someone trying to cope with a young child and bags or a person with crutches or is elderly standing whilst some selfish person has their large bag (often bigger than allowed) on the seat. Incredible.

It must be my white hair and wrinkles.

That is exactly what I think when I get offered a seat in front of my older friends!!!!

I got on the Tube on Thursday, it was the start of the evening rush hour and the train was crowded but a young man (City type) immediately offered me his seat.
Actually I've had both young women and men offer me a seat. (The latest one plus the one before, (young woman) both sounded English, BTW.) I'm 67 and am told I look like I'm in my mid-50s!
Manners seem to be better on the Tube than on buses, IME. And the issue of children sitting while adults stand has them frothing at the mouth on Mumsnet, on both sides of the argument.
As a Londoner travelling on the buses in the 60s I recall the conductor would tell a child who paid half-fare to get up for an adult. And adults weren't backward in asking you to move too.

My DGC's always give up seats without being asked and thank the driver as we get off.
A couple of years ago on a trip to London I was offered assistance with the suitcase (had 2 wee ones in tow) and then once on the tube two young men immediately rose and offered seats. It wasn't because of a lack of seats but because they thought we'd prefer to sit together instead of being spread over 3 separate seats!
Going by accent and appearance I'd say they were Londoners.

what makes me mad is when you get on a train with people standing and there are people sat with their bags on the next seat looking away from you or on the phone, or pretending to be asleep. and if you ask them to move them they get really ratty.

When my grandchildren were younger I always made them give up their seats to older or disabled people, just like I did with their mother. However both DH and I have been offered seats. When he had a serious back problem I was always offered help in carrying the wheelchair when we were on public transport. I don't say anything about feet on seats, just glare at their feet!

Whenever I am in London, have made a special effort with my appearance and feel I am looking my best someone offers me a seat on bus or underground (invariably another female). It ruins my day but I try to accept graciously as I know they had the best intentions.

GabriellaG -I am aware of that my DGS is half Malaysian. I had tried not to give offence when posting by using nationalities. I suppose I could of said I find young people of Asian/Oriental appearance in my area seem to be more well mannered. As I was not the only one to comment on the fact that it is mostly "foreigners" who offer seats and help on public transport perhaps you would like to name and shame them as well.

Gave up my seat in A&E today , even though I had injured my leg, to a mother struggling to stand holding a sick toddler. Room was full of people younger than me , men of all ages and also fit people accompanying others - no other bugger offered!

I'm almost always offered a place on the tube when I use it, especially if I have my grandchildren with me, one in a buggy. I often find that they are people not native to the UK, and I find that a bit sad, but uplifting at the same time. I always thank them very much with a big smile. My daughter was lifted of her purse today while we were out shopping with the children, so there are always nasty people around too unfortunately.

HAZBEEN

Beware! British people can be any ethnicity.

Perhaps the writer of the comment (which was objected to) meant that the people appeared not to be British Irish/Scottish/Welsh/English.

In the 1960s we school girls always gave up our seats. I've had elderly gentlemen give up a seat for me but on the student bus routes I often seem to be invisible. Frequently student luggage or a passenger's bags are taking up a seat or someone - general public as well as students - sits on the gangway seat so the window seat is blocked off. I have detected a note of resentment when I (politely) ask someone to move. The foreign female students are much better at offering me a seat than other students. Schoolchildren certainly never offer a seat.

I always made my children get up and offer their seat if an older person was left standing (or someone with a baby). I do the same with my grandchildren and I too have offered my seat to someone else more in need than I was. Boils down to common sense and a bit of empathy really. I don't care whether the person is male or female or younger or older than me, if they need a seat then I am happy to offer mine.

I was on the bus last week ....I’m a very able-bodied OAP , so can stand for a t amount of time .... but an elderly woman ( 75 ish) got on our very full bus. She was sporting two walking sticks . I at first didn’t see anybody make a move to give up tgeir seat, but just as I was about to make the gesture a young lad (about 14) jumped up and kindly offered his seat to her! She glared at him and shouted quite loudly “about time too”... he looked very embarrassed and sheepish all the way to his stop....which was also my stop. She didn’t thank him or acknowledge his good deed.... i was ashamed of my generation! As I got of the bus behind him I told him what a good kind act he had performed for this very disagreeable woman and he should feel proud of himself. I said it as loudly as she had shouted at him. She didn’t have the decency to even look ashamed.

Many years ago a friend of mine was travelling home on the Underground following a hospital appointment in central London, she was 8 1/2 months pregnant and huge! A man sitting directly in front of her smirked at her but remained seated. She said loudly 'Its OK you don't have to get up for me, I'll sit here.' And she sat on his lap! The embarrassed man struggled to his feet and gave her his seat amid chuckles from other passengers. Perhaps more of us should do the same

I use public transport a lot in London - and find that the people who offer me seats are definitely not British. I always accept gratefully, claiming a bad back - even if I don't have one! I stand on buses holding my 'freedom pass' very conspicuously - usually does the trick! On the other hand, I always offer help to people with suitcases, or with push-chairs on the underground stations where there are no lifts..............

I find people are very willing to help me since worsening arthritis forces me to use sticks (trek poles) all the time. However, my friends tell me I don't look 80 so the sticks are an essential prop. ( literally).

On the London Underground I find that usually at least one person will offer up their seat.

If a seat is offered, I always accept (unless I'm getting off at the next stop, in which case I would say that) because I think it seems ungrateful and will discourage that person from offering a seat in the future.

Also, most people will help a parent to carry a push chair up the stairs. I've done it myself, even though it's quite hardgoing.

Of course, there are always selfish or thoughtless people but there are still many people who are considerate.

annodomini I've noticed that! There's a large Anglo-Indian population in my region oh - and lots of Chinese people -probably due to the University. These people are adorable! Whatever I'm doing, trying to get my wheelchair up steps, into a shop on the tram anything, they pop forward and help. I really love them. I was a lecturer and found these groups of students really rewarding to teach. I must say that there are many people of northern European origin who are just as kind!

On giving up seats - when my DD was 8months pregnant she stood for half hour on a tube - seated were male and female young people and children.