Londoners not giving up seats on tube for pregnant women

I see sarcasm isn't your strong point 😂 that's okay, being offended seems to be! That's quite a common "skill" these days.

If I had been that pregnant woman I would have been embarrassed that a man needed to advocate for me

Tbf, it sounds like the OP won’t advocate for herself.

If I had been that pregnant woman I would have been embarrassed that a man needed to advocate for me. What a message to send to everyone on the tube.
Is it really the case that on a busy tube train someone would verbally or physically abuse a pregnant woman? If all the passengers are arseholes then they won't care whether the person asking for a seat is a man or woman.

I pointed this out upthread. | worked as a disability outreach worker for many years and sadly I’ve seen my share of perfectly able bodied people trying to take advantage of benefits and schemes designed for disabled people, but this is the first time I’ve seen anyone try to claim pregnancy as a disability. The poster wanted temporary pregnancy conditions to be recognised as short term disabilities when the Act doesn’t even recognise temporary non pregnancy related conditions as disabilities unless they are expected to last 12 months or more. As you say, the Act already covers pregnancy related rights.

Have you actually read the Equality Act? If you had, you would realise that there is no need to try to twist pregnancy to fit some disability definition, because there are separate protections for pregnancy in the Act.

I’m am sure some people live in a parallel universe. I’ve been commuting in London for over 35 years and travel at least five days a week as WFH is not an option for me (I also travelled to school by tube) and have never seen anyone told to fuck off for asking for a seat, and on an almost daily basis see people offered seats if pregnant, wearing a blue badge or elderly. I’ve also never seen anyone abused for offering a seat even if the person asked doesn’t need it.

When I was standing on the tube the other day, a standing man said loudly to a pregnant woman "Don't worry, love, I'm sure one of these people sitting down is going to offer you a seat, they just haven't noticed you need one". A couple of young men hastily got up immediately. I thought it was a great tactic and stored it away for future use.

Yes this!! I feel your pain!

I am 30 weeks pregnant and have so far only been offered a seat once. (I wear a ‘baby on board’ badge. Earlier this week I panicked as I was getting crushed as more people were pushing onto train and shouted “please can someone let me have a seat” and not one person moved. I then felt embarrassed for asking.

I have always given my seat up for others so have been really disappointed with my experience.

People move when asked, if you don’t ask don’t moan.

I wear a "Please offer me a seat" badge as I can't stand that comfortably (leg joint damage) for daily commuting. It mostly works ... but I wear it to try and avoid having to ask out loud because it's obvious. Trains are better than the tube usually but can confirm there is a tragic rate of selective illiteracy on both when confronted with either a POMAS or BOB badge. Particularly amongst fit looking young men in cycling gear who still let their eyes roam the carriage a bit.

I'm usually not going long distances on the tube so I often do stand if it's busy as I do a shortish journey and by the time I've fought to the seats if it's busy, I then have to run a gauntlet to get off - after being ignored anyway. I also sometimes decline kind offers on there if I'm having a good day, explaining that it's ok but I'm only going 1 or two stops and that the badge is more for my longer train commute. I always thank people though. They definitely ignore pregnant women more than me, although after my accident, when I was still using a stick and had a visible limp I had an older gent look me up and down with visible disgust when he had to let me sit in the window seat next to him on the bus. Walking aids are NOT exclusive to the elderly!

Some people are unbelievable. I had a man (standing) give me a sickly sweet smile and patronisingly ask me to kindly give up my seat for a pregnant woman, with my POMAS badge on display. I declined but suggested he ask anyone in the carriage NOT wearing one, like the man sat next to me. My seat mate was a giant of man. I think the asker found him intimidating next to the little blonde lady!

I've had someone ask for my seat and the one of the lady next to me on the train so she and her 9-10 year old Dd could sit and do the kids morning hair routine on the way to school. I refused - badged, and the lady next to me (by the window) was getting off at the next stop shortly and said they could have her seat when she stood. I semi-stood up briefly before then to do something- probably readjust my clothes and nearly sat down on the kid . Her mum had tried to slide her in behind me. I did snap at them.

Travelling on a packed skeleton service on a strike day is the worst. If you're not on at the start, you will not get a seat. I've been visibly badged, squashed against the window with a bike handle practically trying to enter me whilst a happy man in lycra centimetres away has stretched out as much as possible and smiled jauntily right at me as he looked round the carriage and went back to his phone to read. The badge makes it very apparent that I need a seat. I shouldn't have to ask on top.

Ive seen a tall man get on an SWR service pushing a very little girl in a tiny wheelchair. It was a hot day, fairly busy service, he looked tired and he was obviously having to really bend to deal with the chair- his poor back. Two cyclists had the seats next to the wheel chair/buggy/bike area, with their bikes, having a nice chat. These seats are near the doors and marked priority. Tired man and I were stood right in front of them and they clocked us and then deliberately only looked right at each other (bar the odd side eye to see if we'd gone) for ages until I said something. I know we have voices but we also have eyes and brains. I also know that not all disabilities or needs are apparent but I am prepared to be told that.

Twenty one years ago I was 8 months pregnant at a train station (not London) train was delayed for 40 minutes. There were no spare benches. Nobody offered me a seat. They even watched me sit on the floor. I was very obviously very pregnant. Some people are just selfish idiots. Always have been and sadly always will be. I hope you have more luck on your next journey.

You really just need to ask, you will find that someone even in the middle seats will get up for you.
Some people are rude but most just don’t notice.
I work for LUL and when I was heavily pregnant in uniform commuting into Central London I asked for a seat, I got told by one person that I wasn't entitled because I got free travel 😣

I think people must carry differently becuse I never had this problem, if I did I'd rub my belly and someone would offer 😂. Maybe I just looked awful.

People often claim noone helps with prams either but I think people are always really helpful!

Afraid you’re going to have to ask, or stand. Most people don’t want to stand and so pretend they haven’t seen. Just ask a group, would anyone be able to offer this heavily pregnant lady a seat? Someone will get up.

I remember standing on a commuter train in London heavily pregnant and when a seat became free one of the other passengers made an effort to beat me to it.

My approach was to try and avoid peak hours although appreciate that isn't always possible.

I have a hidden disability now and you might think I am ignoring you but if I am sitting I won't be offering it up.

I understand why you might not want to ask and that might not yield results either. Any chance you could alter your travel times?

This is something pricks regularly do to disabled people sat in the priority seating seate.

Just ask. I always did and got a seat with no problem although once a man asked why and I had to tell him I was pregnant. I also ask people to give up their seats if I see someone who needs it more than them. Just ask.

It’s the final word because disabled people have fought long and hard for a legal definition of disability. The Equality Act does just that. It also protects the rights of pregnant women pretty much in the way you describe. Pregnancy is not disability.

Disgusting suggestion. Pregnancy isn’t a disability. I think this is one of the most entitled threads l’ve ever seen.

I took the train into London this morning - a woman was standing by the door, I noticed her beautiful glossy hair - she looked a bit down but who doesn’t during a commute, she did not look pregnant - a little while later she got a seat and I was horrified to see that she was wearing a baby on board badge and she looked in quite a lot of discomfort, I felt awful for her sometimes you just don’t see that badge. A lot of people have their heads stuck in phones.

I hope people don't think Londoners are like this. We are not.

London is full of people from around the world, so it's people who are in London not giving up their seats and not necessarily Londoners themselves!

I find myself with a weird conundrum with regards to priority seating. I have an invisible disability which causes a lot of pain. I know that In theory I am entitled to use priority seats, and it would make my journey, and the rest of my day less painful.However, ultimately it is just pain, it is not going to kill me. I am very aware that elderly and pregnant people are likely to have poorer balance. Also, if elderly or pregnant people fall it could potentially be more dangerous. As a result, I just suck it up.
Note, I am not suggesting that other people do the same, I am purely talking about my own situation.
Also, when I refer to "elderly and pregnant people" I am not diving into the gender debate, merely attempting not to sound grammatically clumsy.

That is a good approach.
I was sat on a packed bus, and targeted by an older lady who said she needed a seat. I also needed a seat, but because I had no voice at time, I was just tutted at by the other passengers (of which none offered their seat).

That's not true really.

Many pregnant women don't need a seat, but after a bloody long working day and then being on a packed tube train, they'll want a seat just like every other knackered person.

Plus if they do actually need a seat one day, it doesn't mean they'll need it the next, but they're not going to remove the badge are they?

I'd happily stand if a pregnant woman asked for my seat, but I wouldn't necessarily offer it just because they're wearing a badge that anyone can wear and no-one's going to question.

However, if I saw an elderly person standing or someone on crutches I'd stand up without being asked.

I commuted daily on the tube with 2 pregnancies. I was always offered a seat, or I'd ask and it was never an issue. This was always during rush hour. Don't hold back OP, no need to suffer. People will happily give you a seat. I have issues with my eye sight and don't always have my glasses to hand and might miss your badge even though I look in your general direction. People are lost in their own world quite often or too engrossed on their phones.