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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to wonder if this is typical London?

160 replies

teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:16

I recently went to London with my 8 year old. We were on the tubes and an employee appeared on the tube with a man who was obviously blind. The employee asked loudly if anyone was willing to give up their seat for the man. The only person who didn't look away and stood up immediately giving their seat away was my 8 year old! Is this normal behaviour in London or did we just hit a bad time?

OP posts:
CwtchMeQuick · 20/12/2015 23:18

I think you hit a bad time.
In my experience Londoners are always extremely helpful. I rarely have to struggle alone with my toddler/pushchair.

How lovely of your 8 year old though!

LittleLionMansMummy · 20/12/2015 23:19

I think you hit a bad time. And I say that as someone who commutes there regularly but isn't a huge fan of the city. I've seen people give up their seats for other people fairly regularly.

Witchend · 20/12/2015 23:21

Don't think it's typical either. I've never had to ask for help and people have often give up seats without anything being said.

hesterton · 20/12/2015 23:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackInTheRealWorld · 20/12/2015 23:22

Well done to your kid. Why didn't you stand up, out of interest?

TheBestChocolateIsFree · 20/12/2015 23:24

He was definitely unlucky.

Original poster
teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:24

It's good to hear we just hit a bad time. Something else happened to make me think London was rubbish but I also had something positive happen help wise. My children love London and want to go all the time. This experience really put me off strangely

OP posts:
Original poster
teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:25

backintherealworld I was already stood up at the other end of the carriage!

OP posts:
hibbleddible · 20/12/2015 23:29

It varies, people are generally helpful, but when pregnant I found that people avoided eye contact with me and was often left standing. I had excruciating SPD, and asked once for a seat. After that I took cabs/drove to avoid the embarrassment.

dodobookends · 20/12/2015 23:31

Many of the people on the train might have been foreign visitors whose grasp of the English language wasn't quite up to understanding what the employee was asking, I suppose. Every day is different in London.

The last time dd and I were on the tube we struck up a conversation with half a dozen Scots on their way back to Glasgow, and who were brilliant fun and chatty.

redstrawberry10 · 20/12/2015 23:33

that really surprises. i find people usually give up their seat for people less able to stand.

TiredButFineODFOJ · 20/12/2015 23:33

A blind man used to travel on my commute regularly, assisted by a member of staff. Rarely was it that they had to ask someone to give up a seat. And if the staff member failed to meet him at the other end we always helped him off.
As a Londoner I'd blame the events you saw on tourists and out of towners using the tube at the weekend tbh!

Riderontheswarm · 20/12/2015 23:34

I would say that was fairly typical of London.

Original poster
teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:35

dodobookends my DC love people watching and chatting to people. My DD always seems to come home with a pocketful of items from people and now takes little trinkets in her pockets which might strike up a conversation with other children! This one thing really has left a sour taste in my mouth but I guess, as someone else said, other commuters may not have understood what was being asked

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 20/12/2015 23:36

I've lived here all my life and it's not even remotely typical.

WorraLiberty · 20/12/2015 23:37

Also, how long did your 8 year old take to give up their seat?

Crazybaglady · 20/12/2015 23:37

If i were to guess i would say you were on the jubilee line. I used to experience a right wretched bunch when i was commuting on crutches 😫

potap123 · 20/12/2015 23:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 20/12/2015 23:39

I would say it definitely isn't typical of London.... I live just on the outskirts and take the tube a lot, and when pregnant, or once with crutches I most often got a seat, and was always offered if businessmen (for example) spotted me and were seated.

My DH gets the tube every day and usually gives up his seat if he gets one... Last week he went to work feeling awful, he had a horrible migraine (shouldn't have gone!) and even though he is an early thirties able bodied male three delegate people offered their seat to him because he looked 'like he needed it.'

Original poster
teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:39

She looked around to see what others did Worra and then stood up because nobody else did.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 20/12/2015 23:41

She looked around to see what others did Worra and then stood up because nobody else did

Ahh there you go then.

The others were probably doing the same thing Smile

A couple of seconds longer and I'm quite sure someone else would have offered.

Original poster
teeththief · 20/12/2015 23:43

Yes of course

OP posts:
theycallmemellojello · 20/12/2015 23:45

Yep, another one saying it's not at all typical. I agree that it's probably just that your kid stood up immediately or that there were lots of tourists who didn't understand the request. I'm from Yorkshire and live in london and have never found it less friendly than up north. I did have the misfortune to share a tube carriage the other weekend with a load of pissed brummies (? Or other midlands) chanting 'London's shit, we're going home' repeatedly. 'Please, don't let us stop you' thought the other commuters.

CastaDiva · 20/12/2015 23:46

Not remotely typical of my experience of living there, including commuting while pregnant and lugging a buggy and baby about on a tube line with hardly any lifts.. I think you were unlucky. I often found illmannered public transport behaviour was from tourists or out of towners.

megandmogatthezoo · 20/12/2015 23:47

I don't think it is typical. The tube can get pretty rammed and unpleasant but in the 10 years that I lived there I found that in the majority of cases when a seat came up the men stood back and left it for a woman or older person.

You get some revolting specimens who are just vile at every level but they are individuals not Londoners as a group.