Aibu to wonder if this is typical London?

[teeththief]

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?

Regular tube commuter here. Very unusual. I am always helped with buggies, was given a seat when pregnant. Londoners very polite and helpful passengers!

Lots of sweeping generalisations on this thread. I don't think tourists'/ commuters' behaviour is any different to people who live in London actually. Ignorant people exist in all walks of life and my experience of London echoes my experience pretty much anywhere else - I have seen far more people give up their seats than I've seen sit steadfastly while the weak/ elderly/ disabled/ pregnant struggle to stand. It's true that rush hour is more squashed, hurried and occasionally grumpy because people are generally stressed but ime it doesn't stop people from doing the decent thing. As an 'out-of-towner' who commutes regularly to London during rush hour, I have always helped people who I can see are struggling. I doubt you'll find many others who don't.

I'm really surprised by this. Mind you I'm always surprised by people who say seats aren't given up to pregnant commuters. Through two pregnancies, with three different tubes each way, I never once had to stand as somebody always offered me a seat.

SkaterGrrrrl, yep same with buggies too.

Everyone has different experiences because it entirely depends on who is on the tube at the time! TFL try and encourage people to give up their seats but some people decide not to for their own reasons. A lot of people on the tube aren't even 'Londoners' so there isn't a typical behaviour.

Wow Mrs Harvey. I rarely got that! So much I avoided tube with buggies and converted to slings as I spent so much time getting frustrated!

You can tell a hardcore London commuter by the seamless way in which they scope out a lone parent with buggy at the base of stairs, grab the foot rest wordlessly as they swoop past, hike up to the top, acknowledge reciept of grateful thanks with a terse nod and then stride off into the distance at double pace in order either to make up the thirty seconds delay they've been caused or avoid the ghastly possibility of having to make chit chat.

You were unlucky. Well done your son.

BoB badges are a gift to polite people because they say (1) yes, definitely pg and (2) and yes, I'd be glad of a seat.

If on any occasion you don't want it, because e.g. you're only going one stop, please say No courteously. That doesn't always happen.

Bestchocolate: "You can tell a hardcore London commuter by the seamless way in which they scope out a lone parent with buggy at the base of stairs, grab the foot rest wordlessly as they swoop past, hike up to the top, acknowledge reciept of grateful thanks with a terse nod and then stride off into the distance at double pace in order either to make up the thirty seconds delay they've been caused or avoid the ghastly possibility of having to make chit chat."

Brilliant and so true! Never breaking stride ...

I think it's usually the latter.