To think this woman at the till was bloody rude

[QIsForCube]

I was paying for items at the till in New Look and in the queue behind me was a lady with another lady who was a wheelchair user. While I was paying they were called up to the till after me and I was blocking their way. As I was preoccupied at the till, I didn’t hear them say excuse me a couple of times. I apologised and moved out the way. The lady who was pushing the wheelchair then said to the other person “don’t worry I would’ve just taken her ankles out if she didn’t move” while glaring at me. If I hadn’t have been with my mother I would have said something but I didn’t want to cause a scene in front of her. AIBU to think this was bloody rude and unnecessary?

Hygge, I don't think Francis was saying 25yo needs seat more. Her point was that it's not always easy to judge.

I probably wouldn't get up for an 8yo unless their adult asked for a seat because they couldn't manage.

We used to get the bus as kids with parents without falling over so not sure what's changed now.

If a child is holding onto a pole or is against a wall and their adult is also holding them from behind, then why are they still falling over? If they have balance issues then the adult needs to ask for a seat.

I would have got up for the mum with 4/5yo twins.

This reminds me of the time I was walking along in shopping centre heavily pregnant, actually 2 weeks overdue, so waddling and slow pace. A lady in wheelchair...must have said excuse me but I didn't hear...was literally on my ankles. I felt movement and turned back to see her. I said excuse me but you're too close and she said she'd already asked me to move and then just stated shouting and cussing about me thinking I was allowed priority. It was a really noisy shopping centre and jam packed. Even ppl walking had to walk behind others at a slower pace because it was just that busy. I was actually really annoyed and thought well perhaps at first she could be reasonable in thinking I was ignoring her etc but once I turned around and she saw reason for slowness and the fact that I told her I hadn't heard her ask me to move would make her react more reasonably. In the end I ducked in the Holland &Barrett as who wants to be seen arguing with someone in a wheelchair but she bloody followed me in there. Stayed at my ankles whole time too. Horrible and unnecessary. I get that she might be frustrated because of past experiences but in my opinion no excuse to be so rude.

I don't rant and scream like a cunt when I can't get into a lift coz it's full.

Judging by your posts, you surprise me.

And btw that is not to say I'm condoning what the lift woman said. You sound quite similar, though.

Cherry I know what she meant, and I know it's not easy to judge, but on the whole I think an able bodied adult is better equipped to stand up safely on a moving vehicle than a young child.

The bus we were on was one of those bendy buses and we were on quite windy roads, coming from a park and ride to York city centre. The bus kept jerking and it was difficult for everybody standing.

I didn't expect anybody to stand so my son could sit down, but it was hard for me and harder for him to keep his balance all the same just because of the type of bus, the roads we were on, and the driver seemed to have a heavy foot on the brake and accelerator.

I don't use the bus much now but if I saw a child struggling like that on a bus I would let them sit down, just because I think I could manage to stand more easily than they can.

I don't think the argument that when we were kids we were expected to stand up for any adult really holds up now. That wasn't because of hidden disabilities, it was more that children were somehow lesser than adults and the adults were judged to be more deserving of a seat. Men would stand for women, children would stand for adults. That was the way of things then but it doesn't mean it was because children were safer standing on the bus than adults were.

I'm glad you didn't fall, but I'm sure plenty of others did. And that was my point, children might be younger but they're still not that strong or steady on their feet, especially on a journey that isn't smooth.

"Who needs the seat more - a four year old with parent or a 25 year old who is sitting there because he has balance issues?"
It’s not a game of top trumps. The numerous people who are perfectly able to stand, sitting ignoring them should offer a seat. Why are people pretending every single person in the world has a hidden disability? Sure there are people who do, but again, balance of probabilities means the number of people without is larger than the number of people with.

I'm 61 and a fit gym rat, but I have significant hearing and visual disabilities, so I might easily miss seeing or hearing someone
BUT
If there was insufficient space, I would offer my place - without being asked - in a lift, train, bus etc to anyone who seemed obviously disabled or having difficulty in coping.

I'd also move if someone didn't look that way, but said they needed the place.

It costs little to be kind - and any of us might need help ourselves in the future

I'm not going to tell my story on here, because I've told it countless times. Suffice to say, I don't think an elderly person trumps a heavily pregnant woman and a nearly 4 year old. Someone did, and then chose to insult my husband.