to think "Baby on Board" badges should have some indication of date?

[WhateverHappenedToMe]

On a train coming out of London around 16:00, so fairly busy but not too bad, two friends sitting across the aisle from me were talking. One said "I kept my "Baby on Board" badge, so if I was travelling any later I can wear it to get a seat."

I have to admit, it had crossed my mind previously that this could happen, but I hoped women would be responsible enough not to risk spoiling it for others by abusing the badge. Should the badge have a simple date on them? For example, if the badge had the year of issue it could be seen to be "valid" up to September the following year.

That doesn't sound like it'd be worth the hassle of printing different ones with dates on and distributing them appropriately.

Nobody would look at the dates anyway.

Meh, I couldn't get worked up about it. Far easier to reuse them if you fall pregnant again than to have to buy new ones.

Plus considering how small they are it would be quite difficult to read the date from any distance without shoving your head in her bosom

I really don’t think this is worth getting wound up about.

I really cannot bring myself to care about this. If someone’s so desperate for a seat that they’ll fake a pregnancy then they can have mine. It’s a courtesy thing, not some kind of amazing strictly vetted bonus!

You don't have to prove you are pregnant to get one so anyone technically can, same with 'please offer me a seat' badges. I think it's rare people abuse the system. Plus if you commute regularly people would think it strange if your bump never grew!

I thought you meant the ones on cars.

You don’t actually have to supply your MAT B1 form to get one. Nothing to stop you ordering a new one every year if you have sufficient brass neck.

But then you'd have to get a new badge when you're pregnant next time. That's kind of a waste of badges.

Seriously, what’s the worst that can happen?

A polite person offers a seat to someone who didn’t really need it but who went to extreme lengths to ensure they got offered one?

Why do you care?

I live up north (no tram system or similar) and all I could picture was those sucker type baby on board signs people have on their rear car window. And then I wondered why people were wearing them. And where the sucker was attached to. If took me far too many a couple of reads to get what was actually going on. I think it's bed time...

So they expected a seat when pregnant but would use the badge to stop other pregnant ladies sitting down? Pretty selfish behaviour really, very me me me

Realistically, how many people are likely to misuse the badges?

People ignore the badges anyway!
I commute but each time there haven’t been any seats I’ve had to ask people to move (6 mths pregnant). Not been a problem but most people studiously avoid looking at you!

Where I live baby on board badges aren't a thing but I imagine the amount of people that have them for an actual reason vs the amount of people that misuse them are very slim.

My previous post makes no sense.

What I meant was the amount of people that misuse them would be so minimal it wouldn't be worth the admin to add dates.
You open a can of worms with stuff like this when you look at it too much. I have a chronic illness which is very painful and it generally means I'd really rather not give up my seat. I feel awkward on the odd occasion I have to as I look physically fine. You never know, she could be in the same boat.