Expected my 6 yr old to stand on the bus…

[TheViewFromTheCheapSeats]

Aibu. Bus was full with everyone at a window seat, but most aisle seats free.

Got on, I stood with the older ones but told my just six year old to sit. It’s a little jerky bus and also has few steps to fall down. She’s the kind of kid to fall, looks young so no way they thought she was older

4 women (each around age 30-50) put bags down or shooed her away from the empty seat next to them.

‘Social distancing’. Aibu to have been annoyed and spoken to them and told one to move her bag? In the end one flounced off dramatically and said she’d walk the last stop.

If I was so pathetic that I couldn't share my seat with a child then I would have stood up. Unless they paid for 2 seats they should have let your child sit.
Years and years ago about 20 years before Covid I was on a bus and elderly gentleman got on. The bus was pretty full and one woman had her bag on the seat next to her and refused to move it.
I let him have my seat but some people are so entitled and mean.

They don't own the bus it's public transport, if the don't like it they can hire their own personal taxi.
Yanbu.

@Confrontayshunme

They wanted physical space and you instructed your child to invade it. You don't know whether they are vulnerable and schoolchildren are the most infectious right now. Not in a pandemic? It would have been fine. Now? You were definitely BU.

So what if the OP wanted to sit?

@FangsForTheMemory

When I was a child, I was expected to give my seat to any adult standing. My parents considered this basic good manners.

Now that I'm an adult, I'm damned if I will stand for children to sit, however I will always offer my seat to pregnant women and anyone carrying a baby or toddler.

But surely nobody should have to stand so that bags can have a seat?

@starfishmummy

Round here children pay half price so are not entitled to a seat if there are adults standing. Not sure what the policy is where there are seats free but people are standing anyway.

That’s not how it works. Otherwise pensioners who get on for free aren’t entitled to seats either. The half price doesn’t entitle you to say children need to stand so healthy adults can sit.

thanks, next time I’ll crowd in to them and sit down myself, with her on my lap. We’ll have 1.5x the seat entitlement between us so presumably everyone can move?

When a poster quotes another, it is safe to say their answer is in response to a specific question or comment made by the person quoted.

she also forgot disabled people and their free passes. Presumably they must also stand.

No, they would sit in the seats and spaces specifically assigned for them. At least, they would if so many parents didn’t think their precious children should be sitting down when they haven’t paid and leave the non assigned seats for fare paying passengers. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen kids sitting in seats with their entitled parents sitting beside them whilst elderly or disabled people struggle to stand on public transport.

The problem we have now is there are is a whole load of people who were never taught you get up and give your seat to someone who needs it more.

The problem we have now is there are is a whole load of people who were never taught you get up and give your seat to someone who needs it more.

Unless that someone is a small child of course.

If there were no seats available, then she'd have to stand. If there are seats available, then those ladies were out of line.

Oh course YANBU.

Those saying children used to have to give up seats to adults…. the seats were not even taken, a bag is not a person? Did the person that had their bag on the seat pay for 2 seats? I very much doubt it. Of course they should have moved their bags to let a child sit down.

A young child is just as likely to fall as an old or disabled person. None of them have great balance.
Bags are not entitled to a seat.

This is typical of the sort of "its my seat and my bags too "types .IMO less to do with Covid ,more to do with entitled types hogging all the room! DC have a perfect right to sit down and should not be "shooed"away !

If there's seats free, people can sit in them. The bus is not your personal space, if you want that book a taxi or drive. Anyone is entitled to sit down on a bus, of course more able people should give a seat up to those less able. But going on the logic under 5s don't pay so don't get a seat, neither do the elderly or disabled. There aren't many priority seats so what happens if they're full? They have to stand? The bus is for everyone. Paying and non paying users.

I’ll admit if the bus is empty which most of the time when I get on it is, I will put my bag on the seat, but when it gets busier I always move my bag and would never stop anyone from sitting down, especially young kids. There’s an autistic man that gets on the bus, he’s a nice guy, always very polite and several times I’ve witnessed him get told he can’t sit next to people because thier bags are there. One time I asked one miserable rude woman if she’d paid for her bag to have a seat? If she hadn’t then there’s no reason someone else couldn’t sit there, she stormed off the bus at the next stop. I’ve noticed since the pandemic some people seemed to have got more ignorant and rude!

I think they were being horrid OP. I could possibly understand if there were states rules with only one per seat and it was an adult but a small child who could fall over… that is just mean.

These days I am older and grumpier and would have said something. I still remember being a young mum and someone claimed they “needed” the seat and rudely demanded that I put my toddler on my lap. Problem was that I was heavily pregnant so my son didn’t fit. I ended up standing. I think the woman felt bad - but not bad enough to give me back my seat or “demand” another. At least my toddler was safe

I think some people boss around whomever they can.

Yanbu, I dont think anyone can expect social distancing on public transport. If there are enough free spaces to safely do so then yes, fair enough, but no one should expect anyone to stand just because they want to maintain social distancing when it's not really feasible

YANBU. I'd offer my seat to a small child as I would with an elderly or disabled person. If I were worried about covid I'd have just stood up.

Why do you not understand about social distancing?

Young children are not vaccinated and are potential carriers of COVID. I wouldn't want one sat next to me.

Surely better to have a presumably smallish child next to you on the bus than a large adult squashed up against you and at a level to breathe full in your face.

More than half of the buses up here would be full of standers if only those who paid were allowed to sit, and with the new Scot Gov plans to offer 'free' travel to all under 23 (or is it 25?) and all over 60, its going to get busy in the bus aisle!

Ignorant old boots

@Confrontayshunme

They wanted physical space and you instructed your child to invade it. You don't know whether they are vulnerable and schoolchildren are the most infectious right now. Not in a pandemic? It would have been fine. Now? You were definitely BU.

we ALL want physical space on public transport.. but our ticket only covers 1 arse on one seat, no bags, nothing.

When I used to live in London, many people would make a beeline to those who had put bags on seats and make them move them so they could sit down.

You'd get far more of a chance to be left alone if you have your bag on your lap or move the bag onto lap.

@thistimelastweek

When I was a kid, many moons ago, children were expected to give up their seats for all and any adult regardless of age on either side. It was ridiculous. Tiny children without the strength to maintain their balance being buffeted about whilst strong healthy adults sat on their arses.

OP, you are not being ridiculous.

When I was a child, back in the dark ages, I can remember travelling on a bus which had a sign on the wall saying CHILDREN MUST NOT OCCUPY SEATS WHEN ADULTS ARE STANDING.

I can remember always being expected to sit on my mum's knee on a bus, even when there were plenty of empty seats. Also, for some strange reason which I never understood, she would only allow us to sit on the banquette seats near the driver, never on the "proper" seats further down the bus.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

Why do you not understand about social distancing?

Young children are not vaccinated and are potential carriers of COVID. I wouldn't want one sat next to me.

Don't take the bus then. Clue is in the name - 'public' transport.

Children shouldn’t have to stand for adults. Not in 2021 anyway.
I’m a fully grown adult and a 6 year old comes before me.

This thread is mad.
I think most of the people on it don’t use buses!
If a seat is free and not marked not for use by the bus company it’s a free seat for anyone to use. The age of the user is irrelevant