Children having their own seat on a packed train.

[user1493559472]

I am on a packed train. A child who is about 3 years old is sat in their own seat and not on the parents lap, would you ask to sit down and the child sits on parents lap? People were standing.
Thank you

Correct. I pay for a train ticket, just like any other adult. I have a disabled person’s railcard, which I also pay for. A bit like a student railcard, or one for a family. We all pay, but some are discounted.

Very grateful for my bus pass though.

I think what a lot of people don’t accept is lived experience. I have survived childhood, teen years, young adulthood, middle age (when I would offer my seat) and I would now be classed as elderly (I prefer older but it doesn’t paint the same picture). I am no longer the robust person I was a few years ago. I exercise, keep my weight at a reasonable level, but I can’t halt the aging process. Like lots of older people I don’t want to stay at home 24/7, but without knowing I can sit on a journey, I’m less likely to venture far.

More people being able to sit is better than fewer people being able to sit. It's just common courtesy to put any child who can fit on your lap onto your lap if others are standing. A minor inconvenience that helps someone else out.

Or it used to be, when common courtesy was still a thing.

I'm suggesting that there seems to be a general lack of care toward children expressed by some on here. Hurt comes in many forms. Children should be valued and not seen as little annoyances that are less important. That's all really.

I'm the same, I always reserve seats.

Not agreeing with you isn't goading. HTH

Unfortunately that’s not always an option on some train journeys. Otherwise I do. Can’t reserve one on a bus though.

It used to be common to do lots of things that are dangerous for children.

Surely it's safer overall to have two adults plus one child (on knee) seated and one adult standing vs one adult and one child seated whilst two adults stand?

And you think a three year old should give up a seat for you instead of a healthy adult?

One of mine was 5'7" at eleven. He was 6'4" before he left school.

And if an adult falls onto the child the child is going to be hurt much more than if it's an adult they fall on.

If you have issues with sense of balance then yes, you should sit down if you can.

From British Rail:

Children under 5 years of age travel for free on most journeys but check with your train company to make sure. Please note, children under 5 who are travelling without a ticket may only occupy a seat that is not required by a fare-paying passenger. To have a reserved seat for a child under 5 you will need to purchase a child rate ticket. These come with seat reservations (if available), and there is also a 50% discount on most tickets.

Exactly- explain to them why it’s happening and just do it.

If a child is on a lap in a sudden stop of crash then the weight of the mother moving forward will crush and kill the child.

Possibly not for the child.

No it isn't but the way you write is. And what does that silly HTH mean?

Sure, it's much better for the child to be in more danger. 🫡

Nope, not agreeing isn't goading.
HTH.

the kid can sit on the parents knee

Tell me where I said that? Although I’ve had a toddler on mine, my own child, and a grandchild on occasion. But a healthy young adult would be the obvious choice,

No, they cannot, unless you don't care about safety.

British Rail hasn’t existed since 1997

I remember a regional journey lasting an hour+ badly timed into Friday rush hour with my 3yo on one knee and 5yo on the other knee. It was just a relief to be seated, and not wobbling around standing.
It got better for the last 15-20 mins when the 3 of us had enough space to sit across the double seat as the train thinned out.

how is giving up a seat for an abled bodied adult you don’t know a sign of respect When objectively as an under 5 you need it more? Why are unknown adults to you automatically worthy of your respect?

giving seats up for those that need them more - absolutely. random adult you don’t know, struggling to understand that.