People refusing to get up for old people on buses?

[sausagenmash]

I just (ish) got the bus to work - double decker bus, very busy and rammed, trudging through south London. I was very lucky to get a seat near the back as the bus starts near where I live. Anyway, about 20mins into the journey, when it was rammed, I overheard a youngish Mum (when I say youngish, I mean around late 20s - youngish in comparison to who she was shouting at) shouting at an older lady - late 50s, a bit doddery - older lady asked if she could sit down. Now, Mum and said daughter, aged around 7ish - were sitting in the 'priority for disabled and older people' seats. I can understand it if the mum and her daughter were disabled in some way - but they weren't - saw them skip off the bus when it was their stop. The mum said that they had got there first, they had every right to sit there, and this woman had to lump it - she even told her to ask someone else. Loads of people intervened - this mum lost it. Eeek. Another kind person got up for the lady instead, who was probably the same age. I would have got up, but I was about 10 feet away, squashed in by 2 pushchairs, 8 people, and 5 months pregnant - by the time I would have got to the lady, someone else would have nabbed my seat.

Anyway. Am I? Should people give up their seats for people in need on public transport if they are able? I think this mum was being a bit unreasonable...

"Cat, my dad had a similar experience when he held the door open for a woman, she had a go at him for being sexist"

i've had similar when holding open doors or offering bus seats to women.it's depressing and sometimes makes you think twice about doing it but it wouldn't deter me.

YANBU! It is simple common courtesy. It gets really under my skin. When I was with my son, I used to always make comments about how important it is to be polite when this happened. Then, we would stand so an elder could sit down. Still, everyone continued to sit staring guiltily at their feet. They know they are wrong.

I would make ds (8) stand up, but is more difficult with dd who doesn't look disabled (i.e. she can walk a few yards and get off a bus most of the time), but couldn't cope with a bus journey standing.

Though I would be embarrassed giving my own seat up for a woman who is only a few years older than me (50) unless she had an obvious disability- or asked me for it because she needed it. If somebody said, could I sit down, dear, I am feeling very tired/not very well etc, I'd shoot up! But just because of her years- well, I'm no spring chicken, myself.

London buses. Figures. The few times I have taken a bus is enough for me to know it is every person for themselves. A bit like Asda - same people.

I have seen a blind man ask people to tell him when his stop comes up - he was ignored. I was happy to help even though I was further away but so shocked no one else even blinked. People alighting will shout to the bus driver to open the door at a stop. Bus driver will ignore. No one else on the bus closer to the driver even helps to pass the message on. Forget about expecting anyone to give up seats.

I would never take a bus with my dcs and god forbid, a buggy. Will only consider it whilst able bodied.

I think it would depend how you were/are asked to give up your seat. I'd give up my seat but sometimes people don't want to accept them!

As an aside my Mum was given a seat on a train but on her way there, it lurched and she sat down suddenly, not on the seat but the person's lap next to it! It can be hazardous being a gent sometimes.

YANBU. 50 isn't old but if she looked frail age is irrelevant.

I am 44 next b'day. 6 yrs before I can boot youngsters out of their seats Can't wait!

I give up my seat for anyone older than me! I regularly catch the bus with a buggy and often even when the bus is virtually empty (which it usually is or I wouldn't bother) someone will complain about it, and how in their day they would all walk 6 miles in the snow. And then I'd get the guilts that I couldn't make two 10 month old twins walk so their buggy would take up less room! Now they are 2 we regularly go out with a buggy and I've lost count of the times they've had to sit in the parcel shelf cos no one will spare a seat!

YANBU - plain good manners in my book!