Dissapointed today on holiday no one offered a seat to elderly

30 replies

cleo333 · 22/06/2026 21:33

Hi I’m on holiday in Italy and saddened today on a local and tourist bus that no one offered a seat to elderly people . Children were not encouraged to offer their seats and no adult got up either. It was very busy, v hot and the bus broke hard where I found it hard to stand . I just found it sad , where has that manner /respect gone ?

OP posts:

ChristmasRager · 23/06/2026 20:08

I hate to say it - my other half is Italian - and recently we were there and found this as well. It was so shocking to see - mostly men and teens/ young adults. It was grim.

lovecotswoldsliving · 23/06/2026 20:14

BoredZelda · 23/06/2026 08:35

Ooh yay! Another “people these days” thread.

I’m 52, people have complained about this as far back as I remember.

I spend my days wherever we are kicking people out of wheelchair spaces. The general consensus seems to be it’s ok for people to use these if there is nobody there with a wheelchair, we only have to ask and people will move. We have to plan travel, make sure there are ramps available, book assistance, wait to get off trains and planes and buses etc. We get tutted at for “skipping” queues, we have to argue with people just to get where we need to get to. This isn’t because of “people these days” it’s how the system works.

Nobody who isn’t disabled seems to be particularly bothered about this, if there was a thread about it, there would be half a dozen posts, mostly from disabled people, noting how terrible it is, and a whole bunch from non disabled people saying we can’t have everything, and we need to be grateful for what there is. Yet post about some old people having to stand and it’s outrage from all corners.

If you are on public transport and you need a seat either plan your journey better, or ask someone to move. I’ll stand for anyone who looks like they need a seat, but expecting everyone to do that hasn’t been a thing for about half a century. I’m not sure why people are constantly surprised and upset that it doesn’t happen.

I was on the Lizzie line recently. Lots of people stood up when an elderly couple got on….

Sheismycherrypie · 23/06/2026 20:25

That’s a shame. Just to rebalance, I was in a very hot and crowded waiting room today predominantly full of African students. One of them practically leapt out of his seat to offer it to me (I’m mid 30s and healthy looking). Which I thought was really kind. The UK can be a bit like what you describe, I’ve seen a lot of people studiously stare at their phones the moment an elderly person boards. Very disappointing and no I don’t think they all have an ‘indivisible disability’. I do but will still stand for an elderly person or pregnant woman.

whatwouldlilacerullodo · 23/06/2026 20:40

I'm with the first poster. I usually just ask a young person to stand. I started doing that when I was pregnant and now I do it every time someone needs a seat. And of course my kids were taught to give their seats to people.

Maray1967 · Yesterday 07:58

MrsFaustus · 23/06/2026 07:59

Agree re children. Was on very crowded bus the other day and a woman with two children was constantly checking there were no older people needing a seat. When they did she immediately got the smaller child on her lap. (The children were probably 9 and 11 ish so not little!). It was very refreshing to see in these days.

That is how I was brought up and how I brought my two up. If I found out my two now adults DSs sat down while elderly people or pregnant women were standing I would have a word with them.

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