Giving up your seat

[ehonda]

I have 70 minutes each way on the train and like the OP arrive early enough to ensure a seat.
Never had to give up my seat, but would to the infirm or pregnant. Anyone else is quite welcome to get off and wait for the next train if they're desperate to sit.

[Zod]

Jasandjules said:

austinsmirk said:

for sport you can always offer your seat to fat women, noting they are pregnant, just for a laugh.............

Been there, done that. Not for sport, genuine error. She was rather unimpressed but I got sympathy from other passengers....

I will always give up my seat for an elderly or pregnant person. Just a female however no.

I've done the same and I'd do it again. I don't agree with Jimmy Carr who said he'd rather see a pregnant woman stand than make a fat woman cry. Good joke, but actually, I'd rather take the risk of upsetting a fatty again.

[R8VXF]

If you don't NEED my seat, you can piss right off.

[bucksmanuk]

austinsmirk said:

I asked him to move due to the smell he had brought with him..............

I'd have paid good money to watch/hear that!

[smithyithy]

Dr Interceptor said:

I think the tube is slightly different though - it's widely accepted that you'll be standing, and getting a seat is a bonus.

Commuter overground trains are full of powerfully built women in suits who think the whole world deserves them an ass licking. In my humble experience anyway.

Ugh, the type that will sit down and place their oversized hangbag in the seat next to them, before proceeding to talk very loudly on the phone with a colleague about 'the meeting, the projected figures and the monthly forecast' because everyone needs to hear how important their job is.

Blokes do it too, I must add. But they generally don't have handbags.

[budgie smuggler]

The 'Can I have your seat? I feel faint' was the usual seat-stealing ruse employed by young ladies on my commute. Only for them to make a miraculous and immediate recovery the moment their arse touches the seat.

[darren f]

£7k a year..., no guaranteed seat, on the contrary, having to stand for 2.5 hrs if your conscience kicks in. This country's rail network eh? Customer service, what customer service?

[TommoAE86]

darren f said:

£7k a year..., no guaranteed seat, on the contrary, having to stand for 2.5 hrs if your conscience kicks in. This country's rail network eh? Customer service, what customer service?

Yup you pay all that and then you get a 10% chance of a seat unless you're one of the first few stations. So you sit on the floor of the grubby, late train only to have the guard kick you awake to see your ticket. I lasted 6 months before jacking it in, hateful experience.

[superlightr]

I dont use public transport often.

But could you not say to them that Seats are available to use in first class?

(assuming you made an error when buying your season ticket and mistakenly bought for cattle class hence why you are there)

[J4CKO]

I have had reserved seats with matching ticket and been told to stand and had to get the train manager, bunch of young women, sorry but I booked a seat so I could do some work, she grudgingly moved when the Train Manager told her to sling her hook and I sat amongst her friends them all giving me the evil eye, I just did my work, read my book and because I had an enormous roast dinner and a few pints earlier let some very rich aromas out and just looked up and made a disgusted looking face like it was them that had done it.

[anonymous-user]

budgie smuggler said:

The 'Can I have your seat? I feel faint' was the usual seat-stealing ruse employed by young ladies on my commute. Only for them to make a miraculous and immediate recovery the moment their arse touches the seat.

Isn't that kinda the whole point though?

[Birdster]

bucksmanuk said:

austinsmirk said:

I asked him to move due to the smell he had brought with him..............

I'd have paid good money to watch/hear that!

We had something similar on a flight. We had reserved extra leg room seats and were already seated and an overweight guys chuck his stuff on the seat next to me, flicks his lap belt up and it smacks my arm. I'm thinking of saying something, but then I want a peaceful flight and want to avoid confrontation. He sits down and his side his pushing into my arm. Not his arm, but his actual belly fat. I'm thinking I can't manage this for 4 hours. The food cart comes and he orders a baguette, crisps, chocolate, and a muffin/cake. I just asked the flight attendant if we could move to the free seats further back down the plane (also extra leg room) and the obliged and we had to move back for landing.

We came back and he'd moved to the middle seat and had food/ wrappers and crumbs all over the other seats. I'm guessing he'e used to making people move.

[JohnSW20]

I have the same issue!! On the way in I get the tube from Morden start of the Northern Line so I always get a seat. At the third stop a pregnant girl starts getting on so I give her my seat no problem the first time or second or even the third time. I have an issue that she started looking for me every morning and started making a joke out of the fact I warm HER seat warm. Some mornings she would walk the full length of the carriage past the priority seats that say "please give up this seat for a pregnant person" and come straight to me, expecting the seat. I had to start sitting in a different carriage. I agree with the Waterloo situation as I come that way and if two trains are leaving around the same time I go for the later one to get a seat and wait. There are always people pushing in at the last minute!!!!

[soad]

Commuting is hell, the tube is hell, London is horrible so why add to the angst by all the shall I/shan't I decision making.

Sit, bury head in paper, only look up at your stop.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

JohnSW20 said:

I get the tube from Morden start of the Northern Line

End of the northern Line.

[leigh1050]

I'd just ignore the lot of them.

[Greshamst]

Sometimes I think that people who are likely to need to ask for a seat, also shouldn't really be travelling in peak times when it's highly likely there won't be any spare. Be more organised, don't get a 5.45pm train out of the city with a pushchair and 2 other little ones.

[jshell]

JohnSW20 said:

I have the same issue!! On the way in I get the tube from Morden start of the Northern Line so I always get a seat. At the third stop a pregnant girl starts getting on so I give her my seat no problem the first time or second or even the third time. I have an issue that she started looking for me every morning and started making a joke out of the fact I warm HER seat warm. Some mornings she would walk the full length of the carriage past the priority seats that say "please give up this seat for a pregnant person" and come straight to me, expecting....

Was she nice? They can be really horny! Just sayin'!

[Cotty]

Dr Interceptor said:

No, fk 'em!

If its a lady 'of a certain age' or one clearly laden with a bun in the oven, or hobbling on crutches, then I would relinquish my seat. Otherwise if they're fit and well, they can stand.

Can of worms right there. I'd like to share Jimmy Carr's thoughts
"I'd rather see a pregnant woman standing on the bus than a fat girl sitting down
crying".

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

At least you're 'thinking' about giving up your seat - at least there are blokes who do still have manners.
Bun in the oven or obviously frail - give up seat. But it's rarely seen in the UK. In Europe it's a lot more common to see people giving up their seat for old duffers.