Giving up your seat
Discussion
Probably been covered before, but it's starting to get on my nerves.
My commute is about two and half hours on the train - as a rule I arrive 20mins early for the outbound and return journey to cover off any potential issues. outbound at 5am in the morning is fine, the problems start in the evening...
Typically, just as the train is pulling out of Waterloo a gaggle of people will arrive in the front section of the train who either got to the station late or failed to listen to the repeated announcements about the train dividing en route... As the gaggle loom into view the 'looks' start from the women and the elderly - they feel they are entitled to my seat and I should give this up ASAP.
Further along the route as more people get on the same situation arises - my seat is their seat by right of gender/age etc.
Now don't get me wrong, if someone clearly needs the seat more than me I will happily give it up, however if I follow social norms then there is no chance of me ever getting to sit down for the first two hours of the return journey.
This week I've experimented with only relinquishing my seat to the genuinely needy, and the level of snide comments has been unreal!
Am I mad? I pay best part of £7k for my ticket - why should male commuters suffer for making the effort to arrive early to secure their seat?
(I am aware this is a very poor rant, especially for a friday)
My commute is about two and half hours on the train - as a rule I arrive 20mins early for the outbound and return journey to cover off any potential issues. outbound at 5am in the morning is fine, the problems start in the evening...
Typically, just as the train is pulling out of Waterloo a gaggle of people will arrive in the front section of the train who either got to the station late or failed to listen to the repeated announcements about the train dividing en route... As the gaggle loom into view the 'looks' start from the women and the elderly - they feel they are entitled to my seat and I should give this up ASAP.
Further along the route as more people get on the same situation arises - my seat is their seat by right of gender/age etc.
Now don't get me wrong, if someone clearly needs the seat more than me I will happily give it up, however if I follow social norms then there is no chance of me ever getting to sit down for the first two hours of the return journey.
This week I've experimented with only relinquishing my seat to the genuinely needy, and the level of snide comments has been unreal!
Am I mad? I pay best part of £7k for my ticket - why should male commuters suffer for making the effort to arrive early to secure their seat?
(I am aware this is a very poor rant, especially for a friday)
Sorry for the tardy reply 
Comments are primarily from the affluent retired gents attempting to secure a perch for their significant other. I've just resorted to pointing out that the a seat is available on first come first served - make try effort like I do and you can sit where you like!
Usually results in nothing more than a huff and walking off -but tend to get evils from the others sat around!
£7k and 5hours a day on the train is worry it *not* to live in London!
Comments are primarily from the affluent retired gents attempting to secure a perch for their significant other. I've just resorted to pointing out that the a seat is available on first come first served - make try effort like I do and you can sit where you like!
Usually results in nothing more than a huff and walking off -but tend to get evils from the others sat around!
£7k and 5hours a day on the train is worry it *not* to live in London!
s asked a fellow commuter and I to give up our seats for their mountain bikes last night! 
They were trying to get two non-folding mountain bikes on to a rush hour train, the option was to move and stand up for the remaining hour, or stay where I was and let them ponder why their bike was more deserving of a space than the rest of us!
(No issue with folding bikes on the rush hour trains, but full size mountain bikes is taking the P*** a bit)
(No issue with folding bikes on the rush hour trains, but full size mountain bikes is taking the P*** a bit)
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff