Giving up your seat

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Inspired by my journey home last night (which took 4 hours) and by an article I've just read I thought I'd ask on thoughts on giving up your seat on public transport.

These days unless you're old/frail/disabled or pregnant I wont offer my seat any more.

My journey home last night normally takes me 2:20-2:30 ish with 1:45 of that being train journey - I go from London down to the east sussex coast and costs me £6k per annum. Last night it took 4 hours with additional stops added at stations in North and West kent that took either 15 minutes or 35 minutes to get to.

Something I noticed was that people getting onto the train were desperate for a seat....old, young, male, female etc everyone wanted a seat and were forceful in making their way onto the train only to then get off at one of the stations 15 and 35 minutes down the line. If I were in their shoes I personally wouldn't be too worried about a seat as the journey isnt that long and I'd be home soon enough......whereas now because my journey is so long I feel more deserving of the seat from the start, although I am happy to take theirs when they get off after 35 minutes and to sit for the remainder.

How do you feel about the situation? how do you deal with packed trains and the seat shenanigans?
 
Not being flippant but that shocked me, I thank god my 'commute' takes me less than 2 minutes office to home and doesn't involve a train. Life's too short.
I hope they're paying you well for that kind of commute, fair play to you doing 5 -7 hours in a day travelling, I just couldn't do that.
 
maxfli65 said:
Not being flippant but that shocked me, I thank god my 'commute' takes me less than 2 minutes office to home and doesn't involve a train. Life's too short.
I hope they're paying you well for that kind of commute, fair play to you doing 5 -7 hours in a day travelling, I just couldn't do that.
Click to expand...

I 100% understand that feeling. Until last year my commute was roughly 1 hour door to door, but I moved to make my wife and sons life easier (she's a teacher and he's just turned 5 and goes to her school) so their car ride to work is now 8-10 minutes rather than 45 minutes.......unfortunately I then take the brunt of that in terms of cost and travelling time. 5 hours travelling per day for me is now the norm.
 
That is very noble of you and are to be congratulated. Think it is survival of the fittest these days. I am in my late 60’s and spend a lot of time in Spain. This morning on the bus I sat in the old people’s, disabled pregnant seat and did not feel guilty.

What does annoy me is when I get on a train usually in The North of England and somebody think they own the other seat and I have to struggle to get past them.
 
My commute is an hour and 20-odd minutes, although 15 of that is walking, so let's say an hour on transport. Luckily I live far enough out that there are lots of seats when I get on the train, which is an Overground to Euston. I then change at Euston to go three stops on the Northern Line, and I never get a seat then, even if there is one available I wouldn't bother taking it for only three stops, there's no point. When I'm going home, since Euston is the end of the line for the Overground, I almost always get a seat easily for the way back as well. I make sure I don't sit in the end seats that are marked as 'priority seating' because I don't want to have to give up my seat for pregnant/old/disabled people - those seats are marked as such so the people sitting there should know it's their responsibility.

Other times if I get on the tube to go somewhere, and there's only 1 or 2 seats available, I generally don't take them and just let someone else have it. If there are loads of seats available then I will. I agree with you though, I don't know why people are seemingly desperate to get on the train first and nab a seat, only to get off the train after 4 or 5 stops. Seems a bit worthless to me.
 
When I used to be in London and intending to return to my sons house in Enfield I used to deliberately catch the tube going South knowing it terminated a bit further down the line., I then was guaranteed a seat to take me on the journey North.

One I off the things I found odd in Germany when I was about 14, the old give up their seats to the young. I do know if it still happens.

Me - I do not give up my seat simply because with my ankles and knees I need it.
 
If I get the train to work takes hour and 45 if I drive takes 45 so even though I get free tube I drive lol my time is worth a lot more to me

When I travel by train I give up my seat if I can
 
I don't travel much on public transport but I would give up my seat for someone who is old, pregnant, disabled or clearly in poor health. No reason to give up a seat for anyone else.

In terms of grabbing a seat I agree with the other posts. For a few stops i wouldn't bother, for a journey over 20 minutes or so I would be hunting one down.
 
I book trains in advance where possible just to get a seat booking generally.

I do get a lot of short trains between York and Leeds and in those cases I’ll often stand rather than fight for a seat if I haven’t got a booked one. For the 25 minutes, it’s not worth the fight.

It’s very common for me to tell people to stand back while I and other passengers alight, the rush to get on is absolutely disgusting.
 
I was in London last mont with the family. I’d completely forgotten how blinkered the commuters (generally) are.

My youngest has cerebral palsy. She’s able to walk small distances but it’s clear she has issues with mobility. I carried her on the tube on most occasions. The ONLY person who offered her a seat was an elderly gent.
 
When i did commute into central London some 12 years ago, my journey was only ever 30 to 40 mins anyway and never worried about a seat.. so glad i don't have to do that ever again. Hate the train
 
I always get a seat when I wear my 'Baby on Board' badge.........
 
Seriously I give my seat up to pregnant ladies and those who have mobility issues/disabled. Not old people - they've had their day....and really shouldn't be travelling in rush hour!!😂
 
PieMan said:
Seriously I give my seat up to pregnant ladies and those who have mobility issues/disabled. Not old people - they've had their day....and really shouldn't be travelling in rush hour!!😂
Click to expand...

Most old people didn’t used to travel in rush hour because their freedom passes only are valid after 09:30

They always used to ask the staff “Am I too early dear?” From 9am getting the nickname the “the Twirlies”
 
Although I am pretty Donald myself, through arthritis, I'll always offer my seat to ladies and any other who looks more in need of sitting than I do...

Had a few comments back, from younger ladies, along the lines of its the 21st century...
But, hey ho it's how I was brought up...

Most folk, on the tube, nowadays don't do eye contact totally oblivious to the rest of the world...
Even if he could don a 'Baby on Board' badge I doubt PieMan would get that many offers of a seat...
 
I always give up my seat to someone who I think needs it more than me , I’m more than capable of standing up as I expect most of us are so would hope most of us would give up a seat to people we thought were in more need of it
 
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