Quote:
Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton
I want to hear some opinions on something that happened to me this morning, specifically from others who are forced to ride the c-train daily. Normally if I realized that someone is struggling, be it for disability or old age, I would give up my seat for them without question. I understand that some people have a more difficult time standing than a 24yr old male who is in decent shape. Here is the situation that occurred this morning:
I get on at crowfoot which provides me the benefit of normally getting a seat as it is the first stop. I often skip a train that is full and wait the extra 5 - 10 minutes so I can get a seat for the ride in. This morning I was reading on my iPad, not paying attention to much (its 7am and I am half asleep) when a 50ish lady bluntly asks me "can I have your seat". I of course gave it to her partly out of chivalry but also partly because of how public her request was. It was obvious she asked me in a way that no one would turn her down.
The more I thought about it the more it kind of pissed me off. She was by no means in a position where standing would have been uncomfortable. The only reason my ungodly 1hr commute is bearable is that in the mornings I can sit with my coffee and read. Do I owe it to someone, who has the ability to stand, to give up my seat simply because she is a woman and is older than me? Honestly if that were the case every day I would look at another form of transportation. Should I feel bad for sitting every time an oldish age female boards the train and has to stand? Honest question...
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Late to the fray but . . . .
As a younger man on a crowded train, you should definitely offer your seat in that situation. It's the gentlemanly thing to do.
However, she should not be asking unless she's obviously infirm. It was rude of her to do so unless she had an obvious peg leg.
Social mores like this separate us from the terrorists.
Cowperson