14 replies to this topic

[LionJess]

So there's a man on the bus sitting in the 'priority' seats for older people, disabled people, guide dogs, etc. An older lady gets on the bus and politely asks him to move, saying that she's older, etc. He starts yelling and swearing at her and refuses to move. The driver makes no comment and neither does anyone on the bus bar one person who gave out to the man for swearing at the older lady. One major point - the bus was not actually full when the lady got on, there were a number of other seats available downstairs on the bus.

This did actually happen. I'm curious - do you think the elderly should have the right to get the seat they want just for being old, or should she have just gone and sat somewhere else????



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I don't see what the difference was to her, to be honest. She didn't look disabled and I think she could have just sat on the seat, and if she WAS disabled in any way, perhaps should have just said that.




Personally speaking, I tend to sit upstairs on buses so don't generally have older people up there, but I'd always give up my seat for an older person if they get on, or anyone with a disability, broken legs, whatever. That said, I don't see why she really needed that specific seat, and it irritates me when older people act as though they deserve a seat straight off, without waiting for someone to offer.

[Mindy Simmons]

I always find that the elderly seem to think they deserve my respect just because they're old. Being old doesn't mean shit. If an elderly person needed a seat on the bus, I would move. Not because they're entitled to a seat because of age but because I'm perfectly capable of standing and I know that they will probably be less comfortable standing than I would. But I would also give up a seat for a child or a pregnant woman or anyone I thought could use a seat more than I could.

A lot of the time, elderly people are actually very rude but still seem to be under the impression that I should be showing respect and politeness to them when they can't do the same. I'm generally pretty courteous, but I'm not going to be respectful and polite to someone that's shoving me out of the way or something like that. I'll show someone the respect they show me and the respect they earn.

Basically, I don't think age entitles anyone to anything. I will be polite and courteous, and give a person the respect I feel they deserve. But that doesn't have anything to do with age.

[Let_Love_Bleed_Red]

I completely agree with this ^

[ ᠎]

I try to not despise the elderly, but it seems that it is in them to despise me, for being young.

>mfw when I walk up to that WWII vet to shake his hand and he says "maybe you can earn your freedom too, someday."

[Reflection]

I don't respect the elderly outright. I respect some older people, sure, but it's not automatic. Generally, though, I pity the elderly. After all, they are going to be dead soon. Keeping this in mind, I try to acquiesce and grant them what very well might be their last, dying wish. I'd give the old lady the seat, feeling sorry for her all the while.

[Steve]

I respect those who deserve to be respected really, elderly or not. In the situation you described, if I was the old man being asked to move, I wouldn't move because she's older. The priority seats are for the elderly and not for who's the elderlyestest of all the elderly, so she can find another seat. If, however, the woman got on the bus, walked slowly and steadily onto the bus and seemed to struggle, I'd probably give her the seat then - providing I felt I didn't need it more.

Anyway, age usually demands some form of initial respect from me: I would sooner be a more chivalrous guy if it concerned the elderly than if it was concerning say... a 22 year old. For example I'd be more inclined to let an elderly couple in front of me in the bus queue so they could get a seat earlier than someone else. That would go for the disabled and women with prams too. Then again I'm quite chivalrous in general anyway...

[Lightning.]

^the man in jess's story wasn't old

The priority seats are at the front if the bus so they don't have to walk down the aisle.
I always offer my seat to the elderly and pregnant women, no way would I offer it to a child they can sit on mammy's lap.
I think that man was being outright rude, all she did was ask him could she sit down he could have just said no.
There was no need for him to be a cunt.

[Forzare!]

If the bus is empty I don't see why you'd sit on a disabled/elderly seat anyway, bit of a cuntish thing to do. I'm in two minds, I hate old people that demand respect without having earned it... when I was in sixth form we would queue up for the bus and one time an old person just pushed right to the front, barged into me and pushed in front and gave me an earful for not 'respecting' her, despite the fact we'd all been queuing for ages and she was downright rude. If I feel an old person would benefit from me doing something, if the bus is full or whatever then i'll do it, I often let older people on the bus first so they get a seat and of course if they ask and they're reasonable i'd go out of my way to help, but when they're rude and expectant i'm more likely to ignore them.

[Nereus]

Respect is a 2 way street. It's just not given out just because of the fact they're old.

I've had a few elderly people say, 'I fought in World War II, so I deserve respect.' Um, no. What about every other person who has fought in a war? Also to, I've seen elderly people disrespect younger folks. The elderly people will say, 'young people have no problems, what are they bitching about?' This is true to an extent, but it isn't as if we haven't seen a younger person with a hearing problem or a eye problem. That's fucked up.

I have given up my seat on the bus/train for a older person, but some of them are so rude about it. I try to be respectful, but if they aren't going to be respectful to me, they're not getting respect either. Hearing/sight problems or not.

[Fujoshi Otaku]

If the bus is empty I don't see why you'd sit on a disabled/elderly seat anyway, bit of a cuntish thing to do. I'm in two minds, I hate old people that demand respect without having earned it... when I was in sixth form we would queue up for the bus and one time an old person just pushed right to the front, barged into me and pushed in front and gave me an earful for not 'respecting' her, despite the fact we'd all been queuing for ages and she was downright rude. If I feel an old person would benefit from me doing something, if the bus is full or whatever then i'll do it, I often let older people on the bus first so they get a seat and of course if they ask and they're reasonable i'd go out of my way to help, but when they're rude and expectant i'm more likely to ignore them.

^That is so weird. I swear the EXACT same thing happened when I was queuing up for the bus after school. I was near the back of the queue, and wasn't paying much attention to what was going on, though. XD You didn't go to a school called Priesthorpe, did you?

In the story in the OP, both seem to be in the wrong. The guy shouldn't have gone and sat there in the first place if there were loads of seats, and he shouldn't have started swearing and shouting like an idiot. But, if there were loads of other seats, not right at the back, the old woman shouldn't have expected him to move...I'm beginning to lean more to her side, though.
Old people have always liked me, though. I haven't really come across much of the 'expecting to be respected'. But I try to automatically respect anyone. Unfortunately, I'm not that observant. I've been told by my mum a couple of times to move for people on the bus, because I hadn't noticed them.

[Lavinia]

I respect those who deserve to be respected really, elderly or not.

This.

Elderly people sometimes need that extra care, obviously some may need the priority seats but demanding it is going a bit far. This goes for anyone really. However, I don't like this whole 'the elderly are rude too' thing, heck plenty of young people treat the elderly like absolute shit. It goes both ways, I can't stand this pretentious attitude that people have concerning the older generation. Preaching about respecting the elderly like they're offended at a minor situation, like any incident occurs and the younger people have the right to be offended and it's obviously the world against them, right? They could just be having a bad day, and judging someone immediately after one encounter is ridiculous. I try to always be chivalrous when I can, opening doors for people, giving my seat up etc. A lady once gave me a dirty look for holding the door open and didn't say thanks, I didn't mind really or rant about it. It's not a big deal. I gave up my seat on the bus to a lady who I assumed was pregnant, turns out she was just fat, but still.

I always give my seat up to the elderly, if the bus is full and the priority seats are empty I'd stand or go up stairs. It's not a big deal.

[Anne-Marie]

The man shouldn't have been sitting in the elderly seat in the first place and he also shouldn't have yelled at the woman. But then again, the woman could have sat somewhere else.

Personally, I never sit in the elderly seats. In Finnish buses the seats are right next to the doors in the middle of the bus, where it's easy to get off and the floor is lowered. I prefer sitting in the back, anyway.



I like to have a certain level of respect towards the elderly. I don't do anything major, just things like offering my seat, getting up to shake hands, talking politely and sometimes even formally addressing them. I tend to be more respectful towards everyone older than me, but I'm much more prone to being rude towars a woman in her fourties than in her eigthies.

[Occasional_Desire]

I tend to come across a lot of "Your generation is full of criminals, you're probably one of them, respect me". In reality, the police just didn't care as much when people of their age were younger and they aren't as lenient as they once were. If the bus is nearly full and an elderly/disabled person needs a seat, I will happily let them have it. Regarding the situation you're referring to I'd probably establish that there are plenty more seats in the same range as the one I'm sat in - but if they really insist on sitting in that one seat, I'd honestly sit right next to them. Why do they deserve more respect because they have lived longer than me? Have they done something enormously important and brilliant with their life? I very much doubt it. Generally I give everybody a certain level of respect simply because it's polite.

The man shouldn't have been sitting in the elderly seat in the first place

The sign reads "please give up these seats for the eldery and disabled" not "SEATS FOR THE ELDERLY ONLY".

[Existentialism]

I only respect someone when I see it fit to be deserved, not just with the elderly.

[Anne-Marie]

The sign reads "please give up these seats for the eldery and disabled" not "SEATS FOR THE ELDERLY ONLY".

Ahh okay, sorry, here they're for the elderly and disabled only, so I went ahead and assumed that was the case.