A typical melbourne train ride
I took the train to work this morning. As usual, the train carriages were crowded. A pregnant woman was standing for most of the way until the guy sitting next to me noticed that she was pregnant, and moving unsteadily on her feet. The people sitting around her pretty much ignored her, some reading their papers, another stared out the window and another busy putting warpaint on her eyes. All ladies I must say. The guy next to me stood up and the woman had to pushed her way through a couple of other people before arriving at his seat.
Not only did she thank him, but she also commented that it was the first time anyone has ever offered her a seat while being pregnant.
Are Melbourians becoming less kind, less caring? I wished I saw her first.
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Sometimes its hard to distinguish between a fat woman and a pregnant woman. I see many people who look like they are pregnant but are not and vice versa. The last thing you want to do is call a woman pregnant when she is not.
i’ve experienced that more than once on the tram. once, there was a guy that stood in between me and a preggie lady. then the lady in front of him left and got off the train. without even asking the preggie lady he just sat down and pretended nothing happened. and she was so so preggie! no one can play dumb to that!
It’s not just pregnant people that are having a hard time of it. I’ve repeatedly seen the elderly, and injured being made to stand. And then there’s me, I can stand, but sometimes I’ve had a hard day and really would like a seat!
I guess that’s how the biggest cities in the world are becoming. Our society is changing.
Here, in Mauritius, people usually stand up when a elderly or pregnant woman gets on the bus. That’s the custom. What’s slowly disappearing though is standing up and giving one’s seat to a woman (not pregnant - I mean a ‘normal’ woman) who’s standing on the bus!
Big different, what do you say?
I think it’s because most people, when they’re on the train, try to pretend that anyone else on the train doesn’t exist.
Thursday afternoon I was on the train out to Footscray, and there was actually a Connex employee on the train helping people with prams get on the train and find room to park.
Khalil, I think that’s because women for decades have been pushing for equal rights this, equality that. If they want an equal society, it’s going to be across the board, not just whenever it suits them. Earning power = standing power.
-random poster
Dan,
A year ago, I would probably have agreed with you. However, women are much more fragile you know and a little gentlemanship (does this word exist?) never hurt.
In the contrary. Ok, I’m not single now although I was a year back.