From The Herald:
Elderly Hikers Occupy Metro Seats Laughing and Chatting, No Regard for Heavily Pregnant Woman Without Seat
The elderly passengers [pictured here] equipped in hiking gear are receiving criticism for not yielding their seats to a woman heavy with a child in the metro.
On the 28th, a photo titled ‘I will not buckle from my seat even if my pregnant daughter is standing here’ was posted on an online community board.
The photo shows a heavily pregnant woman standing in metro, before a group of senile hikers chattering in their seats.
‘[The elderly] don’t care a thing about a pregnant lady if she is unrelated to them,’ the netizen who uploaded the photo wrote about the situation then. ‘I was going to talk to them about this, when a man sitting some distance away yielded his seat for her.’
The other netizens who saw this photo shed criticism such as ‘those elderly people would surely blame ‘youngsters these days’ when they cannot get a seat in metro.’ ‘If they were healthy enough to go hiking, wouldn’t they be strong enough to stand up along their way back?’ ‘You don’t HAVE to offer your seat, but you’d feel obliged to if you had any idea of what’s right.’
Comments from Nate:
risd****:
Well, I don’t even find that situation new. My wife is 8 months into her pregnancy and once sat in the priority seat (which is for pregnant women [as well as the elderly]). And an old lady made a hurting remark, saying ‘anyone can get pregnant, so what special right does it give you to keep your seat in front of an elderly standing?’ It was her way back home from work, and she found it ridiculous. Would the old lady have said the same thing to her own daughter? Since then she doesn’t even glance at an empty priority seat, because it’s much more comfortable at heart to give up sitting rather than to sit and hear those awful comments.
rpam****:
Tut tut tut, can’t you age gracefully!
adjh****:
These days, a pregnant woman gets scolded for sitting in the priority seat. And women are less likely to offer seats [to a pregnant woman, compared to men are]. I’m a few weeks into pregnancy so it didn’t show in my belly, but I was really exhausted from morning sickness so sat down in the priority seat. But [the elderly] kicked me and gave me a scolding look, so I got up from the seat right away. I had to get off the metro to throw up during the trip…. There are really so many people who are mean to pregnant women, although we are having a hard time.
igre****:
So annoying;; And they get to use the metro for free;
boy-****:
Although we make a lot of noise here, those elderly in the picture wouldn’t ever get to see this article.
cryi****:
I don’t offer my seat to people who are not so old.. to those in their 60s but who dye their hair black and wear heavy make-up. If they so wish to look young, I should treat them as young people..
htw3****:
If you keep offering a favour to someone, they’ll take it for granted. [A famous line from the hit film The Unjust]
gjff****:
The priority seats are for weak passengers, including the elderly, the pregnant and the handicapped who are not strong enough to stand for a long time. Those old hikers who swan off to mountains and countryside are not ‘weak.’ Getting old doesn’t entitle you to everything you want, so please know this.
mc-j****:
Crazy people~ They go hiking and biking to keep themselves young, and get excited when they are treated as youngsters. But do they want to be respected as the elderly in metro? Age gracefully!…
lala****:
They should have some consideration for others if they are strong enough to go hiking…
xcol****:
Those seats are priority seats, not elderly seats…………………… Sigh…………………….. There are certainly many generous elderly people, but some thoughtless ones anger me. Their behaviour should fit their age.
leem****:
By the way, why are the elderly allowed to ride the metro for free?????
naya****:
Granny~~~ Our future is having a hard time standing there…
nada****:
When I was 8 months into pregnancy, I got into the metro compartment and immediately the stout guys sitting across from me closed their eyes at the same time. Ah~ I nearly swore. You really should know what’s better.
shev****:
When I got pregnant, I was walking on eggshells every time I was using buses. If I stood before students, they’d giggle at my belly even if they were female too. In the metro I got a priority seat because a lady offered it to me, but an old man shouted and swore at my face that I was too young to take a seat there. I showed him my belly which shut him up, but some people think it’s not a big deal even when they see my belly. Having experienced that several times, I refrained from going anywhere far from home and when I did, my husband would drive me there. I have often shed cold sweat in the corner when using the public transport so… it’s much easier at heart [not to use it].
muse****:
The elderly shouldn’t be blamed so much…. Younger passengers never offered me their seats in the buses I got in when I was heavily pregnant…. Why pick on the elderly????
