Hiya All
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
Get Up and Give a Seat
Posted 1st December 2007 at 08:28 AM by Anandchitra
Recently a news radio crew from our town went on a tour to Orlando. There they have visited the famous Disney parks. They used the shuttle bus services to move between locations. Among the crew was a pregnant woman, maybe around 8 or so months pregnant. Apparently when they travelled in these buses, no one got up to give this lady a seat. Their travel distance was probably between 5 minutes to 20 minutes.
So when our radio crew came back this was their topic of discussion that no one got up and gave their seat to this pregnant woman (even for a short distance of travel). The other passengers, according to their radio description, were regular people. Listening to this on the radio , my son could not understand what it meant, "giving up your seat".. It dawned on me that he had not travelled very much on a bus and the few times we did travel he did not mind standing. So I explained that when I was growing up for many, many years the only means of transport available for me was bus (other than the trusted "nata raja" service). Though I used the latter to school back and forth everyday, used it to run errands, used it to goto the temple or anything under 5 kms.
For us to get to the bus stop we had to travel approx. 2-3 kms I think. Could be a little more not less. And my school was in a zone where it was not feasible taking the bus as I would walk more from and to the busstop than otherwise. So always walked anywhere. When we went out as a family then the bus. In the buses, there was the women section and men section. 2 sides. Mostly women sat in womens and men sat in mens. But there were times when the womens side was more empty and some men would sit there too. But as soon as they spotted a woman getting in they would get up. Even otherwise I remember many a time men getting up to give a seat to an old woman or pregnant woman.
Does it not happen nowadays ?? I have even seen men opening doors for women, my son and husband do it for me when we both go together. Some men even open the car door for women to get in and then they seat themselves. So after so much talking my son understood what it meant as to get up and give up one's seat. But what he could not understand was why for short distances did people not give up their seat for a pregnant woman??? Do you understand this?
So when our radio crew came back this was their topic of discussion that no one got up and gave their seat to this pregnant woman (even for a short distance of travel). The other passengers, according to their radio description, were regular people. Listening to this on the radio , my son could not understand what it meant, "giving up your seat".. It dawned on me that he had not travelled very much on a bus and the few times we did travel he did not mind standing. So I explained that when I was growing up for many, many years the only means of transport available for me was bus (other than the trusted "nata raja" service). Though I used the latter to school back and forth everyday, used it to run errands, used it to goto the temple or anything under 5 kms.
For us to get to the bus stop we had to travel approx. 2-3 kms I think. Could be a little more not less. And my school was in a zone where it was not feasible taking the bus as I would walk more from and to the busstop than otherwise. So always walked anywhere. When we went out as a family then the bus. In the buses, there was the women section and men section. 2 sides. Mostly women sat in womens and men sat in mens. But there were times when the womens side was more empty and some men would sit there too. But as soon as they spotted a woman getting in they would get up. Even otherwise I remember many a time men getting up to give a seat to an old woman or pregnant woman.
Does it not happen nowadays ?? I have even seen men opening doors for women, my son and husband do it for me when we both go together. Some men even open the car door for women to get in and then they seat themselves. So after so much talking my son understood what it meant as to get up and give up one's seat. But what he could not understand was why for short distances did people not give up their seat for a pregnant woman??? Do you understand this?
Total Comments 17
Comments
 |  Gone are those days, AC !When we ask for equality in all spheres, why should we ask for special allotment in buses - well, this is the question raised by men, generally.This is not mine, please make a note. Except in the cases of women with small babies, pregnant women, I agree with them. If elderly women need care, elderly men also deserve that special treatment. I think, there should be a section rather few seats allotted to "special care" people, who cannot travel, standing, like the ones mentioned above. You are lucky to get a special treatment from your men ! Not me, ever !  Love, Chithra. |
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| |  Its interesting to read your point of view. Like you say its more on the subject of equality. Women even want to goto war and fight neck to neck with men so no wonder. I heard from husband that there are air conditioned buses running in town and also there is music in buses. so we have come a long way from oram kattu! |
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| |  dear AC, we have the same problems in buses here and men cannot get up even in ladies seat, once i remember my sis 8th month was about to fall out of the bus while standing as her chappals gave way in the sudden break by the driver, so you are very very lucky to have men do things for you, hats off to them...sunkan |
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| |  Dear AC, It is long time since I travelled in a bus... My kids can count the number of times they travelled.. almost single digit... After seeing your thread... I think, we (me&shan) are pampering our kids too much... I normally give my seat, for old ladies/men/pregnant women or women with kids in hand... But it is not with many of the men today... I agree with Chitvish... that while people ask for equality between men and women... then why are you expecting a specialised treatment... If it is because she is pregnant/sick/oldage... then the same logic applies for men also..(though not pregnant..)...For sick/oldage people irrespective of gender, we should be courteous in providing the seat... This is my opinion... But during my college days, there used to be a special bus for Ladies... I dont know... whether it is still there... But I have witnessed so many times that ladies skip that bus and get into the next bus and demand for ladies seat and make fuss of all about crowd, touching and all... But why they skip the ladies bus??? God Knows... But in not giving the seat my experience is unfortunately... it is the ladies who will not give their seat... but expect the men to give their seat... At times I find it very funny and could not understand... |
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| | Dear AC, You gave me food for my thoughts... Now I have to teach my kids about travelling by bus and all...Ok... Gr8 |
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| | Dear Sundari Thats sad that your sister could not get a seat. and 8 months pregnant. Dont know whats going on these days. Sometimes even women will not give a seat and more likely will be young ones. I did not realise there are very few people who would give a seat. maybe mothers need to do a better job in rainsing young ones.. |
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| | Its a longtime since i travelled on a bus too, Veda.. I'm sure you would get and give a seat but why not the younger generation? Veda I could not help smiling at the ladies bus mention... Since I didnt travel to college by bus.. I dont know why anyone would miss that special bus and fuss and annoy others in the regular.. I do know many ladies wont give up anything .seat or otherwise and then expect the men to. I have never figured out this logic except say they are spoilt and selfish.. I know these 2 qualities go hand in hand. Its always with great interest I read when men talk about women because I only hear mostly womens side of it...keep blogin.. |
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| | I think it is extremely rude to not give up your seat for a standing pregnant woman...! Whenver and whereever I am first, I open the door for the next person. I personaly don't mind opening the door for men or giving up my seat to older or incapacitated men. Like your son, I too don't understand the behaviour in the Ontario bus...! It is very galant of your husband and son to hold the door. In my case, my husband holds the door mostly because my hands are almost always full. A very interesting perception highlighting the contrast between the times we grew up and that of our kids...! |
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| | Extremely rude it is dear gayathri!.. So very nicely put across by u..Times really have changed...not sur e why..maybe the womens movement..most times when I listen to my kid..i get to see from his standpoint..and its interesting too..keep blogin.. |
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| | Dear AC, Yes, I agree with you... The current generation is too much selfish and self centered... Well, when I go to India, let me try my luck with the bus next time... though i love to stand... Balancing in the running itself is an art... Thouse days, we used to lean on the pole and take a good nad, as we used to travel long for more than an hour from college to Home... Now A/c bus, deluxe... blabla... lot have come... Should try and see... |
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| | Have you heard of the pole dance? Veda thats the latest fitness craze sweeping the country most women are learning to pole dance and its being taught in fitness centers too since its considered a great exercise i dont know if i can tell her what it really is but if anyone reads this try and guess I can come up with a prize maybe for guessin whats the pole dance crze??..... |
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| | Dear AC, Pole dance.... Poor me.... No comments... Jhoot.... |
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| | I was only talking about the fitness exercise..Veda..wonder why yur running away.. |
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| | Dear AC, It involves lot of flexing ur muscles and bending, twisting and above all, you should know how to balance your weight.... The tyre which is forming around me, makes me feel guilty for not doing any exercise.... The eternal starting the walk from tomorrow is making me feel guilty... So running away.... |
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| | No body wants to endure physical discomfort, even for a short time. people are so very selfish also. Like many said, it is women who do not give their seats. In places like Chennai where the travel may be for longer distance, it is understood when nobody offers their seat. i try to help when the distance is short. I do not travel by bus at all nowadays. My son also does not have the chance to till this year. Now he comes home by bus sometimes, but now that he is a teenager, he loves to stand near the door ( I caution him about the danger of this practice). Aha, both the men of your home are chivalrous, nice of them. No such luck for me, hubby is the true MCP, he would not even offer to carry the bags, never. I am trying to make son do such things, hope I succeed. Earlier when son was a toddler and we used to travel by bus, hubby would leave the luggage and son with me and get into the bus in the pretext of getting seats. I was left to carry all these into the bus. After 2 such incidents, I decided to put my foot down. The next time, I just stood outside the bus with the luggage o n the floor and son on my hands. Hubby had to come down and help me and by the time there was no seat. So there after he had to take the luggage with him. |
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| | There after he had to take the luggage with him..was a good one Varloo..I have to say I am shocked that someone would have you carry the bags and the child and then get into the bus..what to say..It is my personal experience that the more we travel and more people we meet our outlook broadens too..Sometimes you might have to make the best of what you have which what i am guessing you are doing.... |
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| |  Dear AC, It so happened day before yesterday. I had to travel to my office for a meeting and as my stop was quite near to the terminus I was lucky enough to get a seat, though at times even at this stop you have to stand as the bus will be full at the terminus itself. Till another 5 or 6 stops the bus had no standies as the time I went was quite an odd timing. In one of the stops one old lady got up with quite few baggage, looked like she is travelling alone and I got up and gave the seat in which I was sitting. You know what happened, all the ladies who were all sitting, even those who were sitting in the seat allotted for elders and handicapped looked at me as if they were seeing a creature. I too have seen and experienced so many times that no woman would get up and give a seat to any elder men for that case even elderly women, pregnant woman or handicapped men or women. Most of the times it will be men (they wont be even sitting in the women's side). But I have always made it a practice even if I had to travel with my kids, I get up and give my seat. If only we set an example to our kids, we could expect them to follow us. |
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