Commuting in London can be grim. You’re packed on the tube like sardines, someone’s sweaty armpit in your face as everyone tries desperately to avoid eye contact out of fear someone may speak. But one commuter slammed others on the Underground for being unaware of what’s going on around them, or choosing not to look on purpose, saying that people need to do better.
Taking to Reddit’s ‘London’ forum, they explained that they’d found themselves on a “packed tube” and they were watching “something on my phone to make my long commute go quicker” and to ensure they were distracted.
They penned: “However, I do ensure I have awareness of things going on around me, like today I look up and see a very heavily pregnant woman standing and not one person offered her a seat, even those in the priority seats, which happened to be two other women chatting away”.
The commuter shared that they went down the tube to offer their seat, “which she took,” but the commuter couldn’t believe “how ignorant and oblivious some people are,” sharing that some are “so selfish”.
At the end of the post, they wrote: “How many others have seen this, and how do you approach it if others should have offered in the priority seats? I wish I had made a point, but I didn’t want to make the lady uncomfortable”.
In the comments, someone said that they had strong boundaries when it comes to going on the tube.
They wrote: “I need to sit, I’m on ambulatory oxygen with a tank and canula, so it’s pretty obvious there’s something wrong with me. I also have my blue ‘Please Offer Me A Seat’ badge.
“I don’t bother waiting for people to offer, I go to the nearest priority seat and ask them if I can sit down.
“I always thank them profusely, but I find being straight up with people and advocating for yourself is the best way to do things. Obviously, I don’t if the person is visibly disabled or has a blue badge.
“I can neither confirm nor deny that I prioritise the people who sit head down, determinedly avoiding looking up”.
Another defended London, sharing: “I have a heart condition but no blue badge. I commute every day and had it happen several times in the past that I could feel myself getting close to fainting due to the heat or general lack of oxygen.
“When it happens, I will lean down to a person near me and quietly ask if they could let me sit because I’m unwell. Literally never had someone say no. One person even offered me water. People in this city are generally decent, I’d say. Just tired”.
Someone said: “This is the same for so many people, and I think we need to remember that disability is not always visible”.
One commuter wrote: “I may be in a seat with my head down, but that’s not because I’m trying to avoid giving up my seat, that’s because it’s the tube and you’re supposed to avoid social interactions at all costs.
“If someone who clearly needs a seat, like someone who’s pregnant, or with any sort of badge like yours asked me for my seat, I’d happily give it up and it makes the whole interaction much easier.”
