Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
GIVING UP YOUR seats on public transport for those less able to withstand long journeys on their feet has largely been left up to the public to enforce – but is it time we took a more proactive approach to priority seating?
One woman has become so frustrated with the system that she’s raised the issue of limited seating on Dart services with Iarnród Éireann, and asked them to remind people to give up their seats.
Rachel Kennedy, who uses the train twice every weekday to get to and from work, says she has never been offered a seat on her Portmarnock to Pearse Station route – despite being 30-weeks pregnant.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Rachel gave an account of her journey during rush hour yesterday morning:
“Myself and two elderly people got stuck on the same carriage at the priority seating area. There were three people [who needed seats] and two priority seats.
“I would have given my seat to them, but there were two women there already – one in her 50s and one in her 40s. Both saw three people standing up and looked away like it wasn’t their problem.
The elderly woman could not keep her balance and kept falling back into me and hit me in the stomach several times by accident. No one would give her a seat even when they seen her falling round the place.
Everyday and I’m getting more pregnant and less able to stand.
Dr Mark Gleeson, a spokesperson for Rail Users Ireland, says that this is a fairly common issue.
“The trains can be so packed that you cannot get close to any seat, things have gotten worse in recent months, and trains are certainly busier. Far too many trains are lying idle while passengers are crushed in.”
Gleeson says that there are some things that could be done to improve conditions and ensure priority seats are available to those who are in the most need of them.
This includes introducing bye-laws that say you must give up your seat (common in other European cities); and offer first class seats to expectant mothers when they are available, which is done in the UK.
He added:
The signage is not very clear at times, whereas in many European cities the [priority] seats would be a different colour.
Irish Rail have refused on numerous occasions to introduce ‘Baby on Board’ badges as issued in London, which eliminates any possibility of confusion for expectant mothers.
Expectant mothers and pram-users can apply for ‘Baby On Board’ badges from the UK transport authority, and a badge is then issued to them for use on the underground rail service – meaning priority passengers are clearly identified.
But Gleeson says that there are still other issues that a solution isn’t so clear cut.
“On long-distance train journeys things can get problematic, as you can book a seat online, board the train and find it is standing room only and your seat is a marked as a priority seat. What do you do then?”
What Rachel is going to do in the meantime, is to make people more aware that she is pregnant, and eventually ask people to give their seats up.
People see me, and see my with my belly stuck out, and see me rubbing my belly (tactics I’ve had to employ to back up the fact I’m pregnant) and they just ignore me.
“I shouldn’t have to ask. I’d rather stick my belly out and hope the guilt gets to them and they give up the seat, but it will come to the stage where I think I’ll just say ‘Sorry can you let me sit down’ and point to the priority seat sign.”
Iarnród Éireann have been contacted for comment.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Learned as a kid to offer your seat to older people or someone with a disability. Or offer a lady when they got on a Bus! Manners and a bit of cop on now seems to be gone from society.
As a man offering a seat to a woman these days you’d probably be accused of being sexist.
Take a walk into any maternity hospital waiting room and you will see husbands (and kids sometimes) taking up seats meant for pregnant women. No one says a word to them, not even their wives. Bad manners is hard to police.
One day I’ll open up the journal.ie and every article won’t have a tenuous, pointless feminism comment. One day. Keep the faith, Groan. Keep it.
@Brendan McGill: No one is suggesting that you offer a seat to all woman – just heavily pregnant women.
You obviously haven’t tried it recently- ‘probably’ is very telling!
Anyone who generally struggles with public transport really.
Well said Liam John. People pretend that they don’t see someone who needs a seat more than them. Anyone who leaves a pregnant or elderly person standing on a train has no sense of decency.
Conversely, I was travelling by train from Galway to Dublin. On reaching Athenry I took pity on the pregnant lady next to me and gave her my seat. Not a word, a smile or glance was exchanged from there to Dublin. Still, that’s marriage for you.
I was replying to Liam John’s comment about offering a Lady a seat, not specifically a pregnant Lady, and no I haven’t been in a position where I’ve been anywhere that a woman was left standing in a long time so that’s why I used the word “probably”, in the past I have given up my seat on buses for women.
@Brendan McGill: You can always offer and if its declined politely then no harm done and you have done your good deed for the day. On occasions I have being offered a seat and declined because I was getting off in a few stop but always say that I appreciate the offer.
No need to offer a healthy woman who is not pregnant a seat but pregnant women and elderly people should definitely get priority. I remember I gave my seat on the metro to a woman in Paris and she was so shocked and grateful. Don’t tell me this is something else we’re losing.
I’m fatter than most preggers mots and nobody gives me a seat.. God bleedin love yiz.. …
Brendan, that because you regularly insist on using the old Clint Eastwood line ‘as long as I have a face … (you’ll always have a place to sit)’. It never goes down well.
Giving up a seat to a pregnant woman, Absolutely! Giving up a seat to a woman because she’s fat… eh no. Telling the difference between the 2 – quite hard sometimes!
It’s a decision fraught with danger
@Tony O’Regan: Especially in Ireland – not so much in other European capitals.
@Tony O’Regan: One of my best friends has put on loads of weight since she’s had a kidney transplant – thanks to the steroids. Why wouldn’t you get up for a “fat” person? You have no idea why she (or he) is heavy.
Not my experience at all. I was offered a seat daily on the dart during all 3 of my pregnancies. I especially found young men to be very polite
@john Appleseed: Really John? They were probably just amazed to see a pregnant man.
I have severe problems with my legs that you wouldn’t notice, but I’m in pain a lot of the time. I’ve had people trying to shame me to stand up. Sometimes I can, but when I’m having particularly bad days I can’t. Don’t assume we’re all deliberately refusing to move. Some people have hidden disabilities.
Good point.
I was just going to make this point. As a pregnant woman I wouldn’t ask anyone to move for this reason. I know my own mother would struggle to stand for longer than I would on public transport.
I got on a packed bus once, with an elderly man, barely able to stand. I got p&ssed off with the guy in the priority seat, looking out the window pretending not to see, tapped him on the arm and asked him would he not get up to let the older man sit down. Turns out the guy in the seat, who had dark glasses on, was blind, with one eye. Cue the most embarrassing bus ride in my life. It got even worse when the poor blind man started arguing with the old man to have the seat. I got off early, and had a long hard think about where I was going in life.
Lee B you just gave me a good laugh.
@Lee B: Oh my God *cringe*.
I know I shouldn’t have laughed at your post, but I did!! I was in that position also. The young person that I repremanded for not letting an old lady sit in his seat, had only one leg!! I failed to see his crutches on the floor!! Ever since I have kept my mouth shut!!
I agree that seats should be offered to those in need, that being said I have had almost 30 back surgeries and am in chronic pain with my back. To look at me unless you know what to look for you would not know it. On the days when my back is particularly bad and I can hardly stand and I don’t offer my seat I am left feeling like a rat by my fellow passengers. I feel I have to explain and since it’s my back and I look fine nobody believes me. On those days I am in just as much need as they of my seat but still I have moved because it’s the wright thing to do.
I offer my seat to the elderly or expectant public transport- whether or not I am in priority seating. I do note that the elderly are the worst offenders for parking in Parent and Child spots and for allowing their dogs to foul the footpaths without cleaning up. If I have to use matchsticks to clean out the grooves of my shoes or the tyres of the buggy one more time I may start a class action law suit…..
Just ask! Nobody in their right mind will say no. Most are waiting for you to ask. You might expect your husband to be able to read your mind, but the people on the public transport dont know you, you might just be fat – and its a dangerous thing to ask or presume.
Also take into consideration that the people are still half asleep in the morning and going where they dont want to go. They arent thinking straight.
It’s happened me before I was sitting in the luas in the morning head buried in phone. There was a pregnant woman standing in front of me that I didn’t notice for 5 or so minutes. I’m sure she thought I was rude but as soon as I noticed her I was up to offer her my seat.
@Barry Davidson: Solution ban all mobile devices from all transport and lets talk!
Well done Barry.
You could get yourself in hassle asking too. I once politely pointed out that a young man had skipped a queue and was followed around a shopping centre by his mother telling me that he had autism, that I “should have known” (how?) and that I had ruined their day! I understood that life is probably difficult for them but I vowed to keep my mouth shut in future!#
Same on the luas. I used to have to ask could I sit when I was heavily pregnant. Nobody ever said no though, possibley the shame
If ya need a seat just say something. Most people aren’t paying any attention to you and probably haven’t noticed you even exist. They’re either looking at their phones or avoiding eye contact with other commuters. If they have seen you, then maybe they don’t have a full view and haven’t noticed your pregnant.
Totally agree with this article. I was on the Luas at 36 weeks pregnant. It was packed. Not one person offered a seat. Same on bus and if you were lucky enough to have a seat on bus and it breaker fast people would regularly fall towards you / hit off you and not even apologise. In the hospital waiting rooms as well you would regularly see men taking up seats and they wouldn’t get up and offer it to the pregnant lady who had to stand while she was waiting. It made me wonder where manners were.
I give up my seat if I’m being asked politely. you should never assume the person in the priority seat doesn’t have a need you might not see. what’s so hard about asking? “i shouldn’t have to ask” is nonsense. I shouldn’t have to guess.
I’m sitting on public transport typing this whilst a pregnant woman is trying to make me look up and at her in an attempt at guilting me into standing up.
@ Dessie, you the hard man then? So even this article never even prompted you to do the decent thing?
@Liam John Bradshaw: I’m sure he’s just trying to be funny.
@Dr Richard DeWitt: Trying being the operative word.
Where have manners & courtesy gone in Ireland. As a child I was taught to hold a door open, remove a hat when indoors or speaking to a lady, offer a seat to anyone that needed it, stand up when greeting a lady , table etiquette etc. My son picked it up and it makes me proud to watch him in company. I’m sure some feminist will frown on us but I couldn’t care . It’s nice to be nice.
Not that I don’t think they all commuters should be getting the service they are paying for and that includes a seat.
But that’s equality for you… if you want to stop working at 4.28pm because that’s all you’re paid for and the Dail needs a quota of women you can’t strut around with this level of entitlement at express such frustration, self importance and disdain at the thought of having to ask politely and everyone not jumping out of their seat due to the arrival of the expectant Queen of Sheba.
What a load of self serving tripe. The article is about helping people who need a bit more help on public transport. Not just expectant mothers but elderly and disabled persons too. No need for such vitriol
@Drew TheChinaman :): You’ve got issues Drew.
Drew would probably be happy if disabled parking spots were done away with too.
I just ask the person elderly/pregnant/disable. are they comfortable standing, if not theirs my seat, but what gets me is, when the parent give their child a seat when, then child could sit on their lap.also really dislike the luas and there posters regarding Emily and Jess, in the end its just a bit of common courtesy that all. no need to be re-educated.
Honestly just ask and they’ll get up as quick as they’ll be embarrassed you had to. (Most people anyway) Waiting for someone to feel guilty and offer is being a martyr. It’s like your Ma trying to guilt you out for not visiting two weeks in a row…
Ask! People hide behind their cell phones!
What do we want?? Equal rights and equal treatment for everyone!!
When do we want them?? When it suits us!!
I’m in pretty good shape for my advanced years, but I knew time was starting to catch up on me when I got into a tram in Helsinki about three years ago. There were no seats free, but I don’t mind standing. Then a very pretty young woman in her twenties stood up and offered me her seat. She was pregnant and looked like she could give birth any minute. Some people are brought up well, others are not.
I’ve endured two pregnancies while commuting with Irish Rail. It’s a disgrace how many people (men) pretend to ignore you. In total across twice daily trips for both pregnancies I’d say I was offered a seat maybe 10 times – most of the time it was women who got up and not the men! And getting on the train? Well good luck, you’d be knocked over in the rush for the blokes to get the best seats.
@Lynsey Smith: Jeez, these men are terrible creatures altogether. It’s a wonder you manage to live with one of them.
Disagree Lynsey, I found once I hit 8 months pregnant I was offered a seat daily on the Dart. Mostly young men to be honest. I didn’t have much of a bump till then so people probably didn’t realise I was pregnant, but once I was showing have to say I very rarely went a trip without someone offering their seat.
Don’t know the full facts but I’m guessing it was rush hour. Not to sound mean but did the 2 ‘elderly’ people need to travel at that time?
@Kieran: You sound mean.
People can’t generally choose a hospital appointment time. Some GPs still operate a first-come, first-seen system as well. I’d say this is why retired people can use their travel pass as needed, not just in off-peak times. Personally I don’t grudge them, but I’d like to see free off-peak only travel passes given to tourists!
Priority seating.. special needs parking. Usually taken by women. Parent and infant parking. Again taken by women. Nobody really cares anymore. Because it is not enforced or policed
I hate to interrupt the good rant in the article….. But since the person in question seems to rely on rubbing her belly rather then use words like a grown up to actually communicate with the people she would like to get a seat from………. Are we supposed to ignore the myriad of non-visible disabilities those people may have?
I often travel with my son and he ends up standing. He’s an adult with intellectual disabilities and autism. He can stand, but it means keeping a hold of him since he has a tendency to sway or fall. It’s not very safe. He has never once been offered a seat, but we have gotten the glares and he has gotten abuse for not giving up his seat. If he gets a seat, he is as entitled to keep it as any priority passenger for the duration of the journey.
I would always offer my seat. One solution on the luas is to only allow priority passengers use the priority seats.
In Brazil, by law, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled don’t have to stand in any queues, they go straight to the top. They also have allocated sitting in public transport. Even before these laws were introduced people were far more considerate than the ones described in this story.
It may sound like over-regulating, but if people are that inconsiderate then something needs to be done.
I hate that decision period where you have to make out are they old enough. I think i was someones first “excuse me do you want to sit down” the other day, they still took it but they had a funny look in their eyes.
I’m lucky that I only had to take the Dart a few times while heavily pregnant but the trains were so full that no-one within my eyeline had a seat to give me.
I was on the bus a few weeks back 34 weeks pregnant I’m on crutches for spd pregnancy condition and can barely walk , I was left standing on the bus for 40 mins, not one person offered a seat I was standing the whole way home till three stops before I was due to get off! No manners any more
@marian doherty: Did you ask someone to move?
You shouldn’t have to ask someone to give up a seat, there’s a few signs on public transport that state they are priority for elderly disabled or pregnancy, I was more worried someone would fall over my crutches! And spd is extremely painful when standing longer than a few mins,
My sister lives France and when she was pregnant and taking the tram she would just ask someone to let her sit down and generally people would. If you ask what can people say more embarrassing for them if they say no to a pregnant woman
Drew the chinaman
Think there is a job waiting for you in the Whitehouse!
As soon as my pregnancy was obvious I was offered a seat on the train 99% of the time…people don’t always notice but as soon as they did I was offered a seat. I found standing in the aisles made me and my bump more visible.
Why didn’t she politely ask for someone to move?
I just had murder on Dublin bus someone pushed up against my 6 months pregnant girlfriend getting on then nobody wud give up their seat so I asked would anybody please? And a nice Dublin lad got up to give my girlfriend a seat!!
Seriously whats wrong with some people? An act of kindess, in offering a seat to a person who may need it, goes a long way in todays world. In time many of us may be in a position where we would hope someone would offer the same courtesy whether it be because of a broken limb, or a chronic illness or just old age. The lack of empathy displayed by people on public transport really is disgusting.
In South Korea they experimented with pregnant woman carrying beacons which turned a light on the priority seat when she was near it so the passenger seated would know to offer the seat – the pink light campaign
I offered my seat to a ‘pregnant woman’ on the dart. She told me she wasn’t pregnant, just fat. Sometimes it’s hard to tell! I was mortified. I wouldn’t be doing it again in a hurry so bring in the badges!!
have your say