Why are people so ignorant? Saw a heavily pregnant lady on the tube - nobody offered her a seat.?

Question

Just to clarify - I did not have a seat - I did ask the lady if she would like one though and was fully prepared to 'turf someone out of their seat on her behalf'

Answer 1

People are so self absorbed and do not care what happens to others. The other day i helped an old lady with her shopping and my friends mocked me for being soft. I'd rather be soft then ignorant.

Answer 2

I always would. And I've twice stood on a busy bus and asked someone to give up their seat - once for a pregnant woman, and once for someone on crutches!
I'm a single parent father, and when my son was very young I frequently would have been left standing holding my son if I hadn't eventually lost patience and asked someone to give me their seat. Even then someone refused once, and the driver intervened for me.
I don't get it. I seem to have a different internal moral code from many others, which forces me to be polite no matter what.

More seriously, on a number of occasions I've called ambulances for people who, through being either unfortunate or drunk, have collapsed in the main street of my home town (Aberdeen, Scotland) and were totally ignored. Once I asked a passer by to call an ambulance on his mobile phone for someone who had split his head open on the pavement and had blood pouring out his ear, only to be confronted with "I'm not wasting my battery on that pisshead". There were close to being TWO injuries after that comment (he did call, but only after I'd shouted at him). And yet, when an ambulance arrives (and this happens every time) a huge crowd gathers round to find out if they're OK!
I'm afraid I don't subscribe to this unwritten law of the city of "Look out for number one". I'd much rather be the one displaying a shred of compassion and humanity.

Sorry about the rant.

Answer 3

I don't think it is ignorant. I think it is laziness.

In our neighborhood, when a pregnant lady gets on the train, the driver stands up and tells everyone, "This lady gets a seat before the train moves forward. Any male under the age of 18 and over the age of 12 must move for handicapped, pregnant or elderly people or this trains brakes are locked. "

You would be amazed at how many seats are available for pregnant or handicapped or elderly people.

Answer 4

A lot of people today lack common decency and manners. We should have mannerism classes being taught for children as well as adults. People are too busy and focused on their needs and wants that they forget the unfortunate ones like pregnant women and the elderly. Society no longer has morals. You just help those that you can and earn a smile, thats my thinking. Its a small difference in that person's world.

Answer 5

One time I saw this happen, and I gently but firmly said to the seated people around me, "Would one of you mind giving your seat to this lady? As you can probably see, she's pregnant."

Suddenly, several of them starting racing to be the first one up to offer her their seat.

So, sometimes it just takes a little "outing someone" to make them get busy.

Answer 6

She should just have sat on someone and flattened them - that's what i would have done. No, seriously though, I know what you mean - don't know when the last time was anyone held a door open for me, people generally just let it slam shut on your face these days. I also hate if i open a door to someone to let them in first, and they just walk right through without thanks. Queue jumping is another irritant too nowadays. Manners seem to be a thing of the past unfortunately, and it's not just in young people either - older people are just as bad, if not worse.

Answer 7

I don't know if it's ignorant - except to be ignorant of manners and courtesy. Unfortunately, it's a different era where some people are only looking out for themselves. I can't even tell you how many times I had doors slammed in my face when I was on crutches. And a chair was *never* given up for me. People are just so wrapped up in themselves that they either don't notice or notice and don't care because they don't want to upset their little world. : (

Answer 8

because people are just like that. Not everyone can see past themselves. When I am in a busy restraunt waiting for my table, if I have a seat, I keep an eye out of elderly people or people who NEED to sit, since I don't.

Answer 9

Because, and this true, there is a sense that women today don't WANT to be treated like ladies anymore. I knwo that sounds stupid, but many times when I hold a door open to a stranger in the mall who happens to be a female, sometimes I get a weird look like "I can do that myself"

Answer 10

Some people are just rude. I'm sure it happens in NYC subways too, but I've always seen people offer up their seats, myself included. Some people are just jerks.