When it comes to our daily routine, we tend to take things for granted.
We may bitch when our morning bus is a no-show or give a death stare to that person who refuses to observe basic rules of personal space on the LUAS but by and large, those little irritants don’t make a lasting impression on our day.
However, I came across something this morning that is still bothering me twelve hours later.
For context, I got knee surgery six weeks ago and it’s been a major wake-up call when it comes to bus culture.
It’s extremely uncomfortable to stand on a bus that jerks forward suddenly and is crowded with people so I continuously find myself looking for people that may be getting off the bus soon and figuring out a way to get to their seat before the other humans.
Now, I’ve never been pregnant but I can only imagine how uncomfortable it is to carry a little human inside you.
It may be a beautiful cycle of life but I’m pretty sure that getting on a crowded, sweaty Dublin Bus is not a desirable part of the pregnancy plan.
As I was late today, I got on the first bus that came my way and I settled for a space beside one of the yellow bars.
As I gripped on to it to secure my position, I noticed a pregnant woman right beside me. I reckon she was about seven months gone so there was no mistaking that there was a baby on board.
I presumed someone would get up to give her a seat but after two stops, I realised no one was getting up for her.
I smiled at her and she smiled back. She looked exhausted.
This really shocked me as when I was younger, I was taught to vacate my seat for anyone who was my senior. Yet here I was, on a bus full of students and office workers alike and not one single person got up for this lady.
Thankfully, after 10 stops, a few students got off the bus and the lady beside me went straight upstairs and took a seat.
She was so quick to move once she saw there was a free seat, which is a fair indication of the amount of discomfort she was in.
Halfway through my journey, a lady got on with a child.
Three or four people moved to allow her sit and the young child stood beside her. This seemed very odd to me.
Why were people so quick to move for a mother with a child but nobody budged for a mother carrying a baby? I don’t really see the difference.
Here’s the question – would you get up for a pregnant woman on a bus? Should people be forced to get up to allow a pregnant woman sit down?
Or more worringly, are we all so self-obsessed that we don’t even care any more?
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