Woman furious after kids don’t offer up bus seat for elderly passenger

The woman said she approached one family and they 'completely ignored her'

In a post on Mumsnet on Tuesday, which has sparked hundreds of replies, an annoyed bus user wrote about how her friend, who is in her seventies - and while not "frail", walks slowly and has poor balance - was not offered a seat, during a packed trip to the seaside.

The woman assumed some of the young people would have the good manners to offer their seats. But none did.

She explained that during the first day of the school holidays, they headed for the beach, and there "were lots of families with young children on the bus".

"Many of the seats were occupied by children from toddlers to early teens and absolutely none of them offered her their seat and their parents neither told them to nor offered their own seats."

The woman went on to ask if people think a child should have a seat on their own "where there's someone who needs it more. If so, why?"

She explained that she realises some children may have disabilities or conditions "that mean they do need a seat of their own but most preschool children can sit on their parent's lap and most children over five can stand for a bus journey can't they?"

The post sparked quite the debate,

While many commenters understood her point, others pointed out the onus should be on the adults onboard to ensure their kids move.

One person commented: "Adults should be offering their seats. From a safety point of view, an able-bodied adult is more able to safely maintain their balance on a moving vehicle than a child is. An adult can reach the support straps/poles for one thing."

Another asked her why she didn't just ask "someone if they minded moving?"

The woman replied: "That's what she did. The first family, one adult and three children between about 4 and 12, completely ignored her. My friend obviously then felt embarrassed to have asked. So I asked a different mum with a toddler on the seat next to her if she'd mind putting the toddler in her lap so my friend could sit down. She did it, but with bad grace."

Another person added that they hold their toddler "on my lap" and get their pre-teen to stand, "but I wouldn't give up a seat and stand with a toddler on my hip or hanging on my leg as that wouldn't be safe for them. Fine for older kids over the age of seven or adults to stand but little ones usually need the seat."

A third person argued: "I don't see the need to distinguish between children and adults here. Anyone able-bodied should offer their seat to someone more in need. Children will model the behaviour they see. The fact the adults didn't bother is a testament to that."

Related links:

• Travellers shocked as airline weighs woman on baggage scale before flight
• Man refuses to give up plane seat so husband can sit next to wife on birthday
• Woman calls for adults only flights after listening to a child cry during her journey
• Man kicked off plane for complaining about sitting next to obese man
• Woman makes little girl cry by asking her to move seats on plane – and no one thinks she is wrong