h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My journey to work is very bumpy. Hence it is generally more comfortable sitting at the front, as the back end swings about like the back end of a "pod" (Star Wars, Tattooine, etc). I will always, when possible, go straight for a seat at or near the front of the bus. My soul is troubled whenever a disabled or elderly person gets on... but my bum stays in place in 90% of cases (probably more like 95%). I am usually reading something while on the bus, so I will pretend I am so engrosed I don't notice the disabledness or elderlyness of the person getting on... and in my head I will make all sorts of excuses and justifications for my retained position... e.g. old people pay less than young people for using buses, so the least they can do is have a slightly less comfortable seat... and the chances are they are probably going somewhere nice and not to a smelly, air-free office, to input invoices all day... and if they sit nearer the back, they will have more seats in front of them, which will prevent them being flung directly into the front windscreen in the event of a head-on collision - so I'm actually doing them a favour and risking my own life and having to endure 20 minutes of guilt-ridden torment in the process (not really, but you know...). Am I evil? Am I Satan's spawn? Please let me know your opinions on the state of my mortal/immortal soul.

I think that you've stated your case very clearly. Still, I'm surprised that old people get on the buses in London, your bum is barely in the door before they've driven off at break-neck speed and trying to stand up is like being on a bouncy castle!

One day, your delicate ass is gonna be OLD and delicate and then your gonna HATE the young person pretending to read a book on a comfortable seat.................

i try to give up my seat, but often there is several people stood in the way so that even if i did give up my seat the elderly person wouldnt be able to physically get to the seat without risking a broken neck.
Also i like to sit next to a door and preferably at the front so i can see out. i have a back problem (vertebrae crush nerves now and again but i will spare you the details )that mostly is ok but sometimes is very painful and so find starting very painful. On top of that i have anxiety attacks and can at any point need to make a quick exit so feel reassured by sitting near a door, and the fresh air wafting in helps. But as this isnt a visible thing people just assume i am being ignorant by sitting in the seats close to exits.

Sometimes trying to do the right thing turns out to be the wrong thing.

I never sit at the front of a bus its so horrible!! when the bus gets full you get peoples bums in ya face no tar!! oh and did you know it's safer to sit in the middle thats my space!! I pay £39.90 for my bus pass per month and elderly people pay nowt then what gratitude do you get for giving up your seat? they only moan about us young uns not repecting them!! Well how i see it is first come first served!! i was on the bus and it was like a little voice coming from the seat saying Lisa come here come sit down!! ha ha!! Well i hate any bus journey!! If the bus is full it aint my problem blame the driver!! overcrowding is dangerous!!

i have to travel on the bus everyday as well, the old people drive me mad.... why is just because they are old they get to be rude and have all the best seats ( i'm doing my duty of being a horrible rude youngester here). my seats at the back.... that way i also avoid the 1 in 2 alcholics that also travel on each and every bus i go on. i risk life and limb to be thrown to the back of the bus as we speed of at light speed (ok exagerating slightly here) once here i get the screams of the school kids who sit right at the back... ah well life not so bad i now place on my headphones and sink back into by own world for another 3quaters of an hour.

i know cos the seats proper smell at the very back yuck and theres spit all over the floor! oh and how about people that smoke on buses thats so annoying!! its so selfish innit!! 45 mins thats a long time!

The only trouble with giving your seat to the elderly is that they are dead when you get old and want a seat. The kids sitting there then never got a seat from anybody and so don't give up theirs.
A "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" is all good and nice but I wouldn't bet on a "I'll scratch your back in the hope that someone else will scratch mine".

Well, most of the time I stand up and give my seat to an old woman or man. And hey, sometimes they don't even want it and I can sit back down.

But when I'm tired or something I play that "Oh, I'm so engrossed in my book"-game, too. After all it's the same one I play with teachers when they start asking tricky questions...

Methos

see everyone does it!! i sometimes feel guilty but some of them old people are fitter than me! i just try and avoid peak times!!

thats so so true!! what about people with children thats more of a cause some poor young woman with 2 kids and a loada shopping i'd rather give up my seat to her cos i'd hate to be in that position!!

I always am willing to give up my seat for an elderly person. Yeah I know you don't always get thanked for it, but that's up to them if they wanna stay old and bitter, I still feel good cuz I've done something good. Though if I'm Really tired and they're obviously quite spritely I may stay sat down.

Plus, being young I'm a lot more able to keep my balance when the bus is hurtling round corners. A little while ago, I was standing, when an old man got on, obviously frail, and this young person didn't give up their seat, we went round a corner and the old man lost his balance, half falling on the young person - that'll teach yer!

I'm perfectly fit enough (even with my disabilities) to stand for a while instead of sitting, and if an old person unsteady on their feet, fell over and hurt themselves just cuz I couldn't be bothered to get off my ass, I'd feel really crappy.

Q

I get up for old people but I only do it if I want to and never if I am told to, the worst sort of old people I find is the ones that expect you to give them things just because youare younger than them, they have retierd so evryone ows them things, from bus seats to que jusmping they really anoy me

Bus seats I don't mind cuz I've given them up already. Oldies queue jumping..... oooh, I used to visit Worthing (officially highest old people percentage than anywhere in UK) by coach, and the amount of times I'd get rudely shoved by a walking frame! If you ever have to use a coach with lots of old people.. WATCH OUT! They really are vicious old gits!

Q

thats because they decuide that they are owed stuff seats and stuff

u should try living in a hotel over ran by oldies 4 a wekk... i did in portugal the other week ... they must be wintering there... ahhh well spark endless dry wit from me... walking into a lift and saying to a mate... "i smell... old people"
(i c dead people (get it??!!))