Baby On Board

Trekker09

Listening to Newstalk the other morning and they were discussing the Baby On Board initiative by Irish Rail:

http://www.thejournal.ie/baby-on-board-irish-rail-3716072-Nov2017/

It seemed to focus on men not giving up their seats, and that chivalry is dead etc, which I wouldn't completely disagree with, but why was the emphasis on men giving up their seats and not women?

I seldom use public transport, but would always offer a seat to people who I thought needed it more than I did, eg pregnant, people with kids, older people.

Jim Bob Scratcher

Baby on board my ass, unless she's going to drop it that day I don't see why anyone should offer her a seat. For an older person I would though.

rgodard80a

I imagine it's partly because the woman may just be fat not pregnant.

Jack Kanoff

Piss off and book a seat like everyone else, otherwise stand and wave your badge at someone who cares.

RocketRaccoon

Do women want equality or not? Why should a man,in this day and age,get up to give a (non pregnant, non older) lady his seat?

Black_Knight

Jack Kanoff wrote: »

Piss off and book a seat like everyone else, otherwise stand and wave your badge at someone who cares.

If you get your head out of your ass you might remember the likes of the dart or the commuter trains which don't have assigned seating.

Every morning those trains are packed and when the doors open you don't simply step on, you look and hope the other commuters packed up to the door can shuffle over.

KungPao

Can I get a “I’m really tired and need to sit down” badge?

andekwarhola

Ask for offence and it will be given to you; seek offence and thou will find; knock and the door of offence will be opened to you - Andekwarhola 7:7

circadian

Car crash of a thread.

I'm all for it, wife just had a baby a few months ago and he was a heffer, well over 10lbs. Essentially she was carrying that weight, then some for all the other bits and bobs in the womb and a really bad centre of gravity. Not to mention the shift in shape of hips.

Yeah pregnant women are usually otherwise healthy, but Christ. Wise up and give up the seat.

Jack Kanoff

Black_Knight wrote: »

If you get your head out of your ass you might remember the likes of the dart or the commuter trains which don't have assigned seating.

Every morning those trains are packed and when the doors open you don't simply step on, you look and hope the other commuters packed up to the door can shuffle over.

And those of us with a non obvious physical disability have the same issues....get on with it or make other arrangements.

pgj2015

no one should be made give up a seat. offer your seat if you like but you shouldn't have to give up the seat. if you choose to get pregnant, thats your choice, it does not mean you automatically have a right to a seat on a train, what will be next skipping the queue in a super market because you are pregnant? Rachel kennedy sounds very self entitled.

The J Stands for Jay

KungPao wrote: »

Can I get a “I’m really tired and need to sit down” badge?

Only once I get a "My back hurts and standing is causing me pain" badge.

A few years ago, I'd put my back out playing football and got on the luas to go straight to the child clinic in balally. An old woman got on and some middle-aged man decided to start telling me to give her my seat (don't remember if he had a seat or not). With his hectoring and the filthy looks from everyone else, I gave up my seat. I wasn't able to stand up straight as I couldn't straighten my back. No campaign to find me a seat was started, as my obvious injury wasn't deemed to be as needing a seat as a perfectly fit older lady

pgj2015

McGaggs wrote: »

Only once I get a "My back hurts and standing is causing me pain" badge.

A few years ago, I'd put my back out playing football and got on the luas to go straight to the child clinic in balally. An old woman got on and some middle-aged man decided to start telling me to give her my seat (don't remember if he had a seat or not). With his hectoring and the filthy looks from everyone else, I gave up my seat. I wasn't able to stand up straight as I couldn't straighten my back. No campaign to find me a seat was started, as my obvious injury wasn't deemed to be as needing a seat as a perfectly fit older lady

bigger ejit you were for giving them the seat.

Dakota Dan

pgj2015 wrote: »

bigger ejit you were for giving them the seat.

Or even eejit

rainbow kirby

McGaggs wrote: »

Only once I get a "My back hurts and standing is causing me pain" badge.

There is a new blue "Please offer me a seat" badge in London aimed at those with invisible disabilities. Not as widely recognised as the "Baby on Board" badge is though.

For what it's worth - I've worn a badge in my 2nd and 3rd trimester of both pregnancies (in London). Trains in the morning are so crowded that I do get dizzy and need to sit if I'm standing for too long and late on its just incredibly uncomfortable. I still got asked earlier this week at 37 weeks for my seat by someone who only looked about 4-5 months along maximum...

Huntergonzo

Just ignore Newstalk, they're probably the biggest anti-men pro-snowflake station on the radio. I usually turn it on in the morning for a few minutes just to hear some PC nonsense and scarcely a day goes by that they don't talk about 'the gender pay gap' or some other 'why men should hate themselves' propaganda.

Just this morning they had a feminist on telling us we should teach our sons not to hit girls/women......well obviously, but how about teaching them not to hit anyboby, why does gender matter?? And nothing about the other way around of course!

Anyway, I would always offer my seat to a lady who was obviously pregnant or an elderly person etc. But I would be less inclined to offer my seat to someone who was advertising a 'baby on board' and if they weren't visibly pregnant I simply wouldn't offer my seat at all.

Lorelli!

I have no problem giving up my seat for a pregnant woman or anyone that feels they really need it.

I've offered my seat to pregnant women before and some didn't want the seat so they'd probably only carry the badge when they felt they needed it. If some see the badge and don't want to give up their seat, then fair enough, id say there would be plenty of others that would see it and wouldn't mind.

Didn't hear the discussion on Newstalk but it sounds like it trailed off into a different topic.

Chrongen

I thought a woman's body was "designed" for the rigours of childbearing and childbirth. If they were so fragile then they should be wrapped in cotton wool at the moment of conception and kept that way until the brat has been squeezed out instead of doing sh1t around the house, getting to a train station, travelling to work, working, travelling back, getting shopping on the way, lugging it home, doing more sh1t around the house, etc., etc.
Ever see those African women up the duff and marching miles to a well and carrying a 5 gallon container of water and their heads back to the village. Proper women. Troopers.

Can't stand on the train because for the last month you've been farting for two? Bollocks.

inforfun

I have given up my set in public transport years ago.
I drive a car.

Gets me everywhere i need to be, not just hopefully close to it.
No arseholes sneezing and coughing without putting their paw in front of their mouth.
No twats doing a full make up in the bus because they cant be arsed to wake up 30 mins earlier.
No people smelling like wet dog when it is raining.

Keep your seat.

Salvation Tambourine

I remember once being on a DART, sitting with our backs to the standing area. My friend and I noticed this woman (also sitting but in view of the standing area) giving us and several other people a few looks, she didn't seem happy. After about five minutes she stood up and said "Fine! If no one else will offer!" and gave her seat to a pregnant women. She then kept giving us looks. Firstly, we couldn't see and secondly the woman left it five minutes before offering her precious seat. I think she expected men to stand up instead of her and was trying to claim some odd sort of morale high ground.

Anyways, I don't really use public transport that often anymore but I'd like to think if there was someone obviously pregnant or someone elderly I'd give up my seat.

Salvation Tambourine

McGaggs wrote: »

Only once I get a "My back hurts and standing is causing me pain" badge.

A few years ago, I'd put my back out playing football and got on the luas to go straight to the child clinic in balally. An old woman got on and some middle-aged man decided to start telling me to give her my seat (don't remember if he had a seat or not). With his hectoring and the filthy looks from everyone else, I gave up my seat. I wasn't able to stand up straight as I couldn't straighten my back. No campaign to find me a seat was started, as my obvious injury wasn't deemed to be as needing a seat as a perfectly fit older lady

I've done my knee in a few times and know how you feel here. No one can see the recent scar from a knee operation so it's assumed you're perfectly healthy. But there's no point in blaming someone for something they couldn't be aware of.

_Dara_

Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »

Baby on board my ass, unless she's going to drop it that day I don't see why anyone should offer her a seat. For an older person I would though.

The older person might need it less than the six or seven months pregnant woman. My folks are coasting towards 70. My mother would need a seat due to a slightly arthritic knee. But my father is full of beans and is a regular hill-walker. He could stand for ages, no problem.

silverharp

Trekker09 wrote: »

Listening to Newstalk the other morning and they were discussing the Baby On Board initiative by Irish Rail:

http://www.thejournal.ie/baby-on-board-irish-rail-3716072-Nov2017/

It seemed to focus on men not giving up their seats, and that chivalry is dead etc, which I wouldn't completely disagree with, but why was the emphasis on men giving up their seats and not women?

I seldom use public transport, but would always offer a seat to people who I thought needed it more than I did, eg pregnant, people with kids, older people.

that's a bit sexist , surely the sisterhood should step up too

xalot

When I was heavily pregnant the only times I was ever offered a seat on public transport was from women, who were absolutely insistent that I sit down.
Men, maybe for fear of offending, were much slower off the mark. I think wearing the badge says 'I'm not fat I'm pregnant' and if you've any consideration for other peoples welfare than you should offer your seat.

I offer myself all the time to anyone who looks like they need it more than me. I dont understand the outrage.

_Dara_

Able-bodied men AND women should give up their seats for those more needy. There's no need to differentiate by gender here. And an able-bodied man shouldn't need to give his seat up for an able-bodied woman.

But let me say this: those of you here who are bellyaching at the thought of giving up a seat for anyone heavily pregnant or elderly or with a hidden disability - yiz don't know you're alive. Marvel at your healthy body and what it allows you to do, including standing for a while with no ill effects. Don't you know how lucky you are?

_Dara_

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Anyway, I would always offer my seat to a lady who was obviously pregnant or an elderly person etc. But I would be less inclined to offer my seat to someone who was advertising a 'baby on board'

Why would you offer a seat to an obviously pregnant woman but be less likely to if she was wearing that badge? The purpose of it is to eliminate doubt that the woman is actually pregnant. And a small bump doesn't mean that the woman is early on in the pregnancy. Some women only have a little bump even at six or seven months. My very slim cousin was six months gone before she told her parents she was pregnant at 19. They hadn't a clue.

Canis Lupus

Strong, independent, fierce and equal. Unless I need a seat.

Dakota Dan

inforfun wrote: »

I have given up my set in public transport years ago.
I drive a car.

Gets me everywhere i need to be, not just hopefully close to it.
No arseholes sneezing and coughing without putting their paw in front of their mouth.
No twats doing a full make up in the bus because they cant be arsed to wake up 30 mins earlier.
No people smelling like wet dog when it is raining.

Keep your seat.

Pity you gave up using public transport because you must have been a perfect passenger.

Jordan 199

The Be Sharps.

doolox

If you have to buy something and then give it up to someone else if they happen to be there on the bus or train.

I used public transport for a few weeks and had to stand for the first few stops but always managed to get a seat during the journey.

There is not a chance in hell I'd give it up for anyone who is capable of walking to the station or bus stop and let every other seat occupier sit in their seats.

I will not be the giver up gob****e for the other people.

Life is hard enough as it is.

Let the public transport providers supply more seats.

clairewithani

I have had quite a few pregnancies and while I was in great health for them I did feel tired in last trimester and had backache. It was often uncomfortable to stand. Thankfully I am in my 50s and while I was pregnant people wouldn't hesitate to offer me a seat. I think it's a nice gesture. I would hope my children would be nice enough to offer a seat to people who might need it. Doesn't cost anything and might make life a tiny bit easier for someone.