Wednesday, July 11, 2007

"You are guilty" - Part II

So based on my earlier post about the handicapped seats, I've been asked to say a little more about the 8 passengers seated in the handicapped seats. How old are they? What did they look like? Were they kids? Business professionals? Troubled youths?

Everyone envisions these 8 people differently in their minds. Well, it may surprise some of you that most of these 8 people were well dressed professionals in nice, pressed suits. The oldest one is probably about 50, a man, dressed in a fancy suit, shirt and expensive looking tie. He had his Blackberry up to his face, blocking the view immediately in front of him. He was seated closest to the standing elderly woman.

2 of the 8 looked like college or grad students, one was studying, the other was sleeping apparently. The others were all well-dressed and downtown SF bound, buried in magazines and work.

If forced to stereotype, I'd say they all appeared to be well-educated, fairly well-off people. Not that financial and educational background should have anything to do with whether someone has basic courtesy or not. It's just common sense.

I mean, seriously, we all sit at work all day, it really isn't THAT BAD to stand for a 15-30 minutes, or however long your ride is.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are so right on, Bartmusings! A female train operator I frequently get on the Pitt/Bay point train home always says, "Please make seats available to seniors and those with disabilities". At every single stop! When I read some of the rude, ignorrant comments to your Part 1, I saw exactly what these a-holes are thinking when they just sit there. The whole world owes them. I hope that when they break a leg or get pregnant or get old, they are treated with the kindness they failed to show others.

Anonymous said...

Wow! At every stop? Does it work?

Anonymous said...

I was pregnant and riding BART a year ago...of the 9 months that I rode BART, only 2 times did people offer me a seat.

Last week, a pregnant lady came on. I sat 3 rows from the handicap seats where she was standing. Since NOBODY in those seats offered her one, I DID. I think they were mainly women...only ONE of them should be in those seats and the others were pretending they didn't notice...so these "guilty" people come in all sizes, color, etc. ;-)

bartmusings said...

I think our society has just increasingly become a "ME! ME! ME!" society. Very little compassion left. Good to know there are a few of us left! Keep it up!