Where have All the Manners Gone?

ALERT: Red Line riders should expect longer than usual commute today due to cracked rail. Single tracking between Shady Grove and Twinbrook.

From Takoma Mama:

I commute with my one year-old son in a front carrier (i.e., "wearing" him, not in a stroller). I should not have to ask other riders to let me sit. It's the same as being pregnant except there is NO QUESTION that I am carrying a baby!

I am appalled by the number of people who don't offer me a seat. They either pretend I'm not standing in front of them with a baby, or maybe, they think I'm carrying him as a recreational hobby.

Ever since I was obviously showing--when I was six months pregnant--I have kept a log of who does and doesn't let me sit, often with pictures of what I was wearing--in case someone might think I was fat vs. pregnant.

Sometimes, the "offenders" seemed to think they warranted their "right" to sit over a woman carrying a baby because they were reading a paper, texting, holding their purse on their lap, were obese, etc.

It's become a fascinating daily sociological study at the expense of my slowly compressing spine.

Most incredible are the people who grab a vacated seat as I'm trying to get to it. This while other seated passengers see me struggle to maneuver to a vacant seat, lose my footing, then try to balance myself and baby on the moving Metro!

I travel quite a bit, and the only place that is worse is NYC--not something DC should be proud of.

The best place: Prague, where rude riders who don't give up a seat to a woman and baby run the very real risk of getting loudly berated by elderly passengers.

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