On the commuter trains in every carriage there are at least 4 seats marked with this sign.
Commuting on the train each day can be a lottery in terms of getting a seat. Depending on how packed it is, how generous other commuters are and how pissed off and stroppy I am I try to get any seat in the carriage. Sometimes I stand and try to catch the eye and guilt trip someone into giving me their seat. I can’t stand for 30 minutes in a packed cattle train, sometimes I have to or at least I can’t do the asking and nobody does the offering.
I have twice made my way to those sitting in those marked seats and asked to have the seat as a disabled person. Both times I have been met by grunts or other signs of begrudgery. Sorry it had to be you lads, and for all I know you could have an invisible disability.
This post is really saying to Irish Rail that those signs are worthless without a campaign encouraging people with disabilities to speak up and ask for the seats and some adverts aimed at able bodied commuters encouraging them to give them up. Give the lamb in the level crossing gates ad a few weeks off and make the journey more comfortable for disabled and older customers.
I honestly think many commuters are blind to the signs. This affliction is rampant in the States as well. Because it’s well-known, Amtrak conductors will look passengers in the eyes and tell them, “That seat is for disabled and elderly. You will have to move when it’s needed.”
When the carriage is more than 80% filled, the conductors make the able-bodied vacate the seats marked for special use. Sometimes the conductors occupy the seats themselves. On a busy route, the seats always find someone with a real need. At the very least, a pensioner boards and finds a place to sit.
I wish conductors on board Irish Rail took seriously the issue of designated seating.
Interesting point about people with invisible disabilities using the disabled seating, it would be interesting to find out if that category uses the disabled seating or not. I’m not surprised to hear about your experiences on the train. I know the suburban service you mean and its no more than a cattle-truck at peak times. Shame on Irish Rail and them all for a shoddy service.
The poor access to disabled travelllers is part of a wider ignorant attitude to people’s need for space. Generally, Irish/Dublin people will walk through you rather than around you, will not give right of way and seem to always desperately to study exactly what you’re looking at on a supermarket shelf as it might be a bargain. (Its a pet peeve of mine.)
I’ve always thought that the signage and railway furniture was crap. Perhaps able-bodied travellers might be shamed by a Dara O’Brien (sp?) advert – like the pub ads – that shames them?
Its a while since I travelled on the continent in peak time, but I think those seats remain vacant and usually its elderly women who commandeer the seating (tho’n in France it is for elderly, war vets and disabled – ok might not be the same as here). My mother, whose in need of a hip replacement, uses her stick when people step in front of her in supermarkets but I’m sure that not everyone feels up to combat shopping or tactical seat displacement (ok I invented those terms) and there’s never a conductor when you need one on suburban trains [they don't travel in peak times].
I’ve always maintained that if I were to live as a disabled person in this society I would be the most grumpy curmudgeonly one, no sweet suffering prettiness deserving of all those well meaning “there there”‘s and “she never complains” about me – oh no!
That sign is on the new Cork/Dublin trains too, and on my last trip up to Dublin I sat in those seats as an able bodied person on a packed train (where my pre-reserved seat had been taken by neanderthal man, his embarrassed wife and two children who wouldn’t shift when I pointed to my name on the screen above the seat) … but … when I noted someone with a stick getting onto the train at a later station I offered the seat … I still got to sit as there were two vacant out of the four, but it’s really not the point.
I have got to looking the age now where I’m occasionally offered a seat, and I’ve got to the physical side of where, although pride would like to say no, practicality says yes.
What Sean says about people walking through rather than around is very true, here in Cork as well. I don’t know how many times I’ve snapped “what, am I fucking invisible?” at people after barging into me on the street, and currently I’m having some joint problems and the slightest bang can reduce me to tears of pain … the way we treat people generally is appalling, and none more so than those with disabilities.
And … slight rant now – so you remember back in the day when a child ALWAYS sat on a parent’s knee if there were adults needing seats? What happened to that notion? My kids always sat on my knee on the bus, or stood, if there were need. That’s what taught them the manners to stand and allow others to sit down, none of the kids I see on buses these days are moved to make way for people to sit, and none of them ever will!
Ok, enough of grumpy and curmudgeonly, I can apparently do it quite well, regardless!
Oh oh! I was just about to say that thing about kids sitting on their parents’ knees but you beat me to it Mimi!
When I was a kid, I NEVER got to sit on the bus! My mother would always shift me to allow an elderly, disabled or pregnant person sit down. We went to school a good distance from our home so we were up at 6.30am every morning of my school going years and not home until almost 5pm but without fail, every day I either stood on our (very busy) bus in both directions or sat on my mother’s knee. We were never allowed to complain about it because Mam taught us that we were well able to stand but others needed those seats. It astounds me these days to see very young children (perhaps two years old) occupying seats while elderly people stand. Whenever I travel on public transport with my niece she is always seated on my lap to free up seats for adults.
Good post Suzy, you’re dead right, more people should speak up about this issue.
I have witnessed something obscenely rude and ignorant on the train yesterday evening.
The 4.25pm train from Dublin to Waterford.
It was very busy (as usual) and there were many people standing, beside me were a very elderly couple, the gentleman had a walking stick and the lady with him was quite frail looking (I later found out that they were both in their nineties!!!) and they were standing while young people all around them could see them and were sitting in seats.
I felt very strongly about this (I had no seat either but I am only 27 years of age and able-bodied so I was well able to stand – not very comfortable but it wasnt going to be a problem for me)
I went to the top of the carriage and in a polite manner asked if there was anyone who was willing to give their seats to this needy couple.
I was met with silence – until a young man said that he would put his seven year old son on his lap and give his son’s seat willingly, I thanked him for this and the elderly gentleman was told by his wife to take the seat (as he had a walking stick)
The train continued on and the elderly lady was still standing, eventually a person was getting off the train and a seat became vacant, I brought the old lady down to the seat and she was delighted as she said that she had been feeling rather unwell and faint due to the long time she had spent standing.
I asked a gentleman in the seat next to it if he could move into the vacant window seat as I didnt think that the elderly lady was going to be able to manouvere herself in past him.
I was met with a glare and then a torrent of the following:
“I have paid for this seat (not reserved)and I think that you have victimised the people in this carriage”
I said to the man (in his thirties and able-bodied) that I thought he was a disgrace, he could see how frail and ill the lady was and he should be ashamed of himself!
He did not agree however and continued to argue his point that I should have done nothing and left it as it was!!!!
To be honest I felt like giving him an absolute torrent of abuse but I held my tongue as the lady was going to get what she needed albeit grudgingly.
The man got off at the next stop and while passing me by (I am still standing at this stage and called me a dogooder!)
I mean for god’s sake this couples need was obvious, glaringly obvious!
What is wrong with people? This couple could easily have been his parents or grandparents!!!
Seriously disheartened by this.
Fionnuala.
Maman Poulet » The Dublin-Waterford Train and people who think they have a right to a seat because they paid for it // Oct 31, 2007 at 11:31
[...] Posted by suzybie on 31 Oct 2007 at 11:31 am | Tagged as: Uncategorized, Disability, Irish Rail, Consumer blogging, eejit.., Equality I get more than a few visits to the blog – Google is kind to me – lots of google searches for Steve Staunton, Niall McElwee, more recently People in Need land here. This morning a commuter from yesterdays Dublin-Waterford 4.25pm train searched visited and went to the post on signage for people with disabilities on trains. I felt her comment deserves a post of its own to remind us of some of the issues (and absolute wankers) facing those who need a seat on a train. [...]