
I’m not going to out this woman on Facebook. I took her picture and said I could post the photo on my timeline.
“But won’t,” I said. “It would go viral, but I’ll be kind.”
She hadn’t been. She had been sitting on the Skytrain beneath a sign that said she was in a priority seat for seniors. I stood, swaying, hanging onto the strap in front of her. I’m a senior.
I had begun the trek from Vancouver to the Coast last week via the Canada Line. I had just arrived at YVR from Portugal.
The woman–she looked to be about 25–stared up at me when I grabbed the strap. She glanced my way again and averted her eyes for the next few stops until we both got off.
I had travelled for a full day without sleep. Strapped to my back was a 15 kg pack. As I walked away from the train, I did what too few seniors do. I confronted the source of my discomfort.
“You were sitting in a priority seat for seniors and people with disabilities,” I said. “I was right in front of you, so you should have got up.”
She apologized and hurried off.
As I said, I’m not posting this story on Facebook. My website is a better place for it. It’s read mainly on the Sunshine Coast. It’s unlikely to go viral—but many seniors read this blog.
I hope this story will empower them to speak up when they encounter discourtesy on public transit. They should do it sooner than I did–and claim their rightful seat.
I also hope Translink will read this post and make those “disabilities and seniors” signs larger. They should use Skytrain’s announcement system to remind youth that seniors have earned their seats.
My sympathies! I’ve toughened up these days, especially when sciatica shoots pain flames into my legs. Just smile and ask the younger person to please move. If I do it politely but loudly, they move. I know this is impossible to do on the Canada Line but only once I had I bump my way back to the front and report the person to the driver. The driver (present on the bus) asked the person in the ___ coloured coat in priority seats to please move. She did after other passengers also gave her nasty looks.
On Wed, Dec 4, 2019 at 7:12 AM Rains on The Coast wrote:
> Elizabeth posted: ” I’m not going to out this woman on Facebook. I took > her picture and said I could post the photo on my timeline.”But won’t,” I > said. “It would go viral, but I’ll be kind.”She hadn’t been. She had been > sitting on the Skytrain beneath a sign that said s” >