Would you give up your seat?

Yep, you hit the nail on the head. You should have been a psychiatrist. I am not only seeking acceptance for my actions but also approval. As you know it is not a question that there are no seats, overland buses and trains cannot be oversold here, so there is a seat for everyone but not two together if you board very late. I love the train and I don't know why they don't assign seats on every run just on some runs. But then that is the wisdom of the crown corporation who runs the trains.

Hey, I know you were being funny, actually i shrieked and chuckled for quite a few minutes. No offence taken and I, on the other hand, just wanted to comment on your astuteness of picking up on an alterior motive that many people have when posting certain discussions. (I wanted approval). By the way I was not so far off either in detecting some analytical training as far as you were concerned. Have a nice Sunday.

Seriously, I was only trying to be funny. The reference to inappropiate behavior is to make fun of the rest of society who would not approve! As to being a psychriatist, I did enter, but not finish, a program in graduate school to become a clinical psychologist. I have the aptitude, but not the training.

The issue is not that there are no seats. It is just that when you come shortly before departure there are usually only single seats and aisle seats at that. So if you are couple you have to sit apart. On the train there is pre-boarding for disabled, people with children or anyone who needs assistance. So if you fall into that category you are assured of the seat of your choice.

Sort of like airlines then? If someone doesn't get there early enough to get a good seat, you shouldn't be asked to give up yours. You were in the right to say no. YOu got there early enough to gtet the seat you wanted. To heck with them if they didn't.

I agree with you. The issue is that here in Canada intercity trains and buses can only sell as many tickets as they have seats. So there is no standing room travel. On the train there will always be seats for everyone but maybe not in the same row and if you come late not together. The intercity buses are boarded until every seat is occupied and if you are late and last in line you have to wait for the next bus which could be in an hour or later. So this is why I get upset if a couple asks me to switch seats because they want to sit together.

You are very generous but here you would also encounter people who had stood in line for an hour before departure to get a good seat. Since there are as many seats as there are passengers (intercity trains and buses cannot sell more tickets than seats) two people who want to be assured of seats together should come early.

On the intercity trains in Canada there is a seat for every person. There is also pre-boarding for handicapped, people with children, and people with special needs. But you have to be there early. Once there is general boarding everyone is looking for the best seat and if you come late there will only be single seats, but there will be seats.

Like you I am one of the elderly and it irks me if I have stood in line for an hour to get a good seat by the window and then be asked to move to an aisle seat because a couple cannot bear to be separated for 4 hours. I think it just does not cross their minds that they are asking a lot.

Thanks for responding to this discussion. I think most people are in agreement with me that it would depend on the situation. If you came up to me and said, look I need an aisle seat because of my leg I would certainly accommodate you, but it annoys me when people come late and then are selfish.

The point is that the bus and intercity Via Rail train only takes as many passengers as there are seats available. So yes, if an elderly couple or person with a young child wants to sit together I would be happy to swap seats to accomodate them. It annoys me if people ask simply because they want to sit together.

Well, you are very kind and generous. Maybe I am becoming a grouchy old lady and find it hard to stand in line for an hour or so, that is why I am resentful. I don't think the young couples are mean but they just don't think, they want to sit together and it does not occur to them that they might be asking a lot.

It is true that they probably don't even think that they are asking a lot. If I would give up my seat it would be because the window is not that important to me at that time more than out of generosity LOL I find that as I am getting older I am a bit less tolerant of somethings so in the end I might not give the seat anyways hehehehe

Yes, my sentiments exactly. The only difficulty I have when denying the request of a young couple is to hide my annoyance. I wish I could say it with a friendly face.

Yes, you are so right about people who need to sit together and can't stand in line for an hour. The point is that there is a seat for every person on inter-city buses and trains. It is just that one seat might be at the back of of the bus or car, the other one in th front or middle, so if a couple comes at the last minute there will not be two seats together. As far as asking for money to let them sit together in my country if you did that they would go into total shock.

Yea, and it doesnt kill them if they cant sit next to eachother. If they really need to be together all the time, then id feel there is something wrong with their relationship, but i would not play Dr Phil because of that. The shock thing is their problem, if im going to give upp my seat for some young people(not that i am particulary old) then i expect fair value in return. Also i like accepting bribes under certain circumstances.

The issue I described only applied to intrcity buses and trains where standing is not allowed. So there always were as many seats as passengers. You were so lucky you could walk almost everywhere you wnt. Walking is very healthy and you can see a lot of interesting things along the way.

On intercity buses and trains at least in Ontario standing room travel is not permitted. There are a number of seats available and when those are sold the passengers will have to wait for the next opportunity. So, if a young couple or two people who travel together come at the last minute there may be a single seat on the left in the front and another one on the right in the back. That is why people ask other people to swap seats. If a young couple then has to split up he or she will not be allowed to stand continuously beside thie beloved's seat. You can of course get up, go to the washroom or go up to another person for a moment but standing there for the entire trip would not be allowed. Commuter trains and buses are different.

That is exactly my point. Sometimes travel is not as convenient as one had expected, in particular if one arrived late and there were only single seats available that were not close to each other. No question that I would give up my seat so an elderly frail couple could sit together.

I am sure you have seen the long line-ups for buses and trains. I am elderly myself but since I want a good seat I make the effort to stand in line for an hour.

These are inter-city buses and trains. The company can only sell as many tickets as there are seats. Standing for the whole trip is not allowed. So, say it is the bus and it is about to depart at a scheduled time. If there are more people waiting the driver will say for example " two more passengers only". So, if it is a couple boarding they may find two seats, but one seat may be an aisle seat in row 4 or 5 next to me since I am travelling alone, the other may be a seat in the back next to the washroom. The couple wants to sit together. I have been asked to move since the couple wants to sit together. So, if I have waited in line for an hour to get one of the best seats, if I move I will end up with the worst seat. I have noticed, other people have been approached as well. Some people move, some say no thank you. A very similar situation exists on the intercity trains only the service is better since they allow pre-boarding for handicapped, people with children and people with special needs. But again the key is you must be there before boarding starts. If you come at the last minute you may not find two seats together. I think you are right, the key is not to get annoyed but to smile sweetly and say look I am sorry but I waited for an hour in line. That way both parties won't feel embarrassed.

Yes, as I said there are seats for every one. No one ia allowed on the intercity bus or train if all the seats are taken. Standing up the whole trip is not allowed. They have to wait for the next one. So I think it is selfish for people to ask you to move just because they want to sit together and came late.

Yes, you see there is pre-boarding for people with children, they can even have two seats turned around so the family can face each other, but the key is they have to arrive early. I don't know what I would do if a person with a child who came at the last minute asked me to move. So far it's only been couples and I have said no to the young ones but changed seats with an elderly couple.