The train is packed but you have a seat. Which of the three do you give your seat to?
I would just get up and let them fight it out.
First come, first served, and I glare like hell at the two other closest seated people.
The person on crutches, and then I ask other passengers to give up their seats to the old person and the preggo.
I’d give it to an old pregnant woman on crutches, except that she got on with her discount senior fare and the fetus is riding for nothing.
Whoever gets there first. Then I tell the other closest people in handicapped/elderly/priority seats to get their asses out of them. Maybe not in those words.
Depending on my mood that day:
A) Give it up to the first one there
B) Give it up to the highest bidder
C) Sit there while they duke it out, then give it to the winner … maybe
Stand on the seat.
Easy. Look down, point and shriek, "look a snake… "
Plenty of empty seats now.
Tough question. I was brought up to always defer to age so I’d offer it to the elderly person and hope he or she also had parents who taught good manners, thus offering the seat to Preggo or Crutchie.
Whoever was the most unstable standing.
I would stay seated and allow them to live with their poor choices. Next time perhaps they will arrive earlier to the train.
I am the John Galt of the chair.
I’d stay seated.
I have a heart problem. A few minutes of standing and I will lose consciousness.
Give up MY seat?!
I’d get up without saying anything.
I’d stand up and offer my seat to the elderly person, and tell the other two “My mother always taught me to respect my elders. She also taught me to watch where I was stepping and to use condoms, so you two are on your own.”
Same thing.
I’d stay put, hoping that all three would not want to be offered a seat – in fact would be offended if it happened.
Person 1: “I’m old, but I’m fit and healthy – don’t treat me as though I were slobbering and drooling in palsied dementia. Cheeky bloody kid – what were you thinking of…?”
Person 2: “I’m tough – I’ve had an accident and I’m on crutches, but I’m determined to cope as normal – don’t patronise and condescend to me, goddammit…”
Person 3: “Pregnancy isn’t an illness – I’m absolutely fine. You know what you can do with your chauvinistic, demeaning attitude… how dare you…”
Applying exaggerated stereotypes to benefit your own self-interest. It’s funny that I have never had any reactions like that from anyone in all the years I’ve used public transit.
I would stand up and let them work it out. Then I would start glaring. Well, not glaring, but I’ve got a great “Mom stare” which works even better. 