We obviously can’t judge tone of voice, here, but from the wording the OP gave us, her request sounds to me like it was perfectly polite. Heck, I’d probably consider that a polite request even if the transit system didn’t have an explicit policy of reserving those seats for pregnant women and provided buttons for pregnant women for them to identify themselves.
You can’t always tell who needs it more. I am by all appearances a healthy middle aged male. I have virtually no cartilage on my hip bones and I do a lot of swimming to keep my weight down so I can put off getting a hip replacement but standing on the train for half an hour each way is physically painful. When I travel with my wife, I sit down first (except when she was pregnant). We studiously avoid the disabled seats because I feel like a tool sitting in them. On the plus side when i get my hip replacments I can add a few inches to my height.
Since the pin is given out to pregnant women specifically so that they may have the exact seats you referred to here, I really don’t see the problem.
Point taken - you’re right, you can’t always tell. My mother had lung cancer, and could not walk more than 100 yards at a time, but otherwise looked healthy. I myself have back problems, which is not visible to anyone who sees me. You are certainly entitled to sit if it causes you pain to stand, and you are courteous enough to sit in the “general seating” area, rather than the disabled seats, even though it sounds like you qualify. But I would still maintain that you are one of the exceptions, rather than the rule. I have back pain, but I would still give up my seat to a pregnant woman or an elderly person.
It doesn’t not reflect well on you. 
It doesn’t reflect well on the other woman in particular, but if I had been on that train, I would have offered your wife a mint and sip of water (if I had them available) and for sure a hearty “Congratulations on your perfect aim!”
I betcha that woman never turned down a “I don’t feel good; may I have your seat?” request ever again!
“Baby on Board” badge? I would, on aesthetic principles, never do any favours for someone wearing something so ridiculous.
Did you read the rest of the thread, in which it was explained that these are actually given out by the transit authority?
That’s no excuse. They should still be embarrassed to wear them. If you want to ask a favour of someone, you should have to ask, not rely on idiotic signage.
It’s not a favor. Those seats are specifically designated for pregnant woman and the disabled. Hence the pins.
If there’s a designated seat policy, it’s appropriate with bad tact. If there’s not, then I’d have punched her right in the baby.
So what? Have the dignity to ask someone to stand up. Wearing a badge with a stupid pun on it declaring your reproductive state is tacky.
Furthermore, DragonAsh has specified that these incidents are not restricted to the reserved seating areas.
“Baby on board” is a pun?
I’m gonna get one of those badges.
Glad to see I am not the only one who thinks it us ridiculous and tacky.
I don’t think it is ridiculous nor tacky. I’m not one to pay attention to the other people on the bus. I simply don’t care. I’ll get out of everyones way and stuff, but I’m not scrutinizing each passenger to see if she’s pregnant. A big bold sign indicating pregnancy would be much more convenient in my opinion.
I’m hesitant about postig this aftetr a coupile of recent threads on handicapped bathroom stalls, but I did sit in handicaped bus seats when I was wearing my arm cast. Nobody questioned it.
You’re not old-fashioned, just sexist. Why in tarnation should (all other things being equal) men give up seats for women?
Not too sure about an able-bodied man giving up his seat for a clearly able-bodied woman… but this. Its simple common courtesy, and it seems like we’ve got it figured out in DC ok.
For about a year plus I commuted on the metro into DC from Arlington. There is priority seating (for seniors and those with disabilities), near the doors. In the entire time I commuted (and every time I have been on the metro in the 20 plus years I have lived in NoVA), I have never seen anyone NOT immediately jump up without prompting when someone appeared to need a seat. It really doesn’t seem that complicated.
And what if she bent down and you heard this: “Excuse me, I’m pregnant. Do you mind if I take this seat?”
Speech can be an amazing tool.
It’s a “favor” done by the system then. An enforced favoritism, rather than a free one.
Which shouldn’t be necessary.
With or without signage, I’d be the one leaping from my seat to offer it to Ms. Pregnant, or speaking to someone on her behalf if I was already standing. I once barked, “Back up! Let the pregnant lady get out!” to a crowd hurriedly pushing into a DC Metro train. They did.