katerinasmom
02-24-2009, 09:53 AM
I got on the bus to go to work this morning. It is an express commuter bus. I missed my regular bus and took the next one at 6:45. I do not usually take the 6:45 bus. I sat in the first row on the left side, directly behind the driver. Your view is partially obstructed in this seat because of a large opaque black plexiglass partition that prevents anyone sitting there (or their belongings) from touching the driver. This is usually not a preferred seat as it does not recline as much as those on the right and the view is obstructed. However, I based on what was available I prefer it to those seats that are further back as the half forward view it affords is better for my motion sickness than no forward view at all.
The first rows on both the left side and right side of the bus (including the ones I sat in) all have little signs asking that you vacate the seats if asked for elderly or handicapped.
A nasty old woman gets on a few stops later and starts talking to the air saying something about senior seats but does not request my seat. There are two seats in each row on each side of the bus. I was sitting in one seat on the left side and the other seat remained available. She simply grumbles and moves on. I can hear her later complaining to others who got on after her and who remarked that she was not sitting in her regular seat that the front seats were all taken when she got on and "not by seniors". On her way out she deliberately knocked me in the shoulder with her bag filled with books. I was not in any way blocking the aisle - it was clearly deliberate.
All this woman had to do was ask me for the seat. I would have gladly and swiftly moved over or moved to a different row entirely if she had simply asked. Instead she talked to the air, ranted to her friends and assaulted me. This was not my usual bus. I cannot see the future. When I got on the bus the seat was empty. It is not usually a seat that most people want to sit in - young or old. It helps my motion sickness to sit there. Yes she was a senior citizen but there was nothing visibly affecting her that should have made me move instinctively - she walked just fine, she climbed the stairs with agility and speed. Most infuriating of all - SHE DID NOT ASK ME TO MOVE.
The first rows on both the left side and right side of the bus (including the ones I sat in) all have little signs asking that you vacate the seats if asked for elderly or handicapped.
A nasty old woman gets on a few stops later and starts talking to the air saying something about senior seats but does not request my seat. There are two seats in each row on each side of the bus. I was sitting in one seat on the left side and the other seat remained available. She simply grumbles and moves on. I can hear her later complaining to others who got on after her and who remarked that she was not sitting in her regular seat that the front seats were all taken when she got on and "not by seniors". On her way out she deliberately knocked me in the shoulder with her bag filled with books. I was not in any way blocking the aisle - it was clearly deliberate.
All this woman had to do was ask me for the seat. I would have gladly and swiftly moved over or moved to a different row entirely if she had simply asked. Instead she talked to the air, ranted to her friends and assaulted me. This was not my usual bus. I cannot see the future. When I got on the bus the seat was empty. It is not usually a seat that most people want to sit in - young or old. It helps my motion sickness to sit there. Yes she was a senior citizen but there was nothing visibly affecting her that should have made me move instinctively - she walked just fine, she climbed the stairs with agility and speed. Most infuriating of all - SHE DID NOT ASK ME TO MOVE.