Sir, – Irene O'Donovan, six months pregnant, and Brian Lougheed (76) complain that nobody spontaneously offers them seats on the Luas or bus (October 3rd). Given that most of those lucky enough to get a seat on the Luas spend the journey glued to their phones, it is little surprise that their forlorn expressions go unnoticed.
I frequently offer my seat, and observe others offering their seats to those in obvious need – heavily pregnant women, the very elderly, people with crutches or walking sticks, or those trying to manage young children.
Very few people are deliberately selfish; however, I am wary of offering my seat to women not obviously in late pregnancy, or to older people who are not obviously frail for fear of causing offence, and I suspect most other commuters have similar reservations.
For those with less visually obvious but equally sincere need for a seat the answer is actually very simple. Instead of suffering in silence, if you just ask and explain your predicament, I am certain you will find no shortage of considerate strangers. When it comes to etiquette, the expressions “excuse me”, “please” and “thank you” were invented for just such a purpose. – Yours, etc,
JOHN THOMPSON,
Phibsboro,
Dublin 7.