Aimee Walker
A man has ignited a debate online after admitting he has refused to give up a seat on public transport for a pregnant woman, as he has long working hours and doesn’t see why he should have to move.
A man took to Reddit to ask the community whether or not he was wrong. Going to the aptly named ‘Am I The A**hole?” subreddit, he explained how he was on public transport when he refused to give up his seat to a pregnant woman.
After pointing out he’d just finished a 10-hour shift, he wrote: “So last night I’m on the bus, and a very heavily pregnant lady gets on. She looks around for a seat, only to find there are no available ones left. I’m the closest to her, so she starts giving me the imploring eyes.
“I wasn’t rude or anything, I just told her no, I’ve had a long day and my feet are sore. I don’t want to give up my seat.”
He continued: “She started crying about how she’s a pregnant single mom, and I told her I’m sorry, but that was her personal choice and she can’t expect other people to accommodate her life choices.”
The man then added that he told the woman that he didn’t see why it was his job to support her because she was pregnant and couldn’t afford a car – this latter comment led to others on the bus taking annoyance with him too.
Understandably, many kicked off at the man for his attitude towards the fellow passenger.
One person replied: “What’s next, blaming an old person for being old?
“Blaming deformed people for being born? You see someone who needs a seat, you give it to them.”
Another added: “Saying being pregnant was ‘her personal choice’ makes you the a**hole.”
A third then pointed out why the man was definitely in the wrong, explaining: “You didn’t show common courtesy by giving up your seat to someone who needs it much more.
“As in, if you fall during transit, you may get a bruise, if she fell during transit, she might lose her child. Not to mention no matter how tired you are, she’s more likely to have an accident standing during transit than you.”
Yet others weren’t as against the working man and his view on the matter.
A woman argued in defence of him, saying she believed he had done the right thing in this particular incident.
She commented: “I just don’t feel like you should be forced to give up your seat because she is pregnant.
“Yes, pregnancy sucks, and it’s uncomfortable as all hell, but that is no reason for you to suffer. You’re in pain, too, and there were plenty of other people who could have stood rather than you.”
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