There are many benefits to riding public transportation: It’s easy, cheaper than a personal vehicle, and it’s good for exercise.
The largest detractor, for some anyway, is that public transportation is open to the whole public.
Chances are high that you’ll see something you don’t agree with at some point during your transit.
What happens, though, when you feel obligated to interject into that circumstance?
This was the issue facing Redditor and Original Poster (OP) Financial-Yam7246 when she came to the “Am I the A**hole” (AITA) subReddit for judgment.
She asked:
“AITA for saying a broken leg isn’t a disability?”
She started with the background.
“I (19-female) ride public transport to commute to college.”
“The line I ride is mainly filled with high school kids for most of it, and some elderly people, and very few other college students.”
She continued by describing the scene.
“Today a girl walked in maybe 14-15?? idk for sure but she was in high school.”
“She had a knee brace, a boot and crutches and sat in the disabled/elderly/pregnant women seats. (I was sitting one of the normal seats)”
Then there was the inciting event.
“The bus was almost completely full and an elderly man walks in.”
“He asks her if he could have her seat as it was meant for the elderly. (for context the others were a pregnant woman and some elderly people, there are 6 total disabled seats).”
“She said disabled people could sit there as well and she really disliked standing and it hurt.”
OP took a stand.
“This is where I piped up and said a broken leg wasn’t a disability and she didn’t have a right to the seat.”
“She got up and offered her seat.”
Later…
“I was talking to my friend (20f) about it and she said I was in the wrong and she did deserve the seat and I should have given up my seat and most of the kids on the bus come from very low-income families and this was probably her only option.”
OP was left to wonder about her choice.Â
“Now I am starting to think she is right and I should have just gave up my seat and the girl did have a right to the seat. AITA?”
Concerned she had been wrong, OP offered the issue up to Reddit for the council of the internet.Â
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided: YTA
Some listed specific reasons.
” YTA – Firstly broken bones and other such injuries hurt like hell and standing on it is probably extremely painful.”
“Secondly, if you wanted the old man to have a seat so bad give up your own??”
“Like your that selfish that you would let a severely injured child stand so that you as a healthy adult could have a seat?”
“And you pitched in and contributed to that child losing their seat?? Like how are you NOT the a**hole??”~short_man_child
Others were brief.
“YTA.”
“Crutches and a boot on public transport is hard. Why on earth didn’t you offer him the seat since you had one and could more easily stand?”~RunningTrisarahtop
There was a concern OP didn’t know what disabled meant.Â
“And someone in a cast with crutch is usually the pictogram used to represent disabled people in priority seat signage.”
“Public transit in my city has: stick figure with a baby bump, stooped stick figure with a cane, stick figure with a leg cast and crutches.”~owl_duc
Others pointed out OP was being a hypocrite.
“YTA.”
“Crutches and a boot on public transport is hard. Why on earth didn’t you offer him the seat since you had one and could more easily stand?”~RunningTrisarahtop
Some gave personal examples.
“I was 30 on crutches with a broken leg (required surgery to insert hardware – plate, screws, bolt, and wire).”
“I had some Karen push past me when getting on public transport to get the last seating which just happened to be priority seating.”
“I had a gigantic brace on my leg / no cast – cause of the break I had to bend my knee constantly to ensure the joints kept moving.”
“I was constantly in pain and still taking both oxycontin and endone at that time.”
“Luckily I had a wonderful young lady give me her seat.”
“Op – you are clearly YTA. I actually hope you never have to experience what you just did. You clearly lack empathy and maybe that’s just an immature thing?”
“There were some days I was in that much pain while sitting on public transport. Just thinking I’d then have to ‘walk’ 800 metres home. I’d just wanted to cry.”
“Saying that – mine was a 1% severe fracture. But still…”~hopalongsmiles
There was an explanation given.
“YTA”
“How the hell is it not a disability? It impairs her ability to walk. No, it’s not permanent, but neither is pregnancy.”
“She was on crutches!!!! How do you think you aren’t an AH. If you see someone who needs a seat more than you, give up your seat, don’t tell someone with crutches to get up.”
“And, in addition, there are plenty of invisible disabilities.”
“Even if you see a 14-year-old who looks perfectly healthy to you, sitting in a disabled seat, you have no idea and it’s not your place to say they don’t have a disability.”~Usrname52
While others thought the whole thing just couldn’t be believed.
“YTA in a truly spectacular way. She was most certainly temporarily disabled and had every right to that seat.”
“Further, that you would SIT in judgment of someone ON CRUTCHES and shame her into giving up her seat WHILE YOU SAT is outrageous! A**hole is too nice a word for you.”
“This is so awful I’m going to choose to believe it’s fake.”~NGDGUnpunished
Public transportation is safe, convenient, and largely inexpensive.
It does have the problem of being public though.
While we will never know if this particular event happened, things like it occur every day.
Remember to be patient and kind with those sharing space with you, and to always stand up when someone needs help.
Especially to offer your seat.