This video which was posted to Youtube yesterday shows everything that is wrong in this world these days.
A heavily pregnant woman, Miri Michaeli Schwartz, who is an Israeli TV news Journalist was wearing her “Baby on Board” badge on a London Tube. She was stunned at the amount of people who ignored her, so she decided to put a hidden camera above her 38 week bump to illustrate the complete lack of respect people have for others – a pretty sad reflection on Western society.
We see men and women all sitting comfortably on the London Underground, sitting in Priority Seats – reserved for people who need them more – the elderly or heavily pregnant women.
Many of the passengers look at the Miri directly, then look away without offering up their seats. Eh, hello?! Finally, someone has the decency to stand up and offer her a seat.
She wrote on her Facebook page:
“London friends,
Almost 9 months of commuting in the tube with the “Baby on board” badge have come to an end.
At first I thought it is a brilliant London invention. How will other people know it’s not easy traveling with morning sickness if I don’t yet have a real big baby bump? Proudly and happily I wore my badge, hoping people will notice and offer me the priority seat when I need it. That didn’t happen. Then, I thought Londoners get up only for ladies who are later on in their pregnancy. I was frustrated I don’t “look pregnant” enough. That fact did not change how pregnant I felt. It was awful.
Now, from the top of 38 weeks of pregnancy, when there’s absolutely no way to ignore my huge bump (with a cute little baby girl inside of it!), I can tell you- London tube commuters just don’t care.
That’s why I decided today to take a hidden camera with me in order to show you how one day of my life looks, standing sometimes for long periods of time on the tube, swollen, exhausted and afraid of sudden brakes. Commuters see me, they see my bump, sometimes even stare but don’t get up, even if they are getting off of the train at the next station or are seating in the priority seat with a sticker of a pregnant lady as a reminder above their heads.
I already know how people look when they try to act like they haven’t seen me. The newspaper is held up a little higher, the phone comes out, headphones are placed in ears or sometimes.. they stare at my bump and just don’t care.
I think the first woman in the video, doing homework with her child on the Jubilee line, missed a chance to teach him a much more valuable lesson- how to respect others and be a little less selfish.
Where I grew up, ever since I can remember myself my mother would get up herself and make me stand up if a person who needs the seat more got on the bus. It was so clear to me this is how it should work. No badge needed.
Once in a while there are a few righteous people on the tube, as you can see at the end of the video clip. Unfortunately, they are not the majority.”
We’ve had numerous stories on this subject on the site, and are always shocked to hear women describing similar unfortunate circumstances on Irish public transport, but this video takes it to a whole new level.
For anyone who has been heavily pregnant knows just how exhausting it is to carry the weight of a baby when it comes to the end of your pregnancy, not to mention the pressure on your pelvis. Seats are your friend! Throw in having to navigate the London Tube stations, and then having to stand for your journey surrounded by selfish people.
Have a look and let us know your thoughts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGjIOHOE2f8
Read the story we did on this woman who designed cute posters for public transport, these should be mandatory!
