Does this bother you and why specifically? A black Jamaican woman got on the bus with her suitcase whilst talking on the phone. I followed with my mum, another woman and then a white male and his son. We all found seats in the remaining ones available. Jamaican woman though put her suitcase in the disabled area, whilst the white male and his son took the seat behind the barrier near where the suitcase was being kept (the wheelchair area). The Jamaican woman noticed this and commented on it to who ever she was on the phone to.
She dramatised it by saying "he jumped in her seat, that he may as well had sat in her lap" So the white male asked "did you want to sit here? I hadn't realised you wanted this seat!"
So she proceeded to rant "Well there were other seats why did you choose to sit there, of course I would have wanted to sit down".
They had a few more back and forths and the guy said "of you don't want the seat stop moaning, I offered it you declined already let's move on!"
She followed up with "Lord jesus let me stop, coz I'm fraid of you, you might punch me in my face, you people are so violent!"
Both my mum and I looked at each other in shock because this escalated stupidly.
And the rest of our journey the downstairs passengers were really quiet. Whilst she continue to mutter something to whoever was on the phone.
What do you make of this!?
This bothered me as a black woman myself.
The new London buses are like this.
Where as the older style are similar in colour to the design above but there are barriers like in this one
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
@Threepio the whole situation bothered me tbh. As I said to others he could have preempted but he didn't and offered the seat even though she didn't ask him or speak directly to him. I can imagine there might have been so eye gestures when she noticed him in the seat. Followed by her comments to whomever she was on the phone to.
As I mentioned it made me uncomfortable just how quickly things escalated.
@bijouxbroussard in situations like this, the Jamaican lady would be looking for allies but I wouldn't be able to join forces for what I would say was unreasonable behaviour. If she wanted the seat when he offered, I'd have called his bluff if thats what she felt. And gladly taken the seat too. Sometimes people offer after a slight in the hope you decline so you look unreasonable.
