In response to my first blog post, some of you asked some valid questions about whether offering a disabled or pregnant person a seat on the subway is required by law. To be honest, I didn’t think for a second that it was a law. If it is, then there are a whole lot of people breaking it.
So, I set out to do some research this week. Before hitting the internet to do some investigating, I wanted to search the NYC subway to see if there were any instructions or commandments about subway seating.
So, I set out to do some research this week. Before hitting the internet to do some investigating, I wanted to search the NYC subway to see if there were any instructions or commandments about subway seating.
Seat Sign
There was the familiar ‘priority seating for people with disabilities’ seat sign. I don’t know if these signs have much impact, nor do they say if it is enforceable by law.
Campaign Poster
The MTA has launched its annual etiquette campaign, which includes a poster encouraging riders to give up their seats to people with disabilities. According to the MTA, it is also the law. I don’t think this includes pregnant women or those carrying a baby.
T.V. Show Ads
I also remember seeing a series of ads for the T.V. show, Nurse Jackie, which gave riders etiquette advice. One of the posters told riders to get up for people who need a seat. Nurse Jackie certainly isn’t enforcing any laws, though.
I also remember seeing a series of ads for the T.V. show, Nurse Jackie, which gave riders etiquette advice. One of the posters told riders to get up for people who need a seat. Nurse Jackie certainly isn’t enforcing any laws, though.
The Law
I later searched on the MTA Web site. Under the Rules of Conduct, it states that:
“No person shall refuse or fail to relinquish a seat on a conveyance which has been designated as “PRIORITY SEATING,” “WHEELCHAIR PRIORITY SEATING”…, if requested to do so by or on behalf of a person with a disability…”
The penalties for not relinquishing your seat as appropriate range from a fine of $25 to time in jail. It is the law.
But that leaves a question as to what constitutes a disability. I don’t consider pregnancy a disability, nor do I consider holding a child one either. What do you think? What is a disability?
“No person shall refuse or fail to relinquish a seat on a conveyance which has been designated as “PRIORITY SEATING,” “WHEELCHAIR PRIORITY SEATING”…, if requested to do so by or on behalf of a person with a disability…”
The penalties for not relinquishing your seat as appropriate range from a fine of $25 to time in jail. It is the law.
But that leaves a question as to what constitutes a disability. I don’t consider pregnancy a disability, nor do I consider holding a child one either. What do you think? What is a disability?
Whoosh! You got this one covered. All this reminds me...I was in a crowded subway car and making eye contact with a pregnant woman, and offering her my seat. A mature (but not aged) gentleman standing nearby went balistic. He started yelling at me that I couldn't give my seat to an individual, I had to just abandon my seat to some sort of Darwinian competition. Geez. Of course I told him he was rude and practically physically forced the pregnant woman to sit down. Well, at least the guy was left standing!
ReplyDeletePeople are so bizarre! In doing research for this blog, I have stumbled across MANY on-line conversations about the etiquette of offering up seats on the subway... What a wide variety of views out there. From the "it's just polite to do so" mentality to the "you decided to procreate, so you deal with it" mentality to everything in between, it is amazing. The one common thread? People are passionate about their feelings on this topic. This NYTimes blog "Complaint Box" posted on Subway Manners last August -- check out the 434 comments... http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/complaint-box-subway-squatters/
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