Have Those Days Gone.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2464452/Heavily-pregnant-minister-Jo-Swinson-forced-stand-PMQs.html

Were the MPs right or wrong not to offer this pregnant MP their seat?

Even though I belong to the old school which still believes that the more able person should stand for those who don't appear to be able to stand for long, and the male of the species should hold the door open for the female. one has to be so careful these days that one doesn't offend.

Most would accept willingly whereas others will not and make sure that one knows they are offended.

[LazyGun]

@SP LoL @ this "The only time you might get a mouthful is when you mistakenly offer a fat woman your seat, thinking she's pregnant."

Maybe there has been a decline and this has been the cause of it? :)

[emmie]

my experience is that it is mostly blokes who let the assistant pack the bags, i do my own, i don't see, unless you can't manage it, say having arthritic hands, or some other disability that you let the assistant do it, it's not quicker, if anything it holds everything up....

[emmie]

sp i have, and it's so often the elderly, frail who are left trying to find a seat, whilst the able bodied stay put.

[emmie]

i have no idea about changing a wheel, that issue has never arisen, however i have done most other so called blokes jobs, however this is about courtesy, sometime lacking in our ever rushed modern society.

[LazyGun]

@Emmie "my experience is that it is mostly blokes who let the assistant pack the bags, i do my own, i don't see, unless you can't manage it, say having arthritic hands, or some other disability that you let the assistant do it, it's not quicker, if anything it holds everything up..."

And my experience is that it is mostly women - so what does that tell us?

[emmie]

mostly women who don't pack their own bags, sorry but that is not my experience.

[emmie]

sheer bloody laziness then, if you can't manage it then that is a different matter entirely.

[LazyGun]

@emmie - OK, but it is mine - but that does not automatically mean i think women are somehow lazier than men, or more useless :)

[emmie]

it doesn't take long to pack the stuff does it, but if the assistant does it that seems to me a lot longer, who wants to be in shops any longer than they have to be.

[pixie373]

I don't notice there's any difference between male/female shoppers. In my observation, the shoppers and assistants usually both pack, making it quicker for everyone.

[emmie]

try not to go shopping too often, i stock up with meats, bread, frozen veg for the freezer, use the trolley for that, and then just buy bits and pieces as and when needed.

[Peter Pedant]

when I applied for a Math dgree last year at 61
The Prof of Math held the door for me and I said
Do I look that crap
and he said yes

and I presented with abdo secondaries the next month.....

Is the real thing: questions cant be taken from standing MPs ?

[douglas9401]

The main difference I notice between men and women at the checkout is the apparent amazement of the girlies that there's a bill to pay once everything's been scanned and packed and their purse is at the bottom of their handbag.

[lyall]

Gromit we are NOT being patronising when we ask if you want help with your packing. We HAVE to ask, same as asking for your ‘point collecting’ card, if we don’t then we could be dismissed. Yes we could lose our job! It is company policy. We find it as frustrating as the customer because we know all a customer wants is to get through the checkout as quickly and efficiently as possible. Can i ask you do you always say hello, thank you and goodbye to the person serving you? i wonder.....?

[emmie]

Douglas i do second that, same for the bus, trying to find their passes, they tip out the mega bag over the place then scrabble around trying to locate the item they need,

[emmie]

lyall, do you pack the goods for the customer, or do they do it?

[lyall]

It depends on the customer. I have some that are regulars and I know what they want. If I don’t know them I ask and if I get no response, which is about half the time I take it they don’t want help and so don’t pack, its then that the customer behind often gets irritated as the person im serving often doesn’t pack their shopping until after they have paid!! So holds up the others. I have noticed a decline in customers attitudes this year they have got a bit worse some don’t even look at you never mind answer you.

[pixie373]

I don't agree with Douglas. I always have my purse in my hand when i get to the checkout.

[lyall]

To answer your question oldgit, 50 years ago it would have been unheard of for a pregnant lady not to be asked if she wanted a seat. Now a lot depends on your age, sex and upbringing. A certain generation and sex will more often than not offer a seat to anyone less able, while the others only seem to think of themselves. It’s sad but true. I had a gentleman hold the door open for me yesterday while out shopping, I smiled and said thank you and he looked positively startled then smiled back, maybe that’s the first time anyone has said thank you to him.

[FredPuli43]

No, they haven't gone. Don't think I have seen a heavily pregnant woman 'forced' to stand on the tube or a bus in London or anywhere else. On the tube, as well, there are seats by the doors designated for those who have difficulty standing by reason of pregnancy, age or infirmity and anyone not so affected is expected to give those seats up before anyone gives up theirs.

What I am unnerved by is when men who I think are about my age offer me their seat; this has happened quite a lot in recent years.

Reading the article, I get the impression from what 'sources close to' this MP,that she would be annoyed by the suggestion that she sit down. If that is known by those nearby, they wouldn't offer anyway, but quite how it is sexist is not clear; men don't get pregnant, so there can't be any question of inequality, of discriminating against one sex.