Do you really really really give up your train or bus seat ...

Anyone carrying a small child. A very pregnant woman.

I usually move away to another spot quickly, since I am not doing it for a "thank you," which might not even come my way. I do it for the benefit of the child, even if unborn yet.

I don't take public transportation, but I would give up my seat in a heartbeat to someone I considered elderly, more to the point, elderly to the point they were infirm, unsteady on their feet, or in any way looked like they didn't feel well.

No way would I ever give up my seat so a (healthy) child could sit in it. Why in the world would I want to do that? They are young an strong and can stand.

I never have to give up my seat as I have this strange habit of always standing on a bus or train. It matters not if there are several empty seats, I just don't like sitting down on the MTA vehicles (above and below ground). If I want a seat, I pretend I'm wealthy and take a cab. This is not new. It's a habit which started when I was in high school during my city stays. (up in Rutland there was no need as I had a short walk to the school)

On the other side of it, there are quite a few who have offered me a seat in recent years. Usually it's an older person rather than some teen or twenty-ish person. When a younger person is sitting, I try to figure they might have a hidden health ailment. That makes it less annoying to see the elderly frail man or woman with two canes having to stand.

No need to give up my seat. I qualify.

Pregnant - yes, elderly - yes, infirm - yes, unsteady - yes, child - no!

I'm generally so preoccupied with my life's matters -- career, men, men, career -- or dug into a book or a gadget while traveling in a Metro train, my preferred traveling mode in India's capital city, that I rarely notice if someone's in need of a seat.

If I do happen to look around, and find an elderly/physically challenged/pregnant person, I yield my seat -- without a thought. Though sometimes I get confused with some middle-aged people. It's hard to decide whether they're young enough for their knees to happily bear the weight of their bodies or old enough to need my sacrifice. I will admit I'm bit of a couch potato, and FIGHT for seats. There's tough competition in the country for all kinds of seats -- bus, college, government jobs.

The important thing is looking around, though. Wish I would do that more often.

Woman & Dog Exhibit Worst Subway Etiquette We've Ever Seen
http://gothamist.com/2014/09/30/worst_subway_etiquette_ever.php

Wow. That's really bad.

tsar, since you use public transportation, I have a question regarding this.

What would she most likely say if a strap hanger just said to her "Could you move your bag/dog so I can sit down?"

Likely worse case: she'll move her bag but passive-aggresively do so resentfully.

Then **** her. I guess she thinks that'll get her somewhere.

Actually, when I asked that, I was thinking of something that happened to me yesterday.
Not to hyjack your thread, because it's not about giving up seats, but rather what I consider one sided privileges.

It's about bicyclists.

I'm going to preface this with saying I have every respect for those that travel that way, the same way I have respect for people driving vehicles. I also understand some people can give them a hard time, although around here it's less and less.

The thing is, they are all supposed to obey the same rules of the road as drivers. A lot of the time though, many want the benefits of the rules, but don't follow the ones that are inconvenient to them.

I've seen/been part of the following many times, but yesterday was the first time I ever said anything. It's a pretty typical situation.
Adult cyclist is driving down middle of car lane, as there weren't any official bike lanes on this street (my street, a side street). I was right behind him for a bit, and cars were getting backed up behind me. He finally moved over to one side, and I was able to pass, then came up to a 4 way stop. When I stopped, he just breezed right through without slowing, putting himself again in front of a line of cars. This time he stayed to the side, so we were able to pass. I turned into my driveway, and got out, checked the mail, and right then he was passing my house. "Excuse me. Can I ask you something?" He smiled and pulled over. I was super polite the whole time. I asked him if cyclists were supposed to follow all traffic signals. He said "Oh yes, of course we are" Then I asked him why he didn't stop back there. "There was a stop sign?" Yes...a four way stop. "Oh....I did see it, and yes, I should have stopped....it was just that I....well I was watching out for the other cars" You mean the other cars that were all stopping at the 4 way stop? "Uh yes..but you see..." But you were fine with cycling in the middle of the driving lane, slower than the cars would normally go, with us behind you, but you weren't ok with stopping. I'm just trying to make sense of that, because I'm aware you're smaller and I don't want to hurt you, but you expect cars to make concessions because you don't want to stop.

He took it well. Admitting he should have stopped, but no more. I think he was surprised someone actually reminded him it's not all about the cars looking out for him, but him looking out for us, and himself.

I was aways afraid to say something when this type of thing happened (a big one is a bike holding up traffic, then when coming to a red light, they bypass all the cars in front of them and get to the front of the line), thinking I'd immediately be labled one of those anti-bicyclist people.

Like if that lady responded by moving her bag passive aggressively, I'd just take the available seat that was mine to claim, and not pay her a bit of mind.