Opinions & practices of seat-offering at public transport in different countries/regions Hi everybody, this is Shiyuan from China, since I find that the Q&A board is really useful to myself, I decide to ask a question, hopefully could get responses from you, which may help understand the cultural and logical differences among the countries/regions. Let me start first, the place I live in called SHENZHEN, is an immigrant city located in most southern part of mainland China, in which non-local people seize over 80% of the population. In every bus, a few seats are marked as "老、幼、病、残、孕妇及抱婴者专用座位" specifically for the elders, children, the ills, the disables babyholders or people who else are in need. Apart from that, every time right after the bus restarted, there would be a broadcasting inside the bus informing “Seat-offering is a Chinese traditional virtue, please offer your seats to the elders, children, the ills, the disables babyholders or people who else are in need.” And for dozens of times as I could remember, when one who looked old enough, or a woman whose belly was obviously bending outward, or whoever was holding a baby in his/her arms stepped onto a fully seated bus, they always (at least 80%) unintentionally got a seat offer from others, which they appreciated and accepted it as it’s something ought to be. It has been considered as a necessary and common manner here all along. But as I hear and see, the situations (mainly on trains & metro) in Hongkong and big cities like Tokyo & Osaka of Japan are somehow different, it seldom happens as a result (restricted to the offer to the elders). Why? ▲Is it because both the seated ones, and the ones considered to be in need according to the aforesaid logic, just don’t have such sort of thoughts? ▲Or they do have such sort of thoughts, but it feels weird or they are too shy to do so, because there isn’t such habit/custom (meaning no one else is offering)? ▲Or in the case of accepting a seat offer ( to a certain degree is equal to saying the recipient admits his/her own handicap towards others.), it will generate a feeling of frustration, which prevents the potential recipient from doing so? ▲Or there is a health reason, because a seat with others’ temperature is unhealthy to take immediately? Please be noted that, I mean NO OFFENCE to Hongkong and Japanese people by saying those above, because they are the only 2 places outside of mainland China that I have ever been to. It was quite nice enough of them who I got lots of helps from during me traveling or living in those places. Please if you found me misunderstood anything or any information I provided was false, you are more than welcome to correct me. And as I’ve already reported mine, how about it in your country/region? Any unique opinions on this issue you can share? Any different practices happening around you? Any other reasons for refusing or accepting a seat offer come up to your mind? COME ON, LET’S THROW SOME BLARBLARBLAR!!!To Wozitoya, Thanks you for being fond of my question. The comparison you made bewteen the legal respect to the elders in US and China is almost correct, that is a systematic thing and my country is short of many aspects, but it's improving. Once an evil emerged and not being punished, nobody can remain an absolute angel. So the line-up-in-a-bank you said is still a systematic issue. But I want to point out that, "in China, the young give the seat to the old is not normal." is not true, ever. To Peachey, It's great that Australia people have such a respectful virtue. To Mark Kramer, Thanks for your in-depth explanation and the useful information you had provided. As I know, one of the all-time available lessons which a Japanese parent would teach to a child is that 「人に迷惑をかけちゃダメ！」, which means "Never bother others (while it's unnecessary)." It's true that most Japanese people behave really carefully in public. But everything is about "balance", my personal opinion says they need more individualism,hehe. To Robert Sneider, Go ask your Mom again. To Jura, Your answer is encouraging!