Dear Urban Diplomat: can I hate my fellow TTC riders for not giving up seats for me and my toddler?
Dear Urban Diplomat,
I’m a young dad, and I take my 16-month-old son to and from daycare on the subway during rush hour. Is it wrong to get annoyed when people don’t give up a seat and I’m stuck carrying a squirming toddler for the entire 10-stop ride?
—Last Man Standing, Bloordale
By all means, be annoyed, but don’t be surprised. Just last month I saw an able-bodied woman in the priority row willfully ignoring a blind man until he literally sat in her lap. Gender politics aside, your particular plight probably won’t inspire many do-gooders to offer you their seat. If you really want one, you’re going to have to ask. Approach with an air of friendliness, feel free to use your kid’s cuteness as leverage, and mumble something about the hazards of juggling a toddler on a lurching subway car. Even hardened TTC commuters tend to have a soft spot for child safety.
Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com
