A woman has sparked a debate after refusing to move bus seats so an elderly woman could gaze out the window on their six hour journey. The 22-year-old explained how she gets "really nauseous and physically sick" when travelling on public transport - but has no other way of getting around.
To make it easier on herself, she made sure to pre-book a window seat and took her travel medication 30 minutes before departure. Taking to Reddit, she said: "I hate traveling by bus. Since I can't avoid taking the bus given it's the only way I can get to college from my house, I have found certain ways to cope with that.
"I always keep a plastic bag close in case I have to use it and I always reserve a window seat close to the door. This method has worked in the past and I try to implement it every time I have to travel."
But when she boarded the bus, she saw a woman in her 70s sitting in her seat waiting for everybody else to buckle up.
"I am socially awkward so as nice as I could, I explained to her that she was sitting in my seat - I had reserved the window and she had the aisle," she said.
"She said sorry, she thought it was hers and moved. Everything was fine after that, or so I thought."
When the bus came to its first stop, another woman confronted her about making the elderly woman move along the row.
The young woman added: "She told me I should've just let her have the seat because the window was closed anyway (the bus had AC) so there wasn't any difference, that the lady really liked the window seat and it didn't suppose any effort from me to give it up.
"I told the woman I needed that seat as much as she did and if she wanted a window seat she should have reserved one like I did.
"Apparently this was viewed as rude and she went on and on about how young people are disrespectful towards the elderly and stuff like that.
"I ignored it and proceeded to continue the trip on my seat."
Wanting to know whether she was justified to reclaim her pre-booked seat, she has taken to Reddit to ask users what they would have done in this situation.
In response, one person said: "Age doesn't entitle you to other peoples' stuff. Besides if the seats didn't matter why did the woman need it.
"If seat reservations are a thing then she was the a***hole for not reserving it and then just taking it."
Another commenter added: "I just love how millennials are depicted as the entitled generation when Boomers throw more public tantrums than most toddlers.
"You're entitled because you want to sit in the seat you purchased and planned accordingly for. Absolutely priceless. "
A third user said: "If there's 'no difference' then why did the old lady 'like the window better'.
"You weren't rude and it was your seat. People do this on airplanes all the time. 'Oh I thought I had the window.....' No you have middle and no I won't switch."
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