What ever happened to respecting your elders? Source: ThinkStock
AN 83-year-old woman was forced to sit on the floor of a packed train in Victoria.
The elderly woman hopped on the train at Bendigo to make the two-hour journey to Melbourne for the Australian Open as she has done each year for about 10 years.
While adults and children filled the seats, the woman’s daughter-in-law who spoke on her distressed mother-in-law’s behalf, she was forced to sit on the floor.
“There were children sitting there with adults and they wouldn’t give up a seat for her,” daughter-in-law Angela Clark told 3AW radio.
“I just think it’s pretty poor.”
Ms Clark usually makes the journey with her elderly mother, but this year was unable to as she was already in Melbourne.
She told presenter Neil Mitchell there had been problems in the past with getting a spot on the train, and that she was worried for her mother-in-law.
“It’s the same every year,” she said.
“I mean, are we living in a third world country that people have to stand on the train to go to Melbourne?”
Ms Clark said there was need for more carriages on V/Line trains servicing regional areas in Victoria.
Train travel is not that fun when you’re forced to sit on the floor. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) Source: AAP
Outraged host Neil Mitchell was left stunned, commenting both on the state of the regional train service, and also asking the question: “Is chivalry gone?”.
“I can’t imagine anybody sitting there with an 83-year-old woman sitting on the floor saying ‘oh no I’m comfortable, she can’t have my seat’.”
Ms Clark added with some relief she, her mother-in-law and her daughter at least had a good day at the tennis, but said the train situation was “just not good enough”.
“V/Line is sorry to hear that an 83-year-old customer had to sit on the floor for part of her trip to Melbourne,” V/Line spokesperson Ebony Jordan told news.com.au.
“The 8:06am train out of Castlemaine on Monday was extremely busy, with many customers heading to Melbourne for the Australian Open.
“To provide additional capacity we had five coaches waiting on standby.
“We urge our customers to be mindful and courteous to their fellow travellers when on board our trains.
“There are stickers on all V/Line trains, reminding customers to offer seats to people with special needs, such as age, disability, illness or pregnancy.”
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