Pregnant Woman Commuting from Gyeonggi-do to Seoul by Express Bus
Pregnant Priority Seats Fully Occupied... No One Gives Up Their Seat
Bus Driver Helps Instead of Asking for Understanding Every Time Pregnant Woman Boards
A 'working mom' who commuted by bus from Gyeonggi-do to Seoul has become a topic of conversation after sharing the kindness shown by a bus driver she encountered every morning during her pregnancy.
On the 2nd, a post titled "Is it too much to thank the bus driver?" was uploaded on an online community. The author, Ms. A, who became a mother of twins last December, began by saying, "In July last year, I commuted from Gyeonggi-do to Seoul, a 1 hour and 30 minute journey, by express bus with my swollen belly."
Ms. A said, "Before pregnancy, I thought, 'I might not be able to show my pregnant badge, so I better not sit,' and I always left the seats reserved for pregnant women empty. Even in regular seats, if the bus was full, I would give up my seat. But I never expected others to give up their seats for me. However, it wasn’t easy to get someone to give up a seat in the pregnant women’s reserved section," she explained.
She continued, "My belly started showing early, before 16 weeks, but maybe because I was thin, I never received a seat offer from other passengers. The first row seats 2 to 4 on the express bus are designated as pregnant women’s seats, but since everyone prefers to sit in the very front, I couldn’t sit in those reserved seats," she described the situation.
However, from a certain point on, every time Ms. A boarded the bus, there was always one front seat left empty. Ms. A said, "After my company adjusted my commute time to less crowded hours, I encountered the same bus driver every morning. I was waiting at the front of the bus, and as the driver opened the door, he was asking the person in front for their understanding," she said. The bus driver was securing a seat for Ms. A by asking passengers for their cooperation.
Ms. A explained, "The bus driver asked the passengers, 'Excuse me, the seat in front is reserved for pregnant women, so could you please move?' Whenever the bus stopped at my station, he first checked if I was waiting. After stopping, he looked for me first and then asked the passengers in front for their understanding," she explained.
Ms. A wanted to express her gratitude to the bus driver but was unable to do so due to sudden labor and childbirth. She said, "It’s already been half a year since I’ve been busy raising a premature baby, but I hope I can convey my feelings to the driver through the bus company. It might be a small gesture, and maybe it’s too much, but it was the only time I felt cared for during my pregnancy, and it remains a precious and special memory for me," she shared.
Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "In times like these, this is truly heartwarming news," "The bus driver was a wonderful person," "How about leaving a message on the bus company’s bulletin board?" "The driver is really a well-mannered person. I feel more grateful," "I wish the passengers had moved first," and "It’s not easy to say that, so it’s touching," among others.
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