A Day in the Life of a Pregnant Woman on Calgary Transportation – Namely the C-Train

For many of us in Calgary we are all too familiar with the public transportation system; long waits, ignorant people, then crowded busses and trains. That's why for the past 3 years I have chosen to find alternative ways to get to work. I have biked, walked and even carpooled my way in. I was driving to Kensington and then walking into work, up until about 1 week ago. Unfortunately since I’ve gotten bigger in the pregnancy and my feet feel like marshmallows, I have resorted to the god forsaken C-Train. Every day it’s an interesting experience and I always come home with a good story to tell Jeff.

In the morning I drive to the Brentwood station, where thankfully I always find the same parking spot. I hike up the stairs and then onto the platform to wait for the next train. Often times as I’m waiting several people feel the need to jump in front of me so they are guaranteed a spot on the next train. I have learned that being nice and waiting, in what at first I thought was a line, is not in public transportation vocabulary. I wait patiently and once the train comes I herd onto the train with the rest of them like a cow being prodded. I try to make my way to the middle of the train, as that’s where the best spots to stand are. I also head in that direction hoping that some nice person will offer me their seat.
I would say 25% of the time I do get offered a seat and am so grateful to those kind citizens. Actually I have been offered a seat by 3 different people all in a matter of 2 seconds. However, the other 75% of the time I stand. I stand while university kids, and 30-40 something men and women sit in their seats sleeping, reading and trying to avoid eye contact with me. You see if they avoid looking at me, then they can pretend to be oblivious of my situation. I can’t say one type of person is the worst offender; they come in all shapes, sizes, ages, races and genders. Also it's not just me they don't offer their seats to, it's also those poor old men and women as well. The same can be said about those wonderful people who do make an effort to recognize when others need a seat more then they do.

The best part of the whole experience are the posters they have up on the C-Train. These posters encourage people to not put their feet up on the seats, not to talk or have your music playing too loudly, not to block the door ways, to give old or disabled people a seat, and of course my favorite…To kindly offer your seat to pregnant women. Often times I stand right in front of the pregnant poster and laugh to myself thinking “I guess no one reads the posters”.

There have been times where I have been shoved out of the way so an able bodied person can get on the train before me in hopes they will get a seat. Often they do get a seat, and I stand right in front of them and they don’t even bat an eye lash at my tummy. I’ve noticed that some people get up when their destination is coming up and say “oh here take my seat”, as if they have just done the most gracious act for human kind. I think I might nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize for their humanitarian work. It’s BULLSHIT that people are so self absorbed that they cannot and will not be courteous to fellow citizens. Even though I am pregnant, when I see an older person I immediately get up off my ass and offer my seat. If they say no, I insist that they take it and usher them in.

I’ve had people who are standing up with me say things like “Boy you’d think someone would offer you their seat in your condition”…But No, still they sit and I stand. On those really hot days when a person passing out is not uncommon…I stand. When there is nothing to hold on to and I rock and sway about, I just hope I don’t take a tumble. When someone does offer me their seat, I thank them very graciously and tell them how I appreciate their kindness.

Thank goodness I only have 5 more days of the C-Train…or I think I might blow a gasket.

I can’t wait for the ride home today…..