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When I was pregnant with my first son back in 2008, I took public transit to work daily?first a 15-minute bus ride, then a 10-minute ride on the subway. Because the journeys were relatively short, I didn’t mind standing if I couldn’t get a seat. But I was nonetheless shocked when almost nobody ever gave me one. All my friends and colleagues report the same thing: Pregnant women are rarely offered a seat on public transit. It’s easy to blame smartphones, but in 2008, most people weren’t glued to them yet (if they even had one), so what was our excuse back then"
Some cities are trying to fix this problem. In London, England, pregnant mamas can order a free “Baby on Board” pin which lets fellow riders know, in no uncertain terms, that they’re expecting, in the hopes that they’ll be offered a seat. (Kate Middleton sported one when she was pregnant with Prince George.) But some women say wearing the pin is embarrassing. To those women, I say: At least you don’t live in Busan, South Korea! The city of Busan (in collaboration with a local PR company) is trying out a new, high-tech approach to the problem. A bluetooth (i.e., wireless) system alerts subway riders that a pregnant woman is on board by way of a pink light. The pregnant woman wears a sensor that activates small lights attached to the hand-rails on subway cars.
I kind of like the idea?in theory. But I feel like it would be embarrassin...