Who are priority seats for?

Do you know about “priority seats” and “help marks”?

You often see “help marks” on “priority seats” in trains and buses.

Due to the worldwide Corona pandemic that began around FY2020, there are actually more and more opportunities to see people who are not feeling well or who are using a cane.

There are also other people who have become sick after receiving the corona vaccine.

I was surprised to see so many people, especially young students and women, in the city, but since the “help mark” was posted at stations and other places, it seems to have spread little by little.

I would like to talk about “priority seating” again, because the more people who complain of physical problems, the more people who understand people with disabilities.

I have taken various photos, so if you see the “help mark” + heart mark on the street, please call out to them and give up your seat with as much compassion as possible.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

priority seating

Priority seating is a type of seating installed on trains, buses, and other forms of public transportation that targets passengers with certain attributes and gives them priority in seating. In general, priority seating is provided for the welfare of vulnerable passengers, but it is also based on religious precepts. In many countries around the world, there are transportation operators that provide priority seating on trains, buses, and other forms of public transportation. Wikipedia

Those who wish to be given priority seating

What specific people would you like to give priority seating to? What is it for?

・Persons with broken bones and injuries, people with canes

・Elderly people

People with a limp, people who are sick in some way, people with disabilities

Pregnant women, small babies

train

JR trains are colored red with priority seats, which is easy to recognize unlike other seats.

Just like the color of my walking stick!

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism posters have recently been seen in elevators at stations.

Does that mean that more and more of the staff working there are also disabled?

Or it is very possible that some of them are suffering from the aftereffects of the corona.

When I ride the train, I am glad to see many normal, able-bodied people giving up their seats for me, even though they are in the priority seats. I really appreciate everyone’s thoughtfulness and consideration.

However, I didn’t have time to use it. I have seen such situations as “I used the elevator because there was an elevator nearby. I have seen such situations.

I have also seen other situations where able-bodied people are using the train in the rush hour to commute to work or to go home.

bus

Other times, some people do not give up their seats because they want to sit down, and this can cause problems with priority seating. I had a disappointing experience on a bus when it was difficult for me to give up my seat.

I guess it is partly because I am also an elderly person.

After that, they started to open all the priority seats to make room for people in wheelchairs. I am grateful to the bus company for making improvements so that I will not have trouble next time when this happens.　

Preferential parking for cars

On trains and buses, there are people who will give up their seats if there is a person with a disability, but often they will not give up their parking space for a car with a priority seat. They want to park for a little while. Many people are willing to park in the priority seat because there are no other seats available and the priority seat is vacant.

Therefore, it is important to have a parking sign (example from Tokyo) or a parking sign for pedestrians with disabilities (example from Tokyo).

★ Parking prohibited for pedestrians

What about parking prohibited for pedestrians?

The “No Parking, etc. Exemption Mark (for disabled persons, etc.)” is marked with a large “In Use by Persons with Walking Difficulties” and also states “Vehicle Designated as Exempt from Parking Prohibition”. When using a car, the mark must be displayed in a place where it can be easily seen from the outside of the windshield.

★

I would like to see a fine system that says you can’t park in the priority zone unless you show a certificate like the one shown below.

By the way, if you have a person with a severe disability rating, you can also receive a “certificate of “using a car with walking difficulties” at the police station. It is listed in the application procedure. (Example from Chiba Prefecture)

However, please note that the mark cannot be used in areas other than those parts of the road where parking is prohibited by the Public Safety Commission.

Recently, some places have marks for the elderly.

They are colorful and easy to see.

This might make it harder to stop easily.

Disability Category

Disability” can be a visible or invisible obstacle.

Visible obstacles are

Rides in a wheelchair, has a leg disability and wears a prosthetic device.

Invisible obstacles are

You have a heart disorder in your body, a respiratory disorder, a disability that makes it difficult to stay in the same position or to stand all the time, or a disability that makes it difficult to hear.

There is not just one type of disability, but many people have multiple disorders.

So actually, if a person with an invisible disability is treated and made to stand like a normal person because that person looks normal, that person would have a very hard time. Holy shit, it can be hard to stand all the time and they don’t understand.

I want people to understand that in addition to people with visible disabilities, there are also people with invisible disabilities.

How was it?

I hope that as many people as possible will know about “priority seating” and “help marks”.

I want people to understand that there is invisible suffering. It would be nice to carry “Help Mark” to “visualize invisible help”.

I do not carry a “Help Mark” because I am in a wheelchair.

If you see such a person on the street, please give him or her a hand. I would like to make the city barrier-free. I am sure you kind-hearted people can do it.