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I want to give credit where due, Houston has free public transit for over 70, every route, every day, every system forever, even to the airpott. I think it is the only city that does that.
EVER drive behind an old person? This morning driving into town to drop off trash, I had to go super slow behind one, and then watched the same one drive right through 2 stop signs. OK Granted, I live in the resort town of Bar Harbor, Maine, so this time of year the retired set(like me) arrive, and the place is covered by retired people on cruise ships that carpet the town. They seem to think they are visiting a theme park since they walk right across the street without looking.
Maybe it depends on where you live, and with whom you associate. Since retiring, I have not felt disrespected. Waitstaff, shopkeepers, etc are all attentive. Passerbyers on the street generally smile, and doors are often held open for me. I am generally smiling and always say thank you.
I guess this is because Asheville is a happy city.
I think senior discounts are intended as much to attract seniors to their business. Often a senior meal discount is during a slower time or from a limited menu like kids menu.
We do not have as many seniors discounts here as we found in the US. However in my state we really value our Gold Opal Card. Gives us public transport all around Sydney for $2.50 a day, less than $2.00 US. It is heavily used but we are more likely to travel out of peak hour. Keeps us off the road.
But we do have pensioner discounts at the discretion of businesses and they may include people on the Disability Pension as well as Aged Pensioners, which is not the same as Seniors (an umbrella term covering Aged Pensioners and self-funded retirees.) Pensioners, be they disabled young people or less well off elderly, get discounts on many services and especially medical services.
What I think a bit unfair in our system is that the tax system rebates etc mean so many of us pay no income tax at all and then we do not pay the Medicare levy, meaning we get public medical services pretty well free.
Many of us don't feel we don't get respect, in fact it is often the opposite.
Yes, I've never felt lack of respect. Even in the U.S. But I don't act old or entitled.
Here, it is automatic to respect those in the "Third Age". We even get our 12% VAT tax back, which is the only tax we pay. That could be overdoing it, but I'll take it, since it's law.
I agree with Tuborg's later post about restaurants wanted to attract those who eat during "off" hours---and that's seniors.
Just to balance it, Young People don’t get much respect either. Perhaps you don’t remember complaining that you can’t no respect? Heck, the RS even wrote a song about it.
Just to balance it, Young People don’t get much respect either. Perhaps you don’t remember complaining that you can’t no respect? Heck, the RS even wrote a song about it.
Respect perhaps not but I doubt it. How ever heck no that they never got any satisfaction. Egads their cups probably ran over with satisfaction.
A lot of it is cultural. American culture seems to frown up elderly and the aging now. Not all cultures are that way.
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