I have an invisible disability that means I am often in considerable pain that is somewhat alleviated by sitting down.
I live in Surrey and am about to start a new job that requires a daily commute to South Kensington (Central London). There are several routes I could take, but any of them would take me about an hour and a quarter door to door.
I am fairly young and as I said my disability is not outwardly visible at all, so people understandably won’t be offering me a seat on sight.
I am mostly concerned about the portion of the journey that takes me to and from Waterloo, on South Western Railway, but also on the tube or if I find myself on a bus. I know TFL offers badges, but do people tend to take notice of these, particularly on suburban railway services (since they’re not TFL)?
I’m not a shy person but I find the idea of taking a seat off someone else uncomfortable and embarrassing. I hate the thought of someone else being in discomfort or being put out because of me, but I also find it really tough to stand on a moving train for upwards of 30 mins, especially at the end of the day.
Does anyone have any advice on how best to make things easier for myself? Thanks for any help!