[dropcap]I[/dropcap]’ll admit that I mindlessly sat in one of the fold-up disability seats on the SkyTrain the other day. I don’t have a disability, I just saw the empty seat on what looked to be a fairly full cart, so I went in for the taking — mindful that I would give up the seat to any transit-goer whom I knew would need it more than myself. In other words, any transit customer who is either elderly or uses some form of apparatus to help with their mobility.

However, after clicking through CBC’s website last night, I was given a small dose of reality, and perhaps a little guilt. I read a story about a young woman with severe epilepsy who uses the disability seating on Vancouver’s public transit amid the dirty looks from bystanders who are ignorant to her invisible condition. She states that while there’s not enough room in the back to have a seizure without getting hurt, she’s now calling on TransLink to provide proper signage for people with invisible illnesses, such as hers.

The numerous times I’ve sat in a disability seat, I don’t recall ever being given dirty looks, but perhaps I haven’t been paying proper attention to those around me. This might be a fault on my behalf. However, I do see a sadly difficult circumstance when it comes to asking TransLink to ‘properly’ accommodate all customers on public transit.

The fact of the matter is that invisible disabilities are just that — invisible. Unfortunately, the general public is ignorant of these issues, and that’s just the way it is. After all, how could they know? To ask TransLink to update their safety signage to include those with invisible problems is a safe request, but it’s equivalent to asking people to ‘be considerate’ of others when using transit services, something TransLink already does.

If the transit-goers don’t notice there’s a problem, then the problem won’t be solved.

And while this is a fair use of sign space, I’m saddened to say that many perfectly healthy people don’t take it to heart. The public in this city like to keep to themselves while they travel; most won’t be bothered to keep an awareness of others while on transit, and most don’t want any part in drama should it occur.

The unfortunate truth is that if the transit-goers don’t notice there’s a problem, then the problem won’t be solved. If you have an invisible disability, it’s best that you, yourself, make others aware by using your own signage — whether it be a tattoo, a paper sign, or some other indicator. Yes, I understand that many disadvantaged people may feel ‘branded’ or ‘outcast.’ They may not feel comfortable publicly displaying their personal problems, and they probably don’t want to be reminded of them each time they use transit.

However, it’s sadly out of TransLink’s reach to help these people. Invisible disabilities are a tricky subject to navigate when it comes to public spaces. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that when these issues meet the need for public recognition, they’re impossible to solve without somebody feeling violated or isolated in the end.

While I’ll be sure to leave the disability seat to someone else from now on, if I’m sitting in another space and you indicate to me that you need it more than I do, I will respect those needs. But you can’t expect TransLink to influence people to do this for you.