Zhu Xianglin, a 73-year-old who has struggled with lung cancer over the past few years, figures his age and bad health should ensure he gets a seat on the bus. 

But getting anyone to give up their seat for him has proven difficult, if not impossible. Zhu hopped on a bus around 6:40am yesterday to get to a doctor's appointment at Zhongshan Hospital, but he had to stand or sit on a step for most of the trip as no one would give him a seat.

"I learned about indifference facing so many passengers," Zhu said yesterday, his lips trembling.

He had to sit on the conductor's seat for a while when the conductor was busy selling tickets. When Hu Xiaodong, the conductor, returned, she asked passengers to give a seat to Zhu four times, but everyone ignored the request.

Zhu had to sit on a step near the back door of the bus. He said he soon found it difficult to breathe due to the large crowd on the bus.

With the help of a female passenger, Zhu was able to stand up and breathe easier. He took out his medical record and begged for a seat, but his appeal was met with silence. After Zhu had been on the bus for more than 10 minutes, a man in his fifties ordered a middle school student to give up his seat for Zhu, and the boy finally agreed. Several minutes later, Zhu was breathing normally again. 

Chen Hailong, 60, a retired professor, said many young people won't give up their seats to the needy because they were never taught to as children. 

"I will give my seat to the needy, but it just depends on my mood that day. If I feel tired, I won't offer my seat," said Qin Li, a 26-year-old bank clerk. "But if a conductor tells me to give up my seat, I will. Otherwise, other people will despise me." 

Bus conductor Ma Weixing says most passengers will give up their seats if she asks them to.

"But some people will refuse firmly. They said they were also tired or they just didn't want to give up the seat," Ma said. 

Some people who have given up their seats say they received no thanks in return." A few days ago, I offered my seat voluntarily to a woman with a baby, but she didn't express any gratitude. After the passenger who sat beside the woman got off the bus, her husband grabbed the seat quickly, while I still stood near them," said a migrant woman surnamed Wu.