A man has been filmed refusing to move for an 80-year-old woman trying to use the handrail to climb the stairs at Harrow and Wealdstone station in north London, in a video that has gone viral online. The footage, recorded by the man himself, shows him blocking her path and telling her she has legs to go around.
Confrontation on the Stairs
The elderly woman, clutching the handrail for stability, asks the man to let her pass. He replies, "Don't touch me," and states he is recording. When she insists, he says, "I'm here relaxing," and suggests she "go round." She explains she cannot, and he retorts, "You can, you've got legs." After she reveals her age, he responds, "So?" The woman eventually calls him "extremely rude and arrogant" and turns to a man in hi-vis for help.
Online Reaction
The clip, believed to have been filmed on Wednesday, has ignited widespread fury. One Facebook user wrote, "Move and help her up the stairs, show some respect!" Another commented, "He should not be blocking the stairs. The rail is there for a reason." On X, a user said, "Looks like she needed the handrail to help her. Totally unnecessary aggravation just for social media!"
Transport for London Response
Mark Evers, Transport for London's lead for Customer Insight, Strategy and Experience, said: "This behaviour is extremely disappointing and completely unacceptable. We expect customers travelling on our network to treat each other with respect at all times. Thankfully, this is not a typical reflection of the millions of customer journeys taking place every day."
