A COLLEGE GIRL in Southwest China's Sichuan province was criticized for not offering her seat on a train to an 80-year-old woman who had a standing only ticket. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Saturday:

It is inappropriate to blame the college student for not sharing her seat with the old woman, or the old woman's daughter who made a mountain out of a molehill.

True, it has become a consensus that the seats on buses and subways should be offered to those in need, including senior citizens. But seats on bullet trains are reserved by passengers who book their tickets in advance, and therefore passengers have the right to use their seat or offer it to a standing passenger as they choose. If someone is warm-hearted enough to offer his or her seat to the person in need, it should be encouraged.