Woman with Severe Motion Sickness Refuses to Give Up Her Seat to Pregnant Sister-in-Law
A woman refused to give up the front seat to her pregnant sister-in-law during a six-hour family car ride
She explained that she suffers from severe motion sickness and had already taken precautions
Now, her sister-in-law is upset and claims she was forced to "suffer" through the rideA woman seeks advice from the Reddit community following a tense family road trip that left her feeling conflicted and accused of being inconsiderate.
The 28-year-old woman shares in her post that she refused to give up her front seat to her pregnant sister-in-law and now finds herself at the center of family drama.
'I get motion sickness pretty badly unless I'm in the front passenger seat,' she writes, adding that her family is well aware of this long-standing issue. Even with medication, she says, 'it doesn't always help,' which is why she chose to sit up front for the six-hour drive.
The entire family, including her husband, his brother, and the brother's pregnant wife — who is six months along — had all packed into one car for the weekend trip. She explains that she 'got in the front seat as usual and everyone else got settled in the back,' without any objections at first.
But just 30 minutes into the drive, her sister-in-law asked if they could switch seats so she could stretch out and be more comfortable. 'I politely said I really didn't think I could because I'd likely get sick,' the woman explains, 'and reminded her I have had this issue for years.'
At that point, the conversation ended, but the issue wasn't over. 'She got quiet but didn't push it,' the woman recalls, though the tension began to build.
Later on, during a stop, the sister-in-law brought it up again — this time more directly. 'She said I was being selfish, and that she's carrying a human being and I'm just being 'a little nauseous,' ' the woman writes.
Fortunately, her husband stepped in to support her decision, reminding everyone that the seating arrangements had already been planned in advance. 'My husband backed me up, saying we had already discussed the seating beforehand,' she explains.
Still, the atmosphere in the car shifted, and not everyone seemed comfortable with how things were playing out. 'My in-laws seemed kind of awkward and didn't say much,' she notes, hinting at the growing unease.
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Since returning home, the situation has escalated behind the scenes. The woman reveals, 'I heard through another relative that she's still upset and told others I 'made her suffer' the whole ride.'
Now, she's left wondering if she handled things the right way or if she should've given up her spot to avoid the ongoing conflict. 'I honestly didn't mean to be rude or inconsiderate,' she says, 'but I also didn't want to throw up all over everyone.'
Supportive commenters offered alternative solutions that might have avoided the entire issue. 'You or SIL drive and the other sits in the passenger seat,' one suggests. 'I get car sick, so I do all the driving in my house.'
Another user points out that the couple could have made other plans entirely if the setup didn't work for them. 'She and her partner could have gotten another car with more space for her,' they write.
Despite the drama, the woman feels torn between compassion for her pregnant relative and her own very real physical needs. 'I feel bad, but I also feel like I shouldn't have to make myself sick for hours just to avoid conflict,' she admits.
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