9 July 2010

The Plusses of Busses - The 30 to Giralang on 8.7.10

| Rollersk8r
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I think this post may draw some predictable responses (if any).

Last night on the 5pm Giralang bus (30) from Civic I witnessed one of the most sickening displays on anti-social behaviour of my life. Two girls, approximately 16 years old, and a male of similar age, pulled out their graffiti paint pens and began writing all over the seats – in plain view of a full bus. Nobody said anything or stopped them because they seemed like the types spoiling for a reaction. From their expletive-filled conversation I’m sure they are no strangers to the local authorities.

The main offender wrote “Tamyka” several times in pink and yellow paint, which I assume is this little darling’s name.

But this wasn’t enough. They soon began picking on people for no reason. They racially abused a middle-aged asian woman who was trying to ignore them. When the woman asked why they were drawing on the seats they flat out denied doing it, and taunted her to prove it, call the Police etc. Their language was unrepeatable and their abuse was ferocious.

Once they finally got off (at the first stop inside Kaleen) the bus breathed a collective sigh of relief – then began an open conversation on what someone should have said or done. Strangers apologised to each other for tolerating their behaviour, especially the racial abuse. Sad that it took something so appalling to generate some conversation on the bus. I have never seen anything like it.

As you might say – I was just as responsible as anyone else for not stopping them. And I agree. But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?

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We get taught at school to “ignore it and it will go away”. But then be the hero and potentially get yourself into some serious trouble. What to do?

A very effective technique in this situation is to throw something totally left field at them to totally stun them. They’re expecting confrontation and because their friends are there they can’t back down; and they’re going to be naturally aggressive and want to prove how tough they are. So throw a curve ball at them and do something they’re not expecting to counter the aggressive behaviour…and suggest everyone on the bus participates in a sing a long.

Something from the Sound of Music perhaps.

They’ll think you’re so weird, even more so if you can get everyone on the bus to join in.

Now THAT’s something worth recording on a camera phone:)

(all jokes aside it is a technique that has worked for me in the past. Stopping some all in brawls by asking one of the guys what hair product he used, and another by suggesting we have a Run-DMC style dance off meant they obviously thought I was a total doosh, but it meant noone got hurt. The ‘be a hero’ confrontation technique- not so successful)

grumpyrhonda10:09 pm 12 Jul 10

I so wish there was a thumbs up or thumbs down button to click next to comments. Some of these are priceless!

The bus driver should radio to control to get the cops to meet the bus. I know drivers themselves may be paranoid to confront the buggers, but it doesn’t mean they should abdicate all responsibility. It’s not up to the bystanders to intervene unless someone is being physically threatened. But ‘disturbing the peace’ and destruction of bus property is a good enough reason for the police to get involved.

Heroes saying that they would have stoppped them.
You would have physically restrained them?
Then those kids would have got you charged for abusing them or being a pedo.
They would have had no problem with hitting you. But if you defended yourself you would have been charged with assulting kids.
It’s all very well and good to say that you wouldn’t have let it happen – but if you were actually in the bus it would have been very different to making judgements after the fact.

I was on a crowded bus to Woden about 5.30pm recently, and four teenage boys, say about 16 or 17, got on. They were noisy and swearing their heads off loudly, smelled like they’d had a few drinks. It was unpleasant for everyone on the bus. So, I told them that it would be polite if they kept it down a bit, and not swear. I told them that I was sure their mothers had brought them up to be polite, all said with a smile. One of them gave a smartarse response and one of them looked very embarrassed. I got off the bus shortly afterwards, but I think it worked.

I’m a 50 year old woman, and yes, it was a bit confronting for me. I tried to appeal to their better natures rather than be aggressive or threatening. Interestingly, not a single other person on the bus said a word, heads to the ground, no eye contact. I understand the concerns expressed here about the possible reactions of the kids, but I think I would have said something here too, especially when they started picking on someone.

It wouldve been a sticky situation to be in, personally I wouldnt get involved because no matter what you say they will just pick a fight with you and at the end of the day they wont learn anything. They will hop onto the next bus and do the same thing again. The problem is that most likely this isnt the worst they will do in their pathetic lives.
Agree with tanber also. Each generation of them just gets worse and worse.

Personally, I’d have used a few gestures or words amounting to “you need to stop that thanks” – which wouldn’t have gone astray – and knowing somebody was keeping an eye them may have just done the trick. Had it escalated, telling the bus driver would have been my next step. In any case, the bus driver should have been informed immediately and he should have put the buggers off the bus.

Having said that, I know better than most what kids these days can be like, fronting classrooms of them in my work almost daily. The video exists in the buses to follow-up such incidents, but it is more important to deal with them at the time.

I can understand your hesitation to do anything at the time, but standing by watching will never change their behaviour. It is up to the individual whether they are willing to stand by and watch as these things happen, allowing them to escalate in the future, or stand up, and risk the possibility of being drawn into an uncomfortable situation.

tanber said :

I just wish they’d stop breeding.

Agreed… 100%…

Ah Kaleen – went to the High School and left after a couple of years for this very reason and that was many years ago. This is why I wouldn’t live in this suburb or go near it unless I had to.

Like the reference to the bystander effect and armchair vigilantes – very true. As for the bus driver – even if they do know it is also not in their interest to step in. They are clearly told they will most likely be charged with assault and receive no support from management.

Can’t you just imagine the bogan mother on the news? Ranting at how badly their little precious was treated and how they’re just a kid? Demanding a new law be created in their name (Shylah, Skylah whatever) to protect other innocent little petals from being treated the same way. The compensation they’re going to demand will not of course help ease their pain but they’ll go after it anyway for the sake of ‘others”. All the while their apparently woeful little progeny will be standing beside them trying to look sweet and innocent. It’s not their fault they’re the way they are of course. I just wish they’d stop breeding.

GardeningGirl10:17 am 11 Jul 10

I completely understand what both Auntyem and georgesgenitals are saying. But where does that leave society heading? I don’t know the best answer to situations like that, but if ACTION really want to encourage more people to travel on busses they need to do something.

georgesgenitals12:00 am 11 Jul 10

Tooks said :

georgesgenitals said :

vg said :

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

Granted, not everyone has the physical presence or the confidence to stand up to kids like this, but you would think at least one of the adults on the bus would.

By the way, you always have a right to defend yourself against a physical assault if they happened to start something – as long as the force you use to defend yourself is reasonable; plus, you would have a bus load of witnesses to back you up!

I going to go out on a limb here, and admit that I’m a large bloke of about 30, and frankly a couple of ratbag teenagers don’t scare me. What scares me is:
* having to explain this to a judge in two years time when it eventually gets to court
* having to explain to my employer why I have to go to court
* having to explain to the police how a knife a kid produced came to be stuck in that kid’s belly, and whether this constituted ‘reasonable force’
* watching over my shoulder for this kids dad, uncles, cousins, brothers, mother, sisters, friends, etc, who will invariably discover who I am and where I live.

It’s too much trouble, and I have way too much to lose.

Having the bus load of witnesses is nice, but there are always people around for whom oversized males are automatically bullies, especially where kids are involved. I wouldn’t want to be relying on them for legal protection.

If it were me on the bus, I’d offer to swap seats with the lady getting hassled, then sit there and not engage them.

SolarPowered7:08 pm 10 Jul 10

Auntyem said :

Rollersk8ter – don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s easy for people to sit back and say ‘I would have done something’ when we’re sitting our computers in the comfort of our own homes.

+1

Rollersk8ter, I think I would have done the same thing. You just don’t know what some people are capable of. I would just want to get home to my family in one piece. Don’t beat yourself up over it.

This sounds like a job for Epic Beard Man

http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Epic_Beard_Man

Garran said :

grunge_hippy said :

Garran said :

Were they these kids, circa 15-16 years old, two girls (one named Tamika) and a boy?

http://www.news.com.au/national/police-stopped-chase-before-fatal-crash/story-e6frfkvr-1225843411620

Funny how stories continue with the same cast.

several things wrong with this.

1) The offender spelt her name Tamyka not Tamika
2) Tamika and its spelling variations is a very common bogan name.

Take that long bow and go shoot somewhere else.

Not such a long bow – I posted that link in the hope that the OP might recognize their faces. Newspapers misspell names all the time, the correct spelling certainly appears to be Tamyka, but thats also Tamika phonetically. Three siblings, recently associated with a ‘bogan’ tragedy, now taking out their frustration on the world? Call it a long bow, I still see a possible link.

Well OP, were they those kids?

——————————

For shits and giggles

This is probably a “low bow” or a very loud but well intentioned burst of misses from an elevator gun…. but if you google Kaleen Criminals this comes up

http://upload.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=8007027552

Depending on your ability to give a f**k? the original poster may want to see if anyone in the friends list looks familar. This page is most likely completely unrealated to the aformentioned incident but the age group is similar. No doubt with this information in hand AFP/ASIO special operations personnel will be fastroping into their parents house in no time flat lol After all if these individuals were to be apprehended they would face at a minimum a good four decades in the bootyhouse er maybe not?

After all nobody likes a Narc…

That being said it is unfortunate Epic Beardman wasn’t in attendance.

(Honestly the most shocking part of this post is the popularity of the name Tamika in Australia. I myself am partial to the name Sha’Quonda, Guess I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch the above would be determined only after prolonged consultation with wichever babymama it involved)

The Traineediplomat6:06 pm 10 Jul 10

In the spirit of this forum and this particular post, I must protest at 54-11’s comment about “…nor the pigs…”.

They are called the police or police officers or even cops. Please refer to them as such.

Rollersk8ter – don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s easy for people to sit back and say ‘I would have done something’ when we’re sitting our computers in the comfort of our own homes.

I know I wouldn’t have done anything for several reasons – 1. These kind of people scare me because they don’t care if they hurt you (and I’m not as fit as I was 40 years ago), and 2. I don’t want to be spat on, pushed over, or stabbed by some dickhead because he (or she) wants to impress other dickheads.

It’s nice to think that we could all be vigilantes and everyone on the bus would have grabbed these three and held them until the police arrived (ten hours later) but in the end no one was physically injured and some interesting (soul searching) points have been raised in this thread about the actions of bystanders.

Get some sleep! 🙂

“You” and “vg”, what fukn great armchair heroes you are. You’d be the hero vigilantes, would you?

The cops have no hesitation in charging people who get involved in things they shouldn’t, and that’s after the principled citizen has just had a blade shoved through their gut by these unprincipled young thugs.

“You” and “vg”, you make me fukn angry for being such pricks. BTW, I tried to help once on the bus many years ago – did the driver help? No, just sat there. Did the interchange security help? No just let the thugs walk away. There is no point poeple puting themselves at risk, because neither ACTION nor the pigs will ever do anything to help.

As I said originally, I am/was responsible as anyone else – and yes, I am ashamed that I didn’t act. I’m plenty old enough and plenty big enough.

It’s a poor excuse – but I’m sure I was thinking the same as everyone else; I’ve been at work all day and I if deserve one thing it’s get home to my family without dealing with this shit. I’m just going to make trouble for myself if I step in. The legal stuff did enter my mind too, especially how it looks for grown man to physically defend himself against a girl, if it comes to that.

Simply telling them to stop would have done nothing except encourage more abuse. They needed to be removed.

Also thought about the camera phone – but the driver confirmed they would have been filmed and there will be a report etc.

It may seem like a pretty minor incident but I was still so angry at what happened and angry at myself that I had trouble sleeping that night – and I’m still thinking about it now, obviously.

So yes, if there’s a next time – I will be the goose to tell the driver, not let the bus leave the interchange, have security called – and cop the abuse for it.

And no – not the same Tamika from the Fyshwick car accident story.

georgesgenitals said :

vg said :

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

Granted, not everyone has the physical presence or the confidence to stand up to kids like this, but you would think at least one of the adults on the bus would.

By the way, you always have a right to defend yourself against a physical assault if they happened to start something – as long as the force you use to defend yourself is reasonable; plus, you would have a bus load of witnesses to back you up!

grunge_hippy said :

Garran said :

Were they these kids, circa 15-16 years old, two girls (one named Tamika) and a boy?

http://www.news.com.au/national/police-stopped-chase-before-fatal-crash/story-e6frfkvr-1225843411620

Funny how stories continue with the same cast.

several things wrong with this.

1) The offender spelt her name Tamyka not Tamika
2) Tamika and its spelling variations is a very common bogan name.

Take that long bow and go shoot somewhere else.

Not such a long bow – I posted that link in the hope that the OP might recognize their faces. Newspapers misspell names all the time, the correct spelling certainly appears to be Tamyka, but thats also Tamika phonetically. Three siblings, recently associated with a ‘bogan’ tragedy, now taking out their frustration on the world? Call it a long bow, I still see a possible link.

Well OP, were they those kids?

antycbr said :

Could the bus driver divert to say, the Belconnen Police Station without stopping? that would be one of the options you have when the offenders are still on the bus. And relatively easy to get people home seeing the bus depot is just up the road.

That’s what I thought their procedure is in the event of trouble on the bus – or else radio back to base to arrange for the bus to be met by police somewhere en route.

Could the bus driver divert to say, the Belconnen Police Station without stopping? that would be one of the options you have when the offenders are still on the bus. And relatively easy to get people home seeing the bus depot is just up the road.

i must’ve caught the same bus as the OP described on 9/7. All over the back couple of seats was the same graffiti, namely “Tamyka”, “Kaleen Criminals” and “2617”.

georgesgenitals said :

vg said :

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

I’m with georgesgenitals (always wanted to say that!). There’s no protection for the socially-minded citizen; they’re the first to be prosecuted. Legislation can’t take into account circumstances or motivations or intentions, only actions.

So we’re stuffed.

I was thinking about this after watching Harry Brown recently. These social problems only occur in cities. They are absolutely confined to urban areas; so could the problems be resolved by eliminating cities and insisting everyone live in small communities where people are forced to be conscious of the impact of their actions? Just a thought.

GardeningGirl12:11 am 10 Jul 10

I don’t think I’d want to be the first to try to do something if I wasn’t sure that the rest of the crowd would back me up, but if people don’t do something I fear for the way society is going. Doesn’t ACTION have a policy on this, I’m sure troublesome passengers used to be put off the bus? Yeah, I know, these days the poor dears would probably sue because it took them a bit longer to get home, oh the outrage. Best response I reckon would be to stop and lock the bus and wait for the police, and everyone inconvenienced gets to claim compensation from the little ratbags!
Going to look at that link Erg0 posted now . . .

grunge_hippy9:45 pm 09 Jul 10

Garran said :

Were they these kids, circa 15-16 years old, two girls (one named Tamika) and a boy?

http://www.news.com.au/national/police-stopped-chase-before-fatal-crash/story-e6frfkvr-1225843411620

Funny how stories continue with the same cast of idiots.

several things wrong with this.

1) The offender spelt her name Tamyka not Tamika
2) Tamika and its spelling variations is a very common bogan name.

Take that long bow and go shoot somewhere else.

i’d have taken out my red textra and corrected their mistakes – grammar nazis always win these battles and they would have sulked off, ashamed and demoralised…

sexynotsmart8:51 pm 09 Jul 10

+1 for camera phone.

Coz pictures are the gift that give twice. A judge may find them interesting, and JohnBoy could post them here.

UrbanAdventure.org8:18 pm 09 Jul 10

georgesgenitals said :

vg said :

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

I agree with this. I mean, what are we to do? You talk to kids and they’ll start to abuse and threaten you. You stand up to them and before you know it, the kids of today pull a knife. They don’t play by the rules. They don’t respect authority. They’ve got no issues taking people on. They know if you merely touch them they can yell assault and put you in a world of legal shit.

Now I’m not saying nothing should be done. I’d want to tell those kids to stop vandali the bus, and I’d really want to tell them to cut out the racism but yeah, having been shot at once and being thretened with a cross bow, that’s rap I’d rather avoid.

Some times it is better not to react. It sucks, but yeah, some times that’s the betoption. The other option is we hike it up, get involved, have a punch up or worse.

I think the poster did right thing by reporting it to the bus driver and police. We’re not super heros and no one was in danger so there’s no need to take the law into our own hands. Still, some times, I wish we could, and belt the crap out of those little punks.

Sorry, I have problems with a bus full of adults letting three teenagers act in that way. It’s NOT someone else’s problem. It’s yours.
Suck it up and deal with it. You’re supposed to be the adults. Don’t tut tut about kids behaviour if you’re not willing to do something about it.

And, it takes a community to raise a child. While everyone is whinging about Tyffphannee, Tamyeekhar and Tyson-Beeber and their anti social behaviour, just remember, each time you do nothing – and the on-lookers do nothing, you are condoning that behaviour. It’s not for the Police or the Gubament or the social services to deal with…..

Or maybe you just like venting here?

ACTION buses have a minimum of three cameras monitoring the interior (plus a fourth recording the driver’s view). Why bother with a cameraphone? ACTION already has all the evidence that it needs if it wants to prosecute the matter.

I like the bravehearts on this site, “grow a pair and step in” “personally I’d feel ashamed” Get over yourselves!!.

Are you forgetting these little darlings like to carry knives these days, they think its tough and impresses the girls (god knows why), so how would you feel if little darling boy produced a knife in a bus with you having no where to move and he manages to stick it in your ribs, because face facts, if he is writing on a seat in a bus, he isn’t smart enough to stop and think, if I put this knife in someone its a bad thing……..

And to back up George, you are dead right.

Deadmandrinking6:40 pm 09 Jul 10

georgesgenitals said :

vg said :

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

Not to mention we have no idea who the poster is, how big they are etc. 16 is almost fully grown…

georgesgenitals6:08 pm 09 Jul 10

vg said :

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

And do what? You can tell them to settle down, sure, but the second physical contact is made (regardless of who starts it), the cops will be all over you.

Just on the off chance that anyone’s interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

If anyone had a cameraphone, the first thing you could have done was catch them in action. Then at least you have some evidence to show the authorities and they can confirm if they are ‘known’ repeat offenders or not.

Were they these kids, circa 15-16 years old, two girls (one named Tamika) and a boy?

http://www.news.com.au/national/police-stopped-chase-before-fatal-crash/story-e6frfkvr-1225843411620

Funny how stories continue with the same cast of idiots.

PS: Also disgusted with the whole situation, I’m sorry to hear you encountered it directly.

Pommy bastard5:02 pm 09 Jul 10

You said :

Was the entire bus made up of kids, because I find it amazing that no one, including yourself, had the balls to confront a bunch of teenage plebs about what they were doing. Including racially abusing someone.

Personally, i’d feel pretty ashamed.

+1

Mob Justice: it’s not just for big cities!

“But other than reporting it to the driver and the police, which I did, what can you do?”

Grow an effing pair and step in.

Was the entire bus made up of kids, because I find it amazing that no one, including yourself, had the balls to confront a bunch of teenage plebs about what they were doing. Including racially abusing someone.

Personally, i’d feel pretty ashamed.

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