*sigh* Taking public transportation in LA is a severe headache, and sometimes a severe stabbing. Friday night under the guise of a full moon, my ex boyfriend was attacked by some young mumbling-crazy man who spit a lougie on him FIRST before attacking him with a homemade nail shank. Now he's okay, his wounds are mostly defensive but the question I have is why, why, WHY do busdrivers insist on letting crazy people on the bus, for FREE. It's bad enough I have to deal with their stench but now I have to deal with them yelling and a'spitting and a'stabbing. What's the world coming to these days? I understand being altruistic and understanding but at the cost of my safety? My paid busfare safety? They won't let me bring my bike on the back of the bus when the racks are full at the front, but they'll let a crazy man smelling of piss and anger and mental instability in? What gives?
Mika
Bus drivers just want to avoid a conflict like everyone else. They live in the same world we do.
Sorry about your boyfriend, but you can't really say anything about the situation or possible solutions without coming off as insensitive.
Posted by: Spokker | 05/12/2009 at 04:16 PM
of course I'm insensitive. Being in the vicinity of people getting assaulted, being harassed as a single female taking public transportation, having friends, even snooty ex boyfriends getting nail shanked is going to be make me biased. I just want to be comfortable, what's the standard? How low do things have to get?
It's not just an issue of public safety, it's about public welfare and that there's no system really in place to look out for mentally disturbed folks. So they ended up uncared for, smelling terrible etc etc
Don't think that I don't think of these things.
Posted by: Mika Muyo | 05/12/2009 at 05:09 PM
Glad he's doing well. Be careful out there!
Posted by: Matt | 05/12/2009 at 06:50 PM
That's wow...wow...you know I'm always conflicted about this kind of stuff. I mean yeah I care about the fact that you've completely lost your mind, but then again I also care about me. I tend to be bias in regards to myself too, who the hell isn't. Once I was on this bus (I filmed it but felt it was true cruel to put the video up) and this lady totally crazy. Screaming about god and jesus (I thought in my head if this is what your god does for you let me remember to never go to your church) and spitting, chick was spitting. I think what made me so angry about this situation was that the bus driver who let this obviously insane person for free on the bus had left me because I was texting on my phone. Bus driving chick KNEW I was waiting for her, because she sees me everyday, but for some reason bus driving chick doesn't like me, so I felt out of spite she left me one day while I was looking down. I ran for it, but she just sped off like a demon from hell. I was so mad. I called customer service and I think I cursed out a few people. Not like they could fix anything, but it made me feel better and for her to let this lady on, but not me. I mean in some ways I guess she felt I'm a little shit text messaging so fuck me, but this lady needed to get to wherever she was going so to me you know in quiet meditation if I'm trying to be all zen about the situation it was some class karma justice, but still my immediate reaction was this is some fucking bullshit. Who can I call or write to stop this insanity, but then my Catholic roots took over and I decided a crusade against the least economic empowered might send me to hell or something, not like I believe in that kind of thing, but you know just in case. I certainly don't want some one way ticket to hell if it happens to be real. What if I die and there is a god I'm certain a crusade against homeless crazy people who spit would at least put me in purgatory.
Browne
Posted by: browne | 05/12/2009 at 07:32 PM
You can't really blame the bus operator. That could easily have been him/her. In fact most likely as they contact crazies all day long. Some cities have even begun installing protective barriers/doors between the bus operator and the passengers.
Posted by: Shawn | 05/13/2009 at 08:45 PM
LA busdrivers are all jerks. They wont let you on with a drink or some food. But they'll let some mentally insane homeless person on. Who reaks of urine or feces while shouting obscenities in their seat with their giant plastic bag full of crushed cans. Then those times when you're standing at a crosswalk waiting for the light to turn so you can cross & catch the bus thats stopped at the light right across the street. You're waving them down trying to tell them to wait just a few more seconds for you. They see you but ignore you & take off. That is unless you're on that one bus thats number I cant recall. But the one that goes on hollywood blvd & then turns on fairfax. you know, that one with the happy sounding machine that says "next stop is... HOLLYWOOD & _____". then there are those times when everyone just got off work & every bus passing is packed with people like sardines & the bus driver says "front door only" but you're sitting all the way in the back. because lets face it, the seats in the back are the best. sorry for trailing haha.
Posted by: blue demon | 05/13/2009 at 09:35 PM
Sorry for your experience! We've all been through it. Just thank God/Buddha/Yawhe/Goddess that you're not that raving lunatic.
Posted by: Simon | 05/13/2009 at 10:24 PM
Welcome aboard, Mika Muyo!
And don't heed Spokker; he's the Bus Bench's resident ED kid who we mainstream in the vain hope that being among normal folks who have lived abroad, will help attenuate his blinkered demeanour. And just like that driver, I am sorry to state, we let him aboard for free. . .
Posted by: Randall BusTard | 05/14/2009 at 07:46 AM
Totally agree, Mika! I realize I'm a bit late to the game on this post but I wonder the same thing just about everyday. Clearly deranged peeps often shout filthy words while BOARDING the bus. Then, of course, once we're cruising along, it just get worse. Hope your ex BF has fully recovered.
Posted by: Rosemary | 06/06/2009 at 11:52 PM
It's never too late to comment about the bus. If you think about it late comments are very bus like.
Browne
Posted by: browne | 06/07/2009 at 07:30 AM