Miscreants on a Train
Discussion
On my way out to a jolly yesterday, I jumped on a train from my local station and walking through the middle to find a seat there was an electric scooter in the way which, if I wanted to continue walking, would have had to step over. It belonged to one of a pair of youths who were sprawled across four seats facing each other.
I glanced at the pair of them and there was absolutely zero effort to move the scooter or make an apology for it. I carried on with a deadpan face but one of them pipes up with, "wot you say?" I really didn't want to bite as in my estimate they couldn't have been a day over 18 but I may have been wrong, though I did reply as I carried on with my walk to a seat telling him he must be hearing things because I didn't say anything. "But you iz lookin at me like you wanna say suh-ing and I going to prison in 3 days so I don't care innit". As he did this he made a gesture of lifting his jacket up from over his trouser pocket. At this point I have to think about my next move, and just as I replied to his 'going to prison in free dayz' comment with, 'do you want a lift' I found myself thinking: they're a couple of teenage d
heads; do I really need to risk ruining my day by engaging them, and I'm not really that bothered by them at all however, one of them has indicated that he might be carrying a weapon (or certainly wanted to make me think that way). "Enjoy prison," I said as I sat down a couple of rows away from them but I was itching to do something more.
In one way it was a comforting thought that I know there is no way my two teenage sons would act anything like it. But then I thought, what if one or both of them encountered these two scumbags? What if they did have a weapon and wanted to add having used it on their CV? They were now in my head and I had to convince myself not to act upon the rage I was feeling. Then I thought, perhaps alert the BTP and let them intercept them at a station.
Looking through my phone, there was no way of discretely alerting anyone. It appears that the only way to get emergency assistance was by dialing 999. Meanwhile, the two cretins were discussing how they were going to exit their destination station (which was clearly about not paying). They didn't give a flying fk that there were about 12 other passengers privy to their conversations. This wound me up too and the urge to get up drag the pair out onto the next platform was growing stronger and stronger. Two stops later, they got off. My stop came after theirs.
When I walked out of the station there just so happened to be a police officer by the exit. I told him what happened and asked if there was a way to send a message discretely if you felt you couldn't make a 999 voice call. He didn't know. He added that IF I SAW a knife, he would want to know ALL the details but as I didn't see a weapon he couldn't help me. I didn't really want his help as such but was curious about how someone who might genuinely feel threatened by such a situation, how could they reach out for help?
I glanced at the pair of them and there was absolutely zero effort to move the scooter or make an apology for it. I carried on with a deadpan face but one of them pipes up with, "wot you say?" I really didn't want to bite as in my estimate they couldn't have been a day over 18 but I may have been wrong, though I did reply as I carried on with my walk to a seat telling him he must be hearing things because I didn't say anything. "But you iz lookin at me like you wanna say suh-ing and I going to prison in 3 days so I don't care innit". As he did this he made a gesture of lifting his jacket up from over his trouser pocket. At this point I have to think about my next move, and just as I replied to his 'going to prison in free dayz' comment with, 'do you want a lift' I found myself thinking: they're a couple of teenage d
heads; do I really need to risk ruining my day by engaging them, and I'm not really that bothered by them at all however, one of them has indicated that he might be carrying a weapon (or certainly wanted to make me think that way). "Enjoy prison," I said as I sat down a couple of rows away from them but I was itching to do something more. In one way it was a comforting thought that I know there is no way my two teenage sons would act anything like it. But then I thought, what if one or both of them encountered these two scumbags? What if they did have a weapon and wanted to add having used it on their CV? They were now in my head and I had to convince myself not to act upon the rage I was feeling. Then I thought, perhaps alert the BTP and let them intercept them at a station.
Looking through my phone, there was no way of discretely alerting anyone. It appears that the only way to get emergency assistance was by dialing 999. Meanwhile, the two cretins were discussing how they were going to exit their destination station (which was clearly about not paying). They didn't give a flying f
k that there were about 12 other passengers privy to their conversations. This wound me up too and the urge to get up drag the pair out onto the next platform was growing stronger and stronger. Two stops later, they got off. My stop came after theirs. When I walked out of the station there just so happened to be a police officer by the exit. I told him what happened and asked if there was a way to send a message discretely if you felt you couldn't make a 999 voice call. He didn't know. He added that IF I SAW a knife, he would want to know ALL the details but as I didn't see a weapon he couldn't help me. I didn't really want his help as such but was curious about how someone who might genuinely feel threatened by such a situation, how could they reach out for help?
Edited by Glassman on Sunday 5th May 10:50
I've filed a report online just now.
The only non-verbal way to report it at the time was by doing what I've just done. Given the time it took there's no way I would have seen it out on the train. One of the questions was, "is it happening right now?" and the footnote to that was to call 999 if it was.
I also hate the 'how did it make you feel' questions. There was also one that asked why I think it affects my travel on public transport. Umm...
The only non-verbal way to report it at the time was by doing what I've just done. Given the time it took there's no way I would have seen it out on the train. One of the questions was, "is it happening right now?" and the footnote to that was to call 999 if it was.
I also hate the 'how did it make you feel' questions. There was also one that asked why I think it affects my travel on public transport. Umm...
languagetimothy said:
Well if the scrote really is going to prison soon then be happy in the knowledge that he may find out quickly and abruptly how hard he really isn’t.
Is that even a thing? To be out and about, free to potentially commit more crime, before going to prison? I say he was talking bks. i4got said:
when you want to contact us about an issue that doesn't require an emergency response. For example, you can text when:You want to tell about an incident that has already happened
You want to tell us about issues affecting your rail journey or your local station
You have a general police enquiry
r3g said:
Given your last encounter with the police 
I am shocked that you are so eager to go through it all again! Some people never learn :sigh: .
Slightly different circumstances although I did wonder how things would pan out if I did take matters into my own hands (as in, I'm still waiting for the outcome of my voluntary interview). I am shocked that you are so eager to go through it all again! Some people never learn :sigh: .MYOB said:
Ok, maybe I’m misunderstanding the situation then. I thought OP hadn’t seen a weapon or was threatened with one. The miscreant lifted a shirt so maybe things have moved on and warrants a call to 999 after all.
Happy to accept this as an emergency/threat to life etc.
If someone is indicating they are (or may be) tooled up, it's them wanting you to back off, usually. That said, if someone won't back off you end up calling his bluff. Personally, I'd rather assume he means what he's saying and warrants dealing with. In this instance, they didn't threaten me or anyone close to me so I decided that meeting up with my friends and having a few beers and a laugh seemed a better way to spend the day. Happy to accept this as an emergency/threat to life etc.
When a known/watched suspect might be carrying a gun, if he reaches for his pocket when you apprehend him, I doubt he's about to pull out a rabbit. Tough call.
Timothy Bucktu said:
I think if it were me on the train and he told me he was going to jail...I'd probably ask which one, to which I'd reply with something like...oh that's a prison for low level criminals, you'll be fine in there mate haha, yeah. That's a soft prison lol. I was in Belmarsh last year...yeah...bit tougher in there but not too bad. Anyway, good luck mate
But then I do love winding up stupid people. They're an easy target.
I don't think this particular individual was capable of a straight answer. Troubled teenager. It's not normal, rational behaviour for a kid to give it large to an adult, especially a large ex-rugby player adult. But then I do love winding up stupid people. They're an easy target.
BTP called yesterday. In a nutshell, she said that as there is no audio on the CCTV it will be my word against theirs. I asked if they have the footage and if they can see the body language of both youths. She said no, but will put in a request.
This is a week after the event.
I also asked if she wanted to know which station they got off, "Ooh,yes please!" She didn't ask which carriage we were on.
This is a week after the event.
I also asked if she wanted to know which station they got off, "Ooh,yes please!" She didn't ask which carriage we were on.
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