What would you do?

smackyB

Ok so I was getting the DART home from Sydney Parade at around 11.45 this morning. I get on and go to sit down. I see across from me this scumbag and his gf puffin away. At this stage most of you would be thinking just go to the next carriage and leave it alone but I was having a **** day and ppl smoking on the DART really piss me off so this guy just tipped me over the edge. I ask him politely to put it out. He of course tells me f off and mind my own business. I threaten to stop the train and move towards the next carriage. He jumps up and follows me, grabs me and pushes me back into my seat. I had the phone out and he shouts at me to put it away. About a stop later he says that basically it's my fault as I should be minding my own business, he's just come back from identifying his dad's body and he can smoke where he pleases. He then watches me until he gets off at Dun Laoghaire and then tells one of his mates, who happens to get on at Dun Laoghaire to watch me. I get off at Dalkey and make a statement to a garda at the local station.

My question is, what would you have done in the situation? I contemplated getting off earlier and calling the gardai but was scared in case he got off as well. Sometimes I really hate this country :mad:

foggy_lad

these scumbags are everywhere on irish public transport, they were even on the luas last night dealing and dodging the security guards who are basically powerless. they smoke and ride the luas/trains for free while other paying passengers pay the price!

i would have called the gardai and if threatened any further stopped the train as i would have felt my life might possibly be in danger by these scumbags and imo that is enough reason to stop the train and have them removed.

Judgement Day

Hasn't happened to me for years but when it did I always made a point of reporting it to the driver and, in most cases, they used to come down the train to the offending individual or make a PA announcement. I suppose coming down the train on an 8 car set might be a bit problematical. What bugs me is the little ****ers who scrape their initials etc on the windows - so much for CCTV. :rolleyes: And don't get me started on the chewing gum!

paulm17781

Scumbags don't seem to realise that it is your business when they smoke beside you on public transport. TBH, I think you handled it fairly well. Unless you were prepared to fight him (and I'm not saying you should), there wasn't really a whole lot more you could do.

MysticalSoul

Having witnessed a mugging on the train last week, where a guy then pulled the stop lever, you were best not to pull it, as that day it took 10 mins before the driver came to the carriage, and the train was stopped at a station when someone pulled the lever, to alert the driver of an incident.

If I were to mention to someone about smoking, I would start walking to another carriage, and then mention as walking to another carriage. If you had got off at an earlier station, I would say then to let the security at the station know - I would not have threatened to phone the guards, as unless the guards are actually on the train, they can do nothing to protect you. The mugging I witnessed last week, included someone being threatened with a knife, so unfortunate as it is that these idiots get away with smoking on public transport (when it is illegal), your safety is far more important.

Cookie_Monster

MysticalSoul wrote: »

, so unfortunate as it is that these idiots get away with smoking on public transport (when it is illegal),

when is it not, apart from out the back of a ferry?


@ OP I think you did all you could do without putting yourself in danger from the scumbags to be honest, you also did a lot more than most would do, fair play.

DWCommuter

You could try this.
Ive seen it done in real life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtbWdzlrbO8

JHMEG

Are STT's dodgy-looking Dart SWAT team not all over the network, or do they only coagulate in Connolly?