Wednesday, February 08, 2006

The decline of western civilisation AKA the bus to work

I live in a nice part of the city and I work in a less nice area. I get the bus to work because somehow I've never learned how to drive. Getting the bus is good for the environment but it isn't always fun.

Today was the worst day yet. There are some school kids who get this bus who are total bastards. In the six months since August I have seen them spout racist abuse and spit at people of different racial origins. I have seen them pick on one wee fat kid constantly. I have seen them throw newspapers and other missiles at random passengers ( that one pissed me off so much that I shouted at one of them a few months back - I felt sorry for the fat kid).

On at least four occasions they have kicked out the upstairs windows forcing the bus to stop its journey. The police have been on the bus twice to book them. No effect.

The morning riot kicked off at around 8:30 today. The bus company had set an ambush. Three inspectors were either following in a car or waiting at a prearranged stop. This shit is as regular as clockwork. The inspectors came on and kicked off the two main scumbags.

That wasn't the end of it. The bus continued down the road and got stuck in traffic. The kids ran down the middle of the (busy) road and pulled open the emergency exit. The driver stopped the bus and entered into a standoff. He refused to move the bus until the kids got off. This went on for some time.

As I have a job, I got of the bus to catch a taxi. Some people from my work did the same thing. The bus started going again when we were 200 metres down the road. The bus stopped to let us back on. Unfortunately the little bastards got back on. Then the trouble really started.

The driver got out of his seat and the lead teenage scumbag basically started a fight with him. A 15 year old boy started a fight with a 50 year old man. Society has crumbled. The driver eventually got the little shit off the bus. The air was filled with threats of violence and recrimination.

One of the secretarial staff at my work, a lady in her mid-40s, was slightly 'jostled' in the fight. Luckily she seemed to be ok afterwards. She phoned the school to complain about these kids. I was able to tell her the name of the main kid involved. I've been sitting on that bus watching this shit for 6 months. I've got a good memory.

So, what will happen? I'm cynical. I think the bus driver will be suspended and the little shit will get off scot-free. This will be sad.

What should happen? I'm not sure. Some intervention is required. The police should at the least interview that kid. The troublemakers should be banned from the bus. Social services or the childrens panel should be involved. If that kid keeps acting this way he will end up in jail or worse.

Why does this happen? Social deprivation and a lack of positive role models. These kids look around and see no future. In this part of the city you find a lot of gangs, a lot of IV drug addicts and a lot of alcoholics. Probably a lot of domestic abuse. Certainly a lot of unemployment. Society is fucked.

But on the bright side, at least we aren't being bombed by America.

funky

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