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Original poster

School boy won't let people sit down

308 replies

Hospital2022 · 05/12/2022 17:49

Every day after school we see the same boy on the bus. He sits on a double seat and refuses to let people sit next to him he puts his leg there so no one can sit there. Several times people have wanted to sit. He won't move for anyone. Such as small children who can't balance . Elderly people. Adults have told him of on several occasions telling him to let the old lady sit down . Today he sat on the back seats. The ones where there are 5/6 seats all next to each other. He had his bag on one seat. He was sitting on the one next to it, then had his leg on the other so was taking up 3 seats . An old man asked him to move over so he can sit down . The boy refused to move several times the man asked and the boy kept refusing. The man then said im 74 years old and you won't even let me sit down you have no manners. He was a frail man. He was able to get a seat in the end. But this has been going on for a few weeks now and the boy is doing it everyday. I know what school he has to but I don't know his name or anything like that. So I can't complain to the school bas thete are over 1000 pupils in the school.

We are talking a London bus at school going home time so it's very busy.

It sounds petty when I write it but he is causing upset abd stress towards passengers.

Any suggestions ?

OP posts:
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/12/2022 19:39

Next time this happens and he does it to an old person film it and share it on your local spotted page. It will no doubt get back to his parents.

If it could 'accidentally' be leaked to Metro, that might not be such a tragic thing....

DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 19:40

If he's got a problem with personal space (like many people have) he can stand up then can't he?

It doesn't give him the right to act like he owns the other seats around him.

AlwaysLatte · 05/12/2022 19:40

Next time this happens and he does it to an old person film it and share it on your local spotted page. It will no doubt get back to his parents.
Terrible advice.

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General education
DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 19:41

AlwaysLatte · 05/12/2022 19:39

You can't take picture of a child. Speak to the bus driver, and if nothing is done then take it up with the bus company. Copy that letter in to the school and maybe a general announcement can be made at school.

You can't take picture of a child

Except she can and she said upthread that she will.

CarefreeMe · 05/12/2022 19:41

He would have to show the bus driver his pass, so you could tell the driver that you are reporting him to his school and ask the driver to pass his name on if he catches it.

AdelaideRo · 05/12/2022 19:41

There were girls on a bus route I used to use who did this regularly with their bags/ flutes etc.

I asked them to move their bags one day so an elderly lady could sit down. I couldn't stand myself as I was holding a sleeping toddler.

They laughed at me.

I emailed the head of their school and I know it was brought up in assembly as my colleagues daughter goes to the school and told her Mum about it which as my colleague had heard me bitching about them and their rudeness at work made her tell me.

EvilRingahBitch · 05/12/2022 19:41

Gagaandgag · 05/12/2022 19:34

This!!
Sometimes I read these threads with such dismay. So many judgemental comments. No one knows his personal experiences. Of course it is ‘socially unacceptable’ behaviour but why can’t people l come from an angle of care rather than judgement 🤦🏼‍♀️

Show quote history

This is why a photo and an email to the school is a good approach. In the (IMO) unlikely event that his behaviour has a sympathetic explanation school will probably know this and can address appropriately before he gets on the wrong side of someone who takes one of the more aggressive approaches suggested on this thread.

Winterfires · 05/12/2022 19:42

Wrongsideofpennines · 05/12/2022 19:38

No, you're sitting on the seat. If his leg is in the way after you have warned him your are going to sit in the seat then tough luck.

I wouldn't take photos because nobody knows what you will do with that photo after the incident. Is it going to be all over social media or sent to a newspaper? Made into your own personal collection? Photoshopped into something more sinister?

But yes I would sit in a seat if he wasn't fully occupying it. Just as I would if a larger person was sitting across two seats and I needed to sit down on the other half of one.

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You could get yourself in trouble sitting on a child but taking a photo is perfectly legal.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/12/2022 19:43

Why are people so terrified about taking a photo or video of a child in public, when the context of their poor behaviour is clearly shown in context and there are lots of witnesses to the situation around?

Anybody can take a photo surreptitiously these days, so I'd hardly think a perv would be likely to speak to the lad and make it obvious what they were doing.

georgarina · 05/12/2022 19:43

Hospital2022 · 05/12/2022 18:21

It really does not work like that on London buses. Especially at very busy times .

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I've had bus drivers tell people to move multiple times when they refused to get out of the wheelchair/buggy area so I could get on. It does work like that.

DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 19:43

CarefreeMe · 05/12/2022 19:41

He would have to show the bus driver his pass, so you could tell the driver that you are reporting him to his school and ask the driver to pass his name on if he catches it.

That's not how Oyster cards work. You just tap them on the reader.

Gagaandgag · 05/12/2022 19:44

Many people actually hide their true feelings incredibly well in the moment and it comes out later. As a society we have so far to go in terms of really being compassionate. They have introduced the sunflower lanyard as a means of progressing awareness, understanding and compassion.

I was on a tube once and to any other stranger I could have appeared absolutely fine.
I hated the fact that people were so close to me and when I got off the tube I went in the toilet and fainted!

GiantPiggyCages · 05/12/2022 19:44

The driver should be able to report the boy and he will get his free travel oyster pass revoked! Some teens tried to mug a friend of mine the bus and they were identified by their Oyster cards. TFL can withdraw free travel from kids who intimidate other passengers

TrevorOrWhatever · 05/12/2022 19:44

Fart on him.

TomTraubertsBlues · 05/12/2022 19:45

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 05/12/2022 17:54

I'd take a picture of him and take it to the school

Yeah, shame the fucker.

Shade17 · 05/12/2022 19:46

You can't take picture of a child

Get a grip!

DunnoIfImOverreacting · 05/12/2022 19:46

I’ve shoved kids’ bags on to the floor before now, also recently a group of lads started throwing bits of paper at me … I gave them an extremely loud bollocking and scared the crap out of them 😂 I look pretty meek, sitting reading a book - they don’t expect the level of rage and venom I can generate very quickly 🤬

I’d be taking a photo and sending it to the school, they’ll have a word.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/12/2022 19:46

He would have to show the bus driver his pass, so you could tell the driver that you are reporting him to his school and ask the driver to pass his name on if he catches it.

If it's the same driver, it would be great if s/he could insist on stopping and charging the boy. When he protests that he gets a free seat, they could reply with "Yes, I know you get A free seat - it's the other seat(s) you always take that I'm charging you for".

Zone2NorthLondon · 05/12/2022 19:46

PeterRabbitHadACarrot · 05/12/2022 18:00

I would take his picture and send it to the school.
I'd also tell him to move and say I'm pregnant and then stand next to him when he refuses and 'accidentally' spill very strong cold coffee or something all over that will smell and stain. Oh dear, wouldn't have happened if he had moved.
Also, have you told the bus driver / company? They should be kicking him off really

You’d purposefully spill coffee on him to assert your moral authority. Riiiiight you are. Skewed logic
And presumably you’d hang about to have the Oh dear, wouldn't have happened if he had moved argument

catandcoffee · 05/12/2022 19:47

I'd live stream him on Facebook....it'll spread very quickly...little shit.

DigitalTranny · 05/12/2022 19:47

Next time the little prick refuses to move, grab his school bag and throw it to the other end of the bus. He will have to pick it up and then people can sit down. Problem solved.

CarefreeMe · 05/12/2022 19:49

That's not how Oyster cards work. You just tap them on the reader.

Does it not flash up their photo or name?

(You can tell I live in Cornwall can’t you, we barely have public transport here 😁).

TomTraubertsBlues · 05/12/2022 19:49

Trinity69 · 05/12/2022 19:26

This is where my head went first. He may have autism of any other kind of neurodivergence. I wouldn't automatically assume he was being an arsehole, I'd assume there was a reason he can't deal with strangers being close to him. The bus journey could be incredibly stressful for him without the addition of a stranger. If however his general attitude is belligerent and rude, he is in fact, an arse.

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If he can't be near people, he should stand. Why should his (unconfirmed) neurodiversity trump the needs of a frail elderly person?

lookersnoopy · 05/12/2022 19:50

The most fascinating part of this for me is that the boy and OP are regularly in the same bus in London

Bewitched005 · 05/12/2022 19:51

Gagaandgag · 05/12/2022 19:36

What if the bus is his only form of transport.
You don’t know peoples circumstances

Just be NICE!

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I'm being realistic. I don't need to know his personal circumstances to know he's a rude entitled brat if he won't move his legs or hisbag to let someone sit down. The OP said he was fine until a few weeks ago.
Stop being so wishy washy with your excuses.

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