What is bus driver's responsibility

[purpleme12]

If a passenger on bus is causing trouble
An adult unknown to the children started having a go at them FUCKING this and FUCKING that and threatening them and got physical with one grabbing the child by the collar.

What are the responsibilities of the bus driver here? Do they have any? Are they taught anything about this situation?

Thanks

Sounds like feral kids were kicking off and adult stepped in
depends who the account of the incident came from
because if it came the feral brats they will paint themselves as victims and it will be a very one sided story

Please don't try to say it's a completely different story to the truth

There's not much point

I mean it's a fair question

Oh well CCTV will show the truth. Seems odd that an adult would randomly start shouting at other passengers for no reason but in any case it’s pointless blaming the driver

It wasn't a question

And the account of the incident didn't even come from the 'feral brats' so there were a lot of assumptions made in that post

Then why are you being so defensive?

Really?
Adults randomly shouting at other passengers is a daily occurrence on London buses !

I thought I've answered the posts calmly and not defensively to be honest

I don't feel the need to be defensive

Why would you expect the driver to step in? Would you expect them to get involved and risk an accident or even risk getting assaulted?

@purpleme12 definitely contact the police.
Were all the children from the same school?
Maybe contact the school so they could talk to the children about what to do in such situations.
The driver unfortunately would have been in a difficult situation.
The driver would have to concentrate on driving safely and might not have been able to stop the bus.

Yes they were from the same school
Do you think it's worth me telling school?

What do you think he should have done OP?

I'm not sure I'd want him to stop the bus. I'd want to get where I was going asap, so I could get off.

The most useful action would be for the children to learn what might happen if they're annoying on a bus, and for their parents to teach them what they need to do if they feel threatened on public transport.

This, out of nowhere the woman decided to assault innocent teenagers who were doing nothing?
she must be very unwell then and needs help not arrested

The driver is busy driving the bus, at the next stop he might try to do something, but he is pretty much in a bubble in his cab, if it is something serious he should stop the bus and call the police. Was anyone hurt?

The driver isn't meant to stop the bus or get out of the cab unless there's an absolute emergency. I think. They wouldn't be responsible for breaking up a fight or something as they'd almost certainly risk injury and nobody would ever be a bus driver!

I would definately report to police. They should think it was worth investigating and would ask the bus company for the CCTV. The decisions to pursue and potentially prosecute is then up to them. If the driver felt there was a danger to people on board, I would expect them to radio control to arrange for police to meet them and board at a later stop. I wouldn't expect them to intervene. Without being there it's hard to tell whether the incident was bad enough to warrant this. Again, if the police investigate, they can pursue the driver for endangering public safety by not stopping, if they feel it is warranted.

Are they your children OP? They sound like they were being very disruptive. Kids nowadays often don’t care and often because they’re not called out or chastised by parents and wider networks. If an adult stranger felt the need to step in, then I would imagine they’d overstepped the mark big time.

No they're not my children

Maybe it's easier to believe that the children were behaving like shit and they deserved the abuse. (Although even if they were being rowdy I don't believe that they or this child deserved this abuse, no)

But I have come across unhinged people before so things like this do happen sometimes.

My child did say that this person was rude to the bus driver as soon as she got on. So she was obviously het up anyway.

My child doesn't know the children personally so why would she lie about them either.

It’s difficult to say anything really as you’ve not really given much information.

This, they were sitting politely and calmly and this woman launched at them? Who they if not your dc?

Sorry I'm not sure what else to say to be honest

Anyway I've had helpful responses which have answered the question

There was attacks on buses and bus drivers where I live, the drivers probably don't want any hassle or injury, do you know what happened after the incident did the kids/man get off the bus ?

Our local buses say "this bus is a safe space" on them. Whilst this might be aimed at specific groups, presumably it actually means that everyone should be free from harassment on a bus and they have a plan for dealing with it when it happens. I'd expect that to be led by the driver as their only employee on the bus.

I got off a bus a few weeks ago there was people arguing and because they were high as kites, the likelihood it would escalate, so i got off at the next stop and waited on another bus, i don't drive and have always used buses but, people are becoming more aggressive i think.