Angry man on bus

[sayyouwill]

More of a WWYD.

I get the same bus into work each morning. There is someone new getting on said bus and he's starting to worry me.
He gradually gets more and more angry every time the bus hits a red light, stops, clips a curb or basically does anything to interrupt his journey. By the time he comes to disembark, he storms down the aisle and knocks into people, pushes them aside and if he clips you'd bag he swears at you and shoves the bag. This morning he punched the seat in front as the bus had to stop to let another bus pass along a narrow corner. It wasn't a full 'everything-you've-got' punch but clearly done out of frustration.
I thought about getting an earlier bus but I already get up at half 5 most mornings and only just get everything sorted and out the house in time for this bus. The earlier bus is half an hour earlier and will have me in work 45 mins before I'm due to start.
Just wondering what you would do in this situation?

[holdthewine]

Hear hear Smallmercies!

[smallmercys]

You have been fobbed of by the bus company and that is disgraceful in itself. Once you have made your complaint to the transport police you could also point out to them the bus company's apparent apathy on matters of public safety.

[CamperVamp]

'Remove yourself from the danger area' does not mean get off the bus, it means move further along or don't stand in front of him or whatever.

[holdthewine]

I think you should contact the British Transport Police in Newcastle. I think they’ll be more helpful. You’re trying to prevent an escalation to crime status after all.
http://www.btp.police.uk/localnpttteams/north/tyneanddwear.aspx

[repetitionrepetition]

bet he’s been banned for being fan agressive arsehole

[Tawdrylocalbrouhaha]

Oh dear, disappointing response from the bus company OP - it will be interesting to see what happens if you follow their advice about reporting him then making yourself scarce!

Still well done for reporting it, too many of us let these things slide.

[sayyouwill]

Yes.
Thanks everyone.
I rang up and spoke to go northeast who basically said they would review the footage but there wasn't much they could do about it. They said the cameras are a deterrent to most people and because of cuts they can't investigate everything like they normally would.
I've been told to approach the driver when he is stationary, let him know, then remove myself from the danger area aka get off the bus.

[holdthewine]

Have you now reported it? I’m sure they’ll look into it.

[sayyouwill]

I'm in Newcastle. This is definitely not the norm around here. You're more likely to befriend a passenger on the bus than be scared of one!

[holdthewine]

I’d like to think the bus company and the transport police would take this seriously. Best to report before it escalates.

My DD was thumped and flung across a quiet tube carriage by an angry and muttering man with whom she’d had no contact. It was 2pm. We reported to London Transport Police via website and they were on the phone to her within half an hour and sourced the CCTV to see if they could identify him. We were impressed by the response.

[kaytee87]

If he’s pushing people out of the way then that’s assault and really not on.
It does sound intimidating op, I doubt the bus company will do anything though. He needs anger management.

[prettypetal]

Well he must hate the following : His life, his job & getting up in a morning. He must be some sort of nutter because normal folk don’t do this. I too would find this distressing, but I doubt that the driver will want a confrontation with him due to his anger issues. I would let him carry on embarrassing himself & sit well away from him. Strange man.

[Topseyt]

I think it is the right thing to do, contacting the bus company. Be assertive though, and don't let them fob you off by saying that you should say nothing to the driver and should have called police yourself etc. etc., or whatever they may try.

Two of my DDs had varying experiences of abusive other passengers when needing to use specific buses to get to school and college in other towns.

DD1 was 11, just started year 7 at secondary school. Hassled and groped by a man who was a regular passenger. Bus company tried to wash their hands of it when I called them. I also informed the school what was going on and they helped too. Eventually he was banned from the bus, but it took far too long.

When DD2 was 18 she had a different experience. The bus home from college was running late due to traffic and a twat who got on with them began shouting blue murder at the driver and the other passengers because of the lateness and generally behaving in a very intimidating manner. He was asked to get off the bus but refused and continued his tirade. The driver and several of the passengers called the police, who thankfully arrived fairly quickly and arrested him.

This was two different bus companies. They can act. Some are better than others. There is often CCTV.

[AngelsSins]

VelvetSpoon please do explain how OP is over reacting to be slightly concerned but angry man isn't when punching seats for standard things that happen on a bus? Are only men allowed to "express their emotions" in your world? Or are male feelings just more important? If he's so worried about being late, he can get an earlier bus can't he?

[Capricorn76]

To those people who say this is normal, does your bus route pass through Broadmoor by any chance? It will happen every day across the country but not every day on the same route. The normal irritating occurances are rowdy school kids on the bus, people playing music too loudly through their headphones so you can hear that 'teh teh teh' sound, people not moving down the bus, or people eating stinky fried chicken.

Although I have seen the odd row or someone clearly suffering from MH issues this is rare. Men shouting, shoving and hitting things is not normal. I get the bus in London nearly every day (and not through the best bits either). Maybe the nightbus is different but I haven't been on one since the early 2000's.

[sinceyouask]

I work in MH. He sounds as if he may have some MH issues. So what? Having a MH condition does not give you the right to behave this way, to swear at and push people, to cause fear to others. If someone has a MH condition which causes them to have no control over their behaviour, that is even more reason for something to be done about it, it is certainly not a reason to ignore it.

I don't know where you are, OP (sorry if you have said and I've missed it), or what the policies of the bus company you use are. Where I am, I'd contact the offices of the bus company, explain the situation, ask them to look at their CCTV. I'm not sure what they'd do, but that would be my first step anyway.

[scrabble1]

Please report it to the bus company. They can look at the CCTV and ban him

[WashingMatilda]

What a ridiculous situation. Poor you OP. Let us know what the bus company say.

[GracielaSabrocita]

By the time he comes to disembark, he storms down the aisle and knocks into people, pushes them aside and if he clips you'd bag he swears at you and shoves the bag.

That behaviour has definitely crossed a line. The suggestion about contacting British Transport Police is the best one imo.

[Misspollyhadadollie]

Buses round here have CCTV I don't think it's the ops job personally

[Misspollyhadadollie]

I really wouldn't film him if he sees the op doing it he would kick off I can imagine

[Dafspunk]

Could you discretely film his aggressive behaviour as proof for the bus company? Might have more impact...

[GrumpyOldBag]

The point about him possibly having MH issues was not meant to excuse his behaviour, but to explain it.

In fact if it is MH I would be more concerned as a level of self control will be absent. Which is why it needs reporting to the bus company.

[ThymeLord]

It is not normal. Just because it is commonplace to see men being aggressive, and going unchallenged, in public, doesn't make it normal.

[Misspollyhadadollie]

Agree with velvet actually. Normal
IMO.
I've been abused (verbally) on the bus more times than I can count. The bus company won't do anything. I was verbally abused throughout an entire bus journey once and the driver refused to do anything (I'm talking swearing at me calling me names shouting at me) I called tfl after and was told the driver isn't meant to intervene and I should have called the police.. Phone was off as battery had ran out so couldn't.