Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/10/23/spitting-anti-masker-unceremoniously-removed-from-bus.html
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I only wish he’d looked at the other passengers and declared, “NO TICKET!”
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It always baffles me when I see a clip of someone spitting on another person, and then not being immediately ready to fight. I mean, there are lots of clear signals you can send to another human that “the normal rules of interaction no longer apply and I would like us to physically fight now,” but I can’t think of many that are more clear than spitting on them. During a pandemic, no less.
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In case anyone is wondering, this is in Vancouver BC, at the corner of Hastings and Nanaimo, which I happen to know only because she gets pushed out in front of a sushi restaurant just a few blocks away from my house.
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While the guy clearly suffered an assault, it wasn’t the right reaction. TMK masks are required on public transit in Vancouver, so the correct course of action is to call police. You have all sorts of witnesses, even someone who is recording. Follow the perp if you must, but the guy has just opened himself up to assault charges and made it less likely she will be charged. Nobody wins here.
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Yep, here’s the Google map street view, if anyone is interested:
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I was just going to mention the same thing. It’s already bizarre how the description of the linked Imgur clip talks about American state’s regulations and claims ownership of the act (implying that they are an American) when Vancouver police have (as of what I heard on the radio this morning) not yet been directly in contact with any witnesses or involved parties.
Stay safe and remember that it’s easy to get a distorted view of the world based on how information passes from place to place. Critical thinking always helps!
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I personally would not have done this; my bar for violence is higher.
But spitty-chick was offered the opportunity to learn a pretty important lesson that could have cost her significantly more than a skinned knee. I hope she takes it.
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I would have done something similar; spitting on someone in the midst of a pandemic is a serious assault and might even be considered “Administering Noxious Thing” or “Aggravated Assault” under the Criminal Code of Canada. Both of these offences have a potential sentence of 14 years.
Getting the person out of the confined space with other potential victims around is of the utmost importance. This victim (the man shoving the woman out of the bus) was no doubt angry but probably also feared for their safety. The busses also have security cameras but I doubt that will be made public.
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She got off lucky honestly. She was begging for a concussion, not putting up her dukes after assaulting someone.
Don’t assault people. But if you do, you should expect to get your ass handed to you, so don’t complain when you’re treated this gently.
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I was just thinking “That bus looks familiar. Whatever, I’m sure lots of cities run those exact same buses”.
someone spits on me, it’s on. and i don’t care if its a fucking grandmother
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stop. what would you do? offer your seat? she was clearly spoiling for a conflict of some kind
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“Administering Noxious Thing” sounds like an Edward Gorey tale.
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Seemed like a win for every passenger left on the bus.
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And if you do, be prepared for retaliation.
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That route is quite notorious for its riders. A long-running play about it was the “Number 14” for which surprisingly little information is available on the web.
But I did find “The Buzzer” online! But it won’t be the same as pulling out the paper pamphlet from its holder above the seats. Especially when some joker has folded the bottom edge of the first one and tucked it under the remaining copies so they all spill out everywhere. Good times.
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your experience is a hell of a lot different than mine if you think they’re going to respond before she leaves the bus. I found a guy trying doors at my apartment building, told him to fuck off. he got indignant as if he were innocent and I didn’t just watch him go down the hall trying all the doors. so I pull out my phone and say to him the keys as I type them: “Nine-one-one, send!”
then he fucked off.
half an hour later the cops showed up (and this is a rich neighborhood). the perp was never found to absolutely nobody’s surprise.
secondly, you seem to think you are Spock at all times and everyone else is or should be, too.
you have obviously never been assaulted if you think any kind of rational decision-making occurs in this situation. you are reacting like an animal unless you have a good amount of fighting experience under your belt and an assault is a situation you can remain calm in due to experience. but that’s not me, and I’m pretty sure that’s not you, either. it’s nothing to be proud of, but most people will react irrationally given this particular situation.
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I didn’t say anything about my experience
The situation you describe is completely different. And you did the right thing IMO, but had you physically intervened you could be subject to criminal charges.
Actually I have been assaulted in a similar fashion, while leaving a transit station years ago. I took a deep breath, got the person’s description, found a witness, told the police and they found the guy.
I realize the world is fucked up and people are angry. But responding like this solves nothing except giving the commentariat some catharsis.
Heat of the moment etc. but this guy had options. Just because this woman shows no impulse control doesn’t make it a free-for-all. The fascist idiots want you to respond with violence and anger.
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