Cabramatta Train Station Confrontation

Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 19:28
Last edited 31/03/2015 - 19:29

Hey OzBargainers, I recently returned from Cabramatta Train Station, and I had someone spit at the back on my head even though I had absolutely no idea who they were and was an absolute random stranger to them. There was a group of 3 people, and they seemed to want to box me in to beat me up. Luckily however, I didn't seem to come out injured or harmed which I thank my stars for. I did confront them, asking why, and they basically were just like "have a go". Which I did not because honestly there's no way I can take on three guys.

Just wondering, what would you have done in my situation. All three people were older asians with medium builds (smaller build than mine), however were about 8cm taller than me, towering above.

Also, is there anything I can do against these kinds of people? Like I doubt the police would really care bout this kind of stuff. Awesomesauce to those that reply!

General Discussion

Comments

  • Skellysgirl on 31/03/2015 - 19:45
    +18

    I'd contact the station security, the next person may not be as lucky. They are nothing more than bullies.

  • scrimshaw on 31/03/2015 - 19:46
    +12

    Do nothing. Just walk away, take priority on your own safety rather than seeking revenge. It is after the all, the best outcome since nobody was hurt and you didn't sustain injuries.

    If you had gotten into a fight with them a) you'd lose the fight and b) you'd be injured and c) they might even deprive you of your wallet and phone. All of these outcomes are significantly worse than just being spat on.

    You could notify the police and report them for assaulting you, but even then without names or photographic evidence it's hard to prove such a thing happened. If this happened in a public area and there were witnesses (e.g Station staff and CCTV footage) this can be used to prove that you were assaulted or harassed.

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 19:50

      I was with another person and there was a station staff that i'm 99% certain he saw but ignored what happened. But can I really actually do anything?

      • scrimshaw on 31/03/2015 - 20:15

        Shampoo your hair?

        Just joking. Right now — no, there's not much you can do, and there's very little to support your claim if you cannot have anyone as a witness. Bystander effect sucks :(

        Had you taken more immediate action — i.e., right after the incident occured, you could potentially have a station staff member notified of what happened and hope that they can do something about it. But once the scene is over and everyone has left the stage its a little too late to take action.

        • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 20:16
          +13

          Yeah fair enough.

          Although you jokes, I really did take two shower, and shampoo'd my hair like crazy. Just a little peeved off about the whole thing really. Bad day.

      • dealman on 01/04/2015 - 15:38

        Both of you should go to a proper police station and report the issue, Station security is Useless,

        Atleast here in Melbourne I have seen Idiot Teenagers do Graffiti in front of of them and there isn't much they could do, the kids were taunting the staff, I moved away and called 000 once I was a safe distance away.

        By all means report it to the police, Teach these a$$holes a lesson. You have a witness the person you were with. That's more than enough.

    • leonheart1 on 31/03/2015 - 20:25
      -8

      b) you'd be injured and c) they might even deprive you of your wallet and phone

      I love how you prioritised finances over health!

      • Agret on 01/04/2015 - 17:08
        +17

        Huh? He listed it as the last point, the health was listed first.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2015 - 19:52
    +3

    I had someone spit at the back on my head

    "Something happened that changed us in a deep and profound way from that day forward."

    • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2015 - 21:27
      +10

      Aw man, I wasn't trying to be a jerk, OP. I'll take the negs cos my post wasn't useful in any way, but yeah, I hope it didn't come across as non-compassionate or taking the piss out of what happened to you (cos that's certainly not what I meant) :(

      The long version of my response would've been that it was good that you didn't respond in a 'stronger' way. The risk would've been too great - people stirring strangers with that kind of behaviour are just looking for trouble, and hoping that the people they pick on are going to respond with an argument or fight. That's what they want - a fight. They can't possibly have any other motive. Your best, safest bet is to ignore, pretend like nothing happened and get on with it. Report it when you're safe (if you feel it's worth it). Yes that feels and sounds like a weasel's response to what is really an attack.. but that attack could easily escalate and land you in serious injury. Ask yourself if it's worth it?

      Anyway. I shouldn't have been such a smart arse with my initial post. Soz, OP.

      Shame there's still some trouble in Cabra. I go there often (cheap delicious food mmm) and haven't seen any hints of thuggery. But I guess it only takes one person with an ego to start shit.

      Good on you for keeping your cool.

      • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 22:08
        +2

        Cheers. I didn't reply to your comment cause I didn't even know what it really was trying to convey. You're all good mate.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2015 - 00:43
          +8

          I'm a simple human. I relate any real life story/event to Seinfeld episodes… it's a rather annoying habit :S lol. Your unfortunate experience simply reminded me of the great Seinfeld spitting incident.

        • Tal_Shiar on 01/04/2015 - 01:35
          +2

          @waterlogged turnip: you're a big <3

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:37

          @Tal_Shiar:

          That's a loveheart emoticon…? I can't seem to understand it.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2015 - 11:53

          It's a heart on its side.. tilt your head right.

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 14:20

          @waterlogged turnip:

          Oh… got it.

    • c0balt on 01/04/2015 - 00:39
      +2

      I'M HIT!!!

  • derp21 on 31/03/2015 - 20:12

    Not trying to be racist or anything but are u asian?

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 20:16

      Yes.

      • leonheart1 on 31/03/2015 - 20:28
        -8

        And what were they?

        • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 20:33
          +4

          Asian. It's all in the description…

        • dealman on 01/04/2015 - 15:38
          +1

          @DAOtmc:

          Asian is very Broad,

          Can you be more precise ?

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 16:36
          +2

          @dealman:

          Is this really relevant…?

        • dealman on 01/04/2015 - 16:45
          +2

          @DAOtmc:

          Well it could be Asian can mean anything from Afghanistan to Taiwan / Japan and everything in between.

          It's ok if you don't want to disclose, just thought to ask as it'd put more context about the incident, Either way make sure you report it to the police.

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 16:51

          @dealman:

          I am culturally and physically asian. Not just geographically. Does that help?

        • lgacb08 on 01/04/2015 - 17:54
          +2

          @DAOtmc: what he means is what subgroup of asian do you and they belong to. If you don't want to be specific, then you just say East Asian, Malay-Indo Asian, Indian subgroup or West Asian one which tend to be classified incorrectly as Middle East.
          If you don't want to bring up the specific question, then you could just say whether you and the other guys belong to the same cultural group.

          But I think the problem was not whether you or them being Asian, it was because you look bully-able, travelled with A GIRL and travelled into their territory, so they got offended (or jealous) about that and trying to humiliate you in front of your girl. Trying to think of yourself as the dominant male in the pride and the other lone male just grouping together to try and oust you, that will make you feel better. This sound weird but that's how these useless gangs work, which partly explained by the animal nature of human.

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 18:25

          @lgacb08:

          I'm South-East Asian.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2015 - 12:58
        +1

        Yes.

        A-ha!

        Wait, what does that have to do with anything?

        • Rorschach on 01/04/2015 - 15:19
          +3

          I doubt they'd have taunted the OP were he not of the same ethnicity, and smaller.
          Bullies always target people when the odds look better for them, and they think they can get away with it.

    • xoom on 31/03/2015 - 21:14
      +1

      Yeah. Times like these where I really wish the cops can tasers these <expletives>.

    • s4ntai on 01/04/2015 - 01:07
      +18

      http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/teenag…

      Could it be the same 3 men?

      All three men are described as Asian in appearance and age 20.

      One man is 180cm tall with short black hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt at the time.

      The second man was wearing a white T-shirt and a dark bumbag.

      The third man has not been further described.

      Anyone with information is asked to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

      • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:40

        Holy shit. That actually sounds like them! One DID have a bumbag! and the other had short black hair. But then again… there's alot of people with that fashion sense in the area honestly. Chances are slim.

        • vikvance on 01/04/2015 - 09:49
          +17

          I reckon it's more likely that they're the same people.

          It might be worth approaching the police and telling them about your incident … it might help to catch the guys.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2015 - 12:47
          +17

          Definitely worth just giving a quick report to the police or ringing Crime Stoppers - it may even just help them to narrow down timeframes for when to look on CCTV for them. Or give a small detail that the other person missed. If the police are going to stop these people they need as much help as they can get.

          I doubt that it's a coincidence that you were approached in that manner by 3 men of similar description, you were just lucky to have a far better outcome. Now you know what their intent was.

        • mrmarkau67 on 01/04/2015 - 14:59
          +8

          There are actually not that many violent bullies around. I think its a good chance that its them.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2015 - 15:40

          I too think you should report your experience to Crime Stoppers/Police. Perhaps it will bring you no vengeance/justice but it could help stop the same thing happening to another.

        • ceebee on 04/04/2015 - 03:42
          +1

          I dunno. What are the chances that the things you describe (Cabramatta, taller (180cm), Asian, bumbag, in their 20s, in a group of 3) all co-incide? Like, really that's actually more than just a freaky co-incidence. Also, I'd be hard pressed to see one guy a week with a bum bag.

          There's absolutely no harm in reporting it, and that way they can look at CCTV. If it's not them, oh well. No harm no foul.

          Also, glad you're okay.

      • peterpeterpumpkin on 02/04/2015 - 11:28
        +2

        Considering it was in August the bum bag may be gone and the hair could have grown but at least in the more sheltered Eastern Suburbs where I live it's rare to have a trio of bullies older than 20. Once a small-time bully gets a job or goes on the dole a wallet is hardly worth fighting for so these people are even more mentally unstable than your average bully. Go to the police and if you catch them you'll be doing yourself, society and maybe even these bullies a favour (unless they get hardened in prison and get a taste for hard core violence…).

  • watty on 31/03/2015 - 21:28

    There use to be more cops patrolling the station (like a month or so ago), wonder where they went lol?

    • cwongtech on 31/03/2015 - 21:37
      +44

      To the city to check your train tickets & Opal cards. "This ensures your safety"

      • scrimshaw on 31/03/2015 - 21:58
        +3

        To the city to check your train tickets & Opal cards. "This ensures your safety"

        The people checking your train tickets and Opal cards are not usually cops, don't they usually employ 'Transit Officers' or Revenue Protection officers for this? It would be a waste of police resources and police-grade wages to have them do something as mundane as checking for Opal card skippers.

        • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 21:59
          +9

          @scrimshaw

          We have Cops here in Sydney checking as well.

        • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 01:35
          +2

          We had Ticket Inspectors, then Transit Officers, but now the primary goal is Transit Police, which are full NSW Police based at transit branches I believe.

          The rational was that we required like 8 transit officers to travel together (for safety), so it was cheaper for 2 cops.

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:32

          @OzJD:

          That's actually really interesting information. I've only ever seen two police people that patrol and when boarding the train, one takes upstairs and the other downstairs. Whereas I always see a tonne of transit officers with the NFC Government Opal Check Phones in one area.

          Thanks for the info! Just find it somewhat interesting…

        • cwongtech on 01/04/2015 - 10:57
          +6

          @OzJD:

          The rational was that we required like 8 transit officers to travel together (for safety)

          Strength in numbers? So like.. a transit officers gang? "For safety" :P

        • Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2015 - 13:05
          +2

          @cwongtech:

          "For safety"

          *For your safety

        • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 14:01

          @DAOtmc: The old transit officers are mostly for revenue raising now.

          2012 article: http://m.smh.com.au/nsw/police-to-take-over-security-on-publ…

      • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 21:59
        +1

        How do I continously upvote this comment?

      • tomsco on 02/04/2015 - 14:17
        +1

        Sounds like a protection racket.

  • rambao9 on 31/03/2015 - 21:31

    Unfortunately, our future seems dim. Kids these days honestly…

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 22:05

      Actually… I was the younger one. they were like in their 20s?

      • scrimshaw on 01/04/2015 - 00:59
        +3

        They're probably uneducated louts, got more brains than brain matter.

        • rambao9 on 01/04/2015 - 01:11
          +3

          must be the drugs, accelerating their aging and decelerating their brain.

    • zhenjie on 01/04/2015 - 10:49
      +8

      This is what every older generation has said since the stone age

      • Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2015 - 13:07
        +6

        "That fire thing will NEVER catch on."

    • mrmarkau67 on 01/04/2015 - 15:03
      +2

      Crime has been going down, down, down since the 70s.

      • PlagueistheCheap on 01/04/2015 - 22:16

        Stats you mean

        • mrmarkau67 on 02/04/2015 - 07:24
          +1

          Stats and my lived experience. My parent's house was burgled twice in the 80s. And it wasn't unusual. But now I just don't know anyone who has been burgled or had their car stolen.

        • PlagueistheCheap on 02/04/2015 - 12:05
          +2

          @mrmarkau67:
          Well that's a convincing argument.

        • mrmarkau67 on 02/04/2015 - 15:32
          +3

          @Expon:

          Shrugs.

          Some people are influenced by statistics.

          Some people are influenced by stories.

          Others are pig-headed and stick to their prejudices and outdated beliefs no matter what.

        • arcticmonkey on 03/04/2015 - 00:45

          OP: you were very lucky and I'm glad you were OK.

        • ankor on 03/04/2015 - 08:08

          @mrmarkau67: hey Alan Jones is never wrong!

  • derp21 on 31/03/2015 - 22:08
    +12

    As a person who knows and had hang out with these kind of people i would just recommend walking away. You never know what they are carrying around them. They are bored and looking for trouble (some look for much more then just a fight). If you feel afraid there are always 2 security walking around at cabra. I know they seem useless but is better then nothing. As my dad always say "Just move on, is not worth getting hurt over something so small".

  • sm007h on 31/03/2015 - 22:32
    +6

    I grew up in Cabramatta. Best way to deal with these guys is to not be confrontational. Not worth being a hero over and they tend to get bored quickly enough when people don't respond to their antics. I have seen aggrieved people stand up for themselves and end up not standing at all.

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 23:48
      +2

      Yeah I ended up walking away, because I was with a girl at the time and didn't want any extenuating circumstances to befall either of us. Do you know if Cabramatta Station has CCTV by any chance having grown up there?

      • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 01:36
        +5

        Yes it does. You'll probably only be able to see CCTV if you get the police to chase it up.

    • mskeggs on 31/03/2015 - 23:29
      +7

      Cabramatta has some awesome cheap eats and other shopping so it is no mystery OzBargainers go there. I live 100km away and still manage to get there every now and again.
      The cops are checking tickets since the state gov disbanded the transit officers who were fake police. On balance, I think it is good, as the transit officers often had security-guard-complexes (where they over-compensated and abused their powers). The real cops are real cops, so I find more reasonable, able to show more compassion/discretion but also able to handle things better due to their much higher level of training. Of course, sometimes the police have issues too.
      I suspect transit duty is not one of the more desirable police beats, but it is important, as we can see from this post the corrosive effect if people feel potentially vulnerable.

      As an aside, I was on a fairly crowded train a year or so ago. A pretty rough looking bloke was travelling with a woman. They were arguing and everyone was doing the thing where you pretend you aren't watching. He must have slapped her because this bloke who gets on at my stop, aged in his 70s calls out the length of the carriage "if I see you touch her again, I'll thump you myself". Everyone went silent, and the guy immediately got up and fled the carriage. What a top bloke for speaking up. I was a bit stunned, but if the rough bloke had taken the old bloke on I would have been standing by the old guys side.

      • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 01:39

        They weren't fake police. They were 'special constables'. I believe special constables no longer exist.

        • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:26

          Based on your associated tag, do you think in your opinion I shoukd even bother the Police? What's your suggestion if I may ask?

        • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 12:13

          @DAOtmc: My association is somewhat distant (Sydney Buses)

          I do think you should contact police about the assault. They (police) may choose to do something about it, which might prevent these idiots from doing it to someone else in the future.

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 23:43
      +3

      This is the forum… not a deal section. Not sure what you're trying to say.

  • rolypoly on 31/03/2015 - 22:59

    That sucks. Even thieves gain something physical at the expense of others. The end goal of these guys is just to make someone else's life worse.

    Luckily the damage done was small and you never know which guys are teetering on the edge of a violently excessive outburst, hopefully that will be the next person they spit on.

  • mskeggs on 31/03/2015 - 23:02
    +1

    Are you young? As a fresh faced teen I used to find myself in this sort of trouble reasonably regularly. When I turned 18 it seemed to stop overnight, and I think I have only had one or two occasions where it could have possibly ended in violence in the last 20 years, and it has never escalated above words.

    • Tuttorix on 31/03/2015 - 23:51

      I'm still a teenager, nearing my 20's soon.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2015 - 13:11
        +2

        Grow a moustache.

        • subywagon on 04/04/2015 - 20:00

          Grow a beard.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 05/04/2015 - 10:11

          @subywagon:

          Beards are sooo played out!

        • subywagon on 05/04/2015 - 12:32

          @Scrooge McDuck:

          I know, but it actually worked for an IT acquaintance the other night. He was in a bar and jacked up bogan backed into him and spilt his drink, he spun around to have a go and saw the bald bearded man and backed away apparently.

        • blitz on 05/04/2015 - 22:37
          +4

          @subywagon:

          "Careful fellas, he may know Pascal!"

  • bbqwer on 31/03/2015 - 23:13
    -4

    Dont travel alone. Bring friends if you can. those teenagers is a (profanity), smash their head and they will learn. show them who is the BOSS, otherwise they will keep bullying you.

    • nobro25 on 01/04/2015 - 06:37
      +9

      That's retarded, so what you're saying is that every time I need to go out to buy a carton of milk I need to call my friends, that's some "boys in da hood" shit ya know!

    • Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2015 - 13:13
      +1

      Violence begets violence.

  • Muscle Relaxer on 31/03/2015 - 23:29

    I was also placed in a similar situation a few years back. There was a very unsavoury character lurking about the Cabramatta Train Station on the night I left the station. Myself and a group of friends had just crossed the road and were waiting for our friends in their cars to pick us up. Without thinking, I dropped a 20 cent coin onto the side walk and decided to pick it back up a roll it across the street. Suddenly the unsavoury character shouted out and started approaching us with an empty bottle of Jack Daniels, demanding us for money. Believing it would be best to just give him what he wanted, I reached for my back pocket. However, a friend of mine had a better idea and confronted the man instead, matching his tone and volume. I assumed the man came to his senses as he realised he was outnumbers 1 to 10 and decide to back off, still cursing at us while slinking away.

    Moral of the story: Bring ballsy friends with you. Or anyone.

    • Windows7forever on 08/04/2015 - 10:41
      -1

      You had 9 friends around and you were going to submit to one man? seriously.

  • Bec-a on 31/03/2015 - 23:31
    +1

    report them so they can become part of the 'shame' wall they have at some stations.

  • Scrooge McDuck on 31/03/2015 - 23:37
    +13

    You misinterpreted their sign of affection.

    This is what you should've done.

    • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:27

      Thanks for making me feel better :D

  • inherentchoice on 31/03/2015 - 23:58
    +1

    Assuming that they are on cctv and were also captured using a registered opal card, it is technically possible to identify them.

    Police are used to requesting cctv and opal card records all the time.

    They may only keep the footage for a few days or weeks before it's deleted so if you want them to investigate you should do so asap.

    Footage is often grainy though so it probably won't show a projectile of saliva.

    • OzJD on 01/04/2015 - 01:44

      Opal cards don't have to be registered, and with the exception of Pensioner Opal (and maybe students) they are often in fake names.

      • inherentchoice on 01/04/2015 - 02:12

        The odds of identifying one of the three would be higher than if it was just one person in isolation.

        Anyways it's still been pointed out in this thread that the police may consider it not worthy of investigation. Plus it may be better to just forgive and forget, to "laugh it off".

  • OldBugger on 01/04/2015 - 01:24
    +3

    Forget about it and try to laugh it off. It's not worth a second thought.

    Years ago while walking down the street one sunny midnight in Northbridge, I was head-butted square between the eyes for no reason. It actually wasn't an uncommon thing to have happen to you in those days. Some even used to say it was a sign of good luck. Luckily though, my brain is cushioned by a layer of fluid one eighth of an inch thicker than normal. The bloke came out of it more dazed than me as he had to lie down for a while. I remember all that was concerned with after that was trying to avoid my new shirt getting stained with blood that was constantly bellowing out from my nostrils.

    • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:23

      Yeah…I'm trying. Like I said in my description I didn't think the Police would even care for this sort of thing.

  • SydStrand on 01/04/2015 - 02:23

    What time was this in the day? Once when I was 14, I thought I was about to get attacked by 3 older guys getting on the train after school but instead they antagonised another student (we were there only 2 of us on the carriage). I was too scared to intervene but thankfully he wasn't trying to prove how tough he was and they got bored of him rather quickly. I did get off at Stanmore, a stop before my one and walked the rest. I wasn't going to stick around. This was back when all stops train was those ancient tin cans, not the new ones with CCTV built in.

    Don't bother with police, nothing will happen if it wasn't on video, and even then, they're not going to hunt some kids for spitting. Tell the station staff about this and hope they beef up security. For all the talk of progress and safety, I didn't know this sort of thing still happened in Cabramatta.

    • Tuttorix on 01/04/2015 - 09:25

      I often trend to Cabramatta in all honesty. And it's the first time something has happened. It's just that i'm pretty sure that a station staff person saw the entire incident but he did nothing so doubt i'd get anywhere. I'll probs just weep for a bit then leave it.

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