Friend Assaulted on The Bus (ACT)

saviour1108 on 04/01/2017 - 12:30
Last edited 04/01/2017 - 14:06 by 2 other users

A friend of mine was assaulted on the bus yesterday. She boarded the bus while on the phone and there were about 4 people on the bus. A lady (in her 60s) came and sat on the seat in front of her. The lady wasn't happy that my friend was on the phone all of a sudden grabbed my friend's phone and threw it towards the back of the bus. In this process my friend ended up with a few scratches on her face.

Now when my friend asked the lady about her actions(after picking up her phone and seeing the screen was shattered) she slapped my friend's hand which resulted in her hand brutally scratched and starting to bleed.

The people who intervened were abused verbally. The driver didn't stop the bus and had absolutely nothing to say.

Now who here is responsible for the broken screen? My friend has recently moved interstate and has never experienced anything like this before. Should we contact Action busses(ACT) or the cops?

Travel

Comments

  • spackbace on 04/01/2017 - 12:38
    +26

    If this happened yesterday, why has she still not contacted the cops and filed a report…?! Forget the phone, that's assault.

    Crazy that both of you are posing the question to a bargain forum and not going to the cops…!

    • saviour1108 on 04/01/2017 - 12:40

      We already did that but the cops won't do anything till they get surveillance from Action busses. And for what it's worth it's an expensive iPhone she got for Christmas.

      • spackbace on 04/01/2017 - 12:41
        +2

        Right well that's the main thing

        The phone damage is between your friend and the woman, no one else. Until she is identified, and you can proceed a legal case against her, your friend is unfortunately up the proverbial creek.

        • Thrawn on 04/01/2017 - 13:05

          The phone damage is a criminal offence as well.. so cops should be involved.

        • spackbace on 04/01/2017 - 13:20

          @Thrawn:

          so cops should be involved

          Yep, already said that, but it's not like the cops will replace the phone, or can demand she do it…

      • John on 04/01/2017 - 12:46
        +1

        Contact Action busses then. Why are you even deliberating on the decision? This is worthy of Today Tonight. They like nasty things on busses

        • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2017 - 13:48
          +4

          Not sure why the OP has to follow up on evidence. This is the responsibility of the Police.

          You make a report to the Police, who will then obtain the evidence from all available sources.

          It is also the Police who will attempt to identify the alleged offender and, if proven, bring the necessary matters to a court hearing.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2017 - 15:15
      -2

      Typical of most posters here

      Resorting to the "internet" for friggin obvious questions

      • altomic on 04/01/2017 - 16:11
        +1

        hi everyone, how do I post a forum topic about asking how to make a post on ozbargain?

    • robertbruce on 05/01/2017 - 09:46

      This is a serious assault. OP should hire a lawyer to represent her to police. Police will read OP her rights before interview statement. Offender will claim provocation.

  • supnigs super skids on 04/01/2017 - 12:45
    +7

    Should of given her a beat down like what rousey copped.

  • Diji1 on 04/01/2017 - 12:45

    Contact both but I doubt the police will follow it up.

    I was on a bus once and what appeared to be a male university student was sitting behind what appeared to be a homeless drug addict. The bus was packed although no one was standing and they were between the front and middle doors on the opposite side of the driver.

    So for about 10 minutes the drug addict kept turning around kept asking this young man for money and escalating threat of violence the whole time. Everybody including myself watched this occur for a long, long time, like 10 minutes. The young man appeared to be cowered by the person doing this.

    It was only when the drug addict actually punched the guy in the face, leaving him with a blood nose that I started yelling at him to get off the bus without leaving my seat. At this point the driver stopped the bus (after doing nothing else) and the drug addict left the bus. People then started saying "You should call the police" instead of doing it themselves and the guy appeared to be in shock and said no he didn't want to.

    Sounds ridiculous and I wish I'd been different but what happened on that bus is normal. People just sit there as though they're having an out of body experience while people get robbed in front of them.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2017 - 14:00
      -1

      Nothing wrong there, if the victim does not want to press charges against the offender then that is the victim's prerogative.

      • StewBalls on 04/01/2017 - 18:12
        +8

        There is something wrong there…cowards that won't follow through on complaints are helping to perpetuate & reinforce the antisocial behaviour.

        Sack up & do it for the rest of society, if not for yourself…the next person the attacker has a go at might not get off so lucky…and these scumbags get more brazen with every success.

  • 2jzzzz on 04/01/2017 - 12:49
    +1

    Cops should act, it's criminal assault and damaging property.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2017 - 14:00
      +14

      They should, but they won't.

      They're too busy catching people doing 62 in a 60 zone.

  • saviour1108 on 04/01/2017 - 12:58

    She's now contacted both the cops and action. Action busses refuse to lend her the footage. They take no responsibility of the phone but agree that the driver should have stopped the bus. They have registered a complaint but I doubt anything will follow

    • k-rokfm on 04/01/2017 - 13:10

      If she has filed a case with the police provide Action with the case number and they may be more helpful - alternatively give the police/the action employee the other persons information so it is easier for them to discuss the issue and gather evidence - the police may then be able to give you the footage for a civil court case

    • [Deactivated] on 04/01/2017 - 14:01
      +6

      Action busses refuse to lend her the footage.

      And rightfully so. Police would need to formally approach Action and then Action would be obliged to hand over the footage.

      CCTV doesn't exist for ordinary citizens to request whenever they please.

    • lainey13 on 04/01/2017 - 22:54
      +1

      After being burgled the body corporate of my apartment building refused to hand over the footage without a fee. I let the police know and they called up the body corp and forcefully demanded they provided that footage without payment and they complied. So tell the police the bus company isn't cooperating and let them handle the request.

  • Rifraf on 04/01/2017 - 13:10
    +9

    Forcing others to listen to your music and or loud phone calls on public transport is offensive to some people.

    Lots of crazy people out there so maybe consider how/if others may react to your actions.

    Not condoning in any way your friend getting assaulted but the amount of f'wits who think its the done thing to share their terrible taste in music on buses and trains is mind boggling.

    Occasionally you'll come across people with no tolerance who will lash out.

    Certain voice pitches and/or accents can be aggravating to some people so personally I try not to assault others ears when in public transport and wear head phones.

    Public transport doesn't bother me personally but I feel aggrieved when people are noisy in the library.

    • Ryanek on 04/01/2017 - 15:13

      Did OP edit his post? I don't see anywhere where he mentions the girl was listening to music on her phone.

      • saviour1108 on 04/01/2017 - 15:27

        She was on the phone with her parents. They also got a fright by what they heard over the phone

    • StewBalls on 04/01/2017 - 17:38

      This is a fair point, depending on the circumstances…

  • Randxyz123 on 04/01/2017 - 13:48

    The driver should have called the cops…

    I'd be calling Action busses every day asking for the footage. Get your friend to call obviously you can't..

  • wired00 on 04/01/2017 - 15:10

    Id put in a complaint about the bus company also. They should provide training for the drivers to start stopping busses and calling police to intervene in these situations.

    • saviour1108 on 04/01/2017 - 15:26

      Yeah. She has called them and they have registered the complaint as the drivers are instructed to radio an official everytime this happens. Although I highly doubt anything will come out of it. They didn't take ownership of the phone being damaged and according to my friend were rather casual about it.

  • Mumbles on 04/01/2017 - 16:27
    +2

    Definitely pursue it with the Police. Make sure that your friend reported the assault (slapped face) and not just the property damage as its more of a Police issue.

    Action Buses also use the tap and go bus cards from MyWay. Not sure but maybe MyWay has the ability to identify the owners.

    Its still useful to Police and Action that your friends report was made as the same lady could be a repeat offender. Will help in determining sentencing if the lady is prosecuted.

  • StewBalls on 04/01/2017 - 17:35
    +1

    Sounds like the bus company failed in it's duty of care with regard to your friend's personal safety…in addition to the police, I'd be consulting a solicitor. Watch them stand to attention then…

    Your friend will also be able to civilly sue the assailant; however, the bus company may have deeper pockets…go 'em both for good measure though! ;)

  • Ughhh on 04/01/2017 - 17:46
    +1

    I thought bus' have the Police on speed dial. From a friends experience, when the bus approached the next bus stop, cops were already there waiting and escorted the offender out- but this also depends how smart and observant the bus driver is.

  • tik tok on 05/01/2017 - 09:48

    Others have given sane advice. What am interested in is this :

    she slapped my friend's hand which resulted in her hand brutally scratched and starting to bleed.

    How is that possible ?

  • Candour on 05/01/2017 - 16:44

    it may be useful to find out if the bus driver and the company owed a duty of care to you [likely]. If so was he negligent? if so you may have some claim against the bus company. if the bus company is part of the govt bus system then you should also write to an MP to take it up. you will get an investigation at least. The idea is you should be compensated but governments and businesses are self serving sometimes and deny liability until they are forced to by the courts. that is expensive and aggravting to you.

  • Jugg.Judy on 06/01/2017 - 00:46
    +5

    I'm not condoning that crazy old lady's action, but so many times when I catch train,some inconsiderate moron will talk on the phone so loud for so long like they own the place. And other passengers just have put up with it and listen to the verbal diarrhea. Neg away. I know its coming. -)

    • syousef on 19/01/2017 - 18:41
      +2

      "I'm not condoning….but" Yes you absolutely are condoning it. If you want total quite hire your own private car.

  • chriise on 19/01/2017 - 20:43

    OP did your friend get anywhere with the police or bus company so far?

    • saviour1108 on 19/01/2017 - 23:11

      The person has not been found yet. Still waiting. Although she's recovered from the incident

      • chriise on 20/01/2017 - 00:39

        glad to hear they're ok. goood luck.

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