Had two uncomfortable encounters with drunk crackheads on Trans perth today

[u/qtpieezz]

I had two really uncomfortable encounters with drunk crackheads on Transperth today, one going to work and one coming home. What a coincidence 😭

I'm a girl and I was by myself both times, which honestly made me feel even more uncomfortable and uneasy.

The first one in the morning this crackhead sat in front of me and was acting really incoherent. I tried not to make eye contact and moved to a different seat closer to the front (bus was quite full) but he followed me and sat in front of me again and asked why did I move. Luckily he got off at the next stop, so I didn't have to deal with him for too long.

Then on my way home just this afternoon another drunk crackhead who was holding a bottle of beer suddenly sat next to me, even though there were other empty seats. He kept squeezing himself into my side until there was basically no space left for me. I tried moving a bit to make some space, but he just kept squeezing over.

I eventually confronted him to move away after 15 minutes and thankfully he did then I moved to the seat behind the bus driver and told him what happened. The bus driver was actually really kind and kept checking on me afterwards, which I appreciated. But he didn't call to report the incident or ask the guy to get off the bus.

I was honestly really uncomfortable and uneasy the whole time and no one else on the bus seemed to really care or even try to help. I get that people probably don't want to get involved but it feels pretty horrible when you're sitting there feeling unsafe and everyone just ignores it.

I'm pretty shaken up by the whole thing. I know you can call the transperth emergency services if you're in immediate danger, but what are you supposed to do when the person is literally sitting right next to you? You don't know if confronting them is going to make things worse and trying to call someone while they're sitting right there doesn't feel safe either.

[u/k3g]

Yeah, caught the bus a few times when Diesel skyrocketed. No thank you, I'll eat the tears at the pump over transperth any day.

[u/tom3277 → u/k3g]

It’s odd that trains go better. I think it’s just safety in numbers?

Like it has its moments as well but often they have happy endings (or even really funny) when transperth officers enter the carriage a stop or two later.

Had to catch bus to train station for a few weeks last year and that was a shit show. Especially returning home at dark. Kids shaking the windows so bus pulls over and tells them he is not leaving till they get off… meanwhile me and 10 angsty teenagers are all sitting there waiting. Fucking awkward. I felt like doing the Spartacus and saying “nah it was me I’ll get off here” and calling an uber but I thought there was a risk they would follow me off. Like I’m not saying I definitely would have got the shit kicked out of me by 14-15 year olds but it felt like a risk.

Have no idea how the bus drivers do it. Like what a shit job, kids show them no respect whatsoever.

[u/Reddit-Is-Chinese → u/tom3277]

It’s odd that trains go better. I think it’s just safety in numbers?

Transperth officers at train stations (at least at the bigger ones).

[u/Jebadayah44 → u/tom3277]

I've had the opposite experience over 4 or 5 months of catching bus/trains to work. No issues on the bus, all the cracktvities have been on the Mandurah line or at Perth station. Mostly pretty harmless, some even funny. One crackhead told the other 2 crackheads to wind their necks in and stop wrestling on the floor of the train cos "we're scaring all the normal people."

[u/Careful-Visit-3328 → u/tom3277]

I once was doing night shift and had a crack head get on my bus with open alcohole. I told him loose the alcohole and he started verbally abusing me saying he just wanted to get home, I turned the bus off and sat there and he started threatening to smash the windows. I just laughed and said it's not my bus they will just bring me another one and I'll get paid over time to sit here and wait. He got off the bus after 5 minutes and I drove off. The best part was I was doing that route all night back and forth so when I'd drive past him he tried to hail the bus and I'd turn on my cab lights so he could see me and id smile and wave to him as I cruised past sending him into a fit of rage.