Scary weirdo

[Scarlett]

I actually fely threatened and scared today. I was on the bus and as soon as I got on, this man (who obviously has learning difficulties of some kind) STARED at me solidly and obviously, craning his neck, for the 10 minute journey into town. It was horroble. When we got to town, he got off, and I breathed a sigh of relief. BUT then he got back on 2 mins later, and carried on staring, but also thrashing his arm out at me with his hand in my face, but not touching. There was only one old lady on the bus. The driver was off having his fag. I was so freaked out that I got off and walked. My sister says I did the right thing- he probably had a knife or something.. But the thing is, I couldn't say "STOP STARING AT ME!" cos he obviously was a "care in the community" person. Yet he was clearly unstable and possibly dangerous. What should I have done??

[Scarlett]

Helliebobs- ah, I was waiting for this.

I have travelled on the bus with him lots of times, and have had no problem. I'm not generalising, he DID have learning difficulties- because he gets on the bus from College, like I do (where I teach) where we have a special department for entry level students of this kind. He may or may not be at College. If you read my post you will see that I did not say he had a knife- but that my SISTER said that he did. I did not think he would have had a knife at all. But either way, his behaviour was very threatening and intimidating. But not something you could take up with him.

I felt that he should have had a "helper" , but since he didn't, and NEVER does, he is clearly in the community, on his own, at least for his bus journeys. And yesterday it was obvious to anyone that he was not up to doing this on his own. Nobody should behave the way he did. I am just worried that I will get on the bus with him again.

[whiffey]

Some people are just odd. Recently I was cycling on a clearly marked cycle-track, pedestrian lane alongside, and approached a man walking with his 5-6 yo child. He was walking in the cycle track, not the pedestrian. I slowed *right* down and made eye contact. He raised his stick at me and the language !! I swerved to avoid being hit and pedalled like mad for safety, him chasing me. The kid was screaming "Daddy don't !". It happened to my friend a few days later in the same park. Now I have changed my route, simplest strategy.

It's the same with dogs. Occasionally they go ape when they see a cyclist, and when it's a big alsatian it can be very frightening. The worst ever was when I dared to ride too close to a travellers encampment. Those dogs had been trained to attack, no doubt about it ! I started carrying a stick tied to the crossbar, but ultimately the best policy is avoidance.

[helliebobs]

Fair enough answer Scarlett, but it wasn't clear from your orginal post that you were familiar with the guy, or that you knew he had learning difficulties, or that it was your sister who suggested he was carrying a knife.

It is understandable that you were scared but he probably wouldn't have harmed you and probably wasn't aware he was being intimidating. You could've just moved to another seat or something.

[caz21]

Maybe you could have moved seats? i doubt he would have moved seats to sit next to you, i know the behaviour may not be normal but if he is disabled he will have had stability checks else he wouldnt be on his own and is more than likely harmless, would you get off the bus and walk if there were a couple of young lads sat near to you staring and leering at you? or would you ignore them or move seats?

[purplelily]

Hi Scarlett, I agree with malaise that this man probably had no idea that what he was doing was strange or that it was bothering you. And - considering he travels on the bus a lot and that he is out on his own - he probably hasn't caused any trouble in the past. But I think that you did the right thing in getting off the bus if you felt very threatened (although maybe you could have moved seats, as the bus was almost empty?). x

[purplelily]

Oops, sorry caz, I think we must have been typing at the same time! Great minds thinking alike...! ;)

[Ward-Minter]

My view is stay clear of the freak. Society has so many nutters nowadays and people defending them, nowhere is safe.

Yeah, he may not have hurt you, but is MAY good enough?. The sooner we bring back the old fashioned asylums to keep these lunatics away the better.

Don't get me wrong, I am overall a caring person, but the amount of ming-mongs blighting our society is beyond a joke. Ironically I think the usually faultless Baroness Thatcher introduced "Care in the Community", big mistake. Murders galore, stabbings and a hell of a lot of dribbling in public. Also a lot of these circus people play with their own poo, so don't shake their hands for Gods sake.

[Scarlett]

helliebobs- see the first reply from redcrx re.my sisters comment.

On the first journey I was sat in the middle of the bus- he was at the front, turning round and staring. When he got off the bus I moved to the front seat on the left. He came back and sat on the right. (Next to me but on the other side of the bus.) When he came in he looked around for the closest place he could sit. He couldn't sit on the seat next to me as I had all my bags with me. From there, the only place I could have moved to was further back, and I felt safer near the front so I could get off/speak to the driver etc. There really was nowhere else for me to move to!! If I had sat right at the back, he would still have spent the whole journey staring at me, but from the front. aaargh!

[purplelily]

Ward-Minter, I've always had a lot of respect for the majority of your responses in the past.

But you think that, because someone's disabled, they're 'freaks', 'nutters', 'lunatics', 'ming-mongs' and 'circus people' who 'blight our society', 'play with their own excrement' and 'dribble in public'? And you call yourself a caring person? I have had the honour to have worked with disabled children in the past, and I can tell you now that they have been some of the most loving and giving people I have ever met and would ever expect to meet. And one of the best things about them is that they have no prejudice at all. I don't think that you can generalise 'disability' on the behaviour of a few people who don't have the ability (through no fault of their own) to know the difference between right and wrong. Yes, there have been some very sad incidences in the past, but this is more a reflection on our short-funded NHS than on the people who aren't as fortunate as we are. I sincerely hope that you are never in a position where you or someone you love becomes disabled.

[purplelily]

Scarlett, I'm sorry to have had that little rant on your thread, and I do agree, as I said earlier, that you did the right thing in getting off the bus if you felt threatened. xx.

[Ward-Minter]

purplelily, where have I mentioned disabled people or children? To me disbaled is somebody in a wheelchair or who is blind etc. NOT some mad person. Yes, if you use an umbrella they may fall under the same but that is such a generalisation.

What about drug-induced psychosis, or alcohol related madness for starters?

I think you are putting the mentally ill and the mentally disbaled into the same basket. This clearly is not the case and shows that society is indeed unaware of the problems that surround us.

I stand my ground and will advocate the reintroduction of Victorian Asylums to stop the rot of loonies raping, killing and stabbing the mentally sane of this country.

[caz21]

Ward minter, scarlett implied in her previous posts that this person was mentally disabled which is why purple lilly responded to your post like that! i am personally offended with your opinion as my brother is "mentally disabled" and for anyone to suggest that he should be sent to an assylum for staring, dribbling and generally being not of sound mind is ludicrous!

With regard to your comment saying he may not have hurt her but is may good enough, then you might as well get off the bus when anyone with a hoodie gets on the bus or anyone with dark skin, or anyone infact because they may hurt you too! if you are going to generalize! (I'm making a point here before anyone has a go at me for being chavist or racist coz i'm NOT!!)

[helliebobs]

Ward-minter, the term 'disability' covers much more than someone in a wheelchair or someone who is blind, but I'm not going to get into this with you!

[Ward-Minter]

Well I am personally offended by nutters attacking people willy nilly when they should be locked up. I guess we will never meet on this one as you clearly haven't understood a single word I have written.

IT IS THE MENTALLY ILL NOT THE DISABLED who are dangerous.

I do not know what the politically correct terms are nowadays but your average "disabled" person, i.e Downs Syndrome, etc are NOT a danger. It is your mad person who needs locking up.

Also, on a related issue the nutter of today simply did not exist when I was a lad. People were just mad and/or bad. For example, autism, ADHD, Aspbergers (sp?), bi-polar, environmental de-conditioning etc etc etc etc were terms not available to the average shrink a while ago. We know love to "compartmentalise" these so-called conditions and prescribe drugs when all that is needed is a sound good whacking or to lock them up.

The loon of today has therefore gained some kind of respect in the medical world when all they really are is a bad egg born that way. Only God can help them.

[caz21]

Fine, but your answers regarding the person scarlett met on the bus were not right in my opinion as that person was mentally "disabled" not a psycho! if that was the case i may be inclined to think differently!

[Kay]

Abert Einstien had Asperger Syndrome.

[Kay]

A Visitor Commented that "Those with Asperger's Syndrome have normal scores on IQ tests and are of average or above average intelligence. You should know that normal menas a score above 70. Incidentally, current research suggests that there are good reasons for not differentiating between autistism and Asperger's Syndrome."

Written by http://www.infoweb.co.nz. You can reprint this article free on your site as long as this credit is not edited and there is a link to infoweb.co.nz

Authors | Suggest Link | Sitemap | Contact | Pick Brains

[Scarlett]

Well this guy clearly did not have asperger's. I teach adults with aspergers and this was completely different!

[helliebobs]

Scarlett, not wishing to pick a fight but I was wondering how you can work with someone with Asperger's syndrome yet call this guy a 'scary weirdo'? You obviously recognised this man had some kind of learning difficulty, so why was he scary if you're used to dealing with people with problems? I don't understand the double standard, I'm afraid.

[Jennykins]

Even if the guy is mentally disabled that doesnt mean he wasnt thinking bad thoughts.. In my small town over the last 15 years we have had two mentally disabled men rape two girls.. One man followed a little girl home from school.. and in court he said sorry he didnt mean to do it.. the other man Im pretty sure raped his mother.. Yes they dont understand what there doing but that doesnt mean the odd one is not going to try something.. If somebody is makeing you feel threatend no matter what kind of person they are.. you should act accordingly and get your self safe.

ps. I also have two different types of mentally retarded brothers and one I have to keep my eye on around my children because he openly loves private parts.. but still he has a heart of gold.. but just incase he does something not knowing its wrong we all have to watch him. Ok I know I just went off topic abit .. but I feel in some of these post people are saying if the man is mentally handicap then dont worry about anything... Not trying to offend anybody ok ..