getting a little tired of the crack/meth heads

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Robbing and bear spraying has always been a thing?

It’s definitely a part of the overall transit safety that people have been raising concerns about.

Yes.

The bear spray part is a bit new (it's around ~30 years old, I'd say) but it's not like teens beating and robbing other teens is something that only started 2-3 years ago.

[Locke]

They never had these problems in Mayberry...

[blankall]

Originally Posted by you&me

Or in the middle of the afternoon on a weekend, in this case.

But yes, this seems more like a case of s**t heads, than crack heads... and there has always been s**t heads.

Most gangs of teens will wait until no one else is around before pulling shenanigans. Most of the attacks will happen late at night. I suppose they could happen anywhere, the C-train probably gets fairly quiet in the mid-afternoon.

I would actually be more alarmed if there were people around and no one was helping. The bystander effect seems to be getting worse in our society. It does sound like the attack happened after the victim had left the C-train. They likely followed her until they saw that no one was around.

The overall incidence of random violence is actually a lot lower now that it was when I was growing up in the 1990s. Despite the upsurge we're seeing now, it's way below what was happening in the 90s.

Anyways, I don't think teens attacking other teens is a signal that our society is going down the crapper. It's just always been a thing. Teens can be complete crap heads.

[TorqueDog]

George Carlin had a solution for these people back in 1996, we just gotta get the US to fence off their rectangular states....

Spoiler!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Robbing and bear spraying has always been a thing?

It’s definitely a part of the overall transit safety that people have been raising concerns about.

I bought my first can of bear spray something like 20 years ago. I had to sign for it and provide ID. I assume that's because people were using it as a weapon.

But drug addicts generally don't carry bear spray around. For one thing, it's expensive (and impossible to shoplift).

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

But drug addicts generally don't carry bear spray around. For one thing, it's expensive (and impossible to shoplift).

I don't know about the overlap between drug addicts and different types of criminals, but my dad was bear sprayed last year for asking someone what they were doing when they were looking in his neighbour's car windows in the alley. A guy in my neighbourhood had like 20 cop cars show up to deal with him after a random assault on the street, I overheard the fire fighters there saying he let off bear spray when the cops came.

Seems like regardless of who's getting ahold of it, it's not exactly rare to be in the possession of low level criminals?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I don't know about the overlap between drug addicts and different types of criminals, but my dad was bear sprayed last year for asking someone what they were doing when they were looking in his neighbour's car windows in the alley. A guy in my neighbourhood had like 20 cop cars show up to deal with him after a random assault on the street, I overheard the fire fighters there saying he let off bear spray when the cops came.

Seems like regardless of who's getting ahold of it, it's not exactly rare to be in the possession of low level criminals?

I'm relatively certain you can buy it on Amazon, because wasnt there a news story a couple years ago about an Amazon packing robot rolling over a case of it and their warehouse having to be evacuated?

On the other hand, having been in the presence of Bear Mace a grand total of once in my life....that stuff is brutal, I'm surprised that girl got up if she got bear maced.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I don't know about the overlap between drug addicts and different types of criminals, but my dad was bear sprayed last year for asking someone what they were doing when they were looking in his neighbour's car windows in the alley. A guy in my neighbourhood had like 20 cop cars show up to deal with him after a random assault on the street, I overheard the fire fighters there saying he let off bear spray when the cops came.

Seems like regardless of who's getting ahold of it, it's not exactly rare to be in the possession of low level criminals?

It's probably not rare, but the original topic was about how people were tired of crack/meth heads, especially on the trains/platforms. I opined that I saw more problematic behaviour towards others by certain others than the drug addicts, who were for the most part, while unsightly, were minding their own business.

Then somehow every reported crime on the C-Train gets posted here like it's proof of something about those people. The point of the person who posted the actuial report was (I think) to show that it was not about them because it sure doesn't fit that pattern.

So I guess my point is - yes, crime on C-Trains is bad, but let's not conflate every crime on the train with addicts.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm relatively certain you can buy it on Amazon, because wasnt there a news story a couple years ago about an Amazon packing robot rolling over a case of it and their warehouse having to be evacuated?

On the other hand, having been in the presence of Bear Mace a grand total of once in my life....that stuff is brutal, I'm surprised that girl got up if she got bear maced.

Under the Pest Controls Products Act, bear spray may only be sold in Canada by authorized vendors who maintain proper sales records. Information gathered during sale must include a purchaser's name and address, the amount purchased, and a signed Notice to Purchaser Agreement.

The Agreement outlines the legal uses of bear spray and contains a liability warning. Purchasers will in effect sign a waiver assuming all risk during bear encounters. It is illegal to sell bear spray to anyone under the age of 18 or to anyone unwilling to sign the Notice to Purchaser Agreement.

https://legalbeagle.com/6942366-cana...pray-laws.html

[Sliver]

Bear bangers are pretty fkn sweet and I think criminals should use those more. I have one and I like to launch one off pre-hike. They're so insanely loud. I'd think if you shot one off in an enclosed space it would be like a stun grenade.

Last year I was hiking and fired a banger right before we set off. About half an hour later a family was walking down toward us and warned us there was a bear because they heard somebody shoot off a bear banger so they were going home. I was like, 'oh that was me...just clearing the trail.' That guy had fury in his eyes and I thought he was going to kill me. Sometimes I think about that interaction and smile. It's the little things.

[81MC]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Bear bangers are pretty fkn sweet and I think criminals should use those more. I have one and I like to launch one off pre-hike. They're so insanely loud. I'd think if you shot one off in an enclosed space it would be like a stun grenade.

Last year I was hiking and fired a banger right before we set off. About half an hour later a family was walking down toward us and warned us there was a bear because they heard somebody shoot off a bear banger so they were going home. I was like, 'oh that was me...just clearing the trail.' That guy had fury in his eyes and I thought he was going to kill me. Sometimes I think about that interaction and smile. It's the little things.

Maybe he’s mad that you contravene Parks Canada’s own recommendation and by shooting off a banger for no reason you increased the risk to his family?

“We recommend bear spray and we don’t recommend things like flares, pen flares, or bear bangers and we don’t recommend things like bear bells,” explained Stuart-Smith. “Bear spray has been proven scientifically to be effective and those other things are not necessarily going to be effective.”

Stuart-Smith says bear bangers, which are small explosives, carry the potential for injury or escalating an encounter. “If a bear is close to you and you shoot off a bear banger that explodes behind that bear, that might force the bear towards you and make the situation more dangerous. It could make the bear more aggressive because it’s now scared of the noise.”

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by 81MC

Maybe he’s mad that you contravene Parks Canada’s own recommendation and by shooting off a banger for no reason you increased the risk to his family?

If it was for no reason then sure. I was clearing the trail, though.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Sliver

If it was for no reason then sure. I was clearing the trail, though.

Clearing the trail? If there was a bear on the trail in front of you now it’s running towards that family.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Clearing the trail? If there was a bear on the trail in front of you now it’s running towards that family.

There's a one in 360 chance that would happen and it was a risk I was willing to take.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The way Sliver never seems to run out of new and completely insane things to say on here is truly incredible.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

The way Sliver never seems to run out of new and completely insane things to say on here is truly incredible.

He's definitely my favourite character.

Life is better around people that don't take everything super seriously

[GGG]

I’d assume a lot of bear spray is just stolen from cars, garages and parents.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Sliver

There's a one in 360 chance that would happen and it was a risk I was willing to take.

Probably a 90/360 chance.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Sliver

There's a one in 360 chance that would happen and it was a risk I was willing to take.

So just to clarify, you are setting of bear bangers at an established trailhead, with no bear sign in the area? And then are amused at negatively impacting someone's day out in the mountains?

AITA thread winner...

[TheIronMaiden]

Hiking is over rated as ####. I love my girlfriend, but I cannot fathom why someone wants to hike that much. It is hardly getting away from it all. Drive two hours, just to walk 20 steps in front and behind of people up hill for a small glimpse of the same mountains you just drove through for 2 hours.