Reactions to petty vandalism

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

The only reasonable explanation I could come up with for people giving him the gears about pushing the button was it sometimes takes a while to get things sorted out and the train moving again. If someone was cutting it close to get to work/job interview/home to a sick child/etc and a long delay could have some consequences I could understand them being annoyed over a relatively minor 'emergency'.

I agree with this. I think th OP did the right thing by telling the kids off, but not sure if it qualifies as an emergency enough to be pushing the button.

Still, ultimately did the right thing in interrupting what the vandals were doing.

[CaptainCrunch]

I would have pinned them down and drawn a large veiny p#nis on thier foreheads in permanent ink.

Then probably been hauled in front of the judge for assaulting the little sweet hearts.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Probably not, but it would be nice to see little Timmy Thug getting home to his parents after being given a nice juicy fine for public vandalism and being forced to go in on Saturday to scrub a train or two with a toothpick.

They would never do that. They should instead institute some form of public humiliation.

They could chain the little basterds together and force them to ride the c-train all day, all over the city, dressed in Oilers jerseys on "Calgary Transit's Free Rotten Fruit Giveaway Day!"

Thats the problem with today's prisons and punishment systems: They're not public enough. You have to involve the citizenry to really get the message to stick.

[lambeburger]

If I recall correctly the signs next to the emergency button says press button if:

- there is a medical emergency
- if a patron is being harassed by another passenger
- if an act of vandalism is taking place

I think you were in the right to press the button.

[flamingchina]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

He has to allow the doors to open. If he doesn't he's locking in everyone on the train.

If they took off running then Mission: Accomplished. They were spooked. I bet one of them will reconsider his pathetic little tagging career next time he's on the train.

I wouldn't want some kid to get a criminal record out of something so lame though. Would they?

T%he kid was bragging beforehand (and after) that he had already been to jail... kid honestly was maybe 14...

And yeah, that was my hope afterwards, that someone confronting them will make them think twice about doing it next time.

[burn_this_city]

^^ His parents must be proud

Its only a fine.. $2500 though.. Used to be $250

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Dion

How about making the effing little pukes clean up thier vandalism?

Or would you prefer your tax dollars being used to clean the mess?

Well if "my tax dollars" is the biggest issue... It's a hell of a lot cheaper to have some maintenance man spend 5 minutes cleaning it off than it is to get the cops, courts and social workers involved.

It's punks doing punk stuff. They got scared and ran off. That's good enough for me.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Well if "my tax dollars" is the biggest issue... It's a hell of a lot cheaper to have some maintenance man spend 5 minutes cleaning it off than it is to get the cops, courts and social workers involved.

It's punks doing punk stuff. They got scared and ran off. That's good enough for me.

Letting them off sends a nice message to these pukes. Go ahead and tag other trains as we won't be doing anything to condone your actions.

[peter12]

Only solution.

[Locke]

One could even say that those punks are a strong argument for abortion...

[Russic]

Good for you for saying something. I'm shocked people actually had a problem with you doing it. What was the argument coming from the other adults?

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Locke

One could even say that those punks are a strong argument for abortion...

Hey now.. Some of us eventually become semi-productive members of society..

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Well if "my tax dollars" is the biggest issue... It's a hell of a lot cheaper to have some maintenance man spend 5 minutes cleaning it off than it is to get the cops, courts and social workers involved.

It's punks doing punk stuff. They got scared and ran off. That's good enough for me.

Maybe, but how many more times are they going to do this?

Additionally:

The researchers’ conclusion is that one example of disorder, like graffiti or littering, can indeed encourage another, like stealing. Dr Kelling was right. The message for policymakers and police officers is that clearing up graffiti or littering promptly could help fight the spread of crime.

http://www.economist.com/science/dis...ry_id=12630201

[Locke]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Hey now.. Some of us eventually become semi-productive members of society..

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Maybe, but how many more times are they going to do this?

I don't know how many more times they are going to do this. Do you? They didn't get pinched this time, so maybe they will do it again.

They got stopped in the middle and ran off. What do you guys think should have happened? Should the driver have locked everyone in the train until the cops showed up? Should the other people on the train beaten them up?

I don't know what you all want here. It's not inexcusable, it's not "boys will be boys", but it's not that big a deal either.

Someone stood up to them, they stopped what they were doing and ran away with their tail between their legs.

If there had happened to be a transit cop on the train and he managed to corral them all and give out 10 grand worth of fines, that would be even better.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I don't know how many more times they are going to do this. Do you? They didn't get pinched this time, so maybe they will do it again.

They got stopped in the middle and ran off. What do you guys think should have happened? Should the driver have locked everyone in the train until the cops showed up? Should the other people on the train beaten them up?

I don't know what you all want here. It's not inexcusable, it's not "boys will be boys", but it's not that big a deal either.

Someone stood up to them, they stopped what they were doing and ran away with their tail between their legs.

If there had happened to be a transit cop on the train and he managed to corral them all and give out 10 grand worth of fines, that would be even better.

I don't know, but making the "effin' little pukes clean up their vandalism" sounds like a good idea to me.

They ran, but maybe that was part of the thrill. Who can say.

I know I'm not looking to make a federal case, but the idea that there are no consequences is somewhat galling.

If you, rougeunderoos HAD caught them, what do you perceive a reasonable response would be?

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Locke

One could even say that those punks are a strong argument for abortion...

Or contraception at the very least. What's the old saying ... "Good Year rubber could have prevented this accident."

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I don't know, but making the "effin' little pukes clean up their vandalism" sounds like a good idea to me.

They ran, but maybe that was part of the thrill. Who can say.

I know I'm not looking to make a federal case, but the idea that there are no consequences is somewhat galling.

If you, rougeunderoos HAD caught them, what do you perceive a reasonable response would be?

If I HAD caught them I would have done the same thing the OP did -- I would have said something and maybe even push the button. What would you do? What do you think can be done in that situation?

I don't object to having them clean it up if they get caught, but the rub there is they have to get caught.

These guys didn't get caught, so saying "make the little effers clean it up" sounds real tough, but it just doesn't make sense.

[Cliche]

Also the requirement that the button be pushed is there for the safety of the person pushing the button. Those who would vandalize property would probably be not above incidental assault and battery for ratting them out. 5 of them together and you could have been involved in a potential swarming situation.

Also them running off could have also indicated they were riding without fares so to speak, and would be another encouragement for the city to make the stops actual installations instead of platforms, with the requisite increases in fare price due to having security and fare employees on the platform.

[Robbob]

Isn't there a $500 reward if vandals are prosecuted? I remember the city having such a program a while back but don't know if its still going.