Driver: Don’t be scared to take the bus
Posted October 12, 2011 2:32 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – Trying to ease the fears of some commuters who may be afraid to take transit. One bus driver wants to get that message out following Jamie Kehoe’s death.
Operators are highly trained in dealing with a rare situation like a fight or other altercation says Coast Mountain Bus driver Jim Baxter.
“The driver has what’s called a transit alarm and transit communications can call the police. They can take the situation, assess it, know exactly where the bus driver is and deploy emergency services at the snap of their fingers.”
He says if people are afraid to take transit, they should know that the weekend bus stabbing in Surrey was an isolated incident
“The important thing to know is to listen to the transit operator. They have a training department that teaches them when they first come in how to diffuse and deal with situations that are this extreme.”
Stabbing death may stop others from being Good Samaritans
Incidents like the slashing death of an 18 year old on a Surrey bus may have people wanting to stand up for others re-thinking doing so. News1130 is finding out what makes a ‘Good Samaritan’ and how to stay out of danger if you find yourself in an unpleasant situation.
Police often tell us not to be the hero, yet commend people for stepping in to help in an uncomfortable situation. So, what do you do if you see someone being abused or beaten — stand there and ignore it?
Psychologist Dr. Derek Swain says it can be very tricky. “If bystanders don’t step in and at least draw attention to the fact that this behaviour is inappropriate, then their silence tends to give permission for this type of thing to continue.”
He adds sometimes, speaking up is better than intervening. “Simply yelling ‘STOP! This behaviour is wrong, stop!'”
“Generally, asserting that… and drawing attention from other people may encourage others to do likewise,” he adds.
