RTA bus punch

[jsharmon7]

So what are your thoughts on the bus drivers actions as far as self defense go? Was he protecting himself, or taking his anger out on her?

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, here is the video. It is definitely NSFW as there is some rather naughty language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmqU...12.0...0.0...1ac.1.4b3-dVmEnqg&has_verified=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiwM...c.1.4b3-dVmEnqg&has_verified=1&has_verified=1

Witnesses say that she shoved him, spit on him, and knocked his cell phone out of his hand when he tried to call the police. But, he was very casual about getting up and walking over to her before hitting her. He didn't seem to be in any danger at that moment. Which way are you leaning if you're on the jury?

 

[booey50]

I don't care who you are, you don't do that to any woman!!!!!!
Even if she is a female dog who deserved it, damn!!!!!
No he did not have a right to do that, no fear of life at all.

 

[BravoMike]

I may sound lika a heartless a-hole here, but I don't care if it's a woman. If I feel that my, or my families safety is in jeopardy, I will do what I need to do to survive. That being said, no I don't even think its even up for discussion that this guy was NOT justified in punching her. What should of happened was the bus being stopped (I think the safety of the others was compromised by him being so distracted while driving) and not go anywhere until she was off. Even right before he hit her, the driver could have just as easily walked off the bus. He was egging her on just as much as she was giving him crap.

 

[KW730]

I have to agree that this wasn't really warranted. He could have easily avoided this by stopping the bus and radioing dispatch with the details.

 

[chezuki]

Was the driver in the right? No.
Would I ever react the way he did? Hell no.
Was the mouthy girl obnoxious? Yes.
Was it a hell of an uppercut? Yes.

He will definitely lose his job and might face charges. In my opinion, she should face charges as well.

 

[tbhausen]

I think it would have turned out differently if she hadn't put her hands on him, first.

 

[Tydeeh22]

if a woman wants to "hit like a man".. she can "get hit" like a man. my mother being one of the roudy ones i know has experienced such things... chivalry and respect only go so far, then it turns into downright solving a problem.

 

[mtgasten]

I think it would have turned out differently if she hadn't put her hands on him, first.

she did, she hit him, shoved him and then spit on him, i still dont think that what he did is right though. was it hilarious to watch? yep, doesnt make it right though.

 

[CathyInBlue]

She was interfering with the safe operation of a city bus full of passengers. He had every authority to eject her skanky ass from the bus for safety reasons. She was belligerent, assaultive, and combative. I support what the driver did as reasonable under the circumstances in order to eject her from the bus and regain order and safety and hope he experiences no adversity due to his actions.

 

[Hop]

Watch the other video from the other angle. This "woman" was yelling and spitting when he was actually driving the bus! He should have pulled over and demanded she exit the bus but when she assaulted him further by punching him all bets were off.

 

[Indy Wing Chun]

I was a bouncer for a number of years and the only real injuries I ever sustained was when I first started out and I tried breaking up couple female fights like a "gentlemen"

Fights are fights and self-defense is self-defense.

Now, in direct reference to that video, I don't think that punch was absolutely necessary, but then again I also possess skills in restraining people. Maybe this guy doesn't have any hand-to-hand training whatsoever and did the only thing he knew how to do to stop being assaulted and battered.

Look, if you're driving a 5 ton vehicle full of people and a person is spitting on you, pushing you and hitting you, you have a responsibility to put a stop to the potential danger.

I, personally, agree that he should have stopped the bus and radioed dispatch for a police officer. I didn't see him really utilize any de-escalation tactics. It isn't how I would have handled the situation, but I would have definitely "laid hands" on her an made sure that she stopped assaulting and battering me.

 

[littletommy]

May have been a little excessive, but hey, I wasn't there. Yeah, hitting women is not good, but as someone else has already said, "if you're gonna try to hit like a man"......I think society has reached a point where ass kickings SHOULD be handed out for being stupid, no, check that, we're way beyond that point.

 

[BravoMike]

She was interfering with the safe operation of a city bus full of passengers. He had every authority to eject her skanky ass from the bus for safety reasons. She was belligerent, assaultive, and combative. I support what the driver did as reasonable under the circumstances in order to eject her from the bus and regain order and safety and hope he experiences no adversity due to his actions.

Really? His uppercut was justified? I'm sorry but you can't get into an argument with someone, and continue the argument, then claim self defense. He even continued arguing with her while driving the bus. No deescilation and no removing himself from the situation. Why not stop the bus, take the keys, get off then call the police? No instead he stopped the bus, was pissed because of the way she was acting towards him and what she was doing and took his anger out on her. He was not acting in self-defense, he was seeking retaliation.

 

[tbhausen]

she did, she hit him, shoved him and then spit on him, i still dont think that what he did is right though. was it hilarious to watch? yep, doesnt make it right though.

That's what I meant--if she hadn't done those things, it wouldn't have happened.

 

[BravoMike]

That's what I meant--if she hadn't done those things, it wouldn't have happened.

If he would have tried deescilation, or remove himself from the situation it may not have happened. Instead he kept on going. Did you not hear him saying, "spit on me, spit on me, spit on me"?

 

[tbhausen]

There probably comes a point when "did she deserve it?" becomes a valid question. Gender is no factor.

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

He was not acting in self-defense, he was seeking retaliation.

Either way...it works for me!

I'm with CathyInBlue on this one... While probably not "legal", she got exactly what she deserved, her gender be damned! Like the bus driver said, "...she wanna be a man, I'm gonna treat you like a man..!"

If you act like a rude, obnoxious, violent idiot, you have no right to claim victim status when the consequences of your actions come back and literally knock you on your ass. If this message is no longer learned by certain people through their parents, community, church, schooling, society at large, or plain old (now not-so-) common sense, I have no problem with it being learned through a beautifully executed upper-cut!

 

[BravoMike]

So what are your thoughts on the bus drivers actions as far as self defense go? Was he protecting himself, or taking his anger out on her?

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, here is the video. It is definitely NSFW as there is some rather naughty language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmqU...12.0...0.0...1ac.1.4b3-dVmEnqg&has_verified=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiwM...c.1.4b3-dVmEnqg&has_verified=1&has_verified=1

Witnesses say that she shoved him, spit on him, and knocked his cell phone out of his hand when he tried to call the police. But, he was very casual about getting up and walking over to her before hitting her. He didn't seem to be in any danger at that moment. Which way are you leaning if you're on the jury?

I thought the OP was asking how this would play out legally...

If I where in the bus drivers shoes, I would have not walked right passed the door to attack her, I would have walked to the door and gotten off the bus.

Did the lady deserve what she got? IDK... I have a hard time with the fact that what the driver did could have lead to serious, life changing injuries. Ultimately they both share responsibility with what happened, but if I look through the eyes of the driver, I can't see that what he did was justified self defense. To me it seems like he did that in a fit of rage and I can't condone that.

 

[jbombelli]

She deserved it. I'd vote to acquit if I was on the jury.

I know the law doesn't allow you to "teach someone a lesson", but that's why we have jury nullification. Some people just deserve to get punched in the face.

 

[CTS]

He didn't handle it as well as it could have been handled, but I have zero issue with the uppercut. Sometimes people will only realize they're out of line after they've suffered some expedient consequence. I would recommend some additional training on dealing with unruly passengers, then put him back on his route. I seriously doubt anyone on his line who knows about this is going to give him a rough time again soon.