Ban intoxicated bus riders

Recently I was catching one of the buses from the Plaza to an appointment, when an unruly and belligerent passenger refused to leave the bus and walked over to a fellow passenger (a senior citizen) and started yelling, cussing, calling her names and threatening to hit her. The driver told him that the police were on their way. They hadn’t even been called upon.

What the driver should have done was call her supervisor, then the police. The passenger appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

A week before that I was on a different bus when a teenager boarded who reeked of marijuana. The smell was so overwhelming that a group of us quickly departed.

To protect the public, bus drivers should refuse service to passengers who have been drinking or using drugs.

Diane Aliason
Kansas City

Comments

[Stifled Freedom]

"Ban intoxicated bus riders"

So they can drive themselves home from the bar.

[Kate]

Cassidy – Step-father, father-in-law, husband’s brother (twice), husband’s step-brother (3 times) and husband’s step-sisters (all 3 of them). These are the members of my immediate family who have been through drug/alcohol rehab. I’ve been around drunks long enough to save my compassion for the sober riders on the bus who are subjected to intoxicated strangers. I think it is misplaced compassion that does not hold a person responsible for his actions, which is why I don’t think it’s out of line to suggest that someone who can afford alcohol should pay for a cab so he is not an annoyance to others.

I understand that self-control is difficult for these people – I think they would all agree that achieving it is priceless.

[Casady]

"Self-control, and planning and budgeting skills – priceless."

Well aren't you special Kate. It must be nice to go through life not knowing anyone who has fallen to drug or alcohol addiction. Consider yourself very fortunate if not incompassionate.

[Kate]

“McCormicks vodka, $8 a fifth....cabride from City Hall to Crown Center $8”
Self-control, and planning and budgeting skills – priceless.

[solomon]

kate,

McCormicks vodka, $8 a fifth....cabride from City Hall to Crown Center $8,

Which is the more economical trip?

[Kate]

If they can afford to get liquored up or stoned, why can’t they afford to take a cab?

[stone]

I'm sure those stoned kids were causing a major problem too. Lets put them behind the wheel of a car also...
oh wait, they were probably just sitting there giggling, such a terrible thing to have on a bus.

[ScooterJ]

Great idea there, Diane. Let's ban those who have been drinking from using public transportation and make them drive instead.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

I would agree drunkards start trouble not so much the weed smokers. The Metro was a daily thing when I was a kid. If I needed to get around the city that's how we did it. Same when I lived on the West coast.
Of course we lived in the urban coure and I had no idea what suburbia was nor did I care. I can say that even in Vegas, you can ride the bus for $5 for 24 hours. Beats the hell out of driving and wrinking.

[solomon]

Light rail would give us a better class of drinker and pot smoker.

I rode the bus daily in the 60s with people who had been drinking or smoking pot. In the early 70s sometimes it was me.

Was this Dianes first exposure to the "big city"?

[T. Hanson]

NMMNG,
I was friends with a metro driver who told me that it is more rare to find an unarmed (either it be a knife, teaser, or other device) driver than an armed one.

Granted I would hate to be a bus driver that has to deal with usally the scum that gets drunk, high or self medicated and starts trouble but that is why they get the big bucks (yea right).

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Or just have them carry a taser.