I think the suggestion to wait until the next stop to report the thugs is the best one for most people, and perhaps trying to enlist the aid of your fellow commuters (in the next car, if necessary). However, that won’t always be possible…
Moreover, what do you do if the ten punks are actually hurting someone in your car, and there are only a couple of weak-looking other people around? Furthermore, what if there was no help available in the next car? I imagine the only solution in that case would be to do something drastic, such as stopping the train (making them fear that they’re trapped with authorities coming), or pulling out a gun (which is not an option for 99.5% of us).
Do you just let the guy get beat up or killed or do you try to intervene and possibly get yourself beat up or killed? I know that I would be pretty ineffectual in a fight (having never been in a real fight), and I don’t know if yelling at such a group would tend to make them stop, either (or just give them a new target).
A very different situation. If they’ve started to attack someone, then you should do anyting you can to assist the victim.
The logic on this is pretty unambiguous. First, there’s the ethical question of letting someone else be attacked without helping. Second, there’s the purely selfish standpoint that if they’ve attacked one person, then they can surely attack another. Third, and building on the 2nd, the odds improve dramatically if it’s them v2, rather then them v 1. Forth, hopefully if your fellow passengers see you trying to help, one of them might feel encouraged to help too.
But really there’s just one point. If it was you being attacked, wouldn’t you be praying someone would come to your help?
Yep, but what if the tactical situation is hopeless even if you do throw yourself into the fray? Let’s say there was no one else on the car but yourself (or maybe one 80 year old woman). What getting into the fight be wise, especially if you were not a fighter? I was looking for other solutions that I might not know about… Such as: are there panic buttons on most trains? IS there a way to stop the train? How about making a move to another car and saying “I’m gonna go get help!” in the hopes of distracting them and making them chase you instead of pummel the victim?
In short, what is the best way for a non-fighter to intervene in a case of clear tactical inferiority (outnumbered 10 to 1 or 10 to 2 if you count the victim, and also weaker than them)? I am pretty sure that throwing myself into the fray would just result in two victims for the price of one (given that the subway car has no one else that can help).
Luckily, these worst case scenarios are not so likely. More likely is that the aforementioned punks harassed more passengers, possibly committed a few more minor assaults, and possibly mugged the last person left on the car with them.
It is not as dangerous as these past few descriptions, though still degrading and enraging. Hopefully they will be caught soon, and that may turn them around.
On a tangent, one night my roommate was taking the trash down to the street when some guy approached her for a sandwich. She said she couldn’t help him, and he was very polite, and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just asking for a sandwich. I’m on parole. Wanna see my parole card?” Weird, and not so comforting, but there seems to be some deterring force in having been locked up, and fear of the same. To the extent that the guy thought being on parole gave him some credibility as to NOT being a violent person.
You do pretty much what you would do if you were a first responder to a fire, car crash or other incident you could not personally deal with. Your first priority is for you to ensure your safety, to avoid adding yourself to the casualty count. You then notify an appropriate authority as soon as possible, so they can act.
No, we have nothing like that. Of all the underground systems I’ve been on in the world, I would say NY’s is the worst in terms of alerting authorities for help.
I remember one time a few years back I was walking home, it was late, and some lady was screaming for help and being harrassed by some guy. I ran across the street and as soon as I was about to get there, they burst into laughter. I guess her and her boyfriend wanted a good chuckle.
What they want is a reaction. They want to see you afraid. They want to see you angry. They’re bored and they are too stupid to entertain themselves any other way. If you did stand up and say 'Back the fuck off muther-fucker" they would probably laugh. (or draw out box knives) The only thing to do is ignore them. Since they are minors if you as an adult hit one you better have plenty of witnesses to back up that they started it and it was warranted. Of course if you are not traveling alone they probably wouldn’t bother you.
Oh and Toranto opened it’s first subway line in 1954. NYC probably has cars in operation that are older than that.
Wow! That’s a pity that there is not a reliable personal security system on the subway cars. Given NY’s reputation for subway crime, that’s quite surprising.
Not really. The system would be quickly overrun with false alarms. Too many and soon no one takes the alarms seriously (passenger and conductor alike).
The major point is that if you’re ever in a situation where you have to defend yourself and you’re outnumbered… even ‘just’ 2 on 1 is to strike hard, fast and with intent to cause massive injury. The whole point is to put someone on the ground and keep them down.
