T3G
Senior Member
Well, let me ask you something - describe to me your father's physical build in 1989. There are two possibilities here: either the dude was ripped, in which case he would automatically have the physical advantage over many sketchy folk using the system, or he himself was closer in physique to an emaciated drug user, in which case getting into fights with the criminals of the TTC would be a horrifically stupid thing to do, and the fact that he lived to tell the tale is because of sheer dumb luck.That was the mentality up until the late 1990s.
My father started at the TTC in 1989 and had to deal with alot of situations on his own without support. He has a number of stories wherein he had to manhandle someone and throw them off his bus for doing drugs.
He has other stories where he came across someone throwing punches at another operator who was at a stop. In that case, he parked his bus and went to assist while the original operator took a fire extinguisher to the back of the persons head (and was later fired for it).
With all the cameras and bleeding hearts now, it would be impossible for any operator to defend themselves and avoid risking jail time or being publicly persecuted via social media.
Many years ago, prior to the installation of the cab shields my father was asked to wear a seatbelt while driving by his supervisor. His response was no because he felt it would impede his ability to defend himself when assaulted.
So, which is it?
As he quite plainly put it, the people they are hiring now do not care. They just sit in the seat and collect a paycheque without actually knowing or caring about what they are doing.
That's a pretty ignorant mischaracterization of the collect situation.
It needs to be said again - clearly, it didn't sink in the first time - these people aren't trained to be cops or bodyguards, and unless they're built like a tank, there is a not zero chance that any attempt to intervene will just end badly for them. There is NOTHING in the job description about getting physical with crack heads or gangbangers. There are older people who drive, there are women, and in fact there are a lot of men who do not have the build for that type of confrontation, either. Why should they be expected to put themselves at risk because the police and the city politicians don't feel like doing their jobs?