The prospect of
violence occurring as we travel around the city may not normally
concern many of us -- but when it happens, it’s a shock. Those
hearing about the recent shooting on a 35 Jane bus may feel a
certain level of fear and anger, or try to put it out of mind.
Riders who witness or experience violence may have the same
responses -- only much stronger. With gunfire breaking out on a bus
with 40 people aboard, many are likely still in some kind of
emotional shock. Worse, a 24 year old man and an 11 year old girl
were sent to hospital with bullet wounds.
Despite being
shaken, or afraid of getting involved, anyone with information about
the incident -- or any other violent situation for that matter --
needs to connect with the police. Friends or acquaintances of those
on the Jane bus may have to gently urge witnesses to tell their tale
-- right away. 31 Division is handling the case, and their number is
416-808-3104. If someone absolutely has to be anonymous, call Crime
Stoppers at 416-222-8477, or 416-222-TIPS.
For the rest of
us reacting from afar, the best response may simply to be aware of
our feelings -- and consider how we would deal with problems in the
future. Violent or threatening episodes may be rare, but they
happen. When something occurs in the street or other location, the
usual recourse is finding a phone and dialing 911. While travelling
on the TTC, there are a few more options that will bring help and
assistance.
An event as
serious as a stabbing or shooting occurs every few years on a TTC
vehicle, but even relatively minor threats may at first stun us into
inaction. If you are on a bus or streetcar, know that the driver has
two ways to summon aid. They can communicate detailed information
about a problem directly to a central TTC dispatch centre, or
discretely set off an emergency alarm. Riders can decide if an
incident warrants alerting the vehicle operator, using both common
sense and caution.
Is a vague
threat of violence enough to ask for help? While anger can flare
quickly -- and escalate dangerously when weapons are at hand --
there may be sufficient warning signs. A bystander’s instinct could
be to avoid involvement, but it doesn’t take much to simply report
what’s going on. Terry Andrews, the TTC’s chief special constable,
tells In Transit, “We encourage passengers not to wait until an
incident has occurred.” If you’re feeling harassed or threatened,
report the problem, she says.
What’s the
threshold between an event that needs intervention, and say, just an
annoying situation? Andrews replies, “If you feel uncomfortable on
the transit system because of an incident that has occurred, we
encourage members of the public to report it to an employee.”
In Transit
hears from riders who experience a range of difficult situations,
and I wish I could say help will always arrive right away. While
there are TTC supervisors and special constables who can respond to
problems, there are only so many available at a given time. Just as
with the police, you can’t expect an fast response for every call.
In between fear
and ignoring potential problems, there is preparation. For riders,
why not remind yourself of the safety options both in the subway on
board all vehicles? As for the authorities, TTC officials are in the
early stages of reevaluating the over 700 closed circuit cameras in
the subway system, and together with the driver’s labour union,
considering a pilot project for cameras on buses.
Send e-mail to
transit@eddrass.com. Include
address and phone number.