Public Transportation

[Celeste]

Any other unfortunate souls here forced to utilize public transportation in busy, overpopulated cities?

The following things have happened to me on Subways or in Subway stations:
1) Being followed by a menacing black guy all the way to my car
2) Being asked to buy weed
3) Being asked to buy and re-sell cocaine
4) Being asked to come to someone's apartment to do a "modeling" audition
5) Having someone sit down beside me and put their arm around me
6) Having someone shout obscene sexual things at me loud enough for the whole train car to hear
7) Solicited for sexual acts
8) Asked on dates from people I'd never laid eyes on before
9) Been slapped on the ass by a drunk homeless man
10) Been preached to and given religious documents for my entire trip
11) Been freaked out by people praising Allah...frantically speaking in Arabic and looking really suspicious
12) Been cornered by 2 guys and asked out...them NOT leaving me alone until my ride showed up outside the station
13) Attempted purse snatching

Maybe some of it doesn't seem like a bit deal, but when you're alone, small, female, and generally a frightened person, it just isn't good.

Yesterday evening I was groped twice on the subway by an east-indian looking man, and I quickly yelped and moved away. He then yelled at me and stared at me, calling me awful things for what seemed like 10 minutes. Then he groped a middle aged Asian woman, as well. I got off the subway at the next stop I could, and had a pretty severe panic attack, to say the least.

It's really unfortunate getting sexually assaulted whilst innocently trying to get from point A to point B.

Anyone else have bad experiences?
What should I do (I mean besides get a driver's license, I'm working on that...it's just stressful because I learnt to drive initially in NZ where drivers aren't psychos)?

I want a gun. Seriously. Or a huge guy to protect me.
Omg, wow, rant.

 

[mushroomedmario]

i love public transportation, i don't know why except the things that you describe sometimes happens

i.e. i was the only person on the city bus, and was occupying a two person seat(backpack and i) and an old person moved my backpack to sit beside me

or a kid dthat recently sniffed crushed ritalin kept following me and asking for money, and offering me ritalin and ciggys

 

[Celeste]

i love public transportation, i don't know why except the things that you describe sometimes happens

i.e. i was the only person on the city bus, and was occupying a two person seat(backpack and i) and an old person moved my backpack to sit beside me

or a kid dthat recently sniffed crushed ritalin kept following me and asking for money, and offering me ritalin and ciggys

Apparently I need to move to wherever Waterloo is.

 

[mushroomedmario]

it's the smartest city in the world(not kidding, been voted that by a forum, we have two universities, RIM(the people who created the blackberry, started here)) people are generally peaceful and calm, allthough it's a twin city with kitchener, and there are druggies there, kinda like a ying yang

i feel pretty safe in waterloo, but not as much as when i'm in kitchener

 

[Axtlar]

Nothing of the sort has happened to me, but that's because I'm a guy and I don't take buses or subways, so that's the best thing you could do, Celeste, just start driving a car every time you need to go out, and I wouldn't say buy a gun; you could get one of those tasers. I'm really sorry for that that happened to you.

 

[Celeste]

it's the smartest city in the world(not kidding, been voted that by a forum, we have two universities, RIM(the people who created the blackberry, started here)) people are generally peaceful and calm, allthough it's a twin city with kitchener, and there are druggies there, kinda like a ying yang

i feel pretty safe in waterloo, but not as much as when i'm in kitchener

Sounds ideal. I'm beginning to really REALLY hate Toronto. Everyone loves it...but I can't stand it here. Some of the reasons why are SOOO politically incorrect that I won't even go there because...yeah. You may know what I'm talking about if you know much about what it's like here...

I want to move to Scandinavia, or back home.

 

[mushroomedmario]

Sounds ideal. I'm beginning to really REALLY hate Toronto. Everyone loves it...but I can't stand it here. Some of the reasons why are SOOO politically incorrect that I won't even go there because...yeah. You may know what I'm talking about if you know much about what it's like here...

I want to move to Scandinavia, or back home.

than we can switch spots cause i want to live in toronto lol, i know it's filled with gangsters, bums and hookers, but i just love the city, and tdot is more urban than my city

 

[Celeste]

than we can switch spots cause i want to live in toronto lol, i know it's filled with gangsters, bums and hookers, but i just love the city, and tdot is more urban than my city

Well, if you're a guy, you won't have much of a problem with the transportation aspect, an if you like the "urban" thing, then, yeah, you should move here and I'll move there.
I'd love to get as far away from "urban" living as possible.
No matter where you go, you encounter the lowest most ****ed up forms of society. It isn't okay. I live in the Bloor/Yorkville region, which is the city's most affluent area. It's not like I'm in the 'hood. And still...this.
Ugh, everything I want to say is so hardcore politically incorrect :\

 

[ARav989]

Celeste, your really pretty. Im not suprised you have been harassed multiple times.

Buy a tazer, pepper spray, and a gun (legally of course with a license to carry it around.)

 

[mushroomedmario]

Well, if you're a guy, you won't have much of a problem with the transportation aspect, an if you like the "urban" thing, then, yeah, you should move here and I'll move there.
I'd love to get as far away from "urban" living as possible.
No matter where you go, you encounter the lowest most ****ed up forms of society. It isn't okay. I live in the Bloor/Yorkville region, which is the city's most affluent area. It's not like I'm in the 'hood. And still...this.
Ugh, everything I want to say is so hardcore politically incorrect :\

i find the malls(yorkdale and eaton) to be decently safe, that's probably where i would spend most of my free time :lol:

i really enjoy shopping as i have a compulsive spending disorder

 

[Celeste]

i find the malls(yorkdale and eaton) to be decently safe, that's probably where i would spend most of my free time :lol:

i really enjoy shopping as i have a compulsive spending disorder

I have the same disorder. I spent 5 hours in Yorkdale today. I like Yorkdale better than the Eaton Center...less thugs that just rolled in off the TTC, lol.

 

[mushroomedmario]

I have the same disorder. I spent 5 hours in Yorkdale today. I like Yorkdale better than the Eaton Center...less thugs that just rolled in off the TTC, lol.

yeah plus it has the billabong store...and i really like the style of that brand, probably my favourite (or quiksilver)

 

[Syntax]

I would suggest on buying pepper spray if you don't already have any. Buying a gun may just lead to more unnecessary problems.. As for problems regarding buses etc, I haven't come across any. However, it's most likely due to the fact that I'm a guy..

 

[mushroomedmario]

yeah but still i've never seen anything like that, if i have, i probably would say something to the rudees

 

[AndThen?]

yeah plus it has the billabong store...and i really like the style of that brand, probably my favourite

Hooray for Australian clothing!

Wow Celeste... That's awful.

I don't take public transport much, but when I take the train to my friend's house nothing bad happens really... some boguns (Australian word for thugs kind of) come on the train but that's about it.

I've had one guy ask to "look at my iPod" but I just told him to piss off.