What is the right thing to do in the face of anti-social behaviour? It's a question being asked after the deaths of a number of people who decided to step in to stop what they saw as troublemakers. Here broadcaster Jeremy Vine explains why for him, sitting back is no longer an option.
What is the right thing to do in the face of anti-social behaviour? It's a question being asked after the deaths of a number of people who decided to step in to stop what they saw as troublemakers. Here broadcaster Jeremy Vine explains why for him, sitting back is no longer an option.
I was sitting in a Tube carriage next to an attractive young woman who was reading a magazine. There was a guy sitting opposite me, who was kind of Neanderthal. He had obviously taken an interest in this woman.Vine: 'None of us did anything. It was terrible.'
I was sitting in a Tube carriage next to an attractive young woman who was reading a magazine. There was a guy sitting opposite me, who was kind of Neanderthal. He had obviously taken an interest in this woman.Vine: 'None of us did anything. It was terrible.'
"Hello darlin', give us a smile! Come on darlin'! It's not that bad is it?"
"Hello darlin', give us a smile! Come on darlin'! It's not that bad is it?"
That was just annoying. But then he leant forwards and he started tapping her knee. And she kind of shrank back into her seat. I kind of 'tutted' and lifted my magazine even higher. That was my initial move.
That was just annoying. But then he leant forwards and he started tapping her knee. And she kind of shrank back into her seat. I kind of 'tutted' and lifted my magazine even higher. That was my initial move.
Anyway, all the passengers on the Tube were aware of this. The Tube stops. He gets out of the doors - the thug. He walks off down the platform, we're all quite happy he's gone. Another passenger flips him a V-sign. The doors have closed, by the way, when he does this. And then the disaster happens - the doors reopen.
Anyway, all the passengers on the Tube were aware of this. The Tube stops. He gets out of the doors - the thug. He walks off down the platform, we're all quite happy he's gone. Another passenger flips him a V-sign. The doors have closed, by the way, when he does this. And then the disaster happens - the doors reopen.
The thug runs back in. He's six foot three, his muscles are so big they're flexing against the Tube glass, and he just starts beating seven bells out of this fellow. And actually when you see physical violence or are on the receiving end of it, it's very very nasty.
The thug runs back in. He's six foot three, his muscles are so big they're flexing against the Tube glass, and he just starts beating seven bells out of this fellow. And actually when you see physical violence or are on the receiving end of it, it's very very nasty.
His fist went into the side of his head, blood came out, another fist, the guy goes down on the carriage floor, and the thug walks off very happy with himself. And I did nothing. The carriage was pretty full. But none of us did anything. It was terrible.
His fist went into the side of his head, blood came out, another fist, the guy goes down on the carriage floor, and the thug walks off very happy with himself. And I did nothing. The carriage was pretty full. But none of us did anything. It was terrible.
I reckoned this Oscar Wilde biography would have been a classy way to bring this guy down It wasn't fight or flight, it was fight or sit there and watch. And I chose to sit there and watch. And I've replayed it many many times. I'm very unhappy that I did that, and I now have sort of resolved that if I see a similar kind of situation where I see someone being attacked like that, I will intervene with unmitigated ferocity.
I reckoned this Oscar Wilde biography would have been a classy way to bring this guy down It wasn't fight or flight, it was fight or sit there and watch. And I chose to sit there and watch. And I've replayed it many many times. I'm very unhappy that I did that, and I now have sort of resolved that if I see a similar kind of situation where I see someone being attacked like that, I will intervene with unmitigated ferocity.
In some horrible way, I guess the fact that nobody did anything to stop this guy gives him permission to do that. That's the problem. He knows that he's on a train carriage, he's giving us a display of strength, and the only way we can get involved is if we top him.
In some horrible way, I guess the fact that nobody did anything to stop this guy gives him permission to do that. That's the problem. He knows that he's on a train carriage, he's giving us a display of strength, and the only way we can get involved is if we better him.
I was sitting there and I had a biography of Oscar Wilde and it's about 700 pages. I reckoned that this biography would have made a serious dent in his skull and also that it would have been a classy way to bring this guy down to the Tube floor, but of course as I have all these thoughts it's already too late. In fact the moment you think about it, it's too late.
I was sitting there and I had a biography of Oscar Wilde and it's about 700 pages. I reckoned that this biography would have made a serious dent in his skull and also that it would have been a classy way to bring this guy down to the Tube floor, but of course as I have all these thoughts it's already too late. In fact the moment you think about it, it's too late.
'Everyone's looking for that moment of permission'I hope times might be a-changing, and that if everyone had acted here it might have made a difference. I had an instance on the bus the other day when a passenger got on, and he was not of loutish aspect, I must admit, he was about 30, but he was causing the driver trouble.
'Everyone's looking for that moment of permission'I hope times might be a-changing, and that if everyone had acted here it might have made a difference. I had an instance on the bus the other day when a passenger got on, and he was not of loutish aspect, I must admit, he was about 30, but he was causing the driver trouble.
He was standing near the driver's window and the driver told him to move back and he refused. And the driver had to come out of his booth to point to the sign that says don't stand too near the driver's window. In the end the troublemaker moved to the back of the bus and I was the first person he saw.
He was standing near the driver's window and the driver told him to move back and he refused. And the driver had to come out of his booth to point to the sign that says don't stand too near the driver's window. In the end the troublemaker moved to the back of the bus and I was the first person he saw.
And he said to me: "Look I'm sorry as far as I was concerned I could stand there." And I said: "The bus driver is a public servant and this is his bus. Behave yourself." And as soon as I said that everybody else on the bus flew at the guy, including this old woman who started shouting: "Get off the bus now, you get off!"
And he said to me: "Look I'm sorry as far as I was concerned I could stand there." And I said: "The bus driver is a public servant and this is his bus. Behave yourself." And as soon as I said that everybody else on the bus flew at the guy, including this old woman who started shouting: "Get off the bus now, you get off!"
I thought: "Wow, everyone was ready to say something, but it was only because he caught my eye and I said something that everyone joined in. So you're looking in a way for that moment that gives everyone permission."
I thought: "Wow, everyone was ready to say something, but it was only because he caught my eye and I said something that everyone joined in. So you're looking in a way for that moment that gives everyone permission."
The Jeremy Vine Show is on Radio Two each weekday at noon; he was speaking to Radio 4's Broadcasting House.
The Jeremy Vine Show is on Radio Two each weekday at noon; he was speaking to Radio 4's Broadcasting House.
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