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Bus surfing

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Jess Clark

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As you may know, there are a lot of youths bus surfing.

I wonder why they are risking their lives by doing a stupid stunt?

I know a few people from my school who surf buses.

Just asking, that's all!
 
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yorkie

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As you may know, there are a lot of youths bus surfing.
I didn't know; I've not seen it myself nor seen any news articles about it. I don't think a lot of youths near me do this, or I would have heard about it! Is it a particular problem in your area or have you seen a report from elsewhere?

I wonder why they are risking their lives by doing a stupid stunt?
Some youths will carry out dangerous activities for the thrill of it, this is more likely to happen where there are insufficient activities for them to do.

You can never completely eliminate such behaviour but there are various mitigations that can be done to reduce them, but it is rarely the case that the root cause is fully addressed.

I know a few people from my school who surf buses.
If they are friends who may listen to you, it may be worth trying to convince them not to. If not, it may be worth reporting such instances. Either way be careful though and don't say or do anything that may put you in danger (in particular you don't want people taking revenge because you reported them).
 

lxfe_mxtterz

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I was never even aware of such a thing.

Perhaps similarly, however, there is a chronic problem not too far from me where scum with nothing better to do hang out in gangs around bus shelters, creating a grand display of anti-social behaviour whilst attacking the back of buses with baseball bats - indeed, one town's bus station is particularly bad for this.*

*This town, may I add, is a small, rural town - not somewhere you would ever expect this kind of despicable behaviour...

I've been on a few buses through said town's bus station which have been hit. As shocking as it was, the driver said it was a regular occurrence in the area.

I can only assume that the underlying reasons for both of these contemptible acts are the same...
 

61653 HTAFC

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Is this riding on the roof of a bus? I assume single deckers?
Indeed an explanation of exactly what practice is being discussed would help. My first thought was something akin to "skitching": being pulled along on roller blades or a skateboard by holding onto a motor vehicle... my second thought was someone trying to get a Dennis Dart on board a Sprinter at Par!
 

yorkie

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Is this riding on the roof of a bus? I assume single deckers?
I assumed not the roof but holding onto something, probably at the rear of the bus; certainly that's the issue they had on Metrolink

Transport for Greater Manchester said 68 incidents had seen children as young as 11 clinging to the outside of trams.
CCTV revealed one example of two people "recklessly" riding on a tram on the Altrincham line.
I don't think it is particularly widespread or common around the country and I don't know if this is still a frequent issue on Metrolink or not; the above news report is from a couple of years ago.

Perhaps similarly, however, there is a chronic problem not too far from me where scum with nothing better to do hang out in gangs around bus shelters, creating a grand display of anti-social behaviour whilst attacking the back of buses with baseball bats - indeed, one town's bus station is particularly bad for this.*...
Where is this? I've not heard of this going on and I'm sure it would be newsworthy; do you have a link to a news report?

If it's a small place then surely if the same people keep doing it, it should be relatively straightforward to identify them and prevent them doing it in future?
 

lxfe_mxtterz

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Where is this? I've not heard of this going on and I'm sure it would be newsworthy; do you have a link to a news report?

If it's a small place then surely if the same people keep doing it, it should be relatively straightforward to identify them and prevent them doing it in future?
The town in question is Storrington in West Sussex. I'm unable to find any news reports about the issue, I'm afraid.

The most I've found is this from April:
Sussex Police confirmed it had imposed a Section 35 Dispersal Order in the town at 8pm on Saturday.

The order will remain in place until 8pm tomorrow (Monday, April 12).

Anyone who does not comply with the order may be arrested, police said.

As you say, given the size of the place, it's possible that it's the same group of people responsible - the driver of one of the buses I was on did say he knew one of the boys who was doing it...
 

Grumpus63

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When I lived in Kent (up to 2019) the fashion amongst yobs, yoblets and yobletinas was to shatter bus (and house) windows by using catapults. Indeed bus services to locations in Chatham, Herne Bay and Ashford were curtailed due to attacks of this nature. One district in Ashford started to gain a reputation whereby children and youths of all ages would congregate in the small hours (some in dressing gowns), and take down hanging baskets, steal garden furniture and wheelie bins and create a huge bonfire over the local recreation ground. Riding (probably stolen) bikes headlong into oncoming traffic was another favourite past-time outside the domestic side of Ashford International station (domestic side).

"The kids ain't got enough to do!" is the usual refrain from do-gooders who fail to keep up with the times and don't understand that with their mobile phones and internet the kids have got the means of limitless contact and entertainment these days and yet like to go "retro" and use catapults as their means of weaponry in 2021. Surfing? They'll like the sound of that! :'(
 

Trackman

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I assumed not the roof but holding onto something, probably at the rear of the bus; certainly that's the issue they had on Metrolink.
DLR has a problem with it too. Videos on YouTube too - I am amazed nobody uses the passcom or goes and find the PSA, they just sit there watching them.
Is this riding on the roof of a bus? I assume single deckers?
Here is one on a double decker in Manchester.
You tube 'Double decker bus surfing in Manchester gone wrong'
Not putting a link, giving these idiots more hits.
 

wireforever

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Looked in my rear view mirror once and someone on a bike was holding on to the trailer I was towing as I pulled away from traffic lights
 

birchesgreen

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They will risk horrific injury or worse just so a stranger will watch their video for 5 seconds before getting bored and moving onto the next.

Worth it eh?
 

Busaholic

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A mature (in years rather than brainpower) man was photographed on the roof of a no 9 London doubledecker following the World Cup final. Maybe he jumped on it from Nelson's Column as the bus passed!
 

lxfe_mxtterz

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They will risk horrific injury or worse just so a stranger will watch their video for 5 seconds before getting bored and moving onto the next.

Worth it eh?
And with absolutely no regard for anybody else. Clearly they don't give a toss if they fall, get dragged under the bus and become seriously injured or even die, but think about the poor driver of that bus who will have to witness those scenes and then live with the trauma of that. All for what? A stupid publicity "stunt".
 

Gloster

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Back in the 1940s and 1950s it was quite common for cyclists to hang on to the back of buses, although this was usually to get pulled along for a short distance. My father remembered that London trolleybuses often had bicycle tyre marks up the back: they had very efficient brakes and if you weren’t quick to react when they stopped then...
 
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Jess Clark

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Is this riding on the roof of a bus? I assume single deckers?
Well.. There is loads off ways off (bus surfing)
1. Riding on the top off it
2. Holding on the back off the bus
3. Holding on the side off the bus with a bike, push scooter, skateboard, roller blades, Even a Sledge!
4. Grabbing at the back off it where people would have their arms inside the bus body abit.
I did see people do it before a smart way. They did the left side off the bus, so they wouldn't been seen by the driver.
You can do all the buses as far I know.

I didn't know; I've not seen it myself nor seen any news articles about it. I don't think a lot of youths near me do this, or I would have heard about it! Is it a particular problem in your area or have you seen a report from elsewhere?


Some youths will carry out dangerous activities for the thrill of it, this is more likely to happen where there are insufficient activities for them to do.

You can never completely eliminate such behaviour but there are various mitigations that can be done to reduce them, but it is rarely the case that the root cause is fully addressed.


If they are friends who may listen to you, it may be worth trying to convince them not to. If not, it may be worth reporting such instances. Either way be careful though and don't say or do anything that may put you in danger (in particular you don't want people taking revenge because you reported them).
I saw YouTube videos off people doing it. Some failed, some never failed. But if you look at videos off it there's loads off videos. I know if someone does it half off the time, it doesn't even get posted on the news. From what I done and seen.

I do dangerous activities on my bike and on outdoor parks, but I know what I'm doing as I have trained for it for like 2 or a month time, off training. I do suffer from depression from issues from my dad and sister, but I try my best to stay happy.

People do it because their neither, in a abusive household-I suffer from this. They don't have any friends or anyone to talk to. They have a really bored life, and just do this stuff to make them happy, they do it for the attention.


I was never even aware of such a thing.

Perhaps similarly, however, there is a chronic problem not too far from me where scum with nothing better to do hang out in gangs around bus shelters, creating a grand display of anti-social behaviour whilst attacking the back of buses with baseball bats - indeed, one town's bus station is particularly bad for this.*

*This town, may I add, is a small, rural town - not somewhere you would ever expect this kind of despicable behaviour...

I've been on a few buses through said town's bus station which have been hit. As shocking as it was, the driver said it was a regular occurrence in the area.

I can only assume that the underlying reasons for both of these contemptible acts are the same...

With the bus shelters being ruined by gangs I saw this alot back in Fife in 2009 till 2013. The bus stops in Inverness are not that bad, hardly any writing. Just protest posters, youths these days just like to ruin things and break the law for the joy off it.

Inverness does have alot off people I remember last year in March two 12 year old boys set a warehouse on fire. And got charged for it, teens make loud noises at night.
 

GusB

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*This town, may I add, is a small, rural town - not somewhere you would ever expect this kind of despicable behaviour...
Oh my! Not in such a small, rural town. Such behaviour will be lowering house prices next!

Sorry to burst your bubble, but kids being idiots happens all over the place: village, small town, big town or inner city. It's what happens when they're bored and have nothing else to do. Perhaps a lack of facilities (ones that don't cost huge amounts of money to use) is to blame? If they were indoors in front of the telly or twiddling with their X-Boxes and Playstations we'd be having a fit because they're living a sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough exercise!

It's not a recent phenomenon either; my dad and his friends used to put pennies on tram lines, and were he and my grandfather still alive they'd be able to recount many instances of the "naughty" activities they got up to.

Absolutely shocking... and just as shocking is the amount of "likes" that video has...
It gets likes because some find it entertaining to watch.

Sounds like some idiots looking for a Darwin award nomination
Nothing should be done, ultimately the gene pool will be cleaned up.
Have I stumbled upon the Daily Mail comments section by accident? :rolleyes:

For the record, I'm not condoning "bus surfing". It's daft and dangerous, but kids don't think about the consequences in the heat of the moment - I know I didn't always think things through when I was younger.
 

pdeaves

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It's what happens when they're bored and have nothing else to do
Well, I suspect there's plenty they could do. Unfortunately, being interested in doing anything constructive is seen as 'uncool'. Perhaps problems would lessen if we can make it the 'done thing' to collect stamps or make models or something. :)
 

Geezertronic

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Have I stumbled upon the Daily Mail comments section by accident? :rolleyes:

For the record, I'm not condoning "bus surfing". It's daft and dangerous, but kids don't think about the consequences in the heat of the moment - I know I didn't always think things through when I was younger.

Stupid is as stupid does. Social Media and the overwhelming desire for Likes is no excuse for idiotic activities, and that is what it boils down to. I don't condone it or defend it.
 

Gloster

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Not sure about the these days, in my area bus shelters in general had far more broken windows when I was a kid than they do now.
Aren’t they made of difficult to break heavy-duty plastic sheet nowadays, rather than glass? And do yoof hang around bus shelters so much nowadays, now that most of them no longer have seats (the bus shelters, I mean)?
 
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