Incident on #76 Diversey yesterday

[Buslover88]

I don't know if anybody else from here rode #76 Diversey yesterday or heard of an incident, but there was an incident. The incident involved either a NOVA or a Flxible (I wasn't there at the scene and my mother's not familar with buses) and it happened around 3:30pm yesterday.

Here's how it went (from what I heard from my mom): my mother was waiting at the WB stop of #76 at Diversey/Kimball/Milwaukee. When the bus pulls up, she tries to board, right? Actually, everyone was getting off the bus and there were a few police cars pulling up to the scene. My mother asked a passenger what happened and the passenger said that a few teenagers (that were probably gangbangers from my grammar school) on the bus caused a disturbance and cut the wires of something on the bus, disabling it.

Contiuning on, my mother was shocked when she heard about it. But here comes the part of the story i've been wanting to say. The teenagers walked off the bus and took the bus driver's jacket. My mom yelled "Hey!" as to alert a nearby police officer or the driver and these apperant gangbangers tell my mom "F**k you, b**ch!". My mother did the smart thing and came home, but when she told me that, I was outraged.

If anybody else who happened to be on there yesterday or like to share their thoughts, feel free to. Also, this is not an inconsistent and this is a real incident that occurred.

[sw4400]

I don't know if anybody else from here rode #76 Diversey yesterday or heard of an incident, but there was an incident. The incident involved either a NOVA or a Flxible (I wasn't there at the scene and my mother's not familar with buses) and it happened around 3:30pm yesterday.

Here's how it went (from what I heard from my mom): my mother was waiting at the WB stop of #76 at Diversey/Kimball/Milwaukee. When the bus pulls up, she tries to board, right? Actually, everyone was getting off the bus and there were a few police cars pulling up to the scene. My mother asked a passenger what happened and the passenger said that a few teenagers (that were probably gangbangers from my grammar school) on the bus caused a disturbance and cut the wires of something on the bus, disabling it.

Contiuning on, my mother was shocked when she heard about it. But here comes the part of the story i've been wanting to say. The teenagers walked off the bus and took the bus driver's jacket. My mom yelled "Hey!" as to alert a nearby police officer or the driver and these apperant gangbangers tell my mom "F**k you, b**ch!". My mother did the smart thing and came home, but when she told me that, I was outraged.

If anybody else who happened to be on there yesterday or like to share their thoughts, feel free to. Also, this is not an inconsistent and this is a real incident that occurred.

Can you elaborate further, Buslover88? I'm not sure what exactly these 'Gang-Bangers'(if that is what they are, not just some smart-a** kids) could've cut, seeing that nearly 100% of the major wires are covered by a protective panel or the engine hood. What I'm guessing based on the kids taking the drivers' jacket, it sounds to me like the driver gave them lip for doing something, and they most likely threatened the driver like some f****r did on the #152 Addison bus about 3p one day because he wanted to pull up to the curb to let the guy on, but the jerk didn't want to get on there. When he got on, he cussed the driver out, the driver considered it a threat and called the police(I also called). Two unmarked cars came and zoomed down east to Oakley, where they caught and apprehended the jerk. Long story short, the driver called the CPD, the kids didn't like their ride ending so early, and they took the jacket as a reminder that if he/she calls the cops on them again, they'll take his/her life.

BTW, did these a**-****s get caught?

[Buslover88]

Can you elaborate further, Buslover88? I'm not sure what exactly these 'Gang-Bangers' (if that is what they are, not just some smart-a** kids) could've cut, seeing that nearly 100% of the major wires are covered by a protective panel or the engine hood.

Well, the only thing I can say if it was a NOVA, then they might have like, opened that one door in the back of the bus (not the rear door where passengers get out). If it was a Flxible, then i'm not sure. The whole thing sounded confusing to me when I was told about it.

What I'm guessing based on the kids taking the drivers' jacket, it sounds to me like the driver gave them lip for doing something, and they most likely threatened the driver like some f****r did on the #152 Addison bus about 3p one day because he wanted to pull up to the curb to let the guy on, but the jerk didn't want to get on there. When he got on, he cussed the driver out, the driver considered it a threat and called the police. Two unmarked cars came and zoomed down east to Oakley, where they caught and apprehended the jerk. Long story short, the driver called the CPD, the kids didn't like their ride ending so early, and they took the jacket as a reminder that if he/she calls the cops on them again, they'll take his/her life.

BTW, did these a**-****s get caught?

The incident on #152 sounds just as bad as the incident that took place yesterday on #76. You're right when you said all of that. Unfortunely, the teenagers fled the scene with the driver's jacket. I wish I could be more helpful and I will get all the information I can.

[Guest]

People, especially teenagers have such a blatant disregard for CTA operators as well as the safety of everyone on board. I always placed special attention to the teen passengers because they need to be watched. I worked out of NP for 5 months back in 1999 The school runs from Evanston Township were always a nightmare, at Kedzie Garage the students from Westinghouse H.S. were out of control animals. One day on the 77 Belmont I was heading WB just after Campbell on the bridge or the Chicago River when a group of kids "pulled the cherry" on me while the bus was moving. The bus came to an abrupt stop I almost lost control of the bus on the bridge. I was so enraged that I pulled over and ordered the kids off the bus. They denied they did anything but I had witnessed it through my mirrors and witnesses on the bus. They refused to get off so I just activated the silent alarm and within three minutes two marked squad cars arrived and the kid who pulled the cherry, I had him arrested for jeopardizing everyones safety. He was crying like a p""""y! And was crying "Im Sorry, Im sorry!!

I showed no pity for him, I hope he learned his lesson. It is unthinkable that someone would do such a stupid act. There is no regard for safety for CTA drivers or passengers until something tragic happens.

[Buslover88]

People, especially teenagers have such a blatant disregard for CTA operators as well as the safety of everyone on board. I worked out of NP for 5 months back in 1999 The school runs from Evanston Township were always a nightmare, at Kedzie Garage the students from Westinghouse H.S. were out of control animals. One day on the 77 Belmont I was heading WB just after Campbell on the bridge or the Chicago River when a group of kids "pulled the cherry" on me while the bus was moving. The bus came to an abrupt stop I almost lost control of the bus on the bridge. I was so enraged that I pulled over and ordered the kids off the bus. They denied they did anything but I had witnessed it through my mirrors and witnesses on the bus. They refused to get off so I just activated the silent alarm and within three minutes two marked squad cars arrived and the kid who pulled the cherry, I had him arrested for jeopardizing everyones safety. He was crying like a p""""y! And was crying "Im Sorry, Im sorry!!

I showed no pity for him, I hope he learned his lesson.

I would only disresprect a CTA driver if they gave me lip for no reason. Anyway, that sounds just horrible what happened to you on #77 that day.

As for the whole wires thing, if the bus was a Flxible, I think the kids went up to the front of the bus. If the bus was a NOVA, then the teenagers probably had "very dangerous" equipment on them to open the compartment in the back. Remember, I was not at the scene and my mother wasn't on the bus except for when she tried to get on.

[Danielsmusic]

I would only disresprect a CTA driver if they gave me lip for no reason. Anyway, that sounds just horrible what happened to you on #77 that day.

Unless the driver is flat-out screaming for no reason, I wouldn't disrespect him. I wouldn't have respect for him, but I wouldn't disrespect him. I figure that if a driver is that rude or stubborn on his/her own, disrespecting him/her will get me nowhere.

Only time I've ever disrespected a bus driver: One day, my son was getting on the bus on his way home from school. He goes to school at North and Clark, and he and I had walked down North to take the 8 after I picked him up one day. My son put his reduced fare card in the slot and showed the driver his student bus pass. Apparently the public schools had the day off, but private schools (one of which my son attends) DID have school. The driver spend 20 minutes yelling at my son because, apparently, my son (who is white) was trying to trick the operator because the operator was black. Having my phone with me, I started recording the conversation. I gave a copy to the on-duty supervisor at 74th. She told me that this guy would be in trouble. I saw him a week later; the only difference I noticed was that his sweater no longer had the "Line Instructor" patch on the arm.

As for the whole wires thing, if the bus was a Flxible, I think the kids went up to the front of the bus. If the bus was a NOVA, then the teenagers probably had "very dangerous" equipment on them to open the compartment in the back. Remember, I was not at the scene and my mother wasn't on the bus except for when she tried to get on.

The only time I've ever seen anything was when kids used to cut the cords to ring the stop bell on the Forest Glen Flxibles.

[Danielsmusic]

The only time I've ever seen anything was when kids used to cut the cords to ring the stop bell on the Forest Glen Flxibles.

Badly worded, sorry. I mean that I used to see kids cut the bell cords on the Forest Glen Flxibles.