Incidents I have witnessed on public transport

All from the 76 bus from the times I used to get it about 8/9/10 years ago.

Was going over to Tallaght one morning at about 10. The bus was fairly empty. I was going through my "mad lad" phase where I always went down to the back seat upstairs. There was only about five or six people on the top deck. Going past Finches in Neilstown a lad on his own with greased up matted down hair and a serious scowl on his face gets on the bus. I'd say he was about 14 or so. He makes his way purposefully down to the back seat opposite me. He waits about a minute, and then takes out a blade and starts slashing up the seats. I can half understand this sort of stuff if your with a group of mates or whatever - but 10 in the morning on your own? I didn't argue.

Another time at about 10 in the morning I was on my way over, I was sitting midway up on the top deck this time. This guy about late 30's early 40's gets on at Clondalkin village and sits in the seat directly in front of me. He's obviously stoned out of it. He sits sideways on in the seat and starts making me feel uncomfortable. Next thing he starts singing. He went into a bit oif a medley. First song he sings "If you've got the feeling jump up to the ceiling" by 5ive (it's true they really did go out at the top). Then he turns around and starts singing that song by Aerosmith - I Don't Want to Miss A Thing - directly into my face. Then by the time the bus had got to the Belgard Road he'd stated into "It's only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away". There were a couple of others in there too which I've blanked out.

Another time going though Clondalkin village, agin I'm sitting midway upstairs with only a few people up there. Couple of 14 or 15 year old lads down the back on their own. One of thenm takes out a screwdriver and starts poking into the back window. Next thing you know the back windscreen has shattered into a milion pieces but is still standing. The bus driver doiesn't know this and keeps going. Suddenly the bus has to take that sharp turn at the Laurels and the whole thing comes crashing down on a car following the bus. The bus keeps going.

Once coming home on a very full bus I was sitting downstairs on those seats where you face two passengers. It was a skanger couple, both about about 40. THe mother has a slobbering baby in her arms. I'd say it was about 8 months old. The Da is drinking a can of Dutch Gold. He's clearly stoned. Then the Da puts the can of Dutch Gold up to the baby's llips and lets a little of the lager come out onto the baby's face. Not that much, but just enough to wet the baby's mouth.

That's just a taster of what happens on the 76.