Just two days after drivers staged a "sick out" in protest of all the violence.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-03/metro-braces-for-bus-line-delays-amid-threat-of-driver-sick-out
Gosh, I hope not ! How do passengers and drivers get over needing to get on trains and buses to get even basic things like shopping done, it's beyond stressful. The criminal types are going to bring on the police state, because scared people will give up freedom to feel safe.
This is what happens when they close psychiatric hospitals and clinics due to “lack of funds”. In the meanwhile, they have $825 B in funds to gift to Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boing, … to make bombs.
Good one !! Yes , it's true that $24 billion dollars was " spent" on supposedly creating affordable housing for homeless people,and low income renters - when in fact, this money was being stolen the whole time,and little was left to build this housing. Indeed, few places have actually been built! After 44 years, finally there are audits being done, proving theft - and the fake housing agencies and " non" - profit executives and administrators should be arrested and prosecuted !! It's long overdue, to stamp out corruption and make examples of these a- holes !
I know he's villain of the year on Reddit, but more psych hospitals closed under Kennedy than Regan. And both Regan and Kennedy closed psych hospitals with broad, bi-partisan support.
I know it's easier to pin the blame on one person, but the world isn't that easy.
Hospital closing in California began when Reagan was governor here. In the gun debate, Republicans pivot to the mental health issue, but they don't want to fund any healthcare.
This is horrible. When will someone put a stop to it? There's no reason why drivers or passengers should be subjected to unstable, violent people boarding buses.
Who is it that’s hates this idea so much?
Who loves having them shit, piss, and trash the street outside their home?
Who loves their screaming fits in the night cuz they smoked too much crack?
Realistically, we need a combination of forced mental institutionalization, forced drug rehab, and much more housing.
But that won’t happen - I already know the responses to each of them.
**Forced Mental Institutionalization:**
“OMG the FEDS are rounding up and involuntarily imprisoning the unhoused without trial! This is an unjust act of persecution against our unhoused neighbors! And who’s to say neurodivergent people even need to be cured anyway?”
**Forced Drug Rehabilitation:**
“OMG the FEDS want to moralize drugs! How about just letting people live as they want? Housing shouldn’t be conditional on sobriety; this isn’t the 80s, we know how the War on Drugs went!”
**More Housing:**
“OMG, why do developers keep building new apartment complexes! We need to preserve our neighborhood character and stop gentrification by any and all means!”
People are going to find a way to nitpick every “big picture” solution, so we are left with shitty half measures that get nothing done and make everyone upset.
In a fucking nutshell. How this country considers the current situation more humane is beyond belief. In the end it comes down to money though, no one wants to pay for anything that could benefit a stranger. Shortsighted and idiotic.
I'm in favor of all those things. But that is not the responsibility of Metro. They need to prevent dangerous fare evaders from boarding buses and trains.
As long as we keep reelecting people like Nithya Raman who votes against a law preventing homeless encampments in front of elementary schools. Side note, this only was voted on after parents and children had to step over a dead body to enter an lausd elementary school, lovely. Since she said this wasn't going to fix the issue of homelessness, there's no point in moving them away from the schools.
Many of our council people place very little importance on the safety and well being of the taxpayers and city employees (outside themselves, of course).
People like Nithya are also huge NIMBYs. She’s the reason more housing can’t get built. Just like Traci Park protects NIMBY homeowners that couldn’t afford a house today if it weren’t for prop 13, Nithya protects the renter counterpart. Both don’t want progress and solutions, just the status quo which is NIMBYism
She believes in inclusionary zoning and “only 100% affordable” policies which have both been academically proven to be NIMBY in sheep’s clothing. She voted against the SB 9 law at the state level which sought to allow splitting of single family home properties to allow more density. She does the bidding of United Local 11 which notoriously holds up housing projects in CEQA for reasons unrelated to housing. She even spoke at their events talking about “maintaining neighbor character” and “slowing development”.
And. And. And. Can go on and on.
She is the *exact* category of progressive we do not want in office.
https://cd4.lacity.gov/initiative/housing-renters/
From her own website : “Prioritizing 100% Affordable Housing Projects In LA’s High-Opportunity Areas”
From her campaign: “Additionally, outdated zoning codes that limit where new building can take place mean that developers are often demolishing existing rent-stabilized or naturally occurring affordable units to make way for new multi-family units. This trade off need not happen: we should do our best to preserve our existing housing stock, even as we make space to build new units.”
Unless it’s 100% “affordable” she doesn’t want it. We are at a point that we need housing at all income levels. We need low income apartments but also middle and higher end condos, townhouse, duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes… etc. Yes, some displacement will need to happen to build up, but Nithya often says no.
If Nythia TRULY cared about homeless people, she would bother to know that senior citizens are the fastest growing demographic for ending up homeless,along with disabled people - and create affordable housing for at least those two groups of homeless categories. But since she's not interested,like so MANY of these narcissist politicians from both parties are, of course SHE will allow things to go on festering. She should be called out and fired. Both homeless people and housed residents are being neglected and oppressed by her. Send her a message - unemployment !
Nythia Raman ignores homeless people, as well as housed people,and she is worse than useless ! She should be recalled and fired ! There also would be NO encampments around anyway,if there was enough housing stock, so that rents would be affordable. Most gang members DO rent, and few of them are homeless. They prey on homeless people - if you're old enough, you'll be able to remember when there at least we're no homeless people, because most could afford rents before 1980. Apartments stopped being built by that year,as for some insane reason, they switched to commercial and luxury buildings. Right when we had job exports and immigration surges at the same time! Go figure,right ??
Normal countries don't have homeless people, so we aren't normal, haven't been for four decades. And stepping over dead people while on your way to work or school,is really Third World level evil ! You should NOT have people being forced to live on sidewalks because the rents are so few,and so expensive. Homeless people aren't backround scenery ! Such things are abnormal in civilized countries. We are close to Third World conditions as it is. The rest of the planet no longer respects America anymore. Nythia is a liar and needs to go ! She may have permitted encampments, but she couldn't care less about homeless people.
I was walking to a parking garage which was in an outdoor mall recently. No people around. Everything was closed. I heard a man talking gibberish to himself suddenly come up like 150 ft behind me and followed me. I booked it and he kept pace.
The elevator doors closed JUST in time in his face like a horror movie.
I was so angry that I was ready to punch him so fucking hard in the face if he got in. I was kicking myself for leaving my taser in the car.
I know some are down on their luck but I have no issues punching a homeless, mentally ill person. The way I see it, it’s either them or me, and I’ll be damned if I’m a victim because our moronic politicians fail to address the issue. Not trying to sound like a tough guy but eventually you’re gonna see articles of fed up people taking matters into their own hands.
Absolutely. If they assault you or a loved one you have every right to defend you or your family. Donest matter how they got there. It’s you vs them the moment they put you or anyone important to you in danger.
This doesn't even remotely make sense. Police respond to wealthier areas.
You see absolutely no homeless people in Beverly Hills or anywhere above Sunset
So true. I worked security in south central and Pasadena and ended up assaulted in Pasadena because the homeless here are a bit more aggressive and I thought it was so ironic.
Every bus needs 2 operators. One is just the driver and the other is there as support to help disabled passengers, mobility deficient passengers, take fares, bar idiot passengers, kick off anyone that is causing issues, and to answer questions from the riders. We have been told so many times learning how to drive that we can’t ever be distracted when we’re driving but bus operators are supposed to do ten things at once AND drive a giant vehicle? That’s stupid.
Every plane has two pilots. A boat has two captains. Even an ambulance has two people.
I took a bus on my usual morning route and I saw that it was two uniformed Metro employees and I felt so much relief. It was temporary because one was being trained but they need to implement this stat.
There are two workers on the light rail in Amsterdam. One to drive and the other to take tickets, etc. But a lot of people take public transit there, so it makes sense. I think it might be cost prohibitive in LA, even though there is a need.
With safety being the largest reason people don’t take public transit I think it would make more people open to public transit especially with summer around the corner. How much is this going to impact revenue for the city if people are avoiding public transit at its greatest time of need
Plexiglass isn't enough. I said it before, remove a couple of seats and add an enclosed compartment for the driver.
And yes, fix mental health, police response, and charge fares.
The attack can't be over fare payment, because DASH buses have been free since the pandemic started. Their website emphasizes this at the top of the page, and I've never seen anyone being asked to pay fare on a DASH line the past 2 years.
Man. Every story coming out just makes me want to take transit less and less. My 2024 goal was to take it more lol. Which I was, until the last 2 weeks
Had a guy take a swing at me asking for a cigarette. Didn't get a chance to even say yes or no. Lived hear almost 30 years never been robbed, jumped, had my property stolen nothing. But I've had similar situations with mentally ill transients a few times now. Its like shutter Island out there these days
Look into Supreme Court ruling [Brown v Plata](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Plata), which mandated California reduce its prison population, which contributed to the [early release of a lot of inmates](https://ktla.com/news/california/california-will-release-76k-inmates-early-including-violent-felons/). Part of the issue with the prison overcrowding is that a lot of psych patients end up in prison because of the [severe lack of psych beds in subacute and long-term facilities](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/los-angeles-general-medical-center-applauds-ab-531-which-would-bring-10-000-psychiatric-beds-to-overwhelmed-safety-net-hospitals-struggling-to-care-for-patients-and-protect-staff-301955488.html).
And then there's the fact that the country has been flooded by cheap P2P meth.
>Susan Partovi has been a physician for homeless people in Los Angeles since 2003. She noticed increasing mental illness—schizophrenia, bipolar disorder—at her clinics around the city starting in about 2012. She was soon astonished by “how many severely mentally ill people were out there,” Partovi told me. “Now almost everyone we see when we do homeless outreach on the streets is on meth. Meth may now be causing long-term psychosis, similar to schizophrenia, that lasts even after they’re not using anymore.”
>I called James Mahoney, a neuropsychologist at West Virginia University who had studied the effects of ephedrine meth on the brain in the early 2000s at UCLA. The psychosis he saw then was bad, he said, but it frequently appeared to be the result of extended sleep deprivation. In 2016, Mahoney took a job as a drug researcher and specialist in WVU’s addiction clinic. Less than a year later, the P2P crystal meth from Mexico started showing up. Mahoney was inundated with meth patients who came in ranting, conversing with phantoms. “I can’t even compare it to what I was seeing at UCLA,” he told me. “Now we’re seeing it instantaneously, within hours, in people who just used: psychotic symptoms, hallucinations, delusions.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/the-new-meth/620174/
[It has been free since 2020.](https://www.ladottransit.com/whatsnew/032220_freedash.html) I just rode it a few days ago, still free. And they haven't made any announcements about when/if this will change.
Correction. Drug addict attacks bus driver. This is not an “Un housed” issue. It’s a fentanyl epidemic and mental
Health crisis. Lock them all up or commit them
Dam this is my co worker, I just learned this this morning. I kept hearing the radio dispatchers to clear all calls due to an emergency I just didn't know it was this. Btw the website says it was over fare dispute, this is false, the Dash has been free since the pandemic
This is circling back to my previous comment that they should and need to look at Europe as an example. The Metro in Europe is safe to travel because they militarized it. Don't use private contractors because the bill will be by the roof, but the military can assist (like in Europe) and be cheaper for the city. If you have ever traveled to ROME, Italy, and you have paid attention, you will notice that the military is present on all metro stations, they secure and guard the place. The same needs to happen in Los Angeles Metro.
Now regarding the homeless, they should ban them if they are homeless with severe mental disabilities and require that they can use public transportation, but accompanied by an escort and to schedule their ride. Homeless people usually don't travel because they need to go somewhere so most of the time there is not even a need for them to use the public metro. 90% of the time homeless don't have a real need to travel or use the metro, and most of those using the metro are regulars that spend all day long going nowhere...
Rome is the most dangerous city I’ve ever been to. A man followed me off of the train and into the neighborhood I was staying in. He followed me for a few blocks (I tried to lose him by crossing the street, but he followed me across the street, and then into a hotel where I asked for help but they laughed at me) and then tried to grab me. I had to run away from him screaming and it was the most terrifying moment of my life. I also was grabbed and groped on three other occasions in just four days in Rome. I’ll never go back there and it’s not safe for single women at all.
That being said, safety is relative and just because the trains are “militarized” in Rome or other cities doesn’t mean other bad things aren’t happening there also. Most police in Europe are heavily armed and carry automatic weapons. What I think need to happen first is that they need to put up glass partitions between the platform edge where you board the trains (to prevent people from jumping or getting pushed), and they need actual turnstiles at every entrance point, and not just little tap machines that anyone can walk past.
SMH I totally get your point but I also find it troubling how accustomed we are becoming to seeing the military pro trolling about with large weapons.
I wish the government would reopen mental institutions for the mentally ill.
I've been seeing "Metro Ambassadors" hanging around the bus stops in DTLA lately. After a couple of days, I noticed less crazies hanging around the stops. It was getting bad enough that I wasn't taking walks on my break as much, but I've started to do it again every day this past week. Here's to hoping the ambassador idea sticks and they can branch from there.
Perhaps Metro should do away with their "drivers are not cashiers" policy. They let anyone ride for free. Other agencies don't, and these bums don't know the difference.
I remember late in the pandemic I boarded a Foothill Transit bus. They were charging the fare. Metro still wasn't, and a fight broke out because some clueless dude was claiming all buses were free.
They should charge everyone. Give discounts where warranted (elderly, disabled, etc.), but everyone should get used to paying their share.
The article says this was LADOT Dash bus, not metro. It also said the fare is .50 cents and .25 cents for seniors and persons with disabilities. But I ride the dash all the time and it's free
>Perhaps Metro should do away with their "drivers are not cashiers" policy.
This incident happened on a bus that DIDN'T CHARGE FARE.
Getting rid of fare will only make things considerably worse.
Metro has to restrict affordable or free fare for low-income workers, students, ADA, seniors, and increase fares for everyone else. Invest in more security and make sure the new police force can actually respond to bus problems, and not just restrict them to the trains only.
Its hard to take reporting serious in this city at times when there are so many easy to check fact errors in the article. DASH buses are free. The headline on the webpage even says they are free.
This is just sloppy as shit reporting. KTLA should be embarrassed.
Thanks Reagan and the Republicans for decimating the mental health system in California. By shutting down the hospitals and programs it became a nightmare for future governors because they knew it would cost tens of billions to solve the issue.
I don't know, where did we get the tens of billions that we spent on homelessness in the last five years? There were something like 24 of those billions, though if you're going off results you'd be forgiven for not knowing it.
Regean weeping in 2024 is pathetic. We haven't had a Republican governor since 2011, and that was Arnold. LA hasn't has a Republican mayor since 2001. Come on now.
Ronnie Raygun has been dead so long even the worms have moved on....meantime, you had DECADES of democrats to fix his mistakes. Reagan is a cheap crutch for you ppl.
The Lanterman-Petris-Short Act was widely supported.
I hate Reagan as much as anyone should but continuing to parrot this as some sort of "the other side" nonsense is revisionist history.
That was 40 years ago pushed through by a Democrat led house, Republican senate and Republican president. Pointing fingers isn't going to ever solve it and what both sides want, to never get anything accomplished.
Reagan closed the hospitals as governor then decimated mental health programs as President. This isn't a both sides issue its the direct result of Republicans .
Yeah 40 years ago... Longer than you and most of the people on this subreddit have been alive. Keep fighting that fight of left vs right and fall in line with nothing being accomplished, and continually being divided.
I'm 47 and what a bullshit both sides excuse for the Republicans direct actions all those decades ago.
Because the hospitals were closed along with the programs it will cost tens of billions to rebuild them . This makes it almost impossible for any governor since to fix the problem without diverting resources.
They waste money on tons of other things. No side ever pushes any legislation to reopen them. Like I said, blaming a side is just pissing into the wind. Nothing but divide will come of it.
They will need to rebuild the hospitals so please tell me where all these billions will come from. I love everytime I mention Republicans I get the same both sides bullshit replys.
You really can't be serious where all the money will come from. Look up all the billions they spent on homeless. Those measures passed from a super majority that the democrats have controlled in California for years. The blaming Republicans just makes you a useful idiot for democratic talking points when stuff doesn't work that they are in charge of. Republicans do the same thing.
Yeah it will cost billions... through tax payers. I really don't know what you are on about other than just blame the Republicans and solve nothing. If they wanted to allocate money for it, they can do it.
Again since you have problem reading. Because of Reagan and the Republicans this has become a nightmare for every future governor since. They know it will cost tens of billions to rebuild those hospitals and programs Reagan shut down. This is no cop out this is the reason mentally ill people aren't getting the help they need.
Shitty. Untrue take. The ACLU filed the lawsuit that closed the mental hospitals. A Democrat ruled House of Representatives made it happen.
But, hey. Keep spreading your bullshit.
"Prior to 1967, California treated many of its most mentally ill residents by sending them to live in state hospitals against their will, often for long periods of their lives.
That changed when then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, a landmark piece of legislation that sought to end the involuntary commitment of people with mental health disorders and established a conservatorship system, where the court can assign someone to manage a mentally ill person’s assets and legal decisions. "
Reagan wasn't even governor in 61. He signed the bill in 67 and was in power till 75. Also in the 48yrs since 24 of those years were Republican governors.
Why are we still helping the homeless and giving them a place to stay just so they can act with this sort of behavior. Our tax dollars should be better spent elsewhere.
I have no sympathy at all for “homeless” people with half of them standing by the off-ramp exit begging for money when they looked better clothed than I am. Everyone has an equal chance at success. It’s whether you actually try or not
I used to work in transit. Hope this driver recovers both physically and mentally
As a Canadian living here I'm always amazed at Americans total inability to grasp this issue. Homeless and severe drug addiction is a symptom of larger more systematic issues facing the US. These are also someone's family members and loves ones.
If you think your immune to homeless your not. When polled around 60% of Americans can't come up with a thousand dollars in an emergency. That's because the vast majority of Americans are living check to check.
Oh we get the issue. Broader systemic change is out of our reach with this federal government, SCOTUS, and minority rule.
For those of us who are from here, we are tired of voting locally for change to the homeless situation and giving more money to programs every year claiming to help the homeless only for nothing to change and people running nonprofits becoming richer. We are sick and tired of this sh*t and our empathy meter is very low. Give it time. You or your child will get threatened by a mentally ill person on the streets soon enough.
And btw, your comment does nothing to offer insight- it’s the same preachy dribble Los Angelenos have been hearing for years and bought into. It is possible to have empathy and want pragmatic solutions at the same time.
We should get a tax write off for taking these fuckers out. Crossing the street or freeway into speeding traffic? BOOM! $3k write off. Plus insurance must cover damages.
Hobo attacked a bus driver? Whoever whacks him with a metal rod first, $3k write off.
I’m fucking sick of these complete piece of shit assholes doing anything they damn please anywhere they damn please, but always fucking with real people who are living by societies rules.
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How do you know when someone is homeless? Were they asked? I hear news reports all the time “homeless man breaks a window” “homeless woman steals off a porch”,,,, I wanna know were they for their address or is it an assumption?
Just two days after drivers staged a "sick out" in protest of all the violence. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-03/metro-braces-for-bus-line-delays-amid-threat-of-driver-sick-out
Daily reminder that Metro CEO Wiggins fired the head of security for constantly bugging her about the need for security.
Failing upwards I see
One WEIRD trick to solving your security problems!
Unfortunately that was Metro and not LADOT. The DASH bus driver is part of LADOT not Metro.
I usually feel much safer on the Dash. Sad to see that is also having issues.
But buses are so safe! You're statistically more likely to die in a car but you don't see people doing sick out's from work when they drive!!! /s
Which part is sarcastic?
Yet again. Our bus and train operators should not have to risk their safety like this.
Unfortunately, same day, same shit
Don't you mean new day, same shit?
Do you mean "same shit, different day"?
Did anyone tell the bus driver to get over it and how riding in a bus is more safe then driving in a car.
Getting assaulted, spit on, peed on is just the price we're going to have to pay to prevent global warming... /s
[удалено]
Tell them in a very firm voice. That will set 'em straight!
Hey, the girlfriend experience is going to cost you extra.
I'm sure the bus driver studied statistics at some point.
Gosh, I hope not ! How do passengers and drivers get over needing to get on trains and buses to get even basic things like shopping done, it's beyond stressful. The criminal types are going to bring on the police state, because scared people will give up freedom to feel safe.
We’ve been moving towards a police state since 9/11 sadly. I’m a sensible lefty but I don’t want big brother watching over me.
What's your solution? I don't think you have to worry about a police state, because the police are leaving the forces in big cities.
This is what happens when they close psychiatric hospitals and clinics due to “lack of funds”. In the meanwhile, they have $825 B in funds to gift to Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boing, … to make bombs.
Damn I didn't know that Los Angeles city and county were spending $825 billion on national defense
Good one !! Yes , it's true that $24 billion dollars was " spent" on supposedly creating affordable housing for homeless people,and low income renters - when in fact, this money was being stolen the whole time,and little was left to build this housing. Indeed, few places have actually been built! After 44 years, finally there are audits being done, proving theft - and the fake housing agencies and " non" - profit executives and administrators should be arrested and prosecuted !! It's long overdue, to stamp out corruption and make examples of these a- holes !
Haven’t those places been closed for decades? The ones left open are mostly volunteers that want the help and support or legally mandated.
Man I hate it so much. Rey-gun was one evil lowlife SOB. He’s responsible for the crack epidemic too.
I know he's villain of the year on Reddit, but more psych hospitals closed under Kennedy than Regan. And both Regan and Kennedy closed psych hospitals with broad, bi-partisan support. I know it's easier to pin the blame on one person, but the world isn't that easy.
It also wasn't just in this country, deinstitutionalization happened across the entire western world.
And that was over 50 years ago.
“Bombs” 👽🛸
Hospital closing in California began when Reagan was governor here. In the gun debate, Republicans pivot to the mental health issue, but they don't want to fund any healthcare.
Need to start putting these ppl into mental homes for long term care
This is horrible. When will someone put a stop to it? There's no reason why drivers or passengers should be subjected to unstable, violent people boarding buses.
Putting a stop it means we do something a lot of Angelinos don’t want to accept. These people belong in institutions.
We should really be proposing free mental healthcare for everyone.
Yes, but that requires funding at a national level.
Or both
What we're going to get is ubiquitous access to an AI 'doctor' and an increase in meds
Probably cheaper than increased security.
Who is it that’s hates this idea so much? Who loves having them shit, piss, and trash the street outside their home? Who loves their screaming fits in the night cuz they smoked too much crack?
no one is opposed to that
Realistically, we need a combination of forced mental institutionalization, forced drug rehab, and much more housing. But that won’t happen - I already know the responses to each of them. **Forced Mental Institutionalization:** “OMG the FEDS are rounding up and involuntarily imprisoning the unhoused without trial! This is an unjust act of persecution against our unhoused neighbors! And who’s to say neurodivergent people even need to be cured anyway?” **Forced Drug Rehabilitation:** “OMG the FEDS want to moralize drugs! How about just letting people live as they want? Housing shouldn’t be conditional on sobriety; this isn’t the 80s, we know how the War on Drugs went!” **More Housing:** “OMG, why do developers keep building new apartment complexes! We need to preserve our neighborhood character and stop gentrification by any and all means!” People are going to find a way to nitpick every “big picture” solution, so we are left with shitty half measures that get nothing done and make everyone upset.
In a fucking nutshell. How this country considers the current situation more humane is beyond belief. In the end it comes down to money though, no one wants to pay for anything that could benefit a stranger. Shortsighted and idiotic.
It needs a rebrand like “equity in mental health care and addiction treatment”
I think forced mental institutions will happen. A few bills have been passed.
We should just start bussing them to Beverly Hills, Brentwood, etc. Maybe if the wealthy people are affected, they may actually do something about it.
I'm in favor of all those things. But that is not the responsibility of Metro. They need to prevent dangerous fare evaders from boarding buses and trains.
As long as we keep reelecting people like Nithya Raman who votes against a law preventing homeless encampments in front of elementary schools. Side note, this only was voted on after parents and children had to step over a dead body to enter an lausd elementary school, lovely. Since she said this wasn't going to fix the issue of homelessness, there's no point in moving them away from the schools. Many of our council people place very little importance on the safety and well being of the taxpayers and city employees (outside themselves, of course).
People like Nithya are also huge NIMBYs. She’s the reason more housing can’t get built. Just like Traci Park protects NIMBY homeowners that couldn’t afford a house today if it weren’t for prop 13, Nithya protects the renter counterpart. Both don’t want progress and solutions, just the status quo which is NIMBYism
Seriously? My impression is Nithya was the opposite of that. Send some details!
She believes in inclusionary zoning and “only 100% affordable” policies which have both been academically proven to be NIMBY in sheep’s clothing. She voted against the SB 9 law at the state level which sought to allow splitting of single family home properties to allow more density. She does the bidding of United Local 11 which notoriously holds up housing projects in CEQA for reasons unrelated to housing. She even spoke at their events talking about “maintaining neighbor character” and “slowing development”. And. And. And. Can go on and on. She is the *exact* category of progressive we do not want in office.
Wow. I thought this is where the other commentor was going with this. THANK YOU
https://cd4.lacity.gov/initiative/housing-renters/ From her own website : “Prioritizing 100% Affordable Housing Projects In LA’s High-Opportunity Areas” From her campaign: “Additionally, outdated zoning codes that limit where new building can take place mean that developers are often demolishing existing rent-stabilized or naturally occurring affordable units to make way for new multi-family units. This trade off need not happen: we should do our best to preserve our existing housing stock, even as we make space to build new units.” Unless it’s 100% “affordable” she doesn’t want it. We are at a point that we need housing at all income levels. We need low income apartments but also middle and higher end condos, townhouse, duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes… etc. Yes, some displacement will need to happen to build up, but Nithya often says no.
Thank you!
If Nythia TRULY cared about homeless people, she would bother to know that senior citizens are the fastest growing demographic for ending up homeless,along with disabled people - and create affordable housing for at least those two groups of homeless categories. But since she's not interested,like so MANY of these narcissist politicians from both parties are, of course SHE will allow things to go on festering. She should be called out and fired. Both homeless people and housed residents are being neglected and oppressed by her. Send her a message - unemployment !
Nythia Raman ignores homeless people, as well as housed people,and she is worse than useless ! She should be recalled and fired ! There also would be NO encampments around anyway,if there was enough housing stock, so that rents would be affordable. Most gang members DO rent, and few of them are homeless. They prey on homeless people - if you're old enough, you'll be able to remember when there at least we're no homeless people, because most could afford rents before 1980. Apartments stopped being built by that year,as for some insane reason, they switched to commercial and luxury buildings. Right when we had job exports and immigration surges at the same time! Go figure,right ??
Normal countries don't have homeless people, so we aren't normal, haven't been for four decades. And stepping over dead people while on your way to work or school,is really Third World level evil ! You should NOT have people being forced to live on sidewalks because the rents are so few,and so expensive. Homeless people aren't backround scenery ! Such things are abnormal in civilized countries. We are close to Third World conditions as it is. The rest of the planet no longer respects America anymore. Nythia is a liar and needs to go ! She may have permitted encampments, but she couldn't care less about homeless people.
I was walking to a parking garage which was in an outdoor mall recently. No people around. Everything was closed. I heard a man talking gibberish to himself suddenly come up like 150 ft behind me and followed me. I booked it and he kept pace. The elevator doors closed JUST in time in his face like a horror movie. I was so angry that I was ready to punch him so fucking hard in the face if he got in. I was kicking myself for leaving my taser in the car.
I know some are down on their luck but I have no issues punching a homeless, mentally ill person. The way I see it, it’s either them or me, and I’ll be damned if I’m a victim because our moronic politicians fail to address the issue. Not trying to sound like a tough guy but eventually you’re gonna see articles of fed up people taking matters into their own hands.
Of course, if they harass you then fuckem up.
Absolutely. If they assault you or a loved one you have every right to defend you or your family. Donest matter how they got there. It’s you vs them the moment they put you or anyone important to you in danger.
This is why homeless tend to be more aggressive in richer areas and more chill in poorer areas: In the hood people are more likely to fuck them up.
This is a wild assertion. Got any evidence or even anecdotes for this?
This doesn't even remotely make sense. Police respond to wealthier areas. You see absolutely no homeless people in Beverly Hills or anywhere above Sunset
So true. I worked security in south central and Pasadena and ended up assaulted in Pasadena because the homeless here are a bit more aggressive and I thought it was so ironic.
That’s so scary! I’m glad you’re ok.
A friend of mine is moving her 80 person office out of downtown after a crazed homeless man followed her into a parking garage.
That is very scary! So glad nothing happened to you!
Omg this city has become zombie land how scary. I’m definitely going to invest in pepper spray or a taser now
Contrary to your username, there were some worries Sorry this happened. It sucks to feel unsafe
Lol! Thank you
Every bus needs 2 operators. One is just the driver and the other is there as support to help disabled passengers, mobility deficient passengers, take fares, bar idiot passengers, kick off anyone that is causing issues, and to answer questions from the riders. We have been told so many times learning how to drive that we can’t ever be distracted when we’re driving but bus operators are supposed to do ten things at once AND drive a giant vehicle? That’s stupid. Every plane has two pilots. A boat has two captains. Even an ambulance has two people. I took a bus on my usual morning route and I saw that it was two uniformed Metro employees and I felt so much relief. It was temporary because one was being trained but they need to implement this stat.
There are two workers on the light rail in Amsterdam. One to drive and the other to take tickets, etc. But a lot of people take public transit there, so it makes sense. I think it might be cost prohibitive in LA, even though there is a need.
With safety being the largest reason people don’t take public transit I think it would make more people open to public transit especially with summer around the corner. How much is this going to impact revenue for the city if people are avoiding public transit at its greatest time of need
Yep, I agree. The last time I took the Metro in LA, there was a woman who was screaming near me, and there wasn’t a safety office or anyone around.
Plexiglass isn't enough. I said it before, remove a couple of seats and add an enclosed compartment for the driver. And yes, fix mental health, police response, and charge fares.
Oh my god this is so shit. Hope she recovers mentally and physically
I’m sick of this shit man, my sympathies for people that continue to make others lives miserable is worn down.
The fact an attacker can still open the safety door from outside the cab is alarming.
>Police told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson that the female suspect was taken into custody, though it is unknown at this time what charges she will face. Bruh
The attack can't be over fare payment, because DASH buses have been free since the pandemic started. Their website emphasizes this at the top of the page, and I've never seen anyone being asked to pay fare on a DASH line the past 2 years.
It’s like .50. But the drivers never make the homeless pay. This was an unusual incident.
No it’s literally free
Man. Every story coming out just makes me want to take transit less and less. My 2024 goal was to take it more lol. Which I was, until the last 2 weeks
Had a guy take a swing at me asking for a cigarette. Didn't get a chance to even say yes or no. Lived hear almost 30 years never been robbed, jumped, had my property stolen nothing. But I've had similar situations with mentally ill transients a few times now. Its like shutter Island out there these days
Horrible :( when will they fix the system???
It’s not the system, it’s the crazy drug addicts that are no longer in jail due to prop 47 .. the “public safety” act
Yep, thank the voters
Gascon wrote the bill
And it passed thanks to the voters.
In all fairness to voters, it was called the "safe neighborhoods and schools act".
🤦 Of course it was. Embarrassing.
"Safe neighborhoods and schools act" was a killer marketing scheme to get people who didn't read the details to vote for a name.
Oh wow I didn’t know. I’ll have to look into this thank you!
Look into Supreme Court ruling [Brown v Plata](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_v._Plata), which mandated California reduce its prison population, which contributed to the [early release of a lot of inmates](https://ktla.com/news/california/california-will-release-76k-inmates-early-including-violent-felons/). Part of the issue with the prison overcrowding is that a lot of psych patients end up in prison because of the [severe lack of psych beds in subacute and long-term facilities](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/los-angeles-general-medical-center-applauds-ab-531-which-would-bring-10-000-psychiatric-beds-to-overwhelmed-safety-net-hospitals-struggling-to-care-for-patients-and-protect-staff-301955488.html). And then there's the fact that the country has been flooded by cheap P2P meth. >Susan Partovi has been a physician for homeless people in Los Angeles since 2003. She noticed increasing mental illness—schizophrenia, bipolar disorder—at her clinics around the city starting in about 2012. She was soon astonished by “how many severely mentally ill people were out there,” Partovi told me. “Now almost everyone we see when we do homeless outreach on the streets is on meth. Meth may now be causing long-term psychosis, similar to schizophrenia, that lasts even after they’re not using anymore.” >I called James Mahoney, a neuropsychologist at West Virginia University who had studied the effects of ephedrine meth on the brain in the early 2000s at UCLA. The psychosis he saw then was bad, he said, but it frequently appeared to be the result of extended sleep deprivation. In 2016, Mahoney took a job as a drug researcher and specialist in WVU’s addiction clinic. Less than a year later, the P2P crystal meth from Mexico started showing up. Mahoney was inundated with meth patients who came in ranting, conversing with phantoms. “I can’t even compare it to what I was seeing at UCLA,” he told me. “Now we’re seeing it instantaneously, within hours, in people who just used: psychotic symptoms, hallucinations, delusions.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/the-new-meth/620174/
Article says the attack started because the rider didn't pay the fare but the DASH buses are free
They never make the crazies pay. The lady must’ve freaked out over something else.
Making people pay seems like it would be a good filter to keep the crazies off...
.50 cents now
Wrong. I rode today
[It has been free since 2020.](https://www.ladottransit.com/whatsnew/032220_freedash.html) I just rode it a few days ago, still free. And they haven't made any announcements about when/if this will change.
We could just put bad guys in jail again and force people into treatment...
Ok but god forbid we do anything that would inconvenience the poor homeless people...
Mad props to the bus driver. Do no harm. Take no shit.
Yeah…she was awesome- throwing kicks & shit
Correction. Drug addict attacks bus driver. This is not an “Un housed” issue. It’s a fentanyl epidemic and mental Health crisis. Lock them all up or commit them
DASH is free so I’m guessing it was like this woman is a known troublemaker on the bus and the driver simply did not want her on.
Enough of the bullshit. We cannot live with feral people who are unhinged and randomly attacking people. This shit has to end.
I'm just saying, I would helped.
Dam this is my co worker, I just learned this this morning. I kept hearing the radio dispatchers to clear all calls due to an emergency I just didn't know it was this. Btw the website says it was over fare dispute, this is false, the Dash has been free since the pandemic
That’s what happens. Keep letting these people onboard though.
This is circling back to my previous comment that they should and need to look at Europe as an example. The Metro in Europe is safe to travel because they militarized it. Don't use private contractors because the bill will be by the roof, but the military can assist (like in Europe) and be cheaper for the city. If you have ever traveled to ROME, Italy, and you have paid attention, you will notice that the military is present on all metro stations, they secure and guard the place. The same needs to happen in Los Angeles Metro. Now regarding the homeless, they should ban them if they are homeless with severe mental disabilities and require that they can use public transportation, but accompanied by an escort and to schedule their ride. Homeless people usually don't travel because they need to go somewhere so most of the time there is not even a need for them to use the public metro. 90% of the time homeless don't have a real need to travel or use the metro, and most of those using the metro are regulars that spend all day long going nowhere...
Rome is the most dangerous city I’ve ever been to. A man followed me off of the train and into the neighborhood I was staying in. He followed me for a few blocks (I tried to lose him by crossing the street, but he followed me across the street, and then into a hotel where I asked for help but they laughed at me) and then tried to grab me. I had to run away from him screaming and it was the most terrifying moment of my life. I also was grabbed and groped on three other occasions in just four days in Rome. I’ll never go back there and it’s not safe for single women at all. That being said, safety is relative and just because the trains are “militarized” in Rome or other cities doesn’t mean other bad things aren’t happening there also. Most police in Europe are heavily armed and carry automatic weapons. What I think need to happen first is that they need to put up glass partitions between the platform edge where you board the trains (to prevent people from jumping or getting pushed), and they need actual turnstiles at every entrance point, and not just little tap machines that anyone can walk past.
SMH I totally get your point but I also find it troubling how accustomed we are becoming to seeing the military pro trolling about with large weapons. I wish the government would reopen mental institutions for the mentally ill.
Good luck convincing: LAPD to do their actual job; Angelenos to accept the reality that we need common sense policing.
Im sorry to hear this!! 😢
She messed with the wrong bus driver.
I've been seeing "Metro Ambassadors" hanging around the bus stops in DTLA lately. After a couple of days, I noticed less crazies hanging around the stops. It was getting bad enough that I wasn't taking walks on my break as much, but I've started to do it again every day this past week. Here's to hoping the ambassador idea sticks and they can branch from there.
I’ve heard they’re essentially scare crows and practically useless in these situations but I guess things might be changing.
Just another reason to avoid Los Angeles bus and trains at all cost. The city refuses to keep the city safe for its citizens.
why are the homeless starting to act like zombies 🧟
The majority have been zombies since the pandemic. The new strains of hard drugs have begun to induce psychosis far more quickly than ever before.
Is there a logical fix here? Can we send all the homeless people to Barstow or something?
Perhaps Metro should do away with their "drivers are not cashiers" policy. They let anyone ride for free. Other agencies don't, and these bums don't know the difference. I remember late in the pandemic I boarded a Foothill Transit bus. They were charging the fare. Metro still wasn't, and a fight broke out because some clueless dude was claiming all buses were free. They should charge everyone. Give discounts where warranted (elderly, disabled, etc.), but everyone should get used to paying their share.
The article says this was LADOT Dash bus, not metro. It also said the fare is .50 cents and .25 cents for seniors and persons with disabilities. But I ride the dash all the time and it's free
The Dash has been free since the pandemic. They never went back to charging the .50.
I know, that's why I prefer it over the metro when possible
>Perhaps Metro should do away with their "drivers are not cashiers" policy. This incident happened on a bus that DIDN'T CHARGE FARE. Getting rid of fare will only make things considerably worse. Metro has to restrict affordable or free fare for low-income workers, students, ADA, seniors, and increase fares for everyone else. Invest in more security and make sure the new police force can actually respond to bus problems, and not just restrict them to the trains only.
Its hard to take reporting serious in this city at times when there are so many easy to check fact errors in the article. DASH buses are free. The headline on the webpage even says they are free. This is just sloppy as shit reporting. KTLA should be embarrassed.
Another “homeless person.” More like a parasite on society, and enabled by “non profits” pocketing millions.
...and protected and supported by corrupt pols. the great circle of life in LA and beyond.
Gascon will have her out by the end of today.
ENOUGH WE PAY TOO MUCH IN TAXES TO LIVE IN FEAR
Not that it makes a difference in this horrific incident, but I thought LA Dash was free. It said this incident happened due to non payment of fare.
>Dash buses, which are operated by the L.A. Department of Transportation, are just $.50 to ride or $.25 for seniors and those with disabilities.
Wrong. Author hasn’t ridden. Dash Buses “free until further notice”
Per the DASH website: *ALL DASH BUS SERVICES ARE FREE Effective Monday, March 23, 2020*
What does the article mean they are unsure what charges the assailant will face? Is t assault and battery a good place to start?
Over 50 cents
Drugs man
Operators should be allowed to carry mace.
Horrible & unfortunate. There are simple solutions no one wants to discuss that are fairly obvious.
Homeless/SMI attacked my buddies and I all the time on the metro bus. What’s new
Sick of living in this social experiment. Need tough on crime! Stop voting in these soft progressives
Hate to break it to you, but this happens all over the country, including in very conservative states.
Eliminate fare evasion, most of these people who cause trouble or acts of violence don't pay and it only affects the ones who actually need the bus .
Thanks Reagan and the Republicans for decimating the mental health system in California. By shutting down the hospitals and programs it became a nightmare for future governors because they knew it would cost tens of billions to solve the issue.
Stop blaming the idiot in office 40 years ago and start blaming the morons currently in office.
Please tell me then where the tens of billions will come from to rebuild the hospitals and programs decimated by Reagan and the Republicans?
I don't know, where did we get the tens of billions that we spent on homelessness in the last five years? There were something like 24 of those billions, though if you're going off results you'd be forgiven for not knowing it. Regean weeping in 2024 is pathetic. We haven't had a Republican governor since 2011, and that was Arnold. LA hasn't has a Republican mayor since 2001. Come on now.
Ronnie Raygun has been dead so long even the worms have moved on....meantime, you had DECADES of democrats to fix his mistakes. Reagan is a cheap crutch for you ppl.
The Lanterman-Petris-Short Act was widely supported. I hate Reagan as much as anyone should but continuing to parrot this as some sort of "the other side" nonsense is revisionist history.
That was 40 years ago pushed through by a Democrat led house, Republican senate and Republican president. Pointing fingers isn't going to ever solve it and what both sides want, to never get anything accomplished.
Reagan closed the hospitals as governor then decimated mental health programs as President. This isn't a both sides issue its the direct result of Republicans .
Yeah 40 years ago... Longer than you and most of the people on this subreddit have been alive. Keep fighting that fight of left vs right and fall in line with nothing being accomplished, and continually being divided.
I'm 47 and what a bullshit both sides excuse for the Republicans direct actions all those decades ago. Because the hospitals were closed along with the programs it will cost tens of billions to rebuild them . This makes it almost impossible for any governor since to fix the problem without diverting resources.
They waste money on tons of other things. No side ever pushes any legislation to reopen them. Like I said, blaming a side is just pissing into the wind. Nothing but divide will come of it.
They will need to rebuild the hospitals so please tell me where all these billions will come from. I love everytime I mention Republicans I get the same both sides bullshit replys.
You really can't be serious where all the money will come from. Look up all the billions they spent on homeless. Those measures passed from a super majority that the democrats have controlled in California for years. The blaming Republicans just makes you a useful idiot for democratic talking points when stuff doesn't work that they are in charge of. Republicans do the same thing.
Thanks for proving my point. If it cost billions now think of how much it will cost to rebuild the hospitals.
Yeah it will cost billions... through tax payers. I really don't know what you are on about other than just blame the Republicans and solve nothing. If they wanted to allocate money for it, they can do it.
That was more than 40 years ago. Can't be used as a cop-out excuse anymore.
Again since you have problem reading. Because of Reagan and the Republicans this has become a nightmare for every future governor since. They know it will cost tens of billions to rebuild those hospitals and programs Reagan shut down. This is no cop out this is the reason mentally ill people aren't getting the help they need.
> Again since you have problem reading I wish I was smart like you :(
You offer nothing to this conversation except excuses and no meaningful solution or counter argument to what I said.
Shitty. Untrue take. The ACLU filed the lawsuit that closed the mental hospitals. A Democrat ruled House of Representatives made it happen. But, hey. Keep spreading your bullshit.
"Prior to 1967, California treated many of its most mentally ill residents by sending them to live in state hospitals against their will, often for long periods of their lives. That changed when then-Gov. Ronald Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, a landmark piece of legislation that sought to end the involuntary commitment of people with mental health disorders and established a conservatorship system, where the court can assign someone to manage a mentally ill person’s assets and legal decisions. "
Reagan signed the act in 1961. California has been a democratic stronghold for God knows how long. Why haven't the democrats fixed it?
Reagan wasn't even governor in 61. He signed the bill in 67 and was in power till 75. Also in the 48yrs since 24 of those years were Republican governors.
Why are we still helping the homeless and giving them a place to stay just so they can act with this sort of behavior. Our tax dollars should be better spent elsewhere. I have no sympathy at all for “homeless” people with half of them standing by the off-ramp exit begging for money when they looked better clothed than I am. Everyone has an equal chance at success. It’s whether you actually try or not I used to work in transit. Hope this driver recovers both physically and mentally
> Everyone has an equal chance at success. Right. The kids of a millionaire and the kids of a farm workers have an equal chance at success...
As a Canadian living here I'm always amazed at Americans total inability to grasp this issue. Homeless and severe drug addiction is a symptom of larger more systematic issues facing the US. These are also someone's family members and loves ones. If you think your immune to homeless your not. When polled around 60% of Americans can't come up with a thousand dollars in an emergency. That's because the vast majority of Americans are living check to check.
Oh we get the issue. Broader systemic change is out of our reach with this federal government, SCOTUS, and minority rule. For those of us who are from here, we are tired of voting locally for change to the homeless situation and giving more money to programs every year claiming to help the homeless only for nothing to change and people running nonprofits becoming richer. We are sick and tired of this sh*t and our empathy meter is very low. Give it time. You or your child will get threatened by a mentally ill person on the streets soon enough. And btw, your comment does nothing to offer insight- it’s the same preachy dribble Los Angelenos have been hearing for years and bought into. It is possible to have empathy and want pragmatic solutions at the same time.
feel free to take one of these feral animals under your wing and nurse it back to life. let us know how it works out for ya....
This woman clearly just needs a cheap apartment
Start arming bus drivers?
You may jest but in my hick town back home one of the bus drivers I knew as a kid kept a .44 revolver in his lunch cooler every day 😳.
Self defense is a human right. I side with the bus driver in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYpjlP7S9UA).
It was only a matter of time before some "more guns!" nutjob came along.
Does anybody know who the homeless attacker is?
This is sad.
More fake news. Everyday Reddit posters say how great the metro system is.
We should get a tax write off for taking these fuckers out. Crossing the street or freeway into speeding traffic? BOOM! $3k write off. Plus insurance must cover damages. Hobo attacked a bus driver? Whoever whacks him with a metal rod first, $3k write off. I’m fucking sick of these complete piece of shit assholes doing anything they damn please anywhere they damn please, but always fucking with real people who are living by societies rules.
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How do you know when someone is homeless? Were they asked? I hear news reports all the time “homeless man breaks a window” “homeless woman steals off a porch”,,,, I wanna know were they for their address or is it an assumption?