Sikh Man Mistreated by London Bus Driver

August 14, 2005

Source: The Panthic Weekly

http://www.panthic.org/news/124/ARTICLE/1672/2005-08-14.html?sid=c6c687a9b47706248509614a7ad517d8

On August 14, 2005 The Panthic Weekly reported, "On Wednesday a Sikh man traveling to work from North London to central London was subject to verbal abuse and threatening behavior from a bus driver. The incident occurred at 9.40am when Mr. Singh was on his way to work on the bus when in Highgate the bus stopped at a station. Passengers were boarding when another bus pulled up parallel, as this bus left the driver shouted 'everyone off'... Mr. Singh said he had asked the driver why he had not stopped the bus, which had stopped so the passengers could have boarded it. Mr. Singh said, 'the driver replied to me “Are you blind,” I was shocked at how rude the driver was'... As Mr. Singh got of the bus the driver came off the bus approaching Mr. Singh using threatening behavior, swearing as he approached Mr. Singh. 'I thought he was going to physically assault me, all the passengers were watching. They got in the way as he kept swearing at me for asking a simple question... Since London bombings I have been apprehensive traveling on public transport, I can not believe that a bus driver would behave in such a way. I am an Amrtidharhi Sikh and was encouraged by the way the public helped me in this situation. It helped to reassure me that London is a multicultural society.' Mr. Singh has complained to the London transport authorities and is now waiting for them to conduct and enquiry."