As a train conductor, what would you have done if you were in my position?

Question

I was very polite and professional with that guy with the bad manners who didn't have enough money and said
"Take the fu#king money!" I'm thinking maybe I was a little too soft on him in response. What would you have done? He was a buck and about 60 something cents short and his exact words were "Just take the fu#king money!" somewhat causing a scene. I think this guy might have had some anger issues. I'm thinking maybe I let him off too easy when I said it's ok, I gave him helpful brochure and said for him to have a nice day at the next stop. He finally apologized at the very end and told me had had a very bad day and he felt bad for acting the way he did, but I'm still starting to think that maybe I was a little too nice and helpful in response given his bad attitude from earlier on.


How would you have handled it?
What would you have said and done if you were in my position under the exact same circumstances with the same guy?

He was nice at the end and thanked me for the advice about going to the nearest ATM, but I still think I might have gone too easy on him.

Answer 1

I agree with those who said you handled it correctly and for the same reasons. Maybe the guy just lost his job, or his wife divorced him. or his dog died. For $1.60 you did the right thing both in terms of diffusing a potentially bad situation and humanitarian. Who knows???? You may have even prevented this person from committing suicide...

Answer 2

You did exactly what you were expected to do, you handled the situation very professionally , and defused a potentally bad event, serving the public is never an easy task at times, but right or wrong thay are still customers and need to be treated with respect even if they refuse to show you any. that does not mean thet if someone becomes verbally abusive or physically demanding and creata situation where he/she woud disrupt the operation of the train, in that situation you would have the right to have the person removed from the train ether volintary or by force (transit police) .
Good Job, are a credit to your Railroad. kudos to you

Answer 3

you can always look at it this way...
Maybe your generosity in this situation made his day better and he actually helped someone else down the road.
Or maybe by cutting him a break on the fare you may have prevented a mass murder or something if he had wigged out over the prevented confrontation.
Just because you cut him a break doesn't mean you are soft, it means to me that you quickly analyzed the situation and decided that $1.60 wasn't worth the possible aftermath.

Answer 4

You handled it exactly right. What could have been gained from an argument? Maybe he saw how much of a dick he was being and decided to be nicer the rest of the day.

There are a lot of train/bus drivers around L.A. that are total a-s-sholes. You made the situation easier.

Answer 5

It was quite correct for someone in your position to not rise to the anger. Anything different could have escalated the situation and caused problems for the other passengers.

Answer 6

you could of called the nearest railroad cop or city cop but you did;nt you kept the train operation secure and not lose any time on your trip you did did good everyone cannot do this so i say do not sweat it job well done

Answer 7

If you're the conductor, it should have been your duty to deny the individual the train ride.I myself would not have put up with the rude behavior, And called for security to remove the offender.

Answer 8

He would not have been nice to me at the other stop because he would still be standing at the point of departure.

Answer 9

Thrown him bound and gaged from the train as it crossed a bridge.