Wearing masks, heat, crowds – guests keep losing their nerves on public transport. It is especially worrying that attacks on staff are on the rise. Even knives are regularly drawn.
On average, employees of Wiener Linien speak about 4,000 people a week without a face mask. Not everyone likes that. “Unfortunately, our colleagues feel the aggression of individual passengers,” explains a spokeswoman for Krone. This year there have been more than 20 incidents. In 2021, 154 attacks on employees were registered. About a third of this can be attributed to the subject of masks, compared to a quarter the year before. “Wiener Linien shows zero tolerance and reports every case,” it said.
It’s not just insults
BB train attendants are also victims of rabid passengers, there have already been 22 incidents this year. “Unfortunately, we have found that the number of attacks on our employees has increased. The reasons for this are different and probably cannot be explained solely by the obligation to wear a mask,” said ÖBB spokesman Daniel Pinka.
Corona has made the situation worse
According to the vida association, night traffic is often affected. “Insults, threats or pointing a knife are registered every day,” said chairman Roman Hebenstreit. Christian M., who has been a bus driver for 15 years, also knows difficult situations. “My colleague has already been hit on the head with a bottle,” he says. He too was attacked. Above all, the uniform makes them visible to all and makes them easy victims. Corona has made the situation worse because: “People are always irritated.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
