dealing with scumbags

RicardoSmith

I go to the UK. The courses are much better over there...

Eron

Coming from Tullamore (Like Ivan), where the fighting scene is getting more sickening by the day, I have found that travelling during the day, or with large groups of people actualy works. Most groups of "tinkers" have maybe 1-2-3 good fighters, but the rest are just the young guys looking for attention, so if you have a couple of numbers on your side, stand up to them, chances are they will be put off and leave while claiming "you're lucky, 'cus I wulda beat the **** outa ya, only that I have to, em, go..."

Buying a knife, pretending you have one or using any kind of weapon is completely pointless, its stupid for you, and if you do infact threaten one of them, the chances are they will get their whole family to come after you, with all of their friends, and their friends families aswell.... Just cross the street when you see a group of them, and keep your head up high, but avoid eye contact. If you look down they immediatly feel superior and WILL say something, just look upwards, ring someone on your phone (or if you have no friends just pretend to) and ask where do you want to meet them (mention a place close to the tinkers) and ask if "the lads are going to be there.."

I used to get quite alot of hassle, but if you just cross the street, ignore them or get to know them (but avoid friendship) then you should be fine. First names basis would be handy.

Chances are you will meet alot of people in college and providing you dont smell you will rarely be walking around on your own, so try not to think about it too much, just enjoy college and get to know people - I wasted 2 summers on worrying about going outside incase groups of people came to start a fight with me, it isn't worth it... realy.

weemcd

were would yes recomend goin to college? its a lopng way off for me yet but ive recently been wondering.

Eron

Try and find a student town, but dont base your college on where there will be a small amount of scumbags, it is pointless, education is power and if you go to a small college in the forest somewhere then the scumbags win. The simple truth is there is scumbags everywhere, you cant do anything about it. College is a year off for me, I do have concerns about scumbags, but I plan on going to Carlow, which from what I have seen seems to be a town of little scumbag hassle, but it could be the opposite, I just haven't seen the nightlife. I would advise Galway, I have heard good things about the town, and have been there a couple of times and haven't been hassled. I am sure some of the guys that go to college would be able to advise you much better, but remember that education is power, and don't let the scumbags win!

Boston

Originally posted by weemcd
were would yes recomend goin to college? its a lopng way off for me yet but ive recently been wondering.

depends on what your looking for. don't think for a second that any place in dublin is safer then the next., often the hell wholes are right beside the nice areas. If your from the country, i'd spend a couple of days/ weeks up here with someone from dublin finding out the places to avoid, in the same way i wouldn't go to cork or limerick without knowing somebody.

weemcd

i did a very stupid thing a few years ago, and was completley alright.

i walked through belfast, not nowing the city layout, on my own, dressed in really nice expensive jeans and stuff, with over a hundred pounds, an mp3 player and a really new 3210 (this was when it was new and cool) lookin back at it now it is shocking. but i was alright even though i didnt contact anyone i knew for half a day! now though i go on the bus with at least 3 people.

Sangre

What are you talking about?
UCD is perfectly safe and so is Trinity during normal hours, and even at night it is usually busy.

Boston

Originally posted by Sangre
What are you talking about?
UCD is perfectly safe and so is Trinity during normal hours, and even at night it is usually busy.

who are you talking to? Trinity is right there beside west morland street, and around the side there is no lighting, it pretty fecing damagerous. Inside the grounds itself is pretty safe.

Sangre

Originally posted by Boston
depends on what your looking for. don't think for a second that any place in dublin is safer then the next.,.

I was talking to you Boston.

I just don't want people being scared shítless of going anywhere in Dublin.
If you stick to Grafton St. and Nassau St. and the likes around Trinity you will be pretty safe. But of coarse, you shouldn't wander around on your own.

Where ever you go, just ask the locals what area to avoid.

Boston

Originally posted by Sangre
I was talking to you Boston.

I just don't want people being scared shítless of going anywhere in Dublin.
If you stick to Grafton St. and Nassau St. and the likes around Trinity you will be pretty safe. But of coarse, you shouldn't wander around on your own.

Where ever you go, just ask the locals what area to avoid.

hmm grafton street, where that bloke was beaten up and died a couple weekends ago, real safe choice. i don't think i've ever walked down it withoput being offered drugs of some sort. People should be scared of dublin, its a violent city, which is just getting worse.The minute you think your safe your screwed. you always have to watch yourself in town, bottom line. I've never been mugged, approached, or even asked the time, but unless your 6ft 4inchs with a shaved head and thick north dublin scumbag accent, thats not going to be much use, and even i don't think for a second i'm invincible.

Sean101

It's a pretty bad situation when you think about it. Normal people have been scared into avoiding these @ssholes with no morals, intelligence or grasp of the English language.

I myself am hoping to go to Castlebar for college (outdoor education). The course sounds more exciting than anything ive seen, plus ill be taking up kick boxing. Its a very physical sport and trains your body well.

I see college as a new begining, preparing me for the world, and its no secret that the world is full of **** heads, which is why i wanna be prepared, physically and mentally.

Scumbags arent just native to ireland though. You got "gangstas" in america, druglords in south america, triad gangs run China plus there is the dreaded tourist that rules central Europe! The horror! But the world is a HUGE place, and you are litterally one in Few Billion, so dont let a minority rule you! Stick it to the man, man, and be free!

Or move to the Australian outback.

Peace

I'd say a couple of points will be relevant.

1) Always be aware of where you are. Be sensible. Stick to well light area and don't get caught on your own a million miles from anything. Also keep an eye out behind you. At night, even if i'm walking back from the bus stop (only about 5/10 minutes walk) i regularly check behind me. Just a habit i've picked up from living in dublin for so long.

2) Learn to defend youself. Running won't always be the best way to deal with a sticky situatioon. There may be a time where you'll have to fight your way out. I've been doing Kenpo for a long time now and wouldn't be a bit scared of putting a couple of scum bags on the ground.

3) All this sh*te of avoiding eye contact is nonsense. Don't ever be afraid of looking somone in the eye. A short look, nothing long or it become an aggressive gesture which may evoke a response. This will often let people know that you see them and also are not afraid. If you were scared crapless then you put your head down and try to get by, they may recognise this.

All the above is ofcourse only really me and what my experiences are. Only how i'd deal with these sort of situations. I'm helped with 6ft of well built geezer and a 2nd brown in Kenpo.

Usually theres a way around a fist fight, but when they've got you in a corner and won't let you out, then go right through them and don't appologise when they're lying on the ground.

I should mention i'm 25 and not one mugging or fight, not even the slightewst bit of hasstle. I spoend a lot of time in town as well. I must be doing something right.

Space Coyote

Some people are making Dublin City out to be worse than it actually is. It's worse than it used to be imo, especially around Westmorland St. at nighttime (anyone that gets the nitelink from there knows what I'm talkin about) but most of the time you can avoid conflict. If you're unlucky enough to get a bottle in the back of the head or an iron bar in the face by some scumbag walking past you then it's just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That could happen to you anywhere in the world. You can't live your life being terrified of going into a town because of a handful of horror stories you've heard (whether they be true or not). I'm almost 28, I've been going out in Dublin city centre since I was 18, not once have I been hit by anyone, except my mates, never had my phone nicked and never been mugged. Touch wood. Trouble can be avoided.

Tiesto

I go to college in Gmit in Galway. Its located beside Castlepark, where the travellers live... Not once have i been hassled.Never even see them, might come across a few 12 year old girls trying to get you to buy cigarettes but thats about it.

RicardoSmith

The fact that people have or haven't been hassled comes down to luck. Same with not getting your butt kicked. All it takes is for you to be unlucky and thats it game over. It doesn't have to be a big bloke either. Some of the meanest people I've seen where the smallest little runts. But they were tough baskets at the same.

That said you could trip crossing a road and crack your skull or break your neck. But that doesn't stop people from crossing roads does it. Dublin is a walk in the park compared to many other cities in the world. It has its roughs spots as does anywhere else. It was the same 10 years ago. Don't kid yourselves. Its not the big scary place some people make it out to be. But you need some cop on when living in it. As you would in any city.

GuanYin

This sounds very bad but....

Having lived around ballymun and beaumont for several years I must say that my attitude towards teen scumbags is to clip them about the ear if they annoy me. I tend to get unwanted attention from younger scumbags (sprogs) due to my appearance. Fortunately I can take care of myself adequately so its never been a problem.

I think that letting them away with it is just encouraging them to harass other people and one day ity goes too far and someone gets hurt.

If I felt threathened by one of them I'd be inclined to floor them. Actually to hurt them. The idea is maybe it will make them think twice about the next stranger they decide to harass. They might think twice about it and maybe someone else will be saved from trouble.

Now let me be clear, I abhorr violence, I really do, this may seem paradoxial, but considering the general behavious by some kids and the fact they get away with it, I think its a natural reflex reaction. Its increasingly harder to get on a bus without verbal and physical abuse these days, nevermind just walking down the street.

Older scum has never been so much an issue. The older ones have a bit more sense and usually back down when they see I'm not scared.

I'm not inciting violence or suggesting it, but if noone else is going to teach sprogs that they can't go around randomly harassing innocent people then I'm happy to do it.

Eron

Dublin isn´t as bad as some of you guys are making out - I know its rough, its a large city, its sposed to be, but you guys are a little more scared than I thought, you gota let your anger out on some of these kids the next time they hassle you - go crazy, just dont kill em...

Tusky

hmm grafton street, where that bloke was beaten up and died a couple weekends ago, real safe choice. i don't think i've ever walked down it withoput being offered drugs of some sort. People should be scared of dublin, its a violent city, which is just getting worse.The minute you think your safe your screwed. you always have to watch yourself in town, bottom line. I've never been mugged, approached, or even asked the time, but unless your 6ft 4inchs with a shaved head and thick north dublin scumbag accent, thats not going to be much use, and even i don't think for a second i'm invincible.

ahh come on now , people cant live in fear of these ****heads...If i truely hate a certain ty[e pf person on this planet its people who attack others that are scared of them , younger than them or people with no confidence...its makes me SOOO bloody angry , why would people want to do this ? they really are the scum of the earth ,

I dont care if they are troubled or have ****ty lives they should all be shot - seriously ...

anyways i was ranting sorry, Ive only ever been muged once and he didnt get anything off me even though I had a cd player, phone and wallet on me...

Basically ages ago me and my friend ( 16 or 17 at the time ) were walking down georges street chating away when a 6 foot somthing monster scumbag comes up behind us - he was nice enough - started walking along with us talking - i knew exactly what was going on - he was trying to find out if we were tough or pussies basically...

My friend didnt cop on ( hes form castleknock ) :rolleyes: anyway he started talking in his posh accent and the next thing i know is the scumbag pushes us both up against the wall, my friend ran off into a shop but the scumbag pushed me against the wall and staretd searching me... he was ALOT biger than me and in his late twenties but i wasnt gonna let him take anything...

I basically told him to **** off and he took out a sharpened peice of metal ( im not joking ) and told me to call my friend back out of the shop - I was ****ing myself at this stage but i wasnt going to hand over my stuff let along call my friend back - I did what anyone would do.... I knee'd him in the bolax and ran across the road...he chased me but i ran into the GEORGE !!! ROFL he allmost got knocked down and then ran away... and thats my story

sorry for all of yea who read all that

Tazzle

ben - simon? ;p

Eron

Heh... I have a good idea, lets set up a boards.ie special forces unit. We can deploy our troops, large groups of computer nerds, with super high tech gadgets all over the major cities - we will start explaining java to the scumbags, that'll teach em...

Seriously, guys come on.... if you are that afraid, then stick to having small parties at your house in college or at home - I strongly advise not being put off by these kids though, I mean it really is depressing when you think about it, the average person on boards is about 20-22, in college, a computer nerd, likes startrek and has a vast knowledge of computers, and hey there is nothing wrong with that, but you have to learn how to defend yourselves, I mean these kids are literaly 16 years old... the only reason that they are there is because they cannot get into clubs/pubs. I mean, guys come on, getting bullied at 20 years old by a 16 year old, that is really depressing, and if it is as bad as some of you say, start getting taxies everywhere....


Oh yes, and just act tough for that couple of minuits that they might be talking to you, or ask em what they are at, or say that something or other is complete ****e, and start getting really angry over something tiny, they will think you are crazy and go and kill someone else instead!

Eron

I have a little story of my own, doesn't involve any hitting (I do have some of them though) but just the hassle of living in a world with "pikies, tinkers, travellers, etc."

One fine evening I was sitting inside a dark room with I think Ivan (sorry of its not you C) and Elexes, and no we weren't checking each others pluming, we were playing CS. We decide to walk down to the cyber cafe that I used to "work" in, and we quickly packed up our stuff and left... literaly steps around the corner and 2 guys start following us... so we are walking along the streets of Tullamore, at 2 o'clock in the morning, as you do, with these 2 guys following us maybe 200 yards... the next thing there is this "hey, (and a whole load of mumble jumble)!" so, we turned around, expecting there to be a fight going on behind us between one pack of rapscallions and another, but no, they were talking to us - the gel'd hair, the white shirts with the faded blue design, the crappy ponsey brown shoes, the faded blue jeans that every ponse seems to have, and they approach us.

They came to me, pushing through my two associates, and started asking me "where did you come from?" (as I am a sarcastic little ****wit my first response was "my mothers womb ya retard", luckily though I didn't say it) I said "well, what do you mean" not knowing if he meant where did I grow up or where did I just come from... "where were you a few minuits ago?" he said, I said "a friends apartment around the corner" and he said "no you didn't". At this stage myself and the two lads were looking at each other, with that "these guys are really boring, I wish they would actually just hit us and go away" look on their faces.... anyway, I said "I did, its right around the corner", once again the response was "no you didn't", I said "owkaay..." and the other one, who hadn't talked yet but looked the exact same, said "You came from our friends apartment" and I, knowing quite well that they wouldn't have known the person from whos apartment I had just come said "no I didn't" - this seemed to piss both of them off.. "you're lieing" they claimed, at this stage it was about 5 minuits of this outside one of the Tullamore hotspots (Bridge House) and I was starting to get bored....


One of the lads (my friends) asked "what do you want?" and the two rapscallions looked at each other, angrily and the first one who spoke said "this lad here (pointing to me), robbed our friends apartment and toke Euro40 (might have been pounds back then, not sure)" to this I responded "no I didn't". They came on a little stronger now, and they stod a couple of steps closer, I thought it was going to get ugly, till one of my comrades asked "where does your friend live?" to which the 'gansters' pointed back in the direction of the apartment I had just come from, and said they had seen me coming out of this apartment a few mins ago. "ahh I am living down there at the moment, just 'round the corner" I said, staying at this place at the time - they said "give the money back!" to which I gladly emptied my pockets in front of them, proving to myself and them that I am poor, so they said "come back to the apartment and we will sort this out"

We walked about 175 yards back in the direction we had just come, to find an apartment door ajar. We stepped in to find a fairly pretty blonde girl sitting on the stairs, the two guys asked "is this the lad?" to which she said "no"



Fair enough, this story isn't as bad as some of yours, but the fact that it wasted about 30 minuits of computer time really pissed me off, and does till this day. I could have been playing CS, but instead I got to listen to two half-drunk, half-stoned scumbags, I didn't think it was very fair - but luckily it sorted itself out. The reason I am bringing this up, is because I saw the same 2 scumbags about a week ago, and they approached me, with angry faces, and thats when I quickly dashed across the street, at quite a fast pace.

At the time this ordeal was scary, because we didn't know what to expect, we didn't know if we were going to get robbed, stabbed, kissed, phone numbers, beaten up, asked for drugs, offered drugs....

I have quite a few nasty scumbag related stories, much more that ended up in fist fighting, but this story annoyes me the most simply because of the fact that we were standing outside the bussiest spot in Tullamore at 2 o clock in the morning, a stones throw away from the local Gardai station, without seeing a squad car or a patrole car in one of the worst fighting spots in Tullamore.

One of the main problems with scumbags is the lack of authority, I have ranted and raved about this before, that we need a London type of police system, 2 cops walking around a mediocre sized area, it would cut crime down so much, so quickly - these kids are afraid of the gardai, but all the gardai seem to do is take statements of how you were beaten up, where you were beaten up etc. The reaction time of these idiots is also diabolical, they could have walked, slowly to where we were in 1 min had we rang them, of course we didn't, but the fact is they wouldn't have arrived at the scene for half an hour.


An awful lot of this didn't make sense, I am slightly pissed off about all of it, and would like my vengance against the two scumbags, but I know I wont get it - just little annoyances, aimed at 3 guys who didn't look like the robbing type. Some of you would have prefered a "so I hit him five times, he hit me six" stories, but this is my worst one, and words cannot explain how annoying and heated the experience was, but I really feel that 95% of these petite robbing, confrontation crimes could be avoided with 2 gardai on patrole in a town like Tullamore, and about 50 patrolling in main Dublin city, they dont need to do anything but walk around and it would cut crime.


The fact is though, is that it won't change, gardai do nothing except make all of these "E500,000 cocaine" related arrests.

We are unprotected.

anthonymcg

Originally posted by Boston
hmm grafton street, where that bloke was beaten up and died a couple weekends ago, real safe choice.

False - Walked down it on my own 2 weeks ago bout 3.30am and didnt get a bit of hassle. I'm not big either.

Originally posted by Boston People should be scared of dublin, its a violent city, which is just getting worse.The minute you think your safe your screwed. you always have to watch yourself in town, bottom line.[/B]

False - Be aware when you're in town. Simple as that. Scaremongering doesn't help.

Eron they don't really seem like scumbags...but rather just a bunch of drunk dudes trying to look tough cause their mate got robbed. I have never seen a scumbag wearing faded jeans and brown shoes. Normal people going out do though...

Tusky

ben - simon? ;p

was that directed at me ? what huh who when ?

Tiesto

Originally posted by Peace
I'd say a couple of points will be relevant.


3) All this sh*te of avoiding eye contact is nonsense. Don't ever be afraid of looking somone in the eye. A short look, nothing long or it become an aggressive gesture which may evoke a response. This will often let people know that you see them and also are not afraid. If you were scared crapless then you put your head down and try to get by, they may recognise this.

I completley dont agree. Looking at them just gives the opportunity for them to start " what are you looking at you f*****g....."
Do you look at anybody else you walk by in the street? And im sure in Dublin and citys like that you walk by a lot of people. Well i dont, so why waste your time looking at scum?

i still think the best thing to do is be confident, dont look at em and just walk on like you own the joint

Peteer

Originally posted by Eron
ring someone on your phone (or if you have no friends just pretend to) and ask where do you want to meet them (mention a place close to the tinkers) and ask if "the lads are going to be there.."

Hi There,

Not such sound advice in my opinion, they will probably just steal it from your ear. This is common enough these days. Lost a phone that way myself and know others in the same boat.

Secondly, it will confirm that you are not 'one of them' as non-dublin accents stand out like a sore thumb and that might invite trouble anyway.

In Dublin 7 years now, started with college and have had very little cause for concern at any time.

Ignoring these guys seems to be the best way.

Peter

Benbaz

Originally posted by Boston
ballyfermot is a doggy enough area, my cousin went to that PLC, and i've been there afew times, basically anywhere with flats around is a rough area, fact. Thats not saying anything that prejudices, most of my mates are from flats and would probably be called scumbags, its just a mentallity, if your an outsider your fair game simple as that.

Boston, do you write for the "Evening - everybody is out to get your money, blood, property - Herald" or the "Sunday - everybody in Dublin is a gangster - World"???

I've never heard so much scare mongering sh1te spouted in all my life!!! Have you ever actually been to Ballyfermot?? Because I was born and bred there and I'm interested in seeing these "flats" that you're referring to!! If you're gonna scare somebody about something at least have the intelligence to get your facts straight!!

Now, I'm not saying that Ballyfermot doesn't have it’s fair share of scumbags, it does. But in fairness what area doesn’t???

But I have to say, some of the responses that have been given here are absolutely ludicrous!! I think it was Ivan who said “How badly do you want to go to college in Ballyfermot?” That’s just ridiculous!! Do you really think that a person should fore go further education on the off chance that they just might maybe perhaps be picked on by some little toe-rag??? Grow up FFS!!! You can’t go around living in fear. In life Sh1t happens. You have to just live your life the best you can, and if and when bad things happen, well then deal with them then rather then walking around living in fear about thing that might or might not happen!!
The only person that gave any decent advice imo was Space_Coyote, listen to him he’s ancient and he’s been around for a while!!! Lol…….. The long and short of it is don't be worrying your life away!


B.

Boston

Originally posted by anthonymcg
False - Walked down it on my own 2 weeks ago bout 3.30am and didnt get a bit of hassle. I'm not big either.

so your man wasn't beaten to death, hmm, must tell his parents that, they can go dig up the body. Though in a sense i was abite miss leadign it was more then a couple of weeks ago, more like 2-3 months back. Yes as far as streets go, grafton street isn't bad, just making the point that you can't call any street safe in dublin.

False - Be aware when you're in town. Simple as that. Scaremongering doesn't help.

Well thats was really what i was talking about, town.

Boston

Originally posted by Benbaz
Boston, do you write for the "Evening - everybody is out to get your money, blood, property - Herald" or the "Sunday - everybody in Dublin is a gangster - World"???

I've never heard so much scare mongering sh1te spouted in all my life!!! Have you ever actually been to Ballyfermot?? Because I was born and bred there and I'm interested in seeing these "flats" that you're referring to!! If you're gonna scare somebody about something at least have the intelligence to get your facts straight!!

Now, I'm not saying that Ballyfermot doesn't have it’s fair share of scumbags, it does. But in fairness what area doesn’t???




B.

Did you not read the part of the post where i said i had been to the place afew times, and even had a cousin going to the PLC? Its rough, simple as that. Not saying its cut throth or anythign like that, it aint the gaza strip.

As for scare mongering, what do you except, ask me about contraf or ardmore, i'll tell you a different story. See i'm going at it from a different point of few, i know the scum bags personally, grw up with them, went to the same school and the like, 3 people i went to school with (and i'm only 18) are in mounthjoy for murder, several more manslaughter, gods only knows how many for mugging/ dealing/ and joyriding. A guy that treatened "to burn me gaff down" nearlly killing a lady and her child, while driving a stolen car, he could bearly see over the steering wheal. A "friend of mine" was arrested there last year for smashing up the winscreens in all the cars in a north dublin car park. A guy i know who wants to be a gardi, spends his weekends robbing mobile phones off teenagers.

Now you say your from ballyfermot, so maybe you don't see things as being that bad. Tell me, whats your few on the northstrand/ ballymun area.

Silent Bob

For what it's worth you should view martial arts as a way to keep fit that will give you an edge (nothing more) if it ever came to having to fight.

I have been practicing martial arts since I was 8 (21 now) and the one thing I have really learned is that I would much rather run away than get entrenched in a street fight.

Knowing what I know will *probably* allow me to disable/surprise an attacker for long enough to let me make my getaway, if you think that you are invincible you have another thing coming.

They aren't going to be mugging you if they don't think that they will be successful. That combined with the fact that there is always someone bigger and stronger than you pretty much means that anyone mugging you will be at the very least an even match.

On the subject of weapons. Don't. Ever.

I own and know how to use a number of weapons but would never consider carrying them around with me (except to bring to and from training). As has been said before, weapons are only going to work if you use them and weapons are designed to hurt, maim and kill.

One final point. If you are trained in martial arts then the courts will take this into consideration and you may well be facing GBH/assault charges of your own if you 'go too far'