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Assaulted near the train station

Ephraim Becker

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I was on the A train to Far Rockaway and I coughed mid-way through the hour ride but forgot to cover my mouth. Someone sitting two seats away from me told me to cover my mouth so I did. Then two high school kids came on the train and one of them sat in between me and that man and that man told that high school kid that I coughed and didn't cover my mouth and the high school kid got up. I got uncomfortable with the man and switched seats. I coughed again in the different seat and two women moved a little away. Then that man told them something I forgot what and gave me a handful of tissues and told me to cough into them. I did for rest of the times.

The train finally reached Far Rockaway and everyone including me, the man, and the two high school guys got off. I was walking past the man and the two high school kids and the man cursed at me. I walked right past two policemen out of the station expecting my mother who promised to pick me up to be at the station with her car but she wasn't so I called her and she told me that she'll be there in 5 minutes.

I hung up right when the man came out of the station and started chasing me. I ran for two blocks and then fell. The man caught up to me and punched me. I got back up and ran some more but the man caught up to me and just stared at me. I kept on telling the man how sorry I was for coughing without covering my mouth on the train but he didn't seem to listen.

I called my mother telling her that someone is chasing me and finally met my mother with her car. My lip was swollen and bleeding and there was a little pain with some teeth at the right and my arm was scraped.

I feel very scared right now of this incident. I should have stayed near the policemen. I might have nightmares about this. What do you recommend I should do?
 
I'm sorry this happened to you Ephraim, it was not about your coughing. It's likely the man who chased you had lots of problems and was taking them out on you. People can be strange and often we don't know why they do the things they do.

It's okay to be worried even scared, it's usual for people to feel fear when something happens that makes no sense. Hope that the feeling will eventually go away, if you don't think about it all the time. You might think about working with your camera and shooting more films. Do something that you like and enjoy. To work though what happened.
 
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"I feel very scared right now of this incident. I should have stayed near the policemen. I might have nightmares about this. What do you recommend I should do?"

Is this a train you take daily? If not, the odds of seeing him again are probably slim. If it is you may want to try alternate routes to work or something.

If you still feel very scared tomorrow or the next day, and you believe you have nightmares over this it's best to see a psychologist. Within the first 3 weeks or so of the incident. PTSD can develop in surprising ways and working on it early gives you an extremely high chance that you won't develop it.

When your mom picked you up was the man still there, any chance he seen the license plate? Was this stop near your house or are you visiting someone far from your home?

If you're sure he didn't take down your moms license plate, and you didn't reveal any information that could be over heard on the phone or drop anything with your name or address... You could always call the cops and report it. Surely they had cameras at those stations and can scan the guys face or put out a public notice. If there is a chance that you'll see the dude again though it might not be the best idea to get the cops involved could escalate things.

Obviously something isn't right there... Seems to be worried about getting sick... offers you tissues... but then attacks you (Skin on skin contact, bodily fluids which might actually get him sick).
 
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Wow. This man sounds like a psycho. Hope you don't have nightmares and can get over it soon. I had an incident when I was young and lived alone and for months I stacked furniture in front of doors and windows as soon as I got home from work. We don't live in a safe world, sad to say.
 
I recommend you constantly remind yourself that it wasn't your fault, you did nothing to contribute to the incident, and you don't have to change anything to prevent it from happening again. A crazy person attacked you, end of story. I think that's important to understand to prevent it from effecting you long-term.
 
I think you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and extremely unlucky. I don't think that the attack was provoked by the coughing, but because you happened to be in the way of a person with mental health problems or who had taken something and for whatever reason wasn't in control of himself. It's unlikely that you will see him again, but be vigilent and move away before he sees you, keep in sight of the train station cameras and staff.

Something like this happened to me on the local metro - a group of young men were looking at me and winking to each other, making me feel extremely uncomfortable. I thought: they want to snatch my bag, so I moved away to a position next to the train's emergency alarm. As I moved away, one of them kicked me. I got over it, but I was scared to use the metro for a long time, and now I can use it, but I'm super-aware and vigilent about who is next to me and what they are doing.
 
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I think you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and extremely unlucky. I don't think that the attack was provoked by the coughing, but because you happened to be in the way of a person with mental health problems or who had taken something and for whatever reason wasn't in control of himself. It's unlikely that you will see him again, but be vigilent and move away before he sees you, keep in sight of the train station cameras and staff.

Something like this happened to me on the local metro - a group of young men were looking at me and winking to each other, making me feel extremely uncomfortable. I thought: they want to snatch my bag, so I moved away to a position next to the train's emergency alarm. As I moved away, one of them kicked me. I got over it, but I was scared to sue the metro for a long time, and now I can use it, but I'm super-aware and vigilent about who is next to me and what they are doing.
It was after I finished reading that I realized you did not mean 'sue'. lol
 
Is this a train you take daily? If not, the odds of seeing him again are probably slim. If it is you may want to try alternate routes to work or something.
Yes, I take this train daily.

When your mom picked you up was the man still there, any chance he seen the license plate? Was this stop near your house or are you visiting someone far from your home?
After the man caught up top me for the second time abs started at me, he finally walked away. Then my mother called me that she's in front of some store. I crossed the street and walked a block and finally got in my mother's car. I'm not sure if he saw my mother's license plate or not but I doubt it. The stop is the closest to my house and a mile away (20 minute walk). I never saw this man before.
 
Are you feeling better today? How are your injuries? Did you have nightmares?

Justice is one of the best deterrents of PTSD. There must be cameras everywhere.

There must be a proper legal system set up so that if you are assaulted, you can go to security, ask to see the camera, try to find out who the man was, even using public platforms if you must, and PRESS CHARGES!

He assaulted a person with autism. That carries heavier weight than if you were a person without autism.

You had no right to be hit. The man broke the law.

I hope you are able to get redress for this. I am so tired of people beating up autistic people.
 
Are you feeling better today? How are your injuries? Did you have nightmares?

Justice is one of the best deterrents of PTSD. There must be cameras everywhere.

There must be a proper legal system set up so that if you are assaulted, you can go to security, ask to see the camera, try to find out who the man was, even using public platforms if you must, and PRESS CHARGES!

He assaulted a person with autism. That carries heavier weight than if you were a person without autism.

You had no right to be hit. The man broke the law.

I hope you are able to get redress for this. I am so tired of people beating up autistic people.
I didn't have any nightmares last night but I had a hard time sleeping.
 
Yes, I take this train daily.


After the man caught up top me for the second time abs started at me, he finally walked away. Then my mother called me that she's in front of some store. I crossed the street and walked a block and finally got in my mother's car. I'm not sure if he saw my mother's license plate or not but I doubt it. The stop is the closest to my house and a mile away (20 minute walk). I never saw this man before.

hhmmm.... ok......
If you do decide to take the same train again for a while maybe get a mask like this:
https://kisetsuseikatsu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PAK24_kazehiitakamoshirenai1343_TP_V.jpg
And wear it when your waiting for the train, on the train, and until you get to wherever your going. Until your cough subsides. If you do happen to run into this guy again... and he happens to have a big ego which lets face it probably does... he may see it as "Hah! i taught him a lesson and saved others from getting sick!" or whatever. And leave you alone.

Coughing into tissues probably won't work if you see this guy again because sometimes coughing is an unconscious reaction and you might not be able to pull the tissues up to your face quick enough and other people can very easily assume that you didn't. If they weren't directly looking at you at the moment the cough was audible to them. But if they see a sick mask they'll realize there is no way it could have gotten on them or near them.

If for some reason you run into this guy again and he starts attacking you again despite the mask you can use his fear of getting sick against him. If that's what this is... He sees you coughing. Seems to be worried about getting sick. If he comes toward you to attack again a simple pull down of your mask and "Don't come any closer i have h1n1!" (Or whatever popular but lethal respiratory illness can be transmitted through air and water droplets)
If it's something that has been used as fear porn in the media often (swine flu, h1n1, whatever. do some research on this it's been years since i watched the news) and they're always drumming up how many died from it he should be able to way the risks and back off.

Alternatively, are there any friends who you can take the train with for a while? Having back up comes in handy
 
hhmmm.... ok......
If you do decide to take the same train again for a while maybe get a mask like this:
https://kisetsuseikatsu.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PAK24_kazehiitakamoshirenai1343_TP_V.jpg
And wear it when your waiting for the train, on the train, and until you get to wherever your going. Until your cough subsides. If you do happen to run into this guy again... and he happens to have a big ego which lets face it probably does... he may see it as "Hah! i taught him a lesson and saved others from getting sick!" or whatever. And leave you alone.

Coughing into tissues probably won't work if you see this guy again because sometimes coughing is an unconscious reaction and you might not be able to pull the tissues up to your face quick enough and other people can very easily assume that you didn't. If they weren't directly looking at you at the moment the cough was audible to them. But if they see a sick mask they'll realize there is no way it could have gotten on them or near them.

If for some reason you run into this guy again and he starts attacking you again despite the mask you can use his fear of getting sick against him. If that's what this is... He sees you coughing. Seems to be worried about getting sick. If he comes toward you to attack again a simple pull down of your mask and "Don't come any closer i have h1n1!" (Or whatever popular but lethal respiratory illness can be transmitted through air and water droplets)
If it's something that has been used as fear porn in the media often (swine flu, h1n1, whatever. do some research on this it's been years since i watched the news) and they're always drumming up how many died from it he should be able to way the risks and back off.

Alternatively, are there any friends who you can take the train with for a while? Having back up comes in handy
My father gave me a round trip ticket for the LIRR. My father still needs to decide if he should give me a pass for December or not.
 
Some people look for people they can push around. It gives them a feeling of power they usually lack in life. They are what you call Bullies. A normal person would accept an apology and leave it at that. Just avoid them as best you can.
 
Ephraim Becker - I hope you are feeling better. Try not to obsess with the memory of this incident so your subconscious won't remind you of it in your dreams (nightmares). I know that sounds easier than it really is. This WAS NOT your fault!

I noticed you are from NY. Train stations in the US are loaded with security cameras. The police are probably there at the station on "a regular beat". You may want to go to the train station's security office directly and explain what happened to you. This will alert the authorities and provide the police, that are at the train station regularly, a heads up. It can't hurt.

I too was always bullied when young. Even by my own siblings. So when I became of age I started to carry a lethal weapon. I realize this isn't the proper solution for everyone but there are less-lethal means to defend against psychopaths. Pepper spray would be an excellent deterrent.

Be sure to let us know, as the days go on, how you are coping.
 
Update: My father called the police on Sunday and the police came to my house and I told the police what happened. I got a call back from the police just now and he told me that he looked at the video and and it showed me trying to strike him first.

Well the man for sure called me a bad insulting name when I got off the train. After one minute of waiting for my mother in front of the train station, the man approached me and stared at me and I felt like he was up to no good and was going to hurt me. I had that impulse to strike the man but I didn't. I didn't know what to do and all of a sudden, the man came chasing after me.
 
He's a predator. Neurotypicals never believe what pervs we run into. I don't know what to do about it, but I'm trying to learn kung fu.
 

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