I take a public bus to work almost everyday and 80% of the time that I do there is always this small group of 10-11 year old kids either waiting at the stop that I get on at or they're already on the bus when I get on. Everytime they see me they say "hey little sis" or " hey sis" repeatedly and then just laugh at each other. At first it was just annoying and I didn't think it was going to turn into a problem, but today they made a game out of it.

When I got on the bus today they were already sitting at the back of it and so I sat at my usual spot towards the middle and they start saying "hey sis" and stuff as I walk to my seat. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary until I heard one of them saying "I'll bet you money to go (whispers to the kid next to him)" and that kid says "nah I don't believe you, show me the money" and then I just put on my headphones and started listening to music. Not even 5 minutes later this little kid comes and sits down on the edge of the seat next to me. My backpack was slightly on that seat so he says something to me and I pull out my headphones and say "what?" and he goes "can you move your backpack?" He had this huge smirk on his face and I looked at him and said "what the ->-bleeped-<- are you doing?" and he just stared at me so I said "get up" and he just got up and went back over to his friends and they all started laughing. I just put my headphones back on and sure enough, as I got off the bus they were saying "bye little sis" and "see ya sis" as usual.

I've ignored these kids up until this point and now I have to do something about it because they are blatanly harrassing me and I hate it. The problem is, I'm 20 and I'll go to jail if I beat up kids or threaten them or something so I don't know what to do. I think they think it's ok to make fun of me because I'm so short or something, but I'm twice they're age and this is not cool. It also just makes me feel like ->-bleeped-<- about myself cause they're making fun of me for looking like a guy. I really don't know what do here.

They're probably not doing it to harass you on a personal level, they're probably just trying to impress each other. I've been in situations where younger kids have harassed my friends but we were able to just laugh and walk away from them which kind of turned the tables on them because they didn't get the angry response they wanted from us.

The main thing to remember is that their goal is to elicit a reaction from you so the more upset you get, the more fun they'll have. If there's a way you can report them to the bus company or another service for harassment, I would do that first. It might be possible to get them banned from riding the bus or that particular route so you won't them have to put up with them anymore.

Any interaction with them, physical or otherwise, could risk you getting into trouble since they're minors so I wouldn't suggest interacting with them if you can help it. If you really want to take matters into your own hands though, the best thing to do is scare or embarrass them. If you give them attention when they don't want it, it will make them uncomfortable and they'll stop trying to get your attention altogether. If you hear them talking about you, maybe just get up and walk back to sit with or near them quietly to creep them out. What you do really just depends on how they would react though so you should be careful.

Say;

You idiots do know I could call the cops and have you arrested for harassment, right?
I'll give you all one more f***ing chance. Leave me alone.

Or

Get a couple friends, wear dark hoodies and follow them around.
Being idiots they'll most likely run home, that way you'll know where they live.

Afterwards, bring a camera on the bus and film them harassing you.
Go to their house and show the parents. Tell them they better have a talk with their kid or the cops will get involved.

BAM! lol I'm crazy.

Just stare back. No attempt to frown or look angry, no emotion. Just stare. This usually creeps most people out.

Find out what school the little scrotes go to and rat them out to the head teacher.

I say get a camera and at least pretend like you are filming them and look directly at them. Perhaps sit closer to the front so the bus driver can be more aware?

I don't think getting angry at them or saying you'll report them will do anything with these kids. They just love pissing people off and pushing bounderies.

What you could do was actually look happy about their attention. That's not really what they want. So wave at them, look happy and show them you want more of their 'lovely' attention. Why would they harass someone who actually likes it? There's no point, so they should stop.

Quote from: Jayr on March 14, 2013, 12:35:59 AM
Say;

You idiots do know I could call the cops and have you arrested for harassment, right?
I'll give you all one more f***ing chance. Leave me alone.

Or

Get a couple friends, wear dark hoodies and follow them around.
Being idiots they'll most likely run home, that way you'll know where they live.

Afterwards, bring a camera on the bus and film them harassing you.
Go to their house and show the parents. Tell them they better have a talk with their kid or the cops will get involved.

BAM! lol I'm crazy.

No, don't follow little kids around, and don't show up at their house unless you already know them or their families (which I doubt you do because otherwise you'd probably only need to say "I'll tell your mom what a jackass you are" and then they'd probably stop). You don't want to risk looking like a creepy stalker or someone with major anger issues. I wouldn't film the kids either, unless they're getting really really bad for the same reasons. I think Jayr's first suggestion is better, just planting the seed in their minds that they could get in major trouble might be enough to get them to stop. Maybe do what Malachite said and only pretend to film them as well.

But I do agree with Mr. X, show them some love and that'll just completely ruin their fun, or agree with them. That's always worked for me, no matter what age I was or the age of those who I was dealing with. I've found waving or blowing someone a kiss as I am leaving worked well, or when some guy called me a c***, I said "yes, I am a f***** c*** " and smiled. He had nothing left he could possibly say to me since I agreed with him, so he stormed off.

Whatever you do to ruin their fun, try not to look like a creepy stalker (although if we didn't have these laws protecting kids, it'd be an awesome idea).

I don't think pretending to like the attention would work. It's generally funniest when people are apparently oblivious to what people are laughing at. Don't stalk them or anything, contact their school if you know it, or the driver.

Just call them "sis" back loud enough so other's can hear it. That should suffeciently embarass them enough so that they stop. Remember, they're only 11 years old and on a power trip within their own little group.

To the next boy who calls you 'sis'... loudly ask if you can borrow their mascara. Because they wear it so prettily.

Can you take an earlier bus?  If not sit in the outside seat (not the window seat) that way they can not sit next to you without asking you to move so they can get in.  If the bus isn't crowded Put your backpack fully in the seat next to you, only moving it if an adult needs to sit there.

Hopefully they will get tired of this and move on to something else to entertain themselves.  Kids can be mean.

Thanks for the responses guys. I've thought about taking a different bus, but then I would have to leave 45 min earlier for work. And I've also thought about saying something to the driver, but it's not the same driver everyday so I don't know how well that would work. I'm just so fustrated that a bunch of kids are getting to me like this.

Quote from: skakid on March 14, 2013, 10:50:04 AM
I'm just so fustrated that a bunch of kids are getting to me like this.

I know it stinks to be picked on but they are little kids. I could understand getting upset about physically large teenagers but it's just little boys doing what annoying little boys do when out of earshot of their parents.

You know where your bus stop is so if it bothers you that much have your music on before and during the whole ride. Sit towards the front and ignore them. No matter if they come up to you, ignore them. If they persist just take your headphones off long enough to say "Oh, did you say something little boy? Nevermind, you're not worth my time". Eventually they will get bored with you and start on the next poor soul.

Always remember, If they're picking on you at least they're leaving someone else alone, lol.

I know what it's like to get picked on by kids younger than yourself. You can't do anything physically because you can get done, so the next second best thing is mind games. Like others have suggested, smile back, say hello, remain calm, sit down for your journey, if they start talking to you on the journey, talk back to whatever they say. It will confuse the hell out of them. When one of them next gets dared to talk to you and says hey sis, say hey bro how's it going pal? I can guarantee they'll be like what the hell and feel like an idiot in front of all their friends. I'm not saying what they're doing is right, because I hate bullying, but showing them you're annoyed is giving them what they want. Joke with them, even if it's not funny. I had some girls call me fat, so I said yeah and what? They didn't know what to say so they moved on to my hair, my clothes, my skin, everything they could possibly think of I agreed with and laughed along with them. Even though it was laughing at myself, it made them realise they're not the big people they think they are. Play along with their jokes. They're pathetic 11 year olds and the less you show you're annoyed and the more you show it doesn't bother you, the faster they'll leave you alone.

Joey

That's great advice Joey,a friend who was being laughed at by a spotty Herbert teenager laughed back.He asked her what she was laughing at she said you're laughing at me because I'm different I'm laughing at you because you're stupid

Quote from: skakid on March 14, 2013, 10:50:04 AM
Thanks for the responses guys. I've thought about taking a different bus, but then I would have to leave 45 min earlier for work. And I've also thought about saying something to the driver, but it's not the same driver everyday so I don't know how well that would work. I'm just so fustrated that a bunch of kids are getting to me like this.

camera is your best option in my opinion. Are they picking on you because of your gender or is it something else?

Quote from: chuck on March 15, 2013, 03:40:46 AM
camera is your best option in my opinion. Are they picking on you because of your gender or is it something else?

I don't pass very well so I think they just think I'm a lesbian or something who likes looking like a boy, I don't really know though.

I used to get bullied quite a bit throughout school, and the strategy I usually used was to find someone to talk to other than the people who were messing with me. When they see that picking on you will get someone else involved, they tend to back off. I think the next best thing to do would be to move away and ignore them as much as possible. It they decide to take it up a notch to get your attention, then you'll have some solid evidence to use against them because they'll draw too much attention to themselves. Just hang in there!

Why not get in touch with the bus company and tell the PTBs which bus and what time you ride? Explain that you can handle a little ribbing now and then, but this happens every day and is getting old. Point out that you have a right to ride in peace. Tell the bus company that you don't feel you can defend yourself because they ARE minors who could call you on it, claim that you have threatened them, and so forth. It's not a level playing field.

The bus company might blow you off and tell you it's your problem, but it might also alert ALL the drivers on that route to be on the lookout for these little brats.

It's worth a try.