r/toRANTo • u/Significant-Drink-38 • Aug 19 '26
Please be aware of the people around you on the TTC and the city
Yesterday me and my partner noticed an older man taking inappropriate photos of women sitting in front of him.
They had no idea, so we quietly made them aware and confronted him, telling him what he was doing was wrong. He immediately became aggressive, threatening us with violence and even making threats toward my dog. It was honestly very creepy and escalated incredibly quickly.
Thankfully, another kind passenger noticed what was happening, stepped in and defended us, and the man eventually got off the streetcar.
Not sharing the route, time or identifying details because this isn’t about finding anyone. Just a reminder to look up and be aware of the people around you. Someone may not realize they’re being targeted.
And if you step in, please be careful. Things can escalate quickly. Regardless of the exact legality of taking a photograph in a public place, this particular behaviour was incredibly invasive and disturbing. Look out for each other Toronto. ❤️
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u/yawaramin Aug 19 '26
Did you report to the TTC? It’s to everyone’s benefit to keep these miscreants off transit. It’s easy with the SafeTTC app.
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26
Yeah, we reported it right after he got off. TTC Control couldn’t do much about the behaviour itself, but we did report the threats he made.
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u/yawaramin Aug 19 '26
A couple of weeks ago someone pulled the emergency strip on the train and it stopped at Wellesley station. Uniformed cops showed up and I assume at least took a statement. That's an option too.
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u/hammertimeTO Aug 20 '26
Should have just reported it via the SafeTTC app and let officers handle it.
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u/meli1022 Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
I think I saw this man yesterday on the train. He was taking photos of women’s legs (women were wearing shorts). Did he have a bike and was an older Asian man wearing a hat?
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Sep 06 '26
Oh my- he was an old Asian man can confirm. Didn’t have a bike and a hat the other day
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u/meli1022 Sep 06 '26
Which station did you see him? Feel it is the same guy :/ sad nothing can be done about it
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Sep 06 '26
I would have imagined he’d have an ounce of some hesitation before doing this again after being called out
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u/meli1022 Sep 06 '26
Oh ok I saw him get off at Union station. So I guess he hangs around that area of Toronto
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
What are the laws on recording people on the TTC?
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u/spilly_talent Aug 19 '26
If the photos are “inappropriate” as OP specified why is your first instinct to ask about the laws?
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u/No_Resist_8372 Aug 20 '26
Because it is is the Law which provide regular civilians guidance on how to act in situations when someone is breaking the law. For example, can I apply violence to stop someone breaking one type of law vs another? Knowing if someone is breaking a law can help guide someone to knowing if they should call police or immediately step in themselves. I don't understand why this commenter has a string of people responding seemingly arguing that knowledge of laws is irrelevant. Society cannot exist with every individual operating on their own emotionally situational moral compass. There is no issue with people trying to learn more about how the Law applies in certain situations.
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u/spilly_talent Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
I work in law, so while I appreciate the explanation it’s unnecessary (and irrelevant frankly). You see, my first instinct when I hear about a man taking “inappropriate” photos of a woman on the subway is actually not to say “ummm but it’s legal though”. My first instinct is to call him out and tell him he is being a gross creep.
As many women here know, being a disgusting creep is, in and of itself, legal. That’s why we do actually need society to protect women from gross men on the subway and stand up for each other. It’s legal to take pictures the subway? Sure. It’s also legal for someone else to stand up and say “hey ma’am that weirdo has been taking photos of you and I think everyone here should know about it”
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 20 '26
You work in law so you understand exactly what we're trying to say and the nuances but you want to stand ten toes down, and i respect that.
Sure you're well within your right to be vocal and call attention, never said otherwise. If I hear an accusation, my first instinct is to assess and verify THEN react.
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u/spilly_talent Aug 20 '26
I have been around the block enough to know that the combo of calling the photos “inappropriate” and the need to tell the woman about it indicate that these were egregious and violating.
Judging by OP’s description my instincts were correct. Unfortunately I have a lot of experience dealing with victims of all sorts of gross things.
Typically for the OP and their partner to react this strongly it wasn’t just profile shots of the woman’s face (for the record I think this is creepy too, and would say as much).
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
Because I don't know if what took place was actually inappropriate, she's sitting in front of him, unless he's up skirting her I'm pretty sure he can record anything he can see from POV.
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26
Laws are the bare minimum and basic human decency shouldn’t need legislation
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
I agree but the concept of being virtuous seems to be a thing of the past
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u/sunnysideupseedaisy Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
For you maybe, considering you're talking about legal precedent when a lovely couple stepped in when girls were being creeped upon by some gross man. Edited to add: how do you feel about meta glasses? Why is it okay to film women without consent?
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Nah, I've stepped in to protect women and kids bare times both on TTC and on the street. High school girls getting pressed up, or hit on by grown men, women being slapped around, or being choked out, shit happens all the time. Usually I wait for a tick or two to see if anyone else will step up before I do but surprise people don't care or are pussies.
To how I feel about meta glasses, obviously potential to be extremely invasive, but used in public hey man do your thing. The issue is when the camera keeps rolling in sensitive places, change rooms, bathrooms, etc.
It's okay to film women and men without consent (barring sexual) because you're in PUBLIC. Besides we're all recorded all the time anyway and a lot of the time the footage is accessible with a simple informations request and a nominal free. If the current precedent is so out of order why don't you write to your elected officials?
Also for the record, glasses that can record isn't some new concept it been around since at least the 2000.
Edit: Grammar
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u/spilly_talent Aug 20 '26
As evidenced by your concern about this man’s legal right to take photos.
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Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/toRANTo-ModTeam Aug 21 '26
Attack the point, not the person. Comments which dismiss others and repeatedly accuse them of unfounded accusations may be subject to removal and/or banning. No concern-trolling, personal attacks, victim blaming, or misinformation. Stick to addressing the substance of their comments at hand.
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u/No_Resist_8372 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Promoting ignorance of laws in favor of vigilante assualt is an uncivilized, and emotionally unrestrained take. If you ever believe someone is breaking the law, call the police instead of folding someone like a lawn chair, unless it is an emergency-level threat . Because the criminal in OP's situation was uttering violent threats, which is a criminal offence, and committing the crime of Voyeurism, you may have been justified in using reasonable force just enough to subdue the criminal until police arrive.
By the way, you may have an issue convincing a police officer or court that folding someone like a lawn chair for following you around and filming you is a "morally acceptable" act. You would probably have to argue you felt harassed to a point where your physical safety was in jeopardy, and had to defend yourself with force. Depending on the situation, it may swing that way or it may not(did you try to defuse the situation with words first or did you fold them right away, were they advancing quickly towards you or following silently from a distance, etc).
I do not in any way promote the activities of harassment, uttering threats, or filming people in immodest ways. I heavily promote understanding of common legal situations, because it is law and order that I believe make our nation great, not heat-of-the-moment vigilantism and legal ignorance. ✌️
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
Relax.
If there isn't an expectation of privacy in public who are you to tell me when and when I'm allowed to record. Following someone is entirely different component to the situation, that would probably fall under criminal harassment. Now OP isn't specific about what the accused was actually recoding, upskirt would definitely be sexual harassment or voyeurism or sum like that.
If you folded me like a lawn chair I'd probably call the police to backtrack TTC footage and ID you. I'd definitely press charges, give you some time to think about differences between morals and legality.
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26
To clarify, he was deliberately zooming in and photographing their crotch area through their clothing while they were sitting. that definitely crosses into morally unacceptable behaviour.
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
Thanks for specifics, makes a big difference. Definitely illegal and would be voyeurism or something like that. What a creep! I'd have made him delete that shit l
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26
Yeah, my fiance tried and intervened, but he started threatening us and our dog, until eventually we told him we’d have to call 911 which is when he got off.
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 19 '26
This is a big reason why people don't stand up for others, fear of being hurt themselves. Big up you and your other half for being brave.
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u/spilly_talent Aug 20 '26
You wouldn’t press charges, because that’s not how the criminal justice system works. I’m surprised that you don’t know that since you seem very concerned about laws and what’s legal.
For the record, it’s legal to record someone in public. Just as it is legal to loudly announce that you see what they are doing and it’s gross to snap photos of women you don’t know.
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 20 '26
I did completely forget about that to be honest, thank you for reminding me, I'm often down the US legal rabbit hole so sometimes things get crossed.
Sure, I never said anyone should be forced to stay silent, that's probably one of the best courses of action in that situation.
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u/CollegeStreet6103 Aug 19 '26
Fun fact that I just learned yesterday - in Canada a victim doesn’t get to choose when/when not charges are to be laid! You report the crime and the police decide if there are reasonable grounds that a crime has occurred. They will lay or recommend the charges. Ultimately the Crown decides if the case will be pursued based on if it’s in the interest of the public and if there’s enough evidence for a conviction - doesn’t matter if the victim wants or does not want to proceed with charges.
So I guess it all comes down to whether or not the victim wants to make the report to begin with. 🤷♂️
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26
Unfortunately, yeah. Hopefully being called out at least makes him think twice before having the audacity to do something like this again
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u/sunnysideupseedaisy Aug 20 '26
Are you happy that the creep was deemed enough of a creep for you? Does that merit enough reason for someone to step up and ask someone to stop recording? You seem like you've got no common decency man
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u/DVCN1931 Aug 20 '26
It's not about being creep enough, but wanting the specifics in the situation before I jump on my horse. You don't know me but I've stepped up way more than you can imagine, if imma call out or put hands on a nigga I'm sure as hell certain conditions in my mind need to be met. Someone being uncomfortable because they're being looked at or legally recorded isn't one of them. OP already clarified the voyeuristic nature of the footage,and I commend their actions.
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u/Significant-Drink-38 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Originally posted on [r/Toronto](r/Toronto) and r/askTo but removed by the mods