(09 May 2023, 1:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote No idea if it's connected and is merely just a hunch, but I wonder what the correlation is between 'spotters' and those on the autistic spectrum, who don't always have the social skills that others may expect.

I'm not saying the two are mutually exclusive, but it may go some way in explaining why there may be a reputation or perception around these events and indeed incidents talked about on this very forum over the years.

There's some correlation between some but not all spotters, certainly some of those incidents in the last few years have been a result of those on the spectrum but at the same time, not all of the incidents have been committed by those on the spectrum.

Some of the incidents have been spotters on the spectrum getting over excited making things being difficult to be around, at the Metrocentre rally one year, I narrowly missed being knocked to the ground over someone wanting to chase down a GNE bus, there's been instances of buses being entered without permission or even knowledge of the owner/driver.

Everyone on the spectrum acts and reacts differently, I for example and the rather quiet type that doesn't want to escalate or request for things even usually just as simple as politely asking if anyone would mind stepping aside so I can get a photo, whilst that's me, someone else will be the very opposite, last year at Howlands there was an incident where a certain iPad spotter very rudely told an old woman to shift who was stood next to a bus he wanted to photograph (believe this upset the woman in the process), some spotters (autistic or not) are murder for anything that disrupts a photo op, at a rally in the South East last year, I had someone stop to photograph a bus directly in front of me which blocked my shot, in a bid to attempt to get a photo I moved right without thinking, next thing I know, I've got about 8 spotters of mostly middle aged men and a few teenagers kicking off with me over this which whilst annoying was totally unwarranted IMO, worse still when I was already distraught by another incident shortly prior where veg attempted to rush to board an electric Volvo demo bus whilst a full bus load where having to alight and unfortunately I was the first and had to confront them to shift which ended up with a gaggle of teenagers giving me abuse (sure enough this was for nothing as bus went to park up again).