Teen's ‘filthy' act on Sydney train sparks outrage

News.com.au

17-07-2025

If you thought commuters shouting on loudspeaker or eating strong-smelling food on public transport was as anti-social as it got, think again.
Sydney train travellers were treated to a new level of eyebrow-raising behaviour this week, when a teenage boy received a full-blown haircut – professional hairdresser cape and all – in the middle of a carriage.
The unexpected salon session unfolded on a regular weekday morning on a train near Richmond, northwest of Sydney, with stunned passengers looking on.
The travelling barber looked focused as he shaved his friend's hair while a third mate filmed the scene.
A photo of the moment has since made its way to the r/Sydney Reddit forum, where a witness recounted: 'Was travelling on the train today and saw these people recording and giving a haircut to a guy lol'.
'The haircut was so s**t,' they added, unsurprisingly, since it happened on a moving train.
The sight quickly sparked a debate online, with Sydney locals discussing whether this was a peak public transport 'ick' or just kids being kids.
'I didn't think grubs cutting their toenails during their morning commute could be topped, but this is the world we live in now …' said one critic.
'Is there anything people won't do on trains?' asked a second.
Others criticised the group for their attention-seeking stunt.
'It's a skit, disgusting … social media delirium,' pointed out one commenter.
'This is gross,' a second wrote, while a third called the behaviour 'not on' and someone else labelled it 'absolute filth'.
'I would have hit the guard button and let them sort it out,' a different user suggested.
Some were more concerned about the mess they might have made.
'Did these grubs clean up after?' asked one user.
The poster responded, claiming, 'Nope, they ran away'.
Meanwhile, some voiced safety concerns.
'Could be dangerous if the train had to stop suddenly,' noted one.
'Are scissors considered a weapon?' asked another.
However, a few didn't see the issue.
'I don't have too big of a problem with this, train looks pretty much empty,' replied one user.
Someone else pointed out that kids used to 'smoke, drink, spit, vomit and graffiti' trains, and compared to that, this is fairly harmless behaviour.
While this incident raises etiquette issues, there's no explicit law in NSW stating that getting a haircut (even with a razor) on a train is prohibited.
However, if it's found the group were 'disrupting the comfort of others,' it's considered an offence under the Passenger Transport Regulation, which could result in a fine of up to $1100.
Not cleaning up after themselves could also be considered littering, attracting a penalty of up to $1100.
It's not suggested that this group has broken the law.