My favorite autism website is Wrong Planet (wrongplanet.net). I hadn’t visited it for some time though, so I went there today just to make sure it’s still with us. I was happy to find it alive and well, and as usual I found interesting news and stimulating forums. I recommend it to anyone interested in autism.
But today I found something that I’ve got to draw your attention to now. The interview with film director Adam Irving and Off The Rails, his documentary on New Yorker Darius McCollum, who has been taking buses and trains for rides all his life, beginning at age 15, and has been arrested 30 times for it. He may have been charged sometimes with impersonating a transit employee too, since he knows how to get uniforms, how to mix with other drivers, have coffee with them, etc. He’s spent a large part of his life in prison for this, but Irving says he retains a playful sense of humor.
As Irving says, it feels unfair to call him a thief or hijacker, when his crimes are not malicious, and have been victimless apparently (he usually sticks to the routes it seems). That’s why I’m just calling him an “unauthorized driver.”
One of the fascinating things about autism, is that the different mindset we have opens the world to so many unexpected visions and experiences. Why Darius was not simply hired, I don’t know (Irving suggests that he is probably one of the best drivers – I’ve seen no mention of accidents). I haven’t watched the film yet, but I wanted to draw your attention to it and Darius asap. Here is the interview:
https://wrongplanet.net/off-rails-documentary-autistic-train-thief-darius-mccollum/
If that link does’nt work, try this one for Wrong Planet’s news page – just scroll down and you will find Darius McCollum:
Also, in attempting to reset the link here, I discovered that there is a 2021 Jules Williams/Jordan Waller film titled Off The Rails, so this should not be confused with that.
Alan Conrad 
that link is broken I’m afraid
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Thanks for alerting me – since that won’t work, I’ve tried simply linking to Wrong Planet’s news page. From there you can simply scroll down to find Darius.
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PS – I did work for me – maybe the Wrong Planet website was down? In case it doesn’t work for others though, I’ve added another link to the News page – scroll down and you soon meet Darius
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That worked! What an amazing story. Thanks
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Yes… I find myself thinking Darius should be seen as some kind of hero …. he was working for free…. served prison time for it, etc.
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Absolutely. And the fact that dozens if not hundreds of drivers were voluntarily giving him their shifts over the years makes it such a travesty that he even went to jail. The MCT was totally complicit and now they have the gall to try and deny him from receiving any money for telling his story is disgusting.
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