Mob Psychology

On my way back home through the treacherous stretch between whitefield and old madras road, our company bus driver (apparently drunk!!!) in a surge of road rage deliberately dashed a two wheeler who had refused to give way. What followed was something which I will not forget.

Neither the biker nor the bike incurred any damage(Thank God for that). The biker was not a very aggressive guy and so did not create much of a ruckus. However, the passers-by slowly started gathering around the place and the biker started telling them what had happened. That was reason enough to provoke them beyond reason and the first thing they did was to pull out the ignition wires so that the bus wouldn't start. Then they start telling the driver to come out of the bus, very clearly, with the intention to thrash him to pulp. The driver stayed put in his seat, telling them that the road was slippery and thats how the bus skidded and hit the guy ( like he expected anyone to believe it). This only added fuel to the fire and the mob which gathered opened the drivers door and started hitting him. At this point one brave guy in the bus went in to just appease them and tell them not to hit the driver( Considering that all of us were just mute spectators, that was really very gutsy.) The poor chap unfortunately got one punch from one of them and was warned not to interfere. Then one of the guys comes in and tells us all to get out because they were going to burn the bus. Fortunately for us and much more for the driver, the cops arrive ( I guess the huge traffic pile up was an indicator). It took two traffic policemen and one cheetah cop to disperse the mob and save the driver from being lynched.

Question time:
Had the cops not arrived, this would've got ugly. But would anyone be held responsible? Since nothing had happened to the biker or his bike, was the action about to be undertaken in proportion to the severity of the cause? Even (God forbid again) if something did happen to the motorist, should the mob have taken the law into its own hands?

One common argument the people in the mob give is that the criminal will not be brought to justice by the judicial system. Does that mean that in the process of donning the garb of the dispenser of justice, these mobs can break the law and get away ?The judicial system is unbiased in its laziness. And mob fury knows no reason and understands no language other than violence. That is why I opine that mobs ought to be dealt with the only language they understand : violence; directed right back at them by the law enforcement agencies. That is why I believe that demonstrations and agitations should be non violent and non cooperative and have character. Thats probably what Gandhi had in mind. In spite of the fact that I abhor violence, I do not see any other viable solution to tame the fury of a mob.