How to deal with sidewalk bullies
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:10 pm
I don't know what it is with people, but when they're 2, 3 - even 4 - to a breast coming down the sidewalk (or even just standing there blocking it) they somehow feel as if the rest of the world should just walk around them. As if being in a group, they act like some kind of SG unit - larger and stronger than the individual.
The worst is when you're walking down the sidewalk and you have to step onto the street to get out of their way (and here I can definitely point to non-Westerners as being the evilest culprits). The Disney slant to this post is that I did this at the age of 8 at WDW in Main Street and almost got creamed by a horse-drawn wagon.
So, I've forumlated a "work-around" of sorts. It doesn't always work, but even if it doesn't you usually end up the better man.
Rule #1: People are assholes - go into these showdowns with the awareness that "people are assholes". Generally, anybody who walks side-by-side on a sidewalk without intention to duck behind or in front of the other people they are walking with are ignorant and self-pretentious asshats.
Rule #2: Don't EVER make eye contact - keeping Rule #1 in mind, if you make eye contact, the asshole will invariably play a game of "I'm not moving/ I'm better than you/ I was here first" etc. If they make way, they are being polite and considerate as well as going out of their way to not be an asshole. Both of these things they will never do. HOWEVER! If you do NOT make eyecontact, then they will not have this challenging frame of mind in place.
Rule #3: Look away - make a point of looking at a building/car/pretty person across the street. Become engrossed so that the person bearing down on you notices YOU DON'T NOTICE THEM. That means that a) they will expect an accident and will avoid you and b) by making way under these circumstances, they are not "giving in" and "losing face".
Rule #4: steel yourself - get ready in case they are bigger assholes than you thought and are incapable of consideration of others around them. If you tense up or prepare for collision, you will (unless you're much much smaller) get the best of the collision (if it happens at all). Of all of the times my technique didn't quite work, the guy was slightly smaller than me, but I had sped up and was prepared. In the circumstance, my ONLY option (because they were 3 abreast) was to step into a heavily-trafficked street with buses and I surely would have gotten creamed. Ridiculous, I know, but I know he saw me but still insisted on maintaining his "right of way". The end result was he hit the ground and I didn't. I pretended to be completely surprised and although his initial reaction was anger, he realized that he was at fault and went on his way. An addition to this Rule is "aim for the space between people" if that's possible or you feel that you aren't large enough.
Anyway, there you go. If you act like an innocent twit, the assholes most often will make way.
Your mileage may vary.
The worst is when you're walking down the sidewalk and you have to step onto the street to get out of their way (and here I can definitely point to non-Westerners as being the evilest culprits). The Disney slant to this post is that I did this at the age of 8 at WDW in Main Street and almost got creamed by a horse-drawn wagon.
So, I've forumlated a "work-around" of sorts. It doesn't always work, but even if it doesn't you usually end up the better man.
Rule #1: People are assholes - go into these showdowns with the awareness that "people are assholes". Generally, anybody who walks side-by-side on a sidewalk without intention to duck behind or in front of the other people they are walking with are ignorant and self-pretentious asshats.
Rule #2: Don't EVER make eye contact - keeping Rule #1 in mind, if you make eye contact, the asshole will invariably play a game of "I'm not moving/ I'm better than you/ I was here first" etc. If they make way, they are being polite and considerate as well as going out of their way to not be an asshole. Both of these things they will never do. HOWEVER! If you do NOT make eyecontact, then they will not have this challenging frame of mind in place.
Rule #3: Look away - make a point of looking at a building/car/pretty person across the street. Become engrossed so that the person bearing down on you notices YOU DON'T NOTICE THEM. That means that a) they will expect an accident and will avoid you and b) by making way under these circumstances, they are not "giving in" and "losing face".
Rule #4: steel yourself - get ready in case they are bigger assholes than you thought and are incapable of consideration of others around them. If you tense up or prepare for collision, you will (unless you're much much smaller) get the best of the collision (if it happens at all). Of all of the times my technique didn't quite work, the guy was slightly smaller than me, but I had sped up and was prepared. In the circumstance, my ONLY option (because they were 3 abreast) was to step into a heavily-trafficked street with buses and I surely would have gotten creamed. Ridiculous, I know, but I know he saw me but still insisted on maintaining his "right of way". The end result was he hit the ground and I didn't. I pretended to be completely surprised and although his initial reaction was anger, he realized that he was at fault and went on his way. An addition to this Rule is "aim for the space between people" if that's possible or you feel that you aren't large enough.
Anyway, there you go. If you act like an innocent twit, the assholes most often will make way.
Your mileage may vary.
. I was pushed into a hot guy (as he was walking out) 
, but still... :mad: