Grouchiness

Once again, I witnessed grouchiness while riding.

This time, however, it wasn't grouchiness toward me, which is expected, as I am on a bike.  Now, when I encounter grouchiness on the bike, it typically comes in one of the following forms:

• An aggressive acceleration after waiting behind me for, perhaps, multiple seconds, as I negotiate around large piles of glass.
• A loud and long honk.
• Screaming of words out a window at me.  I assume they are words, because they typically sound to me like someone is yelling, "Frumble burly cupcake snot!!!!!" or something like that.

My response is one of the following:

• Nothing.
• A smile.
• A smile and a wave.

After years of riding, I realized an important fact: When people honk or yell at me, they aren't actually honking or yelling because of me. Rather, something in life is upsetting them, and I am an easy way to vent some of that anger.

So, back to the recent grouchiness.  I was exploring, and came to an area with a dirt road that, upon viewing it in person, looked to be not so road-bikey.  As I was turning around, I heard the following conversation between a secruity guard and a guy in a truck.  I had obviously come in after the initial discussion, but what I heard went something like:

Guy: I understand, but next time try to show a little respect
Guard: You should do the same.  You are on private property.
Guy: I know that now, but I didn't know it before.  I'm just saying that you could have been nicer.
Guard: You could have been nicer as well.  You were somewhere you had no right to be, and you acted like you did.

And so on.  As I rode away, two things struck me.  First of all, I should have said something.  I could have been the peacemaker.  I'm pretty sure that I could have defused the conflict very quickly.  Secondly, either of these people could have ended the disagreement.  If either had said, "I understand.  Have a great day, and I'm sorry for any confusion.," it would have been over.  Interestingly, that very quote could have come from either of them.

So, going forward, I hope that I can be quick to defuse, but, before it even gets to that, I want to be, as James suggests, quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.