---- John Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In my own experience as a dog-walker, I had a parallel encounter with > a biker on a path where I'd pulled my leashed dogs to the side and had > them sit when bikers were approaching (vs. create a leash trip wire > for wheels). The bikers saw me holding the dogs and assumed that they > were unleashed, and one snapped (it sounded like a snap as they sped > by) "Get a leash!" > > I was offended, but before I could explain that the dogs were leashed > and held, and just sitting so as be even less of a worry for the > bikers, they were 100 yards away, and I thought better than to yell > "Got one!" at them because they'd probably only hear "STFU @$$hole!" > and not the actual content. This sort of drive-by communication can > quickly cycle downward into arguments, and apparently fisticuffs.
Perhaps "Thanks, I have one," with the emphasis on the "Thanks". But indeed, even the most positive in-earnest response, with the friendliest of intonations, can be misinterpreted / misheard, esp. given the possible preconceptions of the other party. WRT the original story, how often does this go on, EVERY day, between car drivers? Or between car drivers and pedestrians/cyclists? And how remarkable is it that, the ONE time it happens among bicyclists (analog to the hackneyed "black on black violence"), it makes the paper? --------------- Paul T. O'Leary Chronic Nuisance Madison, WI USA _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
