col
Legendary Member
Sh4rkyBloke said:Okay Col - here goes.
Is it wrong to deliberately wind someone up looking for a reaction? I'd say "yes" pretty much all of the time... but here's the tricky bit, you need some form of context around it.
I don't see my initial applause and shaking of head as "winding up" - it was a display of my displeasure at his low standard of driving. No, it didn't directly affect me, but this doesn't mean I have to ignore it - where would the world be if we all went round ignoring anything that didn't directly affect us (would you assist someone in trouble or walk by as it didn't affect you??).
The following gestures and remarks were both in reply to his intimidation tactics (beeping and shouting) and also, I must admit, to wind him further up because by that time he was both genuinely amusing me with his complete over-reaction, and also annoying me as he seemed to think he was superior to me (I was just a "f*cking cyclist") and that he was perfectly at right to sail through a red light.
So, I don't class my initial gestures as 'winding him up', but after that they were indeed so.
Yes, it could have all gone pear shaped, but I'll obviously have to deal with that if and when it happens - I will not be silenced just because of the thought that someone may violently disagree with me.
Thank you,the first real honest answer,it is wrong to do this.Whether you like it or not,your head shaking a clapping got his response,Im sure you knew this,and if you had minded your own business,i would guess this would never have happened but you just carried on enjoying it as you went.im still curious why you felt you had to do this in the first place,instead of just going on your way,i mean he didnt cause anyone problems,he was behind you,so you had to look behind and make the effort to intimidate him,so why would you start this incident?I notice you refer again to his low standard of driving,how do you come to this,unless you have eyes in the back of your head,and yes he probably ran a red,but that doesnt mean he cant drive,it means he did what you nearly did barring a second or two,he probably knew the lights also and knew he was ok to get through,could that be the case?
You say you wont be silenced if someone violently disagrees with you?I would agree and back you,if you had a genuine reason to do it,but this wasnt,you started it and are now trying to justify your actions.
But my respect for admitting its wrong.