Verbal abuse of elderly people - is it ever justified? I think it is.

[betty swollocks]

For instance, in circumstances as below:-
Was cycling up a hill this morning in secondary position with an elderly gentleman walking towards me on the outside of the adjacent pavement, with a dog on the inside and a walking stick in his left hand.
As I approached him, a car overtook whose driver he greeted by waving his stick. It pivoted upwards in an arc and missed my head by a hair's breadth only because I saw it coming at the very last moment and ducked slightly. Had I been wearing a helmet, his stick would have connected.
"You silly old basket! Why can't you be more careful?" Was the best I could muster.
All I got from him was a helpless gape.
Fido managed a yap.

 

[Fnaar]

Was the dog sort of yellow-coated, and did the fella have sunglasses on?

 

[rich p]

Everyone makes the odd mistake regardless of age - some trivial and some serious but they are mistakes. Why do some people have to resort to abuse?

 

[betty swollocks]

Why do some people have to resort to abuse?

Maybe because it is a natural human instinct to upbraid a person who very nearly hurt you through their own carelessness.
I think he got off pretty likely.

 

[betty swollocks]

Was the dog sort of yellow-coated, and did the fella have sunglasses on? [/QUOTE



Well it was sunny and the dog may have been covered in factor 50.

 

[cchapman]

You could have just said, "please be more carefull.". The message would have got through without any unpleasantness.
It does rather sound like the opening scene for some BBC/Agatha Christie style/rural English 1930's period piece,

 

[betty swollocks]

You could have just said, "please be more carefull.". The message would have got through without any unpleasantness.
It does rather sound like the opening scene for some BBC/Agatha Christie style/rural English 1930's period piece,

So I may only be abusive if he had connected then?

 

[col]

So I may only be abusive if he had connected then?

I think what he is getting at is why be abusive at all, an accident is an accident.

 

[Fnaar]

the best response in such situations is "I say!"

 

[Noodley]

He sounds like a dottled old f***er to me.

 

[betty swollocks]

I think what he is getting at is why be abusive at all, an accident is an accident.

I know that's what he's getting at.

Ok: what if it'd been a chav waving a baseball bat at his friend in a Corsa?

 

[col]

I know that's what he's getting at.

Ok: what if it'd been a chav waving a baseball bat at his friend in a Corsa?

Oh god here we go with the what if this what if that?

 

[betty swollocks]

the best response in such situations is "I say!"

indubitably

 

[swee'pea99]

Must say in a situation like this I rarely have the presence of mind to verbalise - I just yelp. Invariably they apologise profusely, and - I can't help suspecting - make a mental note to be more careful in future.

 

[tyred]

We all make mistakes regardless of age so we all have to be accept that other people will occasionally give us a mouthful for making mistakes. I don't think it's wrong so long as someone doesn't totally over-react to some minor issue.