It's normal to get angry. We all do. Hit your thumb with a hammer? Lose information on your computer? Go ahead and yell and curse.
But when your anger takes aim at other people, you're entering a dangerous grey zone of legality that can only lead to bad results.
I witnessed two middle-aged men fly into blind rages on the same afternoon earlier this summer in separate incidents.
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Firstly a portly middle-aged guy behind the wheel of a Toyota Rav 4 angled his vehicle in front of mine while I attempted to clear intersection at Drummond and Dorch. He saw that I had a camera, as I was taking photos of new buildings while jammed in traffic. He grew infuriated and left his vehicle. He stuck his stubby hands in my car in an ill-conceived, halfhearted attempt to grab my beat-up old Sony mirrorless. I uttered not a single word during the entire incident and actually smiled throughout. That's him in the pic. Probably not otherwise a terrible guy, likely fun at parties.
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About an hour later at Costco a shopper behind me in line started heckling me. Apparently the customer was irritated that I had removed an item from my cart and placed it in a pile of other items that people didn't want to purchase.
I don't know why this bothered him, as it in no way inconvenienced him but he started flinging items and yapping and placed expensive items onto the conveyor belt as the cashier processed my purchase. I furtively snapped his photo, as he was becoming possibly dangerous with his increasingly irrational behaviour.
After I left he came running to confront me, as the cashier told him that I had taken his picture. He held onto my cart and ordered me to delete my photo of him. A security guard eventually got him to finally leave me alone.
I later complained to Costco about their cashier inflaming the already-agitated man against me. They apologized and agreed that their cashier was wrong to further provoke the angry man. (I considered bringing Costco to small claims court for compensation).
Maybe I'm naive but ....why are people still getting so angry?
When I rode my bike a lot in my twenties I sometimes became angry at motorists who I felt endangered my safety, so I joined the dark side and got a car. Since then I've been pretty calm in public.
But once I was walking into Central Station and was once almost hit by a speeding bicycle courier (remember those?) at Metcalfe and Dorch. When I pointed out his recklessness he swung his wheel to hit me, so I tossed a grapefruit at him and hit him square on. He just rode away and I regretted the loss of my grapefruit.
Quebec has a good reputation for being non-violent. Peacefulness is part of what makes Montreal a good place. Our rate of assault is considerably lower than other places. We should keep it that way.
So while you might be a fine individual, it's important to be that way all the time. Simmer down, control your temper.
But when your anger takes aim at other people, you're entering a dangerous grey zone of legality that can only lead to bad results.
I witnessed two middle-aged men fly into blind rages on the same afternoon earlier this summer in separate incidents.
Firstly a portly middle-aged guy behind the wheel of a Toyota Rav 4 angled his vehicle in front of mine while I attempted to clear intersection at Drummond and Dorch. He saw that I had a camera, as I was taking photos of new buildings while jammed in traffic. He grew infuriated and left his vehicle. He stuck his stubby hands in my car in an ill-conceived, halfhearted attempt to grab my beat-up old Sony mirrorless. I uttered not a single word during the entire incident and actually smiled throughout. That's him in the pic. Probably not otherwise a terrible guy, likely fun at parties.
About an hour later at Costco a shopper behind me in line started heckling me. Apparently the customer was irritated that I had removed an item from my cart and placed it in a pile of other items that people didn't want to purchase.I don't know why this bothered him, as it in no way inconvenienced him but he started flinging items and yapping and placed expensive items onto the conveyor belt as the cashier processed my purchase. I furtively snapped his photo, as he was becoming possibly dangerous with his increasingly irrational behaviour.
After I left he came running to confront me, as the cashier told him that I had taken his picture. He held onto my cart and ordered me to delete my photo of him. A security guard eventually got him to finally leave me alone.
I later complained to Costco about their cashier inflaming the already-agitated man against me. They apologized and agreed that their cashier was wrong to further provoke the angry man. (I considered bringing Costco to small claims court for compensation).
Maybe I'm naive but ....why are people still getting so angry?
When I rode my bike a lot in my twenties I sometimes became angry at motorists who I felt endangered my safety, so I joined the dark side and got a car. Since then I've been pretty calm in public.
But once I was walking into Central Station and was once almost hit by a speeding bicycle courier (remember those?) at Metcalfe and Dorch. When I pointed out his recklessness he swung his wheel to hit me, so I tossed a grapefruit at him and hit him square on. He just rode away and I regretted the loss of my grapefruit.
Quebec has a good reputation for being non-violent. Peacefulness is part of what makes Montreal a good place. Our rate of assault is considerably lower than other places. We should keep it that way.
So while you might be a fine individual, it's important to be that way all the time. Simmer down, control your temper.