Unspoken Social Etiquette

[kellychaos]

So ... spring is here again, so I've dusted off the old bicycle and took to the roads ... well, sidewalks really. There I am, enjoying a nice, leisurely ride and sweating off some of the winter fat. In the distance, another rider appears coming from the opposite direction. The rider was an adult and, I'm assuming, probably, an automobile driver as well. That being the case, I'd assumed that she would follow the same rules of the rode as applies to driving a car. With that in mind, I veered to the far right of the sidewalk and assumed she'd do the same and take to the same far, respective right in coming from of HER direction. What happens? She stays on her left ... stays on her left ... stays on her left ... now were within feet of each other and, finally, I swerve to my left to avoid her and almost wipe out. Her saving grace is that she did come back to ask if I was alright. I then launch into a "what the hell is wrong with you?", "don't you know the traffic rules?", "couldn't you tell that I was adhering to the far side of the sidewalk?" tirade. I mean that my actions and intentions WERE pretty obvious, IMHO. I know that my anger and anxiety got the best of me in the moment but ... really ... was I wrong?

P.S. Feel free to add your own, "it seems this is obvious only to me" social infractions ... and yes, I did feel kind of bad after ranting all over the woman ... but still.