WTF was all that about?

[Charles Foster Kane]

Walking up the road just now (I live on a city centre-ish A road) there were two bozos just finishing off hauling a bin (one of those big Biffa bins on four wheels, used by commercial premises) into the middle of a side road, at just the position that the next car turning into that road (all residential and studenty, so there'll be a taxi up there in the next few minutes) wouldn't be able to stop in time to avoid hitting it.

They were the stocky, shaven-headed, black-bomber-jacket types, with their chips-and-curry-sauce-(open) in their hands.

So, having reached the far side of the crossing and seen that the one who had just been hauling it into position while his mate gave directions was now starting to walk away from it, I pulled out my mobile and said (loudly) "I hope you aren't planning to leave that there, as I'll have to call the police to report a hazard in the road if you do."

The one leaving it there looked slightly startled for a few moments as he turned and saw a weedy grey-haired bespectacled middle-aged man looking cross; but he quickly regained his composure, saying "That's what I was just saying to my mate - we can't leave it here."

He then proceeded to attempt to drag it on to the pavement (which didn't work) before finally dragging it down to the sloped area of the pavement adjacent to the junction, pushing it up that way (although going round and pulling it would obviously have been easier), and neatly tucked it away next to the other commercial premises bins there.

All without spilling his chips

During this process, I had been standing there with my mobile in my hand, watching. As soon as he had the bin out of the way he strode over and positioned himself within easy headbutting distance of my nose, demanding to know "Why've you been standing there watching me move that?"

"Because I wanted to be sure the road was clear for the sake of car drivers," I replied.

"Well, as a car driver myself I understand that..." he said in a "This git needs to be sorted out but oh hang on am I contradicting myself why was I doing this in the first place" tone of voice

"Then we agree" said I, smiling (before he could get to the "... BUT" - very important to not let them get to the "BUT"), and I offered him my hand, which he shook (albeit at that peculiar 45° angle so alien to Lord Baden-Powell).

And he went back around the corner, still looking somewhat confused, to rejoin his fellow chip-eater, and I wended the remaining two hundred yards or so home.

Ho hum

A better ending to that long story would've been him head butting you and making you eat his curry and chips, through your nose...

[TheBigYinJames]

NF - on reflection, I think your eccentricity saved you from any trouble. He just didn't know how to react to you.

It's a sad society when even the thugs are too scared of being stabbed to have a confrontation.

[realityhack]

NF - on reflection, I think your eccentricity saved you from any trouble. He just didn't know how to react to you.

[Ravello]

A good act Nick, and something that people seem to tut at and walk away in case of confrontation

a Stabbing

[realityhack]

That sounds like a sketch! Nice one NF, the chap was probably too confused to kick off. Lucky they weren't sober, or way too drunk. Lucky all round really, it could have gone very horribly wrong.

[FiveTimes]

A good act Nick, and something that people seem to tut at and walk away in case of confrontation

[Diver]

he turned and saw a weedy grey-haired bespectacled middle-aged man looking cross

A short hairy big eared low brow, shirley?

[Platypus]

a weedy grey-haired bespectacled middle-aged man

Somehow I envisaged you as having black hair, quite a lot of it covering most of your body. Height about 5 feet, long arms but shorter legs. Not wearing spectacles but having rather spectacular sticky-out ears and something of a muzzled look around the jaw.

Strange how you get impressions of people on here

[Sockpuppet]

Not the best area of town to try that in Nick...bravo thou.

[RichardCranium]

NickFitz the brave hero! A courageous and selfless act.

(It was probably me wandering about drunk wot done it.)



I once had a bloke throw one of the really big traffic cones in front of my car on the North Circular Road one night on the stretch approaching the Hangar Lane exit.

It went under the car, I skidded to a zig-zaggy halt in the inside lane and got beep-beeped quite thoroughly for my troubles.

I got out and confronted the wastrel - he was so drunk he could barely stand up. He had no idea at all he had done it.


I'm jolly glad it was a traffic cone and not a wheelie bin.

[NickFitz]

Walking up the road just now (I live on a city centre-ish A road) there were two bozos just finishing off hauling a bin (one of those big Biffa bins on four wheels, used by commercial premises) into the middle of a side road, at just the position that the next car turning into that road (all residential and studenty, so there'll be a taxi up there in the next few minutes) wouldn't be able to stop in time to avoid hitting it.

They were the stocky, shaven-headed, black-bomber-jacket types, with their chips-and-curry-sauce-(open) in their hands.

So, having reached the far side of the crossing and seen that the one who had just been hauling it into position while his mate gave directions was now starting to walk away from it, I pulled out my mobile and said (loudly) "I hope you aren't planning to leave that there, as I'll have to call the police to report a hazard in the road if you do."

The one leaving it there looked slightly startled for a few moments as he turned and saw a weedy grey-haired bespectacled middle-aged man looking cross; but he quickly regained his composure, saying "That's what I was just saying to my mate - we can't leave it here."

He then proceeded to attempt to drag it on to the pavement (which didn't work) before finally dragging it down to the sloped area of the pavement adjacent to the junction, pushing it up that way (although going round and pulling it would obviously have been easier), and neatly tucked it away next to the other commercial premises bins there.

All without spilling his chips

During this process, I had been standing there with my mobile in my hand, watching. As soon as he had the bin out of the way he strode over and positioned himself within easy headbutting distance of my nose, demanding to know "Why've you been standing there watching me move that?"

"Because I wanted to be sure the road was clear for the sake of car drivers," I replied.

"Well, as a car driver myself I understand that..." he said in a "This git needs to be sorted out but oh hang on am I contradicting myself why was I doing this in the first place" tone of voice

"Then we agree" said I, smiling (before he could get to the "... BUT" - very important to not let them get to the "BUT"), and I offered him my hand, which he shook (albeit at that peculiar 45° angle so alien to Lord Baden-Powell).

And he went back around the corner, still looking somewhat confused, to rejoin his fellow chip-eater, and I wended the remaining two hundred yards or so home.

Ho hum