Yes, I lost my cool

It was almost 7:30 PM last night while I was driving my way home via Koramangala 1st block. For some strange reason, all side roads leading to the Nous Infosystems mini-junction at Jakkasandra were blocked and there was a massive pile-up of vehicles who were just unable to reverse/ u-turn anywhere - and were stuck big time. Fortunately I happened to see the crowd from a distance, took a U and headed back towards the 1st block main road - just opposite CG Corel.

Just before this point, behind a hotel which advertises itself in a board outside as a 'multi cushion' restaurant and bar (I believe their Thai cushions are amazing!) - or behind a small'ish garment shop called Kanyaka, is an ATM - I don't even recall which bank, maybe SBI/ SBM types.

Now, that road is very narrow - 2 vehicles can pass side by side and it being a 2 way, there are usually two vehicles going on the opposite direction. I stop outside the ATM unable to move further thanks to an Alto stopped in front of me. I honk once, twice, use my headlight to communicate etc. An arm juts out of the Alto window and waves me to go past him. But, as even he can see, there were vehicles from the other side so the only thing worth doing is for him to move. Traffic was piling behind me too, and they were honking far more vigorously than me.

Finally, after a minute or two, I get a gap in the opposite side traffic and overtake this intrusive guy - stop adjacent to him and told him this, with a polite smile, "Please, could you please not stop here". Guess what I got in return!

Yes, a very nasty, "What? I waved you to go past, why didn't you?" as if the road adjacent to his car was an 8 lane highway. I repeated what I said again, with a even more polite smile. And, he lost it and shouted at me with a "I asked you to move no?". At this point, partly because of the fact that I was blocking traffic in all directions I lost my cool and showered some choice abuses at that gentleman (50+ elder - stupid me!) and moved in a huff and in a terrible mood.

Thinking about it later in the night, I wondered how he'd have reacted if I had chosen to be rough and harsh when I spoke first. He may have possibly relented meekly with a sorry. Or it could have ended up in a hand tussle. Whichever way it is, I'll take this as a lesson not to lose my cool the next time and focus on how to get that guy to follow rules - and the only way I can do that is by not portraying myself as a weakling in front of him.

And, the only way to pull that is by not losing my cool. Losing my cool gets me jittery and shouting. I end up feeling idiotic and wondering how we both aren't any different. Basically, it shows that I'm no more in control of the situation and that I've given in to a momentary sense of hasty idiocy.

Big lesson, that.