"Don't start anything, there won't be anything"

Yesterday walking down 2nd Ave by 10th St there was an incident between a cab driver and another driver. I didn't see the initial impact but it looked as though the cab driver hit the other car as perhaps the other car tried to cut him off. The driver of the front car gets out and starts sloppily hitting the cab driver who manages to roll up his window and call the police. Then the driver remains screaming at the cab driver with threats and foolish taunting. After two avenues of traffic started honking in unison the driver got in his car and started to drive away.

The cab driver cuts the hit and run driver off to the point where he is perpendicular to traffic in the avenue. The hit and run driver then manages to turn wrong way down a one way street where the cab driver again parks his car perpendicular to traffic to block any escape. Then three guys get out of the hit and run vehicle and start pushing on the cab and threatening the driver. This is where I decided to step in.

Although part of me is perhaps eagerly chomping at the bit for a chance to jujitsu someone I'm really not looking to play the hero as much as I'm just trying to fill my role as a citizen in preventing someone from getting bullied. I am certainly not looking to get shot or stabbed, especially for an incident I had no place in.

After assessing the situation to slightly size the guys up and see if it looked like anyone was about to pull out a weapon I felt it was ok to come closer and change from an observer to a presence in the matter. I say slightly size them up because even with my best analysis people surprise you so you can never underestimate a threat. I simply told the men to calm down and not make things worse. I pointed out how there was a busy avenue packed with people staring at the altercation. When they start saying more taunts about how they're going to kill the cab driver and kick his buttocks I reminded them that the police were on their way. I basically pointed out how tempers were flared and people should calm down and think about their actions. Then 3 police cars arrived and took over the situation.

I certainly don't think I played a major role in this incident. However, I think it's important for people to step up when they see situations arising. Maybe I'm just getting older or better at finding trouble but I seem to be seeing these cases of rage more and more. I certainly am not advocating vigilanteism. For the most part I think vigilanteism and advocating of such activities is illegal. I'm simply referring to the art of being aware of what's going on around you. Having an awareness of people's composure and potential threat. Being able to communicate and negotiate a misunderstanding without turning yourself into an antagonist. And then having the training to feel confident in my limited ability to defend against or evade an attack. As an Earth community it's important for us to protect each other from bullying and it's important to be able to calm down the many people we may encounter who are overwhelmed with frustration.

My comment regarding people picking fights when apparently they have no training, refers to the way the assaulting driver sloppily attacked the cab driver with threats of, "what he was going to do" to the cabbie which didn't look like it would have been much. He went from being in a situation where he was perhaps at minimal fault since hit from behind, to a situation where he was the main perpetrator based on his assault, threats and instigating. Later in the evening watching one of those shocking video shows, there was an incident where an accident was caught on tape and then after verbal arguing between the drivers, the smaller and weaker looking driver decided to start sloppily punching the stronger looking driver who preceded to pick up the weaker driver for a body slam leaving the weaker driver unconscious.

So I know you may be mad but think about what you're doing. People get in aggressive verbal confrontations all the time. Where do they expect these things to lead to? You don't want to slap the wrong guy especially when you're not prepared. Like my grandmother says, "it takes two fools to argue".

Roll up your window.

I love my mom. I find it cool when I see a situation in my present life and I'm reminded of the advice my mother gave me in the past that I may or may not have taken at the time.

She lives in Jersey and going through the tunnels she would always remind me to roll up my windows. She would show me news stories of toll booth attendants who were regurgitating or getting seriously ill from working near the tunnel fumes for too long. I believe they actually used to have attendants stationed in the tunnel but that idea didn't last very long against the fumes.

I drive to Jersey often now and it's strange that every time I drive through the tunnel I see people with their windows rolled down. I understand that even with your windows rolled up you're still breathing the same air but I close the vents and I find that to make a significant difference. I see some people who seem really out of the loop, sitting in the tunnel in traffic with their windows rolled down while smoking a cigarette.

My mothers wise words to watch what I breathe combine common sense with hard fact medical advice. The hard facts are that car exhaust fumes are highly toxic and they are accumulated in a tunnel, especially in heavy traffic. Common sense means you are aware enough to realize, this air doesn't smell or feel right. It also means having the leadership and gumption to tell those around you, "roll up your windows" without feeling like a party pooper.

Awareness of this will help you love yourself better as you realize how important it is to breathe fresh air. It will also help you love the Earth better as we realize the impact that systems we've created have on our environment.