Politely Declining That Invitation to Anger.

A friend, let's call him "B", was recently blindsided at by a complete stranger in the gym because he was throwing his plastic water bottle out in the normal trash can after his workout.  The fellow gym-goer literally started angrily yelling that there was a recycling bin out around the corner.  B remained calm (albeit it rather startled) and politely noted that he did not know the recycling bin was there (it was nowhere in sight), and then he proceeded to go throw his bottle away in the recycling bin. 

Cheers to all of us who recycle and do our part to improve the environment.  What I have a problem with is when people feel their rudeness is somehow "justified" because they are responding to the "wrong" actions of another.   Sorry, there is no free-pass on bad manners.

I am sure this passionate person felt in the right because B was in the wrong (in terms of slacking on recycling).  But this person went from "advocate" to "jerk".  What a wrong way to go through life - trying to bully others.   What a way to turn people off from the very thing you are advocating for in the first place.

Snaps to B because I think most people would have responded to a verbal assault by a stranger by being rude right back.  Rudeness begets rudeness.  But B was marvelously well-mannered because he remembered to "be nice to everyone, even rude people, not because they are nice but because you are."

The only thing you can control is your own reaction in a sticky situation like this.  Well-done B!  

What would you have done?