Cutting Corners

One of the more irritating habits some Hong Kongers exhibit is that of cutting corners.

If they think they can save half a second they will cut in front of you no matter how close you are. I've lost count of how many times people walking toward me waited until the last moment and then swerved across my path.

It happens from behind as well. During a stop at an MTR station I stepped out of the train to let others alight. The woman to my right, instead of waiting for me to get clear, cut behind me to the left. In her haste to get ahead of everyone else leaving the train, she clipped my heel and took a nose dive onto the platform.

And then gave me a dirty look as though I tripped her on purpose, to which I replied while helping her to her feet, "That's what happens when you don't look where you're going." I refuse to feel guilty when it's not my fault. Some folks just don't get that they're not the only person on the planet. I've seen blind people here with infinitely more awareness of what's going on around them.

Cutting corners is merely a symptom of base selfishness that I've never gotten used to and am not sure I ever will. Most of the time I ignore it, but some days, after the fifth or sixth time some mouth-breather cuts me off I start barking, usually saying something like "Open your eyes!" And if I'm particularly vexed I'll add: "... you moron!"

At this point you might be thinking that I'm kind of a jerk, and maybe you're right. But hearing me snarl is far less painful than the alternative; I could just opt to run them over. To be honest, bouncing them into the next district would be eminently satisfying.

And deep down in your heart, you would find it satisfying too.

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