So I came this close to getting into a fist fight with a middle-aged hassidic dude this morning.
Olive bar?
I wish I understood this.
Short version- yid sees me on the bike, and walks (the wrong way too, mind you) in the middle of the bike lane in a very tight area (about 2-3') wide on a very busy street (6th ave around 30th st). This forces me to either ride into traffic- which wasn't an option in this exact moment- or ride very close to him... since he's walking the wrong way down the middle- not side- of the bike lane. I brace for contact, but narrowly avoid him. He reaches out and slaps my shoulder as a ride by.
If I hadn't braced myself for contact, I could have been pushed into very fast, busy car traffic. floppo angry. I turn around when there's some more room and chase him down (the first time I've ever gone the wrong way on a street), skidding in front of him to deny him crossing the street.
I'm thinking all of the cool tough-guy things I"m going to say to him.. hop off the bike and start shrieking somewhere near the pitch of a balloon letting air out while flapping my hands around, right in his face. At first he claims I hit him and starts a line of bs, which sends me into even more hysterical hand flapping and higher pitches of vocals than I ever imagined ... this was the point at which I started balling the fists thinking "it's ON". (also- key point- middle-aged, frumpy, out of shape, hassidic dude, mind you... I
might be able to take him). as I get closer and closer to his face, he realizes something might be on and goes into osterich mode- turning his head and body away from me and shutting his mouth, weirdly catatonic, but still standing. At this point I'm seriously thinking (in between girlish shrieks) of knocking his giant hat off.
for the sake of this tl/dr story, yes... that's what I did. I knocked his giant hat off, to the roar of the bystanders who had circled us. and didn't just ride away with heart pounding in my nostrils and sweat pouring down my face, squeaking noises still slipping past my lips.
tl.dr- I shrieked like a girlish toddler at a hassidic guy on the sidewalk.