Ugly Australian ...

... there was a fellow on the train this morning, who loudly & rudely imitated the person announcing stations in one of those mock-posh accents that the deeply insecure use when feeling threatened. He was with his son. He was rude to the conductor, he was rude to his son. When traveling through the Haymarket / Chinatown precinct I heard him use the dreaded phrase “unAustralian”. He was an ugly Australian.
This got me thinking about another ugly Australian who, in a road rage incident recently, allegedly, forced an elderly man to stop his car, allegedly hauled open the door and then, allegedly, punched him repeatedly in the face. The old chap was 87 and the alleged attack was apparently a response to an, alleged, near-collision between at a roundabout last week – go read all about it here.
Police evidence tendered at his bail hearing on Saturday alleges he said “I was going to f**king kill him but, when I realised he was an old prick, I gave him a couple and I left." He’s been charged with charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and predatory driving.
But it gets better. His partner, who was in the car at the time of the alleged incident (with bebe), has come out fighting for her man. In yesterday’s papers she was quoted as saying "half the Australian men would have done the same thing".
I’m glad to say I’m married to one of the other half. Mr Brown may say rude things and sometimes gesture in an exasperated fashion but would NEVER behave in that way.
I once shouted at an elderly gentleman (who had rear ended my car while I was idling waiting for traffic to clear, under a street light, indicating I intended to turn right) “DIDN’T YOU SEE ME???” Turns out he had, but “thought you’d have moved by the time I got there". I didn’t hit him though, never occurred to me I’ll admit. I even let him use my mobile telephone to ring his wife. He was worried she’d not know where he was (I overheard her shout at him too).
Anyhoo, the papers are making a bid deal of the fact the old fellow is a war veteran. The girlfriend, incensed at this foul play, is reported to have said “It's not like he had it written on his car, 'Australian veteran'." Go read the rest here. (In breaking news, Mr Brown has just got home and announced his plans to paint 'Aussie Digger Mate Veteran' down the side of the beaUte.)
The old fellow may well have been in the wrong, should probably have his license taken away (good luck to the bureaucrat who tries to do that now). But methinks a little difficulty managing emotions may be at play here so far as the (allegedly) biffo guy goes, a trifle unable to judge the correct response to a situation.
You see, even if it had been an 18-year-old dickhead at the wheel, you take the number, you call the police but you don’t chase, you don’t run anyone off the road and NO HITTING.