An idiot voiced his opinion yesterday evening on the Tube. The carriage was jam-packed – more so than normal – and at Green Park a woman got on to the train and then, apparently, made a small gesture of her distaste for the odour of sweat eminating from a guy she had stood next to.

This kicked off a huge display of shouting and cursing. In fact, the level of abuse and obscenity made me think that it was another bloke he was cursing. He basically took issue with her “turning her nose up at him”. She was guilty because she had been “sitting in an air-conditioned office all day”. He was righteous because he had done an honest day’s graft on a building site and this was honest (albeit smelly) sweat.

I can just about deal with someone taking a little offence, and voicing it, if someone turns their nose up at them or makes a gesture of distaste. However, what followed was totally unacceptable.

Firstly, he told her that she was ugly, and in no uncertain terms (language withheld for good taste) told her that he was surprised if her boyfriend slept with her. When she tried to explain that she hadn’t turned her nose up at him, he told her to shut up – which is strange given that he asked her why she had done it. He then told her that if she didn’t shut up he would slap her.

Not only is this unacceptable behaviour in any setting, but this is in a crowded public place with children present.

This is what bugs me about stupid, neanderthal types. They self-perpetuate the stereotype. They have to back up their complaints with unrelated abuse and obscenities. They threaten physical violence in the most bizarre situations if they feel they are not being heard or are not getting their own way.

This guy was stupid because:

1. he threatened a woman with physical violence in public (by the way, this is bad – period – but even more stupid in public)
2. he was wearing a T-shirt with the name and number of the company he worked for printed on the back.
3. he wasn’t exactly pretty himself (the measure of ugliness is a subjective thing and seems to be seen more prevalently by the arrogant or those who think they are attractive themselves)

What a berk. Still, I felt like thanking him for making me cross enough to write something in my blog again.

What idiots have you encountered recently?