how others see us

[guest]

The gate was 400m away.

I may not be quite such a paragon as some of the people on here, but I'm not so stupid as to not recognise when someone is having a go. He was. You're unlikely to convince me otherwise.

Best of luck when you next try to pacify someone with road rage: "I'm sorry, my parking is rubbish - I have special permission to block the road for a few minutes"

[Adventure Racer]

The gate was 400m away.

Orienteer perspective: far too far to away to use.

Dog Walker perspective: perfectly good gate only a few minutes away - how inconsiderate not to use it.

You haven't actually tried my suggestion of looking at it from a different point of view, have you?

Best of luck when you next try to pacify someone with road rage: "I'm sorry, my parking is rubbish - I have special permission to block the road for a few minutes"

Poor little strawman - Wiki used not because I need it as a reference, but simply because it saves a lot of explanation.

[guest]

The guy's point of view hasn't really been the subject of my discussion. Of course I can see why he might have been unhappy.

However, regardless of what he thought of my behaviour, he was the one who behaved aggresively.

As a pragmatist I thought there wasn't much point trying to win him round. OK?

BTW what is the pithy Wiki definition that describes taking obvious jokes too seriously?

[HOCOLITE]

I would have gone to make a fuss of his dog and he would have forgotten everything else. But then the competition isn't the be all and end all for me. I'd find a gate rather than get stuck up on barbed wire, I'd help the crying junior, or the even slightly distressed junior. I'm not a total angel though I wouldn't help the M60 or so from a local club who kept on pestering me the other weekend or the follower , I feel they should be capable.

[Adventure Racer]

The guy's point of view hasn't really been the subject of my discussion.

Because you've not stopped to consider it. Monologue might be a better word than discussion though, since the rest of us have been. (Wiki used gratuitously since it seems to annoy you )

BTW what is the pithy Wiki definition that describes taking obvious jokes too seriously?

Oh I don't know - I'm quite enjoying myself!

[bendover]

i feel like i should hurl some gratuitous insults here, however i am suffering from an utter lack of motivation.

[HOCOLITE]

AR. Have fun I think you'll note guests style is very similar to a previous poster, could be coincidence of course.

[guest]

Actually I'm still at a loss to see why I'm being vilified.

All I did was to recount a situation which I thought did "show the other side of the story" when various people on here without the faintest idea of what actually happened were jumping in to decry the actions of a few orienteers who were irritated when someone came along and slammed their car doors.

Obviously I'm pleased that none of you have ever come across someone who you didn't think was worth trying to win over. Beatification awaits.

[Mrs H.]

I would have gone to make a fuss of his dog.

Hoco - are you mad? I'd have told him to Eff Off and kicked his dog in the process

Go on - name and shame - who was the M60 from a local club?

AR - I hope you'll have mellowed by Saturday - don't want you frightening off any of my newbies.

Guest - this is simply no fun unless we know who you are

[RJ]

Guest got off rather lightly over his crossing the fence episode. In fact we are all getting off lightly.... so far... when we "apparently" transgress in other people's eyes. It won't be long before someone's mobile phone records an orienteer going through an area considered by joe public as an out-of-bounds area (permission given for the event though) and then provided to the newspaper or TV.

Well perhaps a little OTT, but a photo placed in the hands of a landowner etc would be quite damaging. A bare body changing into 'O' gear or whatever would be hard to defend! There are loads of examples where we may fall foul.

Do we need to be bothered? Our sport is unique in many ways. Do we persevere in the way we do things or do we look to behave as other sports? Changing facilities, use of loos at all events at all times? Should we be promoting ourselves more openly and explaining that we have reasons for doing what we do. Climbing fences etc.

[Mrs H.]

Should we be promoting ourselves more openly and explaining that we have reasons for doing what we do. Climbing fences etc.

Yes! It would be far better to say we are hard and cool and jump over fences (with permissin) than trying to dress up what we do as something else.

The sport must play to it's strengths - and the adventurous aspect is the greatest of all of these - not a watered down namby pamby pc version but the real thing.

I've just recruited 68 people of all ages in 3 months to HOC - with hardly a toilet in sight - but plenty of mud, blood and sweat - can't recall too many naked bodies though

[Darley]

We're all doomed, doomed I tell you!

[HOCOLITE]

Mrs H I believe you have experience of the gentleman over the issue of an e card at a YBT event.

[Adventure Racer]

Actually I'm still at a loss to see why I'm being vilified.

The whole point is that you're not - I'd probably have said exactly the same as you in the given circumstances. The problem is that whilst what you said is prefectly reasonable to us, I can also understand why what you did and said could make somebody else angry - the subject of this thread being relevant here. Obviously we weren't there, but your description did nothing to justify the conclusion that it wasn't possible to win this person over with a more long winded explanation than you had time for.

Don't worry Mrs H., I save my sarcasm for anonymous posters on the internet.

[Mrs H.]

Good heavens Hoco

And exactly what was he "pestering" you for

I'd have told him to Eff off and kicked him in the dogs as well!

AR - pleased to hear it!