How do you prevent @ssh0les from ruining your day?

[Too Tall]

" I tried to minimize the damage, got the information I needed, and left."

That works.

In my working life learned to remember my own dignity, how it prevails *ssholes. Comfortable in my own skin, mostly, often I'd repeat their own words than nod and wait for their reflection on those very words...for instance. Don't be a jackass, do your d@mn job,...sleep at night.

Insults flung out car windows give me giggles...as I take mental note of the license plate and look for safe exits. These guys tend to outweigh you, if you are going to throw fists first you need their feet on the ground and nothing in their hands. Consider your options. Getting mad, yelling back etc. etc. only leaves you upset and unfinished. Heck with that.

I take Visa Master Card and current Ultegra or better gruppos.

[BBB]

Here is one suggestion for dealing with a-holes...

ANGER MANAGEMENT

I was sitting at my desk when I remembered a phone call I'd forgotten to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered, saying "Hello."
I politely said, "This is Chris. Could I please speak with Robyn Carter?"
Suddenly a manic voice yelled out in my ear "Get the right f**in number!" and the phone was slammed down on me.
I couldn't believe that Anyone could be so rude.

When I tracked down Robyn's correct number to call her, I found that I had accidentally transposed the last two digits. After hanging up with her, I decided to call the 'wrong' number again.
When the same guy answered the phone, I yelled " You're an arsehole!" and hung up. I wrote his number down with the word 'arsehole' next to it, and put it in my desk drawer.

Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills or had a really bad day, I'd call him up and yell, " You're an arsehole!" It always cheered me up.

When Caller ID was introduced, I thought my therapeutic 'arsehole' calling would have to stop. So, I called his number and said, "Hi, this is John Smith from the Telstra. I'm calling to see if you're familiar with our Caller ID Program?"
He yelled "NO!" and slammed down the phone. I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're an arsehole!"
One day I was at the store, getting ready to pull into a parking spot. Some guy in a black BMW cut me off and pulled into the spot I had patiently waited for. I hit the horn and yelled that I'd been waiting for that spot, but the idiot ignored me. I noticed a "For Sale" sign in his back window, so I wrote down his number. A couple of days later, right after calling the first arsehole (I had his number on speed dial,) I thought that I'd better call the BMW arsehole, too.
I said, "Is this the man with the black BMW for sale?"
"Yes, it is", he said.
"Can you tell me where I can see it?" I asked.
"Yes, I live at 34 Mowbray Blvd, in Vaucluse. It's a yellow house, and the car's parked right out in front."
"What's your name?" I asked.
"My name is Don Hansen," he said.
"When's a good time to catch you, Don?"
"I'm home every evening after five."
"Listen, Don, can I tell you something?" "Yes?"
"Don, you're an arsehole!"
Then I hung up, and added his number to my speed dial, too. Now, when I had a problem, I had two arseholes to call. Then I came up with an idea.
I called Arsehole #1 .
"Hello." "You're an arsehole!" (But I didn't hang up.)
"Are you still there?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said. "Stop calling me," he screamed.
"Make me," I said.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"My name is Don Hansen."
"Yeah? Where do you live?"
"Arsehole, I live at 34 Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse, a yellow house, with my black Beamer parked in front.
" He said, "I'm coming over right now, Don. And you had better start saying your prayers."
I said, "Yeah, like I'm really scared, arsehole," and hung up.

Then I called Arsehole #2 .
"Hello?" he said.
"Hello, arsehole," I said. He yelled,
"If I ever find out who you are..."
"You'll what?" I said. "I'll kick your arse," he exclaimed.
I answered, "Well, arsehole, here's your chance. I'm coming over right now."
Then I hung up and immediately called the police, saying that I lived at 34 Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse, and that I was on my way over there to kill my gay lover.
Then I called Channel 9 News about the gang war going down in Mowbray Blvd, Vaucluse.
I quickly got into my car and headed over to Mowbray. I got there just in time to watch two arseholes beating the crap out of each other in front of six cop cars, an overhead police helicopter and a news crew.

NOW I feel much better. Anger management really works.

[bigbill]

I'm the asshole at work. I get paid handsomely for it.

[Too Tall]

I'm the asshole at work. I get paid handsomely for it.

What a jerk.

I get it.

[Ras72]

I'm the asshole at work. I get paid handsomely for it.

Funny, I must be confusing 'being the asshole' with 'resting bitch face' with 'setting boundaries'. Seems they all pay the same.

But seriously, as I get older I'm figuring out that anger ages you. Fast. I don't want to get old so I do my best to remain calm and treat people with empathy - giving people many 'outs' when they get unruly.

[bigbill]

What a jerk.

I get it.

This is my last full time job, I call it like I see it without any sugarcoating. I've got shit to do besides dancing around what needs to be said. I've had enough of being an engineering manager, it's time to teach history. In a year.

[9tubes]

In business: I figure that dealing with jerks is a talent, and part of gaining experience, talent, education, salary, fame & fortune is the ability to do things that others cannot or will not. A friend who manages large construction projects calls what he does adult babysitting, and his greater talent and experience gets him 10x what a nanny makes. It doesn't make the jerks any less jerky but it's possible to shift my viewpoint. I imagine it's like riding a bull. The bull isn't going to change but the rider can take pride in doing it.

On the road: I just smile and wave. That confuses and confounds the bastards.

[sk_tle]

I tend to think everyone of us is the asshole of someone else. We may all have different source of stress, point of reference/view and as a society we are relatively bad at empathy in our daily live unless something catastrophic triggers it.

I tend to mark the difference in the politeness. I can accept someone being an asshole to me. By that I mean someone not accepting my opinion or way of dealing with a situation and generally hamper my day with bureaucracy/refusal/whatever. I understand there may be reasons I am not aware of. I won't if that person is impolite.