Danger on the trails!

I just got back from my hike a short time ago..and it was another beautiful Fall day. And I had a mostly lovely hike except for almost being beaned with a rock. Here's my tale...

I was on one of the outer trails and about halfway up a steep and rocky hill. I'm a pretty quiet hiker, so I often walk up on people without them realizing it. Anyway, I'm zipping my way up this steep rocky incline and about 20 or 25 feet ahead of me near an overlook I saw a woman and her two kids. Just as I was registering this bit of information, the little 10 year old boy lobs a good-sized rock over his shoulder in my direction. I saw it coming and stopped in plenty of time to where it dropped a foot or two in front of me. I was simultaneously startled and annoyed to say the least...I easily could have been beaned in head!

I didn't think yelling at them would get me a very good result, so as politely as I could I called out.....Ah hey, you know you probably shouldn't be throwing rocks...especially back on the trail because you almost hit me.

I called this out as I continued to approach them and as I was coming up to the mom she says....oh that was my son throwing rocks. Then the kid says to me....I didn't know anyone was there...I wasn't trying to hit anything. To which I replied...yeah but that's just why you shouldn't throw rocks on the trail.

I was really annoyed by this point and even more annoyed because instead of moving over to the right on the trail so that I could get around them as trail courtesy dictates...they blocked the path. So I politely said excuse me...which did not compute and then I had to explain that I would please like to get by them since I was walking much faster.

Once I got past them, I couldn't help but feel annoyed with their mother. What kind of a response was that from her? No apology to me and she didn't even tell her son that he should be more careful or you name it. All I got was....yeah that was my son throwing rocks. And let's take the little boy....no apology for lobbing a rock in my direction just an oh I didn't see you there. I felt like I couldn't really be that annoyed with the little boy because his instruction for good manners and courtesy came from his mom and I saw firsthand how his mom was lacking in these skills.

Courtesy isn't rocket science. Common courtesy is a big deal to me not only because that's the way I was raised, but because it's a good thing. I've raised my sons to be courteous and polite. But too many people and parents today think courtesy is an option. In my book, courtesy is a necessity. Period.

Luckily though this incident happened early on and once I was able to zip by them, I had my usual peaceful hike without any further incident. Now I wonder if that type of incident were to happen again, if I should handle it differently...or perhaps I shouldn't expect a better outcome from the clueless and ignorant. Oh well...the whole thing is a shame.