Yesterday when I left my office, I bumped into a drunk person while walking. I didn't notice him, since I was walking while checking my WhatsApp messages.
Then, since he was drunk, he started behaving very badly and I couldn't handle the situation politely.
So, I escaped from there, because if I had spent more time there, I would have probably hit or kicked him.
How should I handle such a person in public?
If you get into an altercation with someone who's drunk, simply running away is always a possibility. Drunk people can't run fast, so they won't be able to catch you.
Discretion is the better part of valour.
Physical violence is never a good solution. If it's justifiable, it will be because you needed to defend yourself and nothing more. With a drunk, that may be as simple as grabbing him by his shoulders and making him sit down -- on a chair or on the ground without injuring him. Then simply leave right away, or put yourself in a position where others can assist.
Talking to someone who has his inhibitions reduced may not be productive. If he is listening to you, then fine. If not, talking will not work and you may need to, once again, put distance between him and yourself.
Be polite but firm, if he is listening. Finish what you have to say then, then exit this uncomfortable situation when you get the chance.
Bumping into someone who is drunk should probably be handled the same way as bumping into anyone. A simple apology and move on.
If the person gets hostile, or belligerent, a joke can often defuse things. Drunk people, like most people, like to laugh. Something like:
"Oh, sorry man. Just trying to get to the bar/pub before they run dry."
This sort of approach offers a sense of drinking comradery that drunk people often respond well to. Sort of a
"sorry, my drunken friend I'm on my way to get drunk too."
Chances are pretty good that a drunk person is enjoying their drunkenness and often would rather be on their way to their next drink, if you pretend to be doing the same, you become relatable.
First of all, you both collide because you both have willing diminished your ability to perceive the reality. He because of alcohol abuse* and you because of phone abuse.
Facit, you both have the same** right to complaint. You should apologize how stupid of you it was and run away. Blaming the other party leads to escalation even if both are sober. Apologizing normally leads to deescalation, which might not work so well when at least one party is drunk, but running away usually handles the rest.
*some people claim, that alcohol is meant to be drink, so drinking it can't be considered an abuse
**limited to grumbling
Like others mentioned, running away is an option considering that the drunk person won't run so well.
It just so happens that the onlooking Indians are very good at chasing people, to deliver to them mob justice, assuming the person is robbing the drunk or something. So I'd not recommend running away just like that.
Maybe a quick "sorry" will ease things.
Just ignore them, walk away taking quick steps, without drawing much attention to yourself.
If things escalate, for example, if they attack you, then running away is fine, and if needed shout for help as well.
One thing that won't work is talking sense into them.
P.S. Don't text and walk. You are also equally blameworthy for the collision.
I'm an Indian. I've come across a lot of these jobless drunk idiots on the streets.
I'd just say, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry, but I have to go"
Hopefully repeating sorry enough times will get through to them. My experience with drunk people has been that sometimes they don't process what you say the first time.
Telling them that you have to go is generally considered more polite than leaving without saying anything as you've indicated that you have no choice but to leave (at least that is the consensus in this reddit thread - Is it terribly rude to just leave without announcing a goodbye during something like a informal group/work time?)
Excuse yourself, drop eye contact and walk on. It's always gentleman practice to blame the smartphone.
Almost no person on earth will follow you after such a thing. If you happen to meet the 1 in a million, you DEFINITELY blame the smartphone, because you ran into a person you should have seen from far away.
