Questionable Call
A little before 11pm on my way through Davis square, I passed a woman talking on her cell phone, clearly trying to get directions to Johnny D's from whomever she was talking to. I and two other women walking by all tried casually to convey "it's that way"; I'm not sure if she didn't notice us or didn't connect it to her question. I then tapped her on the shoulder and pointed in the right direction (it was only about half a block away, but a bit out of line of sight). She mouthed "thank you" to me, told the phone someone had pointed her in the right direction, and started walking the right way.
Having done it, I'm not sure that was the right thing to do. It was intended to be helpful, and I think actually was (though perhaps she'd've gotten the directions sorted out in another thirty seconds, and so it wasn't), but it also felt a bit like invading her personal space, and I'm not sure how I would've reacted. (If I need directions, I usually ask long before I look lost enough for someone to volunteer them, and I certainly don't like "helpful" salespeople if I haven't addressed a question to them.) Miss Manners would probably deduct points even earlier, when I and other passers-by acknowledged that we were eavesdropping, albeit unintentionally. (Possible side discussion: what are reasonable expectations of privacy or pretended privacy when talking on cell phone in a public place?)
If you were me, would you have done so? If you were her, how would you react (externally and/or internally)? What variables would affect those answers?
Entirely unrelated: WizWar! Hurray, tirinian and mjperson! (I lost twice. I can't think when the last time I played was.)
Having done it, I'm not sure that was the right thing to do. It was intended to be helpful, and I think actually was (though perhaps she'd've gotten the directions sorted out in another thirty seconds, and so it wasn't), but it also felt a bit like invading her personal space, and I'm not sure how I would've reacted. (If I need directions, I usually ask long before I look lost enough for someone to volunteer them, and I certainly don't like "helpful" salespeople if I haven't addressed a question to them.) Miss Manners would probably deduct points even earlier, when I and other passers-by acknowledged that we were eavesdropping, albeit unintentionally. (Possible side discussion: what are reasonable expectations of privacy or pretended privacy when talking on cell phone in a public place?)
If you were me, would you have done so? If you were her, how would you react (externally and/or internally)? What variables would affect those answers?
Entirely unrelated: WizWar! Hurray, tirinian and mjperson! (I lost twice. I can't think when the last time I played was.)