37 Times People Had The Satisfying Opportunity To Make A Jerk’s Day Worse

Nowadays, it sometimes seems that being rude has become the norm. Perhaps it began with a few bad apples and spread like a contagious virus we are yet to find a cure for. Fortunately, experts say there are ways to effectively stop rudeness in its tracks, if only momentarily.

Among them: addressing the rudeness; setting clear boundaries of what you're willing to (and not willing to) tolerate; shifting the conversation to something more positive; and, as difficult as it may seem, staying calm and cool.

"Sometimes people just need a little reminder that they’re actually acting out about something completely different than the matter at hand. And often, getting the opportunity to reflect upon this or talk about it changes the entire situation," reveal communication experts Kathy and Ross Petrus.

They suggest redirecting the conversation with a well-timed question that's aimed at making "Karen" or "Kevin" do some much-needed introspection. You could say something like, "You seem frustrated, is something wrong?" or, "Are you going through something right now that’s affecting you like this?” You could also simply ask, “Have I done something to upset you?”

One study found that reminding someone that they’re being rude can make them realize they need to correct their behavior.

"Addressing someone’s rudeness head on is a key component to dealing effectively with incivility," say the Petrus'. Do this by using a phrase like, "I'm surprised you're comfortable saying something like that." You could also ask, “Are you listening to yourself here?” or "Do you realize what you’re saying, and how you’re saying it?”

Asking these questions tells the rude person that what they’re saying is unacceptable, say the experts. It also reminds them to check themselves and reassess their words and behavior. 

Saying something like, "Could you repeat that?" tends to work as well.

"Phrases like this stop the conversation in its tracks and force the speaker to rethink what they’re saying, while also making it clear that you won’t allow it to continue," the Petrus' told CNBC.

But, when dealing with a complete rude stranger, some experts believe it's best to just walk away...

Dr. Gail Saltz is a psychiatrist and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill-Cornell Medical College. She believes that people are ruder to strangers nowadays than they once were because we are living through stressful times.

Saltz's advice when dealing with crazy and rude behavior from someone you've never met is to not say anything, and rather get away from the scene.

“This person’s a stranger and you could escalate the situation in some way that will be worse for you,” she told SELF. "You could try to confront and reason with them, but unless you’re likely to see the individual again, the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze."

Saltz says engaging with the person could put you at risk. They could be at their breaking point, and might be making headlines tomorrow for doing something crazy, dangerous or violent.