Don't be a d**k: Sam Armytage's blunt appeal after copping abuse from strangers
<p>Samantha Armytage has asked Australians to show more tolerance and “try really hard to not be a d**k” after copping abuse from strangers.</p>
<p>Writing for Stellar Magazine, the Sunrise host spoke about a dew recent incidents while out and about in Sydney.</p>
<p>The first run-in saw Armytage sworn at by a driver at the traffic lights after he abruptly swerved into her lane while she drove her ill parents home from hospital.</p>
<p>“We were driving along, minding our own business in the centre lane of traffic, when a bloke pulled out of a side street,” she penned.</p>
<p>“He swung dangerously into my lane, almost T-boning us.”</p>
<p>“I’m not ashamed to tell you, he gave me a fright. And he terrified my country-parent passengers. So, yes, I beeped him, and yes, he bloody deserved it,” she added.</p>
<p>“Now, I can hold my own. You don’t survive a career in TV and an all-girls boarding school and be faint of heart.”</p>
<p>“But the abuse this guy dished out to me at the traffic lights would have made a sheepdog blush.”</p>
<p>“There were some words in there even I hadn’t heard, and I pride myself on my potty mouth. And it was TOTALLY HIS FAULT. It was full-on, even by Sydney-traffic standards.”</p>
<p>Another time, Armytage said she was scolded at a local park after she ran out of plastic bags to pick up her dog Banjo’s poo.</p>
<p>“I won’t go into too much detail about Banjo’s bowel movements that day, but let’s just say we had a two-poo situation and I only had one bag,” she wrote.</p>
<p>“So, at the point of the second turd, I stopped and waited patiently (as any good parent would) for another lovely, kind dog owner to walk past with a spare plastic bag. It’s called karma and I’m a big believer in it.”</p>
<p>“Well, old mate from the traffic must have had a twin brother walking in the park. Because another abusive fellow walked past and started shouting some more four-letter words at me about picking up the poo.”</p>
<p>“It was ridiculous, unnecessary and just plain dickery.”</p>
<p>“At this stage I considered picking up the poo in my bare hands and pegging it at that idiot.”</p>
<p>“But this wasn’t the Serengeti, even though people were behaving like animals, so I ignored him.”</p>
<p>Samantha concluded by saying while it’s normal to feel stressed and anxious during these uncertain times, she believes it’s important that we continue to respect each other.</p>
<p>“We’ve all been socially isolated for so long; it could just happen. So be a bit tolerant. And just try really, really hard not to be a d**k,” she said.</p>
