My Behavior, My Choices

I am hiking on a trail in the Phoenix Park Preserve. A narrow trail over rugged terrain on the side of a hill. Two young women - twenty somethings - are coming toward me- I get off the trail to let them pass; as they get near me I smile and say Hello, they keep talking, don't even look at me, pass by and continue their hike. I get back on the trail, shake my head and continue on. Am I weird to be a little put off by that behavior? I was taught that a simple acknowledgment of a fellow human being was good manners, and yet I see this kind of behavior quite often - and it bugs me!!
A mountain biker approaches me in the same Preserve and I have to step off the trail to let him pass, with no acknowledgemnt from him -that happens with at least 50% of the bikers!!
I have a choice - I can let their behavior bother me - and possibly reduce the fun of hiking, or I can just go forward with my own behavior, but with no expectation that others will act the way I act. Best choice - no expectations.
Peter Senge, in his terrific book "The Fifth Discipline" says " scratch a cynic and you will find a frustrated idealist who made the mistake of letting their ideals become their expectations." So true. I don't want to be a cynic.
God, am I good, or what? A confession - while I try to make that choice of no expectations whenever I hike, I don't always succeed. And you know the only person affected negatively by that - me.
I wonder how many of the people who pass by without a greeting do the same thing in other parts of their lives, and then wonder why people don't engage with them more easily.
Secret - if you want to know how you impact people, watch how they impact you. People respond in kind - they really do - 95% of the time!!
The first secret to developing better personal skills is getting to know yourself better, and how you impact people. And then treating others the way you want to be treated.
Long way from a hike in the Phoenix Park Preserve - but not so far in looking at behaviors.