A Soft Answer

It was Friday afternoon and I was driving, trying to make my way out of town. My wife was seated on the passenger seat next to mine (what Americans? call riding shotgun). I turned onto a lane and for a few moments was partially on the second lane as well. A car that I had now partially blocked hooted. I got off that lane and restricted myself to mine. I stopped at a junction. The car that had hooted stopped next to ours. The driver looked towards us and was mouthing something and gesturing. He seemed displeased, not surprisingly, since I had cut him off momentarily.
My wife rolled down her window. The other driver rolled down his.
My wife said to him, “Pole” (Sorry)
The man immediately visibly calmed down and said “Sawa” (Okay)
He said something to the effect that we should follow rules to avoid complications, but he said it in a friendly manner.
I remembered the Bible verse that says A soft answer turns away wrath. Proverbs 15:1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riding_shotgun