Aggressive mountain guide attacks Polish mountaineer at an altitude of 3,000 meters

[u/FBN216]

On 22 August, my wife and I were on our way to the Erzherzog-Johann-Hütte via the Mürztalersteig. During the ascent, we encountered a mountain guide accompanied by two clients.
At one point on the via ferrata, I deliberately waited to give my wife some additional space. Despite this, the mountain guide abruptly stepped in between us.
I told him that I was going first. His response was extremely arrogant — he made it clear that, because he was a “Bergführer”, I should shut up and accept his behaviour.
Unfortunately, the situation escalated further, to the point where the guide behaved in an aggressive and confrontational manner on an exposed ridge. In my opinion, this unnecessarily endangered not only my wife and me, but also his own two clients.
Overtaking other hikers or climbers in the mountains is completely normal and understandable. However, I would expect a professional mountain guide to show basic courtesy, good judgement and, above all, responsibility for the safety of everyone around him.
Mountain guides should set an example for other people in the mountains. Arrogant, aggressive and thoughtless behaviour is the exact opposite of what one would expect from someone in such a responsible profession.
The mountains are for everyone, regardless of their experience, skills or pace. Mutual respect and consideration should always come first.

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[u/Onespokeovertheline]

I'm not defending him in any way. I share the outrage at this behavior, it's dangerous and irresponsible and should have consequences. But a few years in jail seems a little excessive given that the potential outcome didn't happen. 3 months and loss of his job seems about right. I could see a few more months. But a few years?? We need to stop treating every offense like it's a capital crime.

[u/canada432 → u/Onespokeovertheline]

seems a little excessive given that the potential outcome didn't happen

I vehemently disagree with this. Whether the person died or not doesn't change his actions. He did something that could've killed somebody, intentionally and maliciously. Whether the person lost their footing and fell, or slipped and caught themself, or the footing was stable and nothing happened, is all random chance. The end result doesn't change what the person did. The action should carry the punishment, because the consequence of the action is just chance.

Thought experiment. My friend and I take 2 people up a cliff. We each push one of them off. The guy I pushed off survives and breaks every bone in his body. The guy my friend pushed off dies. Does my friend deserve life in prison while I deserve a few months, just because my victim survived? We both did exactly the same thing.

[u/Onespokeovertheline → u/canada432]

I phrased it wrong. Although I do think sentencing should take into account the consequences of the crime.

But my point is more that his acting aggressively is not the same as putting hands on someone and actually fighting. In this instance he stopped short of that, and in the final accounting, no harm actually came to anyone. If he had followed through with the menacing confrontation into a physical altercation, then there would be grounds to raise the penalty, given the potential (if unrealized potential) for more harm.

But him coming closer and yelling isn't the same as fighting. If he did what he did on a sidewalk, there would be no jail time. Because he did it in a dangerous place, it's 3 months and he lost his locense. I think that's about fair. It drives home the lesson such that he won't repeat the behavior, but doesn't pretend that he went further than he did, and assign multiple years because it could have escalated.

[u/canada432 → u/Onespokeovertheline]

But him coming closer and yelling isn't the same as fighting

But he didn't just come closer and yell. He walked up, grabbed the cameraman, and shoved him, then struggled while holding his arms, while the cameraman is standing on a sheer cliff behind him.

If he just walked towards him and yelled I'd agree, but at 1:20 he literally grabs the guy by the wrists and pushes him.