I broke his nose, should I apologize?

[zuluking]

Background: I am 1st Dan, my Sensei is 3rd Dan.

I'm attending a biker rally with one of my Sensei's who loves Harleys. We're standing near the "cool" bikes, you know, the ones that are tricked out, admiring the bikes. Behind me there are bikini clad babes throwing T-shirts into the crowd. My back is to the main crowd because I'm checking out the bikes and could care less about a free Harley T-shirt.

Some wanna-be biker dude is backing up quickly to catch an airborne T-shirt, and he backs right into my back, rather forcefully. I automatically, without even thinking-just reacting, throw an elbow and catch him flush in the nose as he is spinning around. The blood starts to gush and he starts to moan as a bunch of "real" bikers are now like, "What the hell is going on here?" I'm already into a defense stance, moving to put the entire crowd in front of me. Sensei is quickly explaining what happened. Meanwhile, the broke nose dude has run away.

What's my play here?

[PlasmaShock]

try to catch up with him and apoligize if you can and explain what happened and why. if he is a good person, he will understand.

[lordtariel]

It was an accident, you should apologize. Be careful who you hit, you never know who might sue you.

[Killer Miller]

A definate apology is in order regardless...

- Killer -

[A_Train]

I would say apologize, but is that option still open to you? DO you know who you hit?

[Brandon Fisher]

I would apoligize

[New Beginner]

Apologise to your Sensei first and foremost, in my opinion.

There's argy bargy everywhere, if I chinned everyone that bumped into me I'd be arrested in the supermarket every single week. If you don't already have it, check out this book http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Guiding-Principles-Karate-Spiritual/dp/4770027966 , there are some great lessons in there for all of us, especially the one about the master and his three sons for whom he lays a trap, which seems to resonate with your story.

The bloke with the bloody nose will get over it.

[Jiffy]

Definately appologize. I understand it wasn't intentional, and so should he. He didn't deserve a smack in the nose, so an appology is definately in order.

Any idiot can make a mistake, but only a real man can appologise for it.

[Robin]

I would.

- Robin

[bushido_man96]

It sounds like you went a little overboard there. You should definitely apologize, and be thankful that a brawl didn't break out. Things could have gotten nasty.

We all make mistakes. It is how we learn.