I am amazed by how many people on this thread seem to think that saying 'sorry' is something they should reserve for very special occasions. I am amazed by how many people care about exactly who is to blame for petty little incidents and de have in a mean spirited way.
In day to day life, we bump into people, try to hold doors for them, let doors slip, get knocked by others and do it ourselves. Sometimes it is because we are just not paying full attention to what we are doing. Existing I. The world with other people means learning to get Along with others and to co-exist. And one of the ways we do this, is by a brief 'sorry' when we have bumped someone else, REGARDLESS of whose fault it is. It simply smooths the way. And as others have said, it costs absolutely nothing. So what is you say sorry when actually it was the other person who caused the bump.......is your pride and honour so fragile that it cannot stand to give an apology in that situation? The woman was bumped...doesn't matter if she was rammed or slightly touched, hurt badly or not at all.....it is just manners to acknowledge someone else. Perhaps she should have said sorry too, as she stopped abruptly, but regardless of whether she did say sorry or not, the OP should have done, as a mark of simple decency and acknowledgement.
Yes yes,to the person who said that saying sorry isn't a sign of weakness. It is simply a sign of being socially aware. Those who cannot bring themselves to say sorry (or thank you, or please.....because there are people who seem to think mother need to reserve these phrases for special occasions too) are the ones who lack social awareness. There is no competition to win,of who can be least giving and most hard-hearted...or rudest.
I would have to say that the the OP thinking her response was right,shows a lack of social awareness. It's the kind of behaviour we might expect froma small child.....you know, when we have to explain to them the importance of saying please, thank you and sorry. I had exactly that conversation with my 4 year old this week when he stepped on the foot of someone. He didn't want to say sorry because he found it a bit embarrassing and said he hadn't meant to do it. It doesn't matter if he meant to do it, he stepped on someone's foot and learning to say sorry is to learn to exist in our society. I wouldn't expect adults to need that explained to them though!
Just out of interest OP, do you also think you shouldn't say 'thankyou' to shop staff who serve you, as they are 'just' doing their job and are paid and somehow that means they don't deserve your thanks? Do you see thanks and sorry as words that need earning?
I'm gobsmacked!