Lets not make this into something that its not. I like to capture people in a candid gesture so standing out of the way sometimes helps. The 70-200 stands out like a sore thumb so it's almost a must to have to stand off to the side to not intermediate the subject. 95% of my street shots are with me standing in plain view.
I like the way you use spy, odd, hide around corners and put me in the 1% range of people doing this but I guess that's okay as long as you cover yourself politeness with
"not that there is anything wrong with it works for you".
Come on,, if your going to insult someone be a man about it and just do it!