101 wankers

More of a data point than anything; can't remember the last time i was harassed on the bike, but i may be a little immune to it. Certainly no more than once every couple of months, which is probably less than most men on here. Maybe because i'm quite big on a bike, i ride kind of medium-assertive, definitely not aggressive but not in the gutter, and i'm pretty chilled out, i hang back a lot and if i get a funny vibe from a junction i just get off and walk.

I remember i got more abuse several years back (maybe once or twice a month), but now i'm older, and i dress down (ie. nothing figure-hugging, no skin). Unfortunately that crap probably has an effect. And i usually wear high vis - makes you less 'attractive' somehow. Most common seemed to be people at bus stops yelling "Chinky!" at me as i cycled past - racial not sexual. From cars/vans some racial stuff, some sexual/racial (i'm sure you can imagine the typical). I honestly don't think i've ever had references to my saddle... A couple of times a van has found it 'amusing' to force me into the kerb on a left bend, no idea if that has anything to do with gender.

I never respond other than giving them the evil eye. Maybe i should, but i can easily shake it off most of the time and get on with my day, whereas it would make me very flustered to respond. Also sometimes they are just trying to wind you up / need a bit of attention etc. and i'd rather not.

Here's where it's going to go a bit awry as i'll say something wrong i know... but to the nice men who are wondering how the nasty men think the 'chat-up lines' are supposed to work? They don't. It's to assert dominance, to intimidate others in a low-risk way, that's all. Sometimes they just want to scare you, and women are the target. Also, i don't know if it's just me - but i really get bothered by 'nice men' who want to defend me. Your chivalry is misplaced. I know people on here are properly genuinely angry about abuse their partners and friends have received, but they might not (i'm not them so i don't know) really appreciate you taking to a d-lock to the perpetrator's face. Or even talking about it. I can't quite articulate why i get this rage when someone tries to stand up for me - maybe it's to do with it just being part of 'women are weak and need defending' thing, maybe it's because this crap happens all the time and is part of a pervasive .. something to do with how we live, and men don't often realise that and then get really worked up about something that happens. I don't know. I know there are women who can and will defend themselves, all power to them. That doesn't make me angry (although i'm not keen on a violence on stupidity solution). I'll stop now.