Comments on: Why Female Bikers Get Harassed

By: Raven

Raven — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:54:11 +0000

Funny how in our christian society, it is a crime for a woman to sell her body, yet it is perfectly legal for a man to objectify her. Double standard, anyone? I think the problem here was perfectly summed up a while ago by a client of mine. Men feel entitled to our bodies. They resent the fact that we control the pussy that is between our legs. Thus, they seek to rape, blame and humiliate us as "punishment" for having what they demand, a pussy. As for Dave, well, Dave's some old troll ass douche in Brooklyn who is probably a rapist and excels in upskirt photography. Thank goodness my brothers and father isn't like that misogynist douche. Again, punks - since I won't call him what he is not: a real man - feel ENTITLED to our bodies and they demean us out of resentment of the fact that we have control and refuse to be seen - in their chauvinist, misogynist point of view - as lesser than men, as objects for them to conquer, as unqilling sex fantasies who - against our wills - fulfill their every desire. To pieces of shyte like Dave, GO TO HELL!

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:53:54 +0000

I skateboard in addition to biking and I do have to deal with more on the board. Stopping me while I'm trying to get my skate on to tell me you've never seen a girl on a board or to throw out some cheap one liners is soooo annoying. It's not about you and never will be. Google "female skateboarders" look at all the very talented female skaters in the industry and get over it. One good thing about the bike is I feel safer riding off with my middle finger in the air if harrased vs if I'm walking. I reccommend it ladies! Thanks for the article Amanda makes for good comment venting. : )

By: Quinn

Quinn — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:38:25 +0000

I think bikers just need their own lil' bike lanes. That way we can keep them off the road with those big ass cars zooming by.

The women wearing the short skirts on the bikes need to stop.

By: Drew

Drew — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:43:25 +0000

"If you have a question about how bikes are supposed to obey the law, you can check out Title 50 of the D.C. Code. Then you will be able to identify contentious bicyclists all over town." I don't have any question about what they are supposed to do (I bike too!): that's not the problem. The problem is never "is this person obeying the law right THIS second" but rather "what might they do NEXT second." This isn't, of course, only a problem with bikes: lousy drivers create the same paralyzing anxiety (is this guy REALLY going to stop at the stop sign?). But bikes are generally a lot more freeform, and the people that do pull zany bike messenger-style weaving stunts ruin that social trust for the rest of us.

By: Amanda Hess

Amanda Hess — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:37:17 +0000

@Bob "Are you saying that a person tried to tackle your BF off of his bike while he was moving? Is this happening a lot?"

Yes. She attempted to tackle him off his bike while he was moving. While I have heard of neighbors getting mugged while on bikes, I do not think the full-body treatment is happening a lot. Anyone?

By: Q

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:15:41 +0000

Amanda, I did read your column. Somewhere in your cheeky delivery, the simplistic description was lost. "Puts your ass on display" and "the bike serves as a proxy for the short skirt" only talks to the lower region of a lady cyclist. Point 1 says "ENTIRE BODY", which means, hair, eyes, arms, etc. are all on display. Things that are not covered up by a car's sheet metal. Many professional women cyclists, don't have the "a** factor" or have thin muscular legs, so it ain't all the lower half that gets men's attention. Could be the hair blowing in the wind from under a helmet. Could be the determination in her eyes or pleasant eco-friendly disposition. Point 3, was simply talking to the oddity of riding a bike, hence why I mentioned skateboarding too. Heck, I've given a double-take to women on the razor scooters, because of the oddity. BTW, people who use the "wish I were the seat" comment wouldn't care if you were on the bike or not. If you're drinking a Slurpee, there's the "I wish I were the straw". Applying lipstick, "I wish I were the applicator". Hugging a child, "I wish I were that kid." Etc., Etc., Etc. If you want to discuss Freud and oral fixation, be my guest. Either way, the MENTALITY of the flirter is far more interesting than what women can do to curb flirtatious comments. I'm certain that a woman wearing a cardboard box riding a bike would still get hit on...so it ain't the bike, it's how she rides it.

By: Biking Harassment Part II « Holla Back DC!

Biking Harassment Part II « Holla Back DC! — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:52:41 +0000

[...] yesterday on bicycle harassment in DC, Amanda Hess from the Washington City Paper writes about her own experiences on being harassed while biking around DC and explores some of the reasons why bikers get harassed. My experience [...]

By: Amanda Hess

Amanda Hess — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:49:17 +0000

Q, I made points one and three in my original post. Again, please read before commenting.

By: Q

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:22:23 +0000

My comments got mangled, but I think you basically got the gist of what I was saying:

1) Biking puts your entire body on display. Skirts, Lycra, it doesn't really make a difference.

2) Athletic types are suitable for mating

3) Cyclists look odd to the motorist genotype. They stand out, so thus they will get attention.

P.S., Amanda, if anything I thought you'd be all over the Marion Barry story. Far more fitting for your column, than the lady with the skirt and spandex leggings on a Schwinn. LOL!

By: Q

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:18:04 +0000

The obvious reason women (and sometimes men) get verbal attention? Cycling puts your entire body on display which is out of the ordinary, unlike being wrapped around sheet metal of a car. Lady motorcyclist and moped riders get similar attention. Cycling also encourages folks to believe you are fit. Primal instincts say that a healthy member of the opposite sex is prime for mating. Add to that bikers are still uncommon here in the US. If we were in China this wouldn't be such a big issue, but bikers are still a minority here.

Now, adding to that theory, a lady skateboarder would generate even more comments for based on her body being on display and the danger factor.

No real research needed here, at least in terms of why you get noticed on a bike. The real story here is what's in a man (or woman's) mind to make rude comments like that. Most people who make those comments are simply fishing for compliments themselves. If you objectify them in the same way, they will back off.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:10:46 +0000

"Simple, offensive, effective."

Effective? Really?

"...a woman leapt onto my boyfriend, laughing maniacally, as he attempted to ride past her."

I am not sure what this means, because I cannot imagine any sane person doing this more than once. Are you saying that a person tried to tackle your BF off of his bike while he was moving? Is this happening a lot?

By: Amanda Hess

Amanda Hess — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:18:29 +0000

Dave, do those "much better things" include harassing women on local blogs?

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:38:26 +0000

Drew is right. Most of the negative comments are more to do with inconsiderate cyclist behaviour than with sexual harassment. Most of us have much better things to do than to sexually harass Ms.middleaged-overweight-paisley-skirt-crazy-cat-lady as she huffs and puffs her way to work.

By: just sayin

just sayin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:55:21 +0000

"And I think I’ve figured out what it is about a woman on a bike that attracts such unwelcome attention."
I'm surprised you omitted the bosom - leaning down over the handle bars, sometimes the view is quite charming.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:07:22 +0000

Drew, this all sounds very metaphysical, but as far as I can tell, bikes are always bikes, not cars or pedestrians. If you have a question about how bikes are supposed to obey the law, you can check out Title 50 of the D.C. Code. Then you will be able to identify contentious bicyclists all over town.

By: Amanda Hess

Amanda Hess — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:43:11 +0000

Drew, true. And Bikers can be douchey from the sexism angle, too: Hollaback DC has recorded several interests of D.C. street harassment committed by people on bikes.

By: Drew

Drew — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:35:08 +0000

Nothing to add on the sexism angle, but to be fair to drivers, DC bikers are often pretty douchey themselves. Many rarely obey traffic laws in any consistent fashion (sometimes they decide they are pedestrians, sometimes they decide they are cars, sometimes bikes), and hence add an element of unpredictability and stress. I know many devoted bikers don't act like that, but the problem is that drivers have no way of knowing that you are a contentious biker or not just from looking at you.