News Flash: We're not ALL Criminals

The only problem with such behavior is that it conveys fear. Sure, keep alert to your surroundings and your belongings, but do it in a way that makes you look less fearful. I try to do it in a relaxed way. (I'm actually alert, but I look relaxed.) And oddly enough, when you are a woman and you can be relaxed late at night in a subway car full of men, often THEY will be afraid of YOU because it's so not what they are used to seeing.

Usually, criminals case their victims before they attack, and if you are alert, you can tell when this is happening. I usually look those people straight in the eyes. That deters them, because I'm not acting like a potential victim.

Will people think I look tough if I scratch my crotch a lot and yell "Rabies!" every couple of minutes? I might try that.

No, but yelling "pubic lice!" instead will certainly keep them at bay.

WhyFi wrote: No, but yelling "pubic lice!" instead will certainly keep them at bay.

that's assuming your possible attacker knows what pubic lice are. I'd prefer to pull a chris rock in this situation & whip out my cell phone, pretend to call someone, and say "yo, doctor - my aids is acting up. can you help?"

Hee. Acting crazy never fails. (And it's entertaining, too! ) I love scaring the crap out of a potential attacker by making them think that I'm just a tad more sociopathic than they. Usually I take a situation to its logical extreme until they are so confused or freaked out they run away from me.

How else do you think I got that mugger to give me $50?

If it is late and there is a man walking too closely to me I cross the street. Most times I don't even bother to turn around to see what color he is.

If there are a group of men walking towards me--ESPECIALLY teenagers, I cross. Teenagers of all races are generally little shitheads and to be avoided, especially traveling in packs. I usually avoid getting on the train when school is let out just to avoid them.

I always clutch my purse under my arm when I leave the house everywhere I go--especially on the subway. I've been robbed and seen too many people have their purse stolen.

After suffering two violent attacks, my only m.o. in getting from Point A to Point B is making sure that I feel comfortable and safe at all times in an environment that is generally pretty hostile to women. If that means getting away from someone I feel is in my personal space or too close for comfort, that's exactly what I do. I have no qualms about this whatsoever and if someoneo wants to think it's about them, then that's their own problem.

liftandcut wrote:
Yeah, some chick grabbed her purse last night when I was walking my brother's dog. Granted, the street light was out and he is a 90lb Amstaff. But still, I WAS wearing a Wellfleet Oysters t-shirt.

liftandcut, remember that you kind of have huge arm muscles. :shock:

when i see any group of teenagers or any group of men (any kind of men), i cross the street. i also cross to the other side of the street when i see children and or strollers, but hey - that's just me.

This is gold... It's like a premise from a lost Seinfeld episode

yes, yes it is, check out Mark Maron, Stalker Guilt Syndrome
http://www.atomfilms.com/film/stalker_guilt.jsp

funny stuff.

Liftandcut - as someone who has lived here all my life and as a woman when I come home from work late or on an empty street I tend to zone out and feel more confident than I should so when I hear noise I tend to realize "hey Im not being careful" and I grab my bag a little closer and check my surroundings - its a survival tactic.

Also if I cross the street its not because of who you are but maybe I just decided to cross at that time (no cars coming, etc.). Sometimes a group will be talking loudly and one says something like "oh shit" and that reminds me to pick up kitty litter at the store across the street.

Also you have to see it from a woman's perspective. I carry so much crap in my bag and believe me ask any woman - no matter what size a woman's purse is there is always too much stuff in it for its size. So you might just be passing me when its starting to give me a pain in the neck and I grab it to alleviate the torture of carrying a heavy bag and shift it around whether it be to the front or the other side.

stacey wrote: Also you have to see it from a woman's perspective.

LOLOLOL why would he do that? You guys are supposed to make HIM feel accepted and safe lol

women are scared of all men.

Cool The Kid wrote: [quote=stacey]Also you have to see it from a woman's perspective.

LOLOLOL why would he do that? You guys are supposed to make HIM feel accepted and safe lol

wait, what guys? I'm so confused.

Santa wrote: women are scared of all men.

Ummmm...... no. But thanks for playing!

Yeah, nice generalization there Santa.

caseopele wrote: Yeah, nice generalization there Santa.

I think that was actually a move in the game of gendergentriconfrontation being played out in this thread. tres exciting!