Monday, June 14, 2010

Honking at Pretty Ladies: The Great Debate


How many of you have been casually walking down the street, lost in thought, only to be brought back by the sound of a car horn?  It usually takes me a few seconds to understand that the driver wasn't honking at another driver, but rather thought it would be best to show their appreciation for me by honking their horn.

Come on, guys.  No girl really wants that.

And really, what was your intended result?  Do you expect a girl to hear you honking, turn around to see your old jalopy and fall madly in love?  Do you think maybe she's going to get completely hot and want to jump you because you honked at her?  Does anyone really believe anything is going to come of it?

If anything, it makes girls laugh. Perhaps feel flattered.  Or maybe, like me, they might end up uncomfortable and slightly afraid.

I'm a relatively weak girl.  I'm alone in the big city.  When I walk alone in the morning, I don't need to worry about whether or not you know when to say when.  The last thing I should have to think about is the fact that I don't know you and I don't know what your intentions are.

By the way, girls, you should NOT feel flattered by this.  How is it flattering that someone thinks you're hot enough to honk at but not pretty enough to actually try to have a conversation with.  And more than likely, he doesn't think you look like a beautiful woman that he respects.  He thinks that you're there for his amusement. That you're a sexual object.

Maybe I'm wrong about all of this.  Maybe there are levels of how to react.  But when I'm followed and harassed by a stranger my inclination is to flee, not blush and giggle and hop in the car for the rest of eternity.

6 comments:

  1. Ugh, yeah. I hate that. Have you seen the Hollaback websites that call out street harassers? The Chicago site is not very active, but the NYC and DC sites are great fun.

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  2. I laugh when I envision myself chasing after them grasping on to any attention someone has shown me. They honked at the wrong girl.

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  3. Yesterday I bought pepper spray. I might be the wrong girl to mess with now too.

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  4. I've never heard of these sites. I'm definitely going to check them out now.

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  5. And the google ad for this post?

    "Loud Truck Air Horns"
    Blast'em with Loud Air Horns from Air Horns of Texas, the source

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  6. Classy.

    I should carry pepper spray and an air horn. It would have been better than me yelling "F--- You!" at the guy who followed me to the train yesterday saying inappropriate things.

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