Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.5 $; site uiucdcsp
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcsp!seefromline
From: leimkuhl@uiucdcsp.Uiuc.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: Bicycles, Women, Violence and Hatre
Message-ID: <4200014@uiucdcsp>
Date: Thu, 18-Jul-85 15:50:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsp.4200014
Posted: Thu Jul 18 15:50:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jul-85 05:15:05 EDT
References: <1684@reed.UUCP>
Lines: 30
Nf-ID: #R:reed.UUCP:-168400:uiucdcsp:4200014:000:1328
Nf-From: uiucdcsp.Uiuc.ARPA!leimkuhl    Jul 18 14:50:00 1985




  I ride everyday for a few hours, and I am NEVER harassed!

  Admittedly, it is much different for a woman, but I have a few
techniques that probably tend to discourage rude people.

  Teenagers are the most likely to be obnoxious.  If you see a 69 GTO
coming up behind you (or more likely, hear it) swerve out into the
left lane a couple of times.  If you want, make it look like you're
having trouble on a shift.  Believe me, they don't want an accident
any more than you do, and they'll give you an extra-wide berth if
they fear that YOU might hit THEM.  (Of course, don't try this unless
they're far enough back so you won't really get hit!)

  Nasty people are afraid of nasty people.  Try to look like Bernard
Hinault (or the female equivalent).  When I suspect kids or hicks back,
I start such a flurry of spit and snot, that anyone would be crazy to
get close.  I also put on a look of complete mean-ness.  Grunt a bit
just to get in the mood.

  Finally, I've got a back-up plan in case I should actually have an
bad encounter in which I'm run off the road and a gang of uglies
pulls over ahead of me.  Grabbing my pump from the bike, I'll
come charging down the highway shouting obscenities in French.
Probably there are few things more frightening in this world than
an armed and angry Frenchman.

-Ben Leimkuhler