Rhodabike

That would require thought and brain cells. Not something that men of that type - and they are fortunately rare - actually have.

MNBikeCommuter

I'm sure it's my ponytail that's caused more than one car full of testosterone to pull up along side me, only to have jaws drop when they see my beard, and a quick acceleration from embarrassment... :-)

Accordion

A guy started riding with me a couple weeks ago. I do a 50-miler out to the sea and back and about 10 miles in he said he was going the same way and said he'd ride with me. I was HORRIFIED that upon passing every woman riding a bike he would say "Wooo hooooo! Hey baby! Looking good!" He never got a response. Then when we were riding through Huntington Beach and had to stop at the Main Street light he started in on every girl walking across the street. "Hey Baby! Where ya goin'? Lookin HAWTTT!" I was so embarrassed to be lumped in with him that at the turnaround point I told him that I needed to make a few work calls and could be up to an hour. He said he didn't have that kind of time (Thank GOD!) and took off. I waited about 15 minutes and then peacefully made my way back home.

I've never cat-called a woman in my life. That happens to you when you're raised with your Mom and 5 sisters.

scroca

I'm a guy and I've gotten "woo hoo" from car loads of girls more than once. Always in the summer when I ride without a shirt. I am a realist. I know they are making fun of me. But I think it's kind of fun.

travelmama

Why lie when you had the chance to call him on his bad behavior?

vtjim

No kidding. It's embarrassing, as a guy. Why be so boorish? The worst thing I do is a brief head turn to have a look at the stern, so to speak. Even then, I'm scared I'll get caught peeking! I guess if that happens, she's looking at me too, so it doesn't matter.

Ira B

I've gotten a few of those too, but at 51 years old I prefer to take it at face value and let it feed my ego.

philski

29 year old male, I wind up getting cat-called a few times each summer by the ladies. I enjoy it.

There is a line between complimentary and sexual innuendo. Not all women (or men) are alike and I know some women who don't mind cat calls that don't cross that line. It's an ego boost for them, too...

scroca

Decades ago at a bus stop a car pulled up to the stop sign and a guy leaned out of the passenger window and said to a girl nearby, "Hey baby, wanna f$%# ?". Her reply was classic, "No, but my dad does, is your mom home?".

They drove off without another sound.

Accordion

Because he wasn't doing anything illegal. I just disagreed with his actions. Why start a big thing - he was about 55 years old and anything I would say wouldn't make him change his ways - you'd have to be there.

So much easier to just part peacefully and enjoy my ride rather than get into a whole big thing for no reason whatsoever.

chipcom 

I'm feeling a bit self-conscious here - whenever I ride in a dress people tend to avoid me like the plague...they don't even make eye contact, let alone say anything to me. I wonder why that is?

sggoodri

I think the most effective approach requires being subtle, calm, and non-confrontational enough to avoid putting the buffoon on the defensive, and inviting backlash, yet being clear enough that you're not enjoying spending time with him when he behaves that way. You can't change what he does on his own, but you can disinvite yourself from his company when he behaves inappropriately, and this seems like an important enough reason to be truthful about it. You don't even need to say that he's wrong, just that it makes you feel uncomfortable to be around it.

tjspiel

Sorry Dude, not everyone can pull off purple eye shadow.

Andy_K 

I'm a guy and I got a catcall from a car load of guys once. I guess at automobile speeds long hair is enough to do it for them. I'm thinking the guy who yelled got some serious ribbing from his buddies when they saw my beard.

colleen c

The purple eye shadow is for the Hi Viz "see and be seen" plan.

canyoneagle

Same here. I used to keep my hair long, and my pony tail would throw people off. I wish I could have taken pictures of some of the expressions I saw on the faces of folks realizing they had just ogled a man's ass.

Now (with short hair), I get occasional thumb's ups and comments from females, which I don't mind.

Rhodabike

Brillant! I love it! Almost makes me wish I still got catcalls so I could use it some time.

canyoneagle

This one's a winner, Chipcom. Definitely one of your best.

chipcom 

Not me...I am photochop challenged and just a pretty face. This one is an AllenG masterpiece, if I recall correctly.

canyoneagle

Holy crap. This guy sounds like a tinder box of testosterone ready to blow.
Perhaps the karmic wheel is about ready to unleash on his ass. at least I hope it does - he deserves whatever he has coming.

Good call on your part to gracefully let him move on - guys like that are not capable of taking in what you have to say when they're all pumped up on themselves.

BassNotBass

I had this happen back in the 80s when I was younger, much thinner and had long hair. IROC-Zs and Monte Carlos would pull up from behind and the guys would shout out all kinds of crude stuff. But when they would pull along side and see that I was a guy they'd call me a ****** (bundle of sticks) and threaten me.

I still witness the crap some women have to put up with when they're just trying to get from one place to another or enjoy a bike ride. I mean sure, a bike can be like a fashion accessory and really make a woman look even more attractive but I sure don't think it's necessary to vocalize my thoughts. I'm sure glad I'm an old guy (who keeps his mouth shut).

Praxis

Bull. It's harassment. And while you (the generic "you") may shrug it off as no big deal, that doesn't mean it isn't a big deal.

I see a lot of responses that seem to trivialize the issue; it's not going to change unless people speak up about it. Women (and men) deserve to be able to cycle (and everything else) without being harassed.

buzzman

Sorry if I slightly divert here but this thread reminds of a funny story of riding with my extremely socially gregarious brother-in-law. He's one of those riders who keeps a running commentary on anything and everything- almost always very positive, often self-deprecating and always encouraging to those around him.

One early morning we're setting off on a 3 day tour and are riding in a sparsely populated but still residential area with lots of nice houses and beautiful lawns and gardens. He's quite a gardener himself and we're commenting on the hard work it takes to maintain these lawns and yards. Ahead he spots a woman bent over at the waist, weeding her gorgeous flower garden, she was middle aged and a bit wide in the beam and I'm sure on this early Sunday morning she was convinced she was blissfully alone in her garden. My brother-in-law in full-voice very brightly shouts- in praise of her gardening, "Looking GOOD!!!"

Well, the woman bolted upright instantaneously and shot us a look like she was using all her restraint from removing our manhood with a pair of gardening shears. I've never seen my brother-in-law at such a loss for words, we were moving at quite a clip at the time and just rolled on but he was far more judicious in his commentary the rest of the day.

snowman40

That. but I'm not 'old', unless it is that car full of teenage girls screaming "Hey hot stuff!" Then I know I've become that old creepy guy.....

O man, if the wife found out the calls I get when riding.... Good thing I keep those things to myself and you guys!

no motor?

One of my female coworkers likes it when people don't notice she's female when she's out.