They could always go the Mexico City/Cairo/Dubai/Tokyo route….

Also, yikes on the sheriffs at the station. It’s awful that men in positions of authority so often don’t know how to handle it. I’ll definitely pay more attention on the train for that kinds of stuff. The more eyes and ears on the lookout, the better.

Interestingly enough, I actually went to grad school because I didn’t want to drive. I was working less than a mile from where I lived, and was walking to work most days. I drove when I had a weekly appointment after work.

Then they started doing something awkward to the street I worked on, changing the traffic patterns and making the driving journey about 50% longer than the walking journey, and I decided to try taking the bus to my appointment. It worked, after a fashion, but it was harder than it should be. I had lived in England for six months, and had the experience of waking up in Paris and going to sleep in my own bed in Birmingham, UK 13 hours later without ever using a private conveyance, so I KNEW it could be better.

So when I found out I was getting laid off, I decided “What I really want to do is direct… traffic.” I got a Master’s Degree in Transportation Planning.

I’m not using it, unfortunately; all the public entities have hiring freezes, and the private firms are looking more for engineers (the program I went through at UCLA is from a social science perspective). But one of the things that we did touch on in one of my classes is the absolute NEED to get women involved in transportation and land use planning. The example given in lecture was in parking lot design; men want to make the structures less visible from the street, screening them with bushes and decorative panels… while women focus on clear sight lines and lighting.

Keep up the writing, and bike safe!

As always, it helps to see things from someone else’s perspective.

Good post, with valid points about personal safety… or at least “feeling” safe. I live in downtown Los Angeles, and my perception of a safe environment is somewhat different from many of my Westside dwelling friends. I do many of the same things when walking – sticking to well-lit and busy routes, avoiding side streets, avoiding pedestrian-only walkways, etc.

I’m not sure why anyone would speak up about it. I don’t look at a person initiating conversation with another person and immediately feel the urge to put a stop to it.

I’m not aware of Sheriffs hitting on chicks in the subway, but I would guess they aren’t any different than other men who do that. Personally, people try to initiate conversation with me sometimes, but unfortunately they are often intelligible.

I keep my headphones firmly in my ears to discourage it, even if I’m not listening to anything. Have you tried it? It might work.

Starla, thanks for that excellent link. I love it! Great find!

Evan, the Sheriffs ask women questions like “where are you going,” “where are you from,” “what are you listening to,” etc. Seems like harmless questions until you notice that they are paying more attention to the young ladies and are establishing themselves in a power position. They don’t seem to chat with guys or with the mother and her two kids. They ask the young girls and they stick to them. They sometimes follow the girls into the train. Sometimes two of them corner the girls and flirt with them. I talk with people about it, men and women, and others are also uncomfortable with it but people stand by and watch what’s happening but nobody dares speak up because they look like guys from the Terminator. In Europe the ticket checkers are non-threatening. The Sheriffs here are buffed up and carry weapons.

Joe and Johnny, thank you! I hope to write some more in the future. ;-)

Norman, women have a unique sensitivity to security than men and often this perspective is neglected. Men offer lots of advice on route selection and tell me to ride quiet side streets which are the last place I want to find myself after dark. We’re all vulnerable but I’m sensitive to eyes on the street, hiding places such as bushes and solid bus shelters, bathrooms, etc.

The link that Starla attached is a great post that you might want to read. It’s quite enlightening. It says “Women are considered an “indicator species” for bike-friendly cities.”

Keep up the great work!