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Road Rage, Intimidation, Women
By Carol Christoffel

 

January 07, 2008
Monday AM


Ladies, I am sorry to learn of someone attempting to harass you while driving. I believe that this happens more to females than to males, as a male feels "comfortable" shouting at a young woman, or older woman alone. Often the "mad macho" drivers pick on women because they know that if they did it to another guy they might just be looking at a fist down their throat! "This ties in to the idea of the male superiority vs a respectful treatment of women. Unfortunately there are too many macho drivers out there these days.

I could not help but think at how this attitude is played out all over the world. Years ago I was in Bali, Indonesia, which is dominated by Islamic government. Bali people are islanders and have their own culture but must deal with western influence and varying factions. Generally, it was unheard of for women to drive and everywhere in Bali, men on motorcycles picked up long skirted women, bearing huge market bundles, who then sat a lady-like side saddle position on the bikes. How they ever maintained their balance is a wonder to me, but they did. Cabbies ferried through masses of people taking tourists to places of interest. Women were thought to be too "delicate" to drive, but not so delicate that they could not carry huge bundles of concrete and work materials, on their heads, to and fro from construction sites. Go figure!

My cabbie found himself stuck in a mass of traffic ,tourists, human-drawn carts,trucks and cars. When suddenly a lone woman DRIVING THE MOTOR BIKE crossed his path. He flew into a rage and exclaimed, "It's those WOMAN DRIVERS that are messing us up!" He then went on to opinion that she must be suffering from a medical hormone imbalance ("too many HORMONES!") to want to drive!

I found myself laughing at the thought that ONE woman could be blamed for the hundreds of people and traffic that flooded the market! Some things never change!

Carol Christoffel
Chicago, IL

About: Former Ketchikan Resident

Received January 05, 2008 - Published January 07, 2008

 

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