to think he should not have called me a c*nt!

@Goldenbear I've just googled people just do nothing as not heard of it. I would say it's more of a midland/northern thing.We are also in agreement that it's used more now than previous, I don't think that's anything to do with women hating being mainstream. If anything it used to be much more mainstream. When I was a child it wasn't widely used but this has changed now for some time.

It's not about hating women. I'm a staunch feminist and do not see how or why people are so obsessed with nullifying or putting down a woman's private parts. They are strong and powerful, just like the word sounds due to its short, sharp nature. You can give it whatever narrative you like but that narrative is lesser and the years go on.

The act of riding a bike on a pavement, oh my God so fucking shocking, when people are shocked about stuff like this and think the hostility is justified, it makes me always think they must have had a very sheltered life and live in some kind of Chocolate Box Village! An inoffensive women cautiously riding a bike, then getting off to accommodate this outraged man is so, so scary that this man can’t contain his outrage - grow up!

Not in my world it isn’t and it was definitely not something that was said with any regularity in this country until quite recently and I grew up in a part of London where the comedy People Just Do Nothing was probably based upon! I suppose it’s all part of this move in society for women hating to be mainstream!

I always love these threads…

OP: I’m going to explain why this totally wrong thing that I did was actually ok because of these special circumstances and I don’t deserve the natural consequences that I received
Posters:You are wrong
OP: No let me reexplain while I’m right
Posters: No you’re still wrong

You're a bit of a cunt for this 😂😂😂

Cunt is a swear word some people like and some people don't. There's no need to make it any deeper than that. If you like it, you're not using it in a misogynistic way, it's long developed past its origins of female genitalia. If you don't like it, don't use it but as long as you enter public domain you will hear it because it's a fabulous word.

But to answer your question he was more unreasonable but what you did was not a safe thing to do.

i grew up in London but the East End is not the only part of London and the C word was definitely not the equivalent of the word Twat!

Op, no, he shouldn’t have called you that at all; unfortunately some people can’t express themselves very well and resort to swearing all of the time.

No, he shouldn't have called you that; it was abusive. It's not hard to say 'could you cycle on the road?' without swearing and name calling.

I checked with my eldest son whether I was right in my opinion of using that word (note I don't use it myself,) and was unsurprised to hear him completely agree with me . His words 'you have brought me up to respect women, and I know I would have to answer to you if I didn't- you are my mum!'

@Fingerscrossed2015

Thank you for taking the time to send a kind message. This means a lot to us, especially considering I told a couple of ‘Mum friends’ who I do consider to be proper friends, and their responses weren’t what I was expecting.

One of them completely minimised the racism, and the other immediately questioned what my Husband did to provoke the ‘rudeness,’ she wouldn’t even refer to it as racism. Both changed the subject quickly too and moved onto something lighthearted. I’m now wary of both of these women as a result.

Nothing is done about people shouting, especially at themselves because our mental health services are stretched so thin they are barely functioning.

You shouldn’t be riding your bike without lights when vision is reduced. You should never be riding your bike on the pavement, but if you are going to because there is no one else on the pavement then you must get off and walk past anyone you do encounter.

I know this is a vain hope but I wish women would stop colluding with the view that a word for vagina is the filthiest thing you can call someone. It’s often said when someone is furious and not safe to challenge but the rest of the time I wish we would all say, Thank you very much, vaginas are amazing beautiful things aren’t they.

I just can’t think of a substitute for cunt as an insult. It definitely has a certain ring to it.

YABVU to cycle on the pavement and without lights.

’Cunt’ is perfectly valid insult. I’m a woman and I’d call a man or a woman a cunt, if they were behaving like a cunt.

In fact, when I was witness to a crime in the street and had to make a witness statement, the police officer had to solemnly write down the sentence “I had a very brief exchange with the woman when she said ‘What’s this got to do with you, why are you calling the police?’ And I replied ‘Because I’ve just seen you hit someone in the face, you stupid fucking cunt”“.

I’m so sorry that happened to you and your husband. That’s shocking behaviour. .

@Growlybear83 Yes. I agree. I meant that by choosing to use the pavement, cyclists are indicating pavement users do not matter to them. They should not be on pavements. When I was a child you simply never saw a cyclists doing this. They obeyed the law and had manners. It’s just how people were brought up. Now the arrogant cyclist is everywhere.

Sorry but that’s a false argument. Men are more likely to commit violent acts against BOTH men and women. Also, it doesn’t follow that because men commit crimes against other men, a man is ‘just as likely’ to swear at a tall burly man as he is a normal woman. He’s far less likely to say the same things to a man because he’d be aware than the man is more likely to retaliate!

He also broke the law actually - swearing at someone on the street is a Public Order Act offence. Verbal abuse is a criminal offence.

But it's not an issue of some cyclists not having a sense that 'other' pavement users don't matter. Pedestrians are pavement users - cyclists are not, they are road users and are breaking the law cycling on pavements unless there are markings to indicate otherwise.

We do have a problem with some cyclists. There is a sense that other pavement users don’t matter.

We have the same issues here on bridleways. No bells. Going way too fast and no warnings to other users. Often a yell at the last second. They seem to think they are top of some food chain. I’ve been sworn at by cyclists when I’ve said something, Plus my child was nearly run over by one snd he swore at her. Ihe flew round a bend and just appeared! Of course many are reasonable but too many are not and constantly cycle on footpaths here. That’s against the law but they don’t care, then swear at me!

He was wrong. You were more wrong.

Stop trying to pander to the crowd here with your offense at the word used. No sympathy here.

This.

It’s not “petty” or “irrelevant” it’s both illegal and dangerous.

YANBU regarding the oaf and his mouth. YABU for being on the pavement. Get lights and a bell and stay on the road.

Well I trust and hope I have brought them up to follow their wonderful dad and respect women.
I am their mother - 5' nothing to their 6' plus - and they do respect me, and their wives - they know my feelings on respecting women and what their dad (sadly deceased) would say if he heard them speak like that!

He is taking out his issues with you, that isn't a normal reaction to such a petty thing. Obviously had a bad day trying to make someone else feel bad.
The fact you were on the pavement is irrelevant tbh and I dislike cyclist (no offence im a driver 😁)

"but I actually think that women should feel safe when walking round the capital city"

Yeah , but men as well should be safe from CF cyclists riding on pavements.

I never understand when posters play the poor woman card. Factually men on men violence is way way more common than man to woman. So yes, it is more likely he’d have done it to a man , and likely worse.