Terrifying taxi ride this morning

[Zenana]

Just got a taxi from York train station to Kings Manor in Exhibition Square (or so I thought). I could easily have walked but was running late. The driver asked me if it was York St John and I said no, the University of York. I asked if he wanted the postcode he said no.

I realised he was going way out of the town centre and the meter said £8. I questioned this and he told me to shut up and "stop confusing me". Said I'd told him it was the university of York and when I started to try to explain talked and shouted over me and said I wouldn't listen.

He thankfully had pulled over at this point and I told him I'd get out and walk and pay him for this journey. "You robbing me. You robbing me. You robbing me" he just wouldn't stop. He called me a fucking bitch and drove away.

I didn't take his details or anything I was too shaken up. I'm amazed how upset it's made me.

I had a 45 minute walk to the meeting and I'm glad as it's allowed me to calm down a little but I'm so upset at this vile misogynist.

For future reference, I'd suggest that anybody getting into a cab makes a call (fake, voicemail or real) to somebody and make a point of saying 'I'm in the cab on my way to, the plate number is...'.

It has a remarkable way of focusing some drivers' minds. And the others are fine with it as a means of protecting ourselves.

Males are responsible for 98% of sex crimes and almost 80% of violent crime.

2 women a week are murder by men in the uk alone.

We are not sensitive to verbal abuse because it hurts our feelings. We’re sensitive to verbal abuse because it often precursor to being victims of violence.

And FYI “idiot” means someone of low intelligence. People with learning difficulties are not people with low intelligence.

I already do - and FWIW I'm not one of those women who expect trouble to be lurking behind every bush

There have been just too many incidents locally to do otherwise, and as already said there's not even any way of knowing the guy in the cab is the licensed driver

Can you call a black person the n word in anger without it being racist?
Can you call a gay man the f word in anger without it being homophobic?
Can you call disabled people the r or s word in anger without being ableist?

Why are you pretending that a man screaming at a woman and calling her a “bitch” is just general name calling?

It’s not generalised or generic. It’s targeted at her specifically because she’s a woman. Specifically because she is part of a vulnerable and marginalised group.

Where I live some drivers illegally share the taxi and licence with friends/family, often new to the area and don't know it at all. He may have been in such a taxi borrowing situation and fearful that you might clock it and report him. Very frightening for you. We have to put our trust in these men and it should be part of their job to make us feel safe. I recently got in a cab after hugging an old female friend goodbye and had to listen to salacious remarks about lesbians all the way home - and I am 70.

"bitch" is a SEX-SPECIFIC term. So no, they cannot. I am sure you must know this, so are goading people. A male using the term 'bitch' is MISOGYNISTIC. It really is that simple.

Why are you pretending to not understand that people from oppressive groups using slurs against people from oppressed groups is a specific and inherently more offensive way to use slurs?

How many women kill men each week?
How many of those men do you think were called a “wanker” in their final moments?

Now consider how many men kill women each week and how many of those women hear the word “bitch” in their final moments.

Stop pretending you don’t get it.

Where on Earth in the post is the misogyny?
This kind of thing happens to both genders, today I had to deal with a very rude area manager who threatened all sorts - we’re both men.

Not everything is misogyny, some people are just dicks. It’s important to see the difference.

Man doesn’t see misogyny in a male screaming “bitch” at a woman.

Interesting

Yes, it is. You need a dick to wank.

Consider African Americans using the 'n' word. That should explain the difference between a man using the word 'bitch', and a woman using it.

It was clear as a fucking bell!

Call back when you've been a woman with a strange man calling you a bitch.

I went to the Station Taxis place and there was a guy on the desk. I told him what happened and he knows who the driver is but he works for himself not for them. His boss is going to identify him from the CCTV so I can report him to the police and the council. Whether anything happens or not I feel better for taking a stand.

I also felt it was not clear as did not understand where the conversation about the 2 seperate York Univesities fitted in.

It's described as the city center campus of the University of York. OP asked if he wanted the post code but he indicated he knew where he was going.

https://www.york.ac.uk/about/campus/landmarks/kings-manor/

There are two universities in York. I wanted the mediaeval studies department of the University of York which is in the town centre though the main campus is out of town. I gave him the location and the name of the building as part of the University of York. I asked if he wanted the postcode and he said no he knew where it was. He then asked me if it was York St John and I confirmed no, it was the University of York. So even though I'd told him the location and name of the venue he went haring off to the main campus (which is what I worked out later). He started screaming at me that I was confusing him when all along he didn't listen properly.

Thank you so much for explaining misogyny to us. I’m sure we’re all very grateful, aren’t we girls? But you know what us silly women are like; always making a mountain out of an anthill. I do hope you’re about the next time someone has had to deal with what they perceived to be racism, homophobia, ableism etc, so you can pop on to tell them that it’s probably just paranoia on their part because you’ve dealt with someone who was being rude to you simply because they were a dick.

As a 'lady' I didn't even know misogyny even existed until the man on this thread mentioned it - thank goodness for the men

Damn it
I missed @Fullspectrum ’s thoughtful riposte.
Now I’ll never benefit from their insightful musings.

Again, thank you to the man showing up and explaining that being screamed at and called a bitch by someone at least 60% stronger than you is neither misogynistic nor frightening.

Where would we be if we didn’t have men around to clarify exactly what is misogynistic and what we are permitted to be scared of.

I’m sure we’ll all sleep better tonight.