Do you think random horrible arseholes are getting worse?

[Designless]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/17/men-push-abuse-women-street-stranger

I do think the days of most men not wanting to seem violent towards women in public seem to be sadly on the wane. A guy squared up to me, blocking my path, in the street recently after a minor disagreement (his dog jumped on me and I asked him to keep it under control). I said "excuse me are you trying to threaten me with your posture?" and he didn't reply so I said "ok then I'm going to call the police now" and he walked away, staring behind him. He looked pretty normal, like a guy with a job and maybe friends and family.

But maybe these guys have always been around and it's just bloody lucky if you dodge them.

Where can we live that's peaceful and far from them??

The only thing that works with these sorts is to get your mobile out and film them. They seem terrified of potentially being outed. They are definitely multiplying though. I blame Farage, Tate and similar idiots spreading their specific brand of nonsense on social media.

I was just thinking this on the bus to work this morning!

when I started taking the bus to work, people were more courteous and quiet. There was a bus stop etiquette whereby the oldest or the person who was there first got on first. People were generally quiet on the journey. People thanked the driver when they got off - although I suspect that’s more a Scottish thing.

Now it’s a free for all with people just barging on. People literally shouting into their phones -even at 645am. Rambling on for the entire journey. And no one says thank you to the driver when getting off. Makes me a bit sad as it was such a custom where I live!

I know I’ll get flamed for this but the shouting on the phone folk are almost always speaking in foreign languages - Eastern block, Arabic, Swahili etc. It’s maybe a cultural thing or they are using the commute to catch up with friends and family but it drives me insane. I hear it even over my headphones/music.

Exactly this, sorry this happened to you goose! So we should just let people attack us in public now and not call the police OP in case we waste their time?! Are you for real!

I have experienced an increase in 60+ men showing their true colours. Verbally abusive without provocation. In restaurants, on dog walks, just in the street. And I live in a 'naice' area so these are probably retired professionals who get a kick out of abusing women as a retirement hobby.

I've also experienced more intimidation from gangs of teenage boys in our local town. There's a group who go round doing wheelies up and down the pedestrianised areas. Last week one came directly towards me, reared up into a wheelie 2 inches from my face. I held firm and just stood there, he looked shocked tbh but it pisses me off they are clearly just wanting the reaction from women. If there were a few bobbies on the beat they wouldn't be doing it.

I now keep my phone in easy reach when out walking and if a man does something out of order I quickly grab it and start videoing. They've changed their tune immediately so far. I wouldn't try this if there was no one else around, though. And I need to figure out how to turn the video into a live stream directly to my husband just in case.

Best reaction 👍.

Years back when men “flashing” was a thing, it was always best to avoid their desire to shock, and just gaze downwards, say “is that it?” and walk off laughing.

But, I do think people in general are more angry and aggressive now. 🤷‍♀️.

Oh aye sure ye can

This. I will move a sensible amount (I'm not a dick) but screw it if they think I'm going to walk on the road so they can walk 3 abreast. I'm done with that crap. Not so long ago, a guy played chicken with me. Neither of us moved but I squared my shoulder and he was relying on me moving and didnt expect it so he stumbled when he bumped into me. He called me a bitch (such originality), his friends laughed. I'm not sure if it was at me or him.

Sad thing is, he wont have learned. He'll still play chicken but he'll square up now too. So I think I made that worse.

I saw my daughter walk on muddy grass so that 4 boys could continue taking up the whole pavement. I tried to tell her not to do that but then got worried because should I be teaching her to potentially get herself into trouble? What if she refuses to move for the wrong person?

Misogyny is political. Of course it is!

You get rank misogynists in all political persuasions, was my point.

Flashing is still a thing! Happily now treated much more seriously and sensibly on the whole. Do you remember that era when all the grown ups clearly felt so awkward about it and almost behaved as though the witness had done something wrong by seeing it? Some things do get better (although sadly not to the extent of flashers just not doing that).

You can now send video notes on WhatsApp if this helps at all

No... Obviously call the police but also create some impetus for change otherwise it's just a grand day out as everything gets less safe. People should go to jail for violence, parent or otherwise (perhaps especially parents).

I was walking along a pavement, a man deliberately shoved into me. I was taken aback and didn’t react but another man shouted out -Oy mate- to the idiot who then hurried off.
it felt designed to intimidate, like some sort of game.

Do you not think there's a narrative of them and us being pushed at the moment?
Men being told all women hate them, women should be subservient etc by delightful characters online.
Disabled are all malingering and live a super luxurious life on benefits.
Everything that's wrong with the country is because anyone who ain't 7th generation are blocking hospitals, schools, crime etc.

Yes definitely and not exclusive to older men.

ETA: reconsidered posting story as it’s been on a local group and may be outing.

We went to Cheltenham John Lewis yesterday. A woman was in front of us with a dog on a longish lead. She stopped to look at something and the dog cocked its leg and peed all over the opposite pillar and onto the floor. She was totally oblivious and wandered on. There was a member of staff standing nearby so I went over and mentioned the wee all over the floor. He finished the sentence for me " Oh God is it the big pillar? " No its the smaller square one" . He rolled his eyes and said they'll a be weeing all over that one as well then. Apparently it happens multiple time a day and there is a cleaner on standby to deal with it . Dogs in Pets at Home fine, I have no need to go in there. Dogs in clothes shops totally stupid . I'm glad they're peeing all over everything because it was inevitable they would . Perhaps the tide on that will turn too.

I dont know what areas the PPs live in but this had never happened to me and im in y 60s. Any minor collision usually brings a quick apology, I have never been shoved out of the way deliberately by anyone, male or female

What is it about dogs that makes some owners think they have more rights than others and can abuse people and dominate spaces? I've only had abuse from dog owners.

It’s because deep down they know they are in the wrong so get defensively aggressive about their dogs behaviour pretty quickly .

Oh god I hope so.
Random dogs do not belong in shops. It cant be fun for them.
I'm not even thinking about the badly behaved dogs/owners either.

I'm in Scotland too. Where do all these women with horrible/nasty men live. I do not recognise this behaviour in our men. Obviously you get the odd fanny of a man but it seems like an epidemic of them elsewhere in the UK!

You are very much mistaken if you think the majority of the violent, threatening lunatics I've encountered in a large city recently are likely to be voting reform.

I encountered 3 seperate dogs in JL in one visit. Wtf is going on that you HAVE to take your mutts clothes shopping with you.?
just WHY?

There is plenty of evidence to show that misogynistic views are correlated more with right-wing political views.

sure, you’ll get some in green or liberal parties, but it would be false to say that they are equally spread across all political leanings, especially given that part of the fundamental views of parties like Reform is traditional roles of women in the home / see eg. Penalising non-child bearing women suggestion announced this week.

totally correlates with stories people have been sharing on here.

I think it’s important that we see this as a political thing because if we don’t, we’re basically saying that it’s men’s innate stance towards women that drives this behaviour, rather than their socio-cultural attitudes towards us.