To wonder 'why' men actually do this?

[BranchingOut]

Yesterday I was walking up to my local shops, pushing the pram with my nine month old baby. It was a hot afternoon and I was strolling along in a long summer skirt and white linen top. Nothing I was doing, wearing or carrying was in any way out of the ordinary.

Suddenly a white van went past and out of the open window a man stuck his head out, yelled "Pikey!" at me, then carried on his way.

I was so astounded that I actually looked around to see if there was anyone else he was yelling at - but the street was quiet.

Now I am old enough and wise enough for this not to upset me, but I am mystified as to:

How he could make a snap judgement about me, having only seen my back, while travelling at 30 mph, then get himself together to lean out and shout the appropriate word in time?

What actually goes through someone's mind when they decide to do this?

Why is it always men and never women? I have never been randomly abused by a woman from a car window, whereas a man once even shouted "Move your silly cu*t" when I wasn't crossing the road fast enough for his liking!

APart from BunnyJo's DH obv.

Haha Katisha

Sorry Bunnyjo, obviously there are some lovely men who drive white vans, and I shouldn't lump them all together.

Come judgement day, when the arsehole white van men get what's coming and the saintly ones all get free bacon sarnies, however, I reserve the right to stoke the flames and wield a pitchfork

I'll be there with you oldernowiser... Do I get free bacon sarnies too?

snobear - PMSL! very funny.

Could grill the bacon on the flames, on our pitchforks, between flinging the bastards back in the fire Bunnyjo?

I don't think I've had it myself, but there's something about my DPwho, other than being very tall and bald, is a very normal guythat attracts this sort of abuse on a regular basis. Couple of times a month at least.

A couple of weeks ago he was getting into his car and some guy driving past leaned out the wonder and shouted "baldy cunt!"

Yesterday someone was shouting abuse across the road about his shoes...of all things (he was wearing his work boots.)

I don't understand what goes through people's heads. What's the thought process?

Sounds perfect oldernowiser. DH would happily help, he's met a few knuckleheads (and yes - most were probably WVM) in his time and would gladly fire them back in the flames, oh and I'm sure he'd eat the bacon sarnies too...

Perhaps there should be a "abusing women from white vans" GSCE. That would improve the scores of qualifications with very little money spent?

like "embassy of arsehole"

The other week I had one very young example scream "get your rat out!" at me as I was struggling along the street with an animal in a kitty box. I'm not sure if he had noticed the critter.
It was actually quite a fierce critter and it would have been fun to set it on him, had I been able to get away with it.

i have no idea why men do this. i get alot of white van leerage - less since dd but still plenty of 'awight daaaarlin!' and worse.

my personal theory is that there is an urban myth between men that once, a bloke shouted at a girl from his car and she actually chased him down the road, yanked open the car door and got on her knees and gave him a blow job right then and there.......and that men secretly beleive it really happened!

Love it small clanger: it would be fantastic to hurl a fierce critter through the open window each time we get abuse.

They could be speacially bred and trained to land in a ball without hurting themsleves, bite the bastard hard in the crotch, jump back out of the window and into the handbag where they live. What would be best? I'm thinking gerbil/tasmanian devil cross?

I'm getting very excited by my new business plan!

Pmsl @ Snobear

It was a Scottish wildcat older, it is quite capable of doing all those things and would gladly do them as it hates most people.

Sadly, the police and the courts take a dim view of this, and such actions would result in the heroic critter being shot. They clearly have their priorities wrong.

pmsl at the rat puppet idea.

Sprogger I just scared the life out of my dog by laughing rather stupidly at the rat puppet idea. The dog is now staring at me as if im some crazy woman.

What a plonker! But what is a pikey pray tell?

'Pikey'.. derogatory term for a gypsy or traveller. Possibly inspired by the wearing of a long summer skirt?.... just guessing

Can't help feeling a little hypocritical, to be honest. Not that I've ever leered out of a window and verbally abused some innocent bystander when driving... but my behaviour and language when behind the wheel and safely clipped into my VW is sometimes less than ladylike.

Shor old blokes in hats that drive quite slowly in the middle lane of the motorway .... it's like catnip to my dark side.

Has anyone else noticed that the level of leeriness rises exponentially if you are visibly pregnant?

I'm not sure if its because a bump marks you out as a woman who has had sex, or just that you are slower moving & more vulnerable.

WVM never shout at me. Please help me think of another opportunity to use the splendid retort "jog on, cuntychops!"

Chil1234 try wearing a long summer skirt whilst carrying a baby in a sling - people clutch on to their purses when you get on a tube carriage