I was honked at today, just like I was honked at last week and last month and on and on.
I was walking my dog, alone, in the early evening like I do absolutely every evening. I was wearing hiking shorts, sneakers and a flannel; obviously, dressed to impress. A dark grey Mercedes sedan drove up behind me and honked loudly as they passed. And like always, I was startled and scared. I clearly jumped because my otherwise calm dog barked, and as I turned to see what the commotion was about, the car’s passenger waived blithely at me as they sped away. Oh, and he had a pink rubber wrist band on the hand he was waving at me. So he … what? was supporting breast cancer awareness while simultaneously harassing random women on the street?
And honking seems like such a little thing – but it is also so pervasive and intimidating and insidious. Insidious because on a case by case basis, it’s no big deal. You walk it off, brush it off, shrug it off. But it happens ALL THE TIME. And for what? Have these d-bags ever once actually picked up a woman (who is obviously just going about her day) by honking at her or (the other fan fave) yelling at her from the open window. Doubtful. But it scares me every time. Every time.
– MC
Location: W Gray Street, Houston, Texas
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