Anonymous Dec 17, 2011 at 1:20 am

Comments

1
cross your own damn street. I've every right to walk down the public right-of-way as well. If you are so skeeved out, then carry some mace, a gun, whatever it takes. If you're uncomfortable, then do something about it - it's not my problem. In fact, as a black male, I often find it reassuring when people cross the street when they see me coming.
2
Cross the street yourself if you want to indulge your fears. Just because I was born with a penis does not mean I should act like an ashamed rapist or something.
3
What if there are ladies(or people of indeterminate gender) walking on both sides of the street in the same direction ahead of me? Should I just zigzag back and forth across the street to try to get around them or should I just walk in the middle of the goddamn street? That might make one appear to be even sketchier... Or should I be forced to walk around the block to a different street just so you're not worried about some guy just trying to walk home.
4
So lemme get this straight: some regular guy who's just trying to get from one place to another - same as you - who might not even NOTICE you, should cross the street - out of HIS way - just so YOU can feel safe?

Again, another joke IA, it's gotta be!

Ok, here's the obvious answer to this one: If you're feeling paranoid about some guy who's walking 10 feet behind you or you just think that ALL men are potential rapists, WHY DON'T YOU CROSS THE STREET YOUR SELF????

If he crosses the street at the same time, it might be a coincidence. Maybe his apt. just happens to be over there. If he's still behind you a block later, ehh, you might have a good reason to worry. In which case, have your hand on your mace.
5
Yeah this is kind of offensive. Do "ALL" women really feel like this, or is Anonymous just hypersensitive? Because this sounds like bullshit.
6
"(yes, ALL of us)"

Yeah, i'm also pretty fucking sure this IA was written and submitted by ONE person.
7
This is just common sense. Why would you follow someone closely at night? Hang back or cross the street. I do that as a matter of course, just because I'm a nice guy. No one wants to hear footsteps approaching them from behind on a dark street. If it's a well-lit boulevard that's difficult to cross, OK, that's a different story.
8
"yes, ALL of us"
That's my favorite part. It's like now you can spew crazy and take the rest of your gender down with you!

Some of us aren't so self centered to place the burdon of our own baseless fears on the entire male gender. Some of us are smart enough and have enough common sense to realize there are more dudes trying to get from point a to point b at any given time than there are creeps and racists. Some of us realize that we don't pay more in taxes that go towards infustructure to allow us to dictate the circumstances under which specific people can access public roads and sidewalks.
9
Walking closely to someone at night is creeper behavior. And judging by these comments, the creeper to not creeper ratio on the Mercury is through the roof!
10
Yeah but this IA isn't even necessarily talking about guys who "follow too closely". She seems to be suggesting that ANY guy within a certain radius of her should automatically get across the street just to make [herself] feel safer - regardless of where they themselves might be heading.

But i also think this IA is just abit full of herself. When i'm out in public, man i don't CARE about where YOU'RE going or walking. I'm just trying to get somewhere myself, and NO i don't follow right behind folks either.

As a black male, if i'm walking along the sidewalk and a white female coming from the opposite direction is approaching me, am i suppose to jump across the street just so she can feel safe? What if there's another woman walking on THAT side? And how suspicious would THAT look if i'm hop-scotching across the road just to avoid people - les i be mistaken for some "creepy rapist"?

I understand IA's concern, b/c i get nervous if someone follows too closely behind ME. But goddamn, it's like she's just putting her shit up on ALL dudes like we're all fucked up.

She should've named her IA "ATTENTION: CREEPY-ASS MEN WHO TEND TO FOLLOW TOO CLOSELY BEHIND WOMEN AND GET OFF ON WEIRD POWER-TRIPS"

A bit long, yes. But at least it would've been far more accurate.
11
A lol for the troll
12
On a related note, LADIES: when you get off a bus or the MAX, or you walk up to a street corner and you know there is a man next to you or behind you: let him go first.

I am 6'2". I don't know how often this sitaution happens and a nervous woman around 5'2" decides she's going to just "walk real fast" to get away from me. My legs are a foot longer than yours. You can't outpace me. I can't slow down that much without basically stopping.

I don't blame you for not wanting some guy walking behind you, but you need to do whatever you need to do to let the guy pass you. Stop where there are still people around and act like you're checking your phone. I much prefer it when women do this to defuse the situation.

Crossing the street is a bit much to ask in many situations. Besides, here's what will happen. I'll cross the street and keep walking, and then after a few blocks have to recross the street and bump right into you. Because I was on your side for a reason.
13
I carry mace because of Mercury commenters
14
Maybe you should just stay home all together, it would be much safer for you that way.
15
i love that men are so offended by this suggestion. the fact that she is addressing men who are NOT creeps and rapists is key here- because you guys know you aren't, you walk the earth assuming everyone else knows you aren't, too, but you should be mindful that we don't all know you're a great, respectful guy. the fact that you aren't thinking about it means you can accidentally do things that can be really scary for women- so, leave some space between you and a woman, don't touch or run up behind one, if you are stopped on a sidewalk checking your cellphone or something wait a few paces after a woman passes you to start walking. it's common sense, and she is not calling you a rapist by suggesting you observe these rules, but suggesting that you be aware of how people who don't know you may perceive your actions. common fucking sense.
16
I'm a short guy, some of these gotdamn Nordic white women are a good half a foot taller than I am... Don't walk behind me tall bitches!
17
I always cross the street. Most men have absolutely no conception of the fear of being a woman alone at night. It sucks that someone had to write this, because it's mostly true.

And I hear a lot of threatened and entitled men on here sharpening their little claws on this poster.

And Damosa, you being black has nothing to do with it. At least for me. I wouldn't feel MORE afraid due to you being black.
It's the deep down in your gut fear because someone could overpower me and that is a terrifying prospect.
And it is instinctual.

That being said, I pity the fool who tries to fuck with me. I have brass knuckles always in my pocket and I know how to fucking use them. Ladies, arm yourselves. Don't take shit. Be smart.
And hopefully someday our society will evolve to a point where we don't have to be afraid.
18
What a bunch of Bullshit, loss of time and space in I,A. Just leave your ball of unjustified fear at home, or crank up a casette of Rapeman loud on continuous loop until your imaginative fear goes away and with that all your bullshit meager problems.
19
If I stayed at home I wouldn't get to mace Mercury commenters. See how that works?
20
@sugarspill

It's always about me. The more often I can use my race card the more points I accumulate.
21
Why don't you try getting out of the way anonymous? I bet those guys aren't following you it's just that you're taking up the whole damn sidewalk. Women walk very slowly in crazy shoes usually on their cell phones and zig zag around and I would be delighted to be able to make it past any of you if you'd be kind enough to allow me.
22
Besides, whats with this depiction that women are all weak and unsavvy.
23
Got it: don't approach strange women from behind at night and touch them.

But don't expect people to stop walking where they need to go. This is an absurd expectation.
24
"i love that men are so offended by this suggestion."

IA seemed to be suggesting that guys in *general are potential rapists - which is kind of offensive since it's not really true. In other words, *generalizing.




"And Damosa, you being black has nothing to do with it. At least for me. I wouldn't feel MORE afraid due to you being black."

Well if what you say is true then i'm very glad you feel that way. However, it is VERY MUCH the case with soo many other people. Try growing up in the South for 25 years. I've got my OWN jitters about folks walking too closely behind me when it's dark. But i'm not demanding that everyone near me scatter, just for MY piece of mind.




"If I stayed at home I wouldn't get to mace Mercury commenters. See how that works?"


No. Why would you intentionally mace (assault) people like that? I'm almost 100% certain that NOONE here will ever try and get you. You seem to have a bit of a violent streak. Perhaps I should be on the look out for YOU.
25
Nobody likes feeling stalked, but this person is just plain scared of walking alone at night. She probably needs to cut back on the cocaine and only walk at night with someone else if she's that scared. That said, some Portlanders really do have a problem with the concept of "personal space", but asking all males to cross the street is a bit much.
26
some people do abuse personal space. Its a concept they cant get it thru their skull.
27
There are a lot of Nice Guys in Portland
28
Actually, I'm quite aware how fortunate I am to be a man when I'm out alone at night, and I'm plenty aware of how uncomfortable it is to have people walking behind you at night too: I feel the same way. Which is why I think this is bullshit, since it's just an uncomfortable part of life, which as mature adults we have to deal with. In fact, I do try to not follow "too closely," whatever that means. But cross the street? That's just nuts.

And that's Anonymous' main suggestion. She can throw "don't touch" in there (who the fuck touches someone in the street; or, would that be OK during the day?) but she's being paranoid and expecting the rest of us to accomodate her dysfunction.

And for all the fucking fear, here's some data!

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=viole…

So people in Portland have approximately and on average a 0.5% chance of being the victim of violent crime each year... not great, but the fear seems overblown to me. I imagine a lot of those crimes happen in bad neighborhoods or as a part of bar fights or domestic violence, so let's chill the fuck out about the crime shit already, ok?
29
I just want to smell your hair.
30
"Is this guy going to do something? What's going on here? They're feeling it. And guys feel it too. I feel it. And I'm like, Hey, I'm just walking down the street. I just happen to be going the same way. I'm walking behind this woman, and she's thinking I'm a rapist. And now I'm feeling guilty for being a rapist when I haven't fucking done anything. So now I'm feeling guilty and feeling a little angry because I'm minding my own business. Like, I'm sorry I'm walking behind you. And she's thinking, Why the fuck can't I just walk down the street? All of a sudden there's this tension and anger about nothing."
31
I have a confession to make. I've committed a horrible sin.

Earlier this evening, i was about to get off the bus. But there was this WOMAN you see, who was getting off RIGHT before me. The front of the bus was blocked by a morbidly obese person in one of those motorized wheel-chairs, so we both had to exit through the rear.

Even thought we both headed in completely opposite directions once we got off, the poor girl must've been TERRIFIED that i and 3 other people (including another guy, who might've been a molester) have inadvertently followed right behind her - for the 1.5 seconds it took to exit the #72. I feel really shitty about that, i really truly do. I know i should've just WAITED and gotten off at the next stop, even thought it would've put me more than two blocks out of my way.

My selfish need to get to my destination in an efficient manner has caused undo trauma and suffering to one of my fellow humans - I'M SORRY PORTLAND!!! I'm NOT a rapist, i swear! I didn't MEAN to follow her too closely, as we both were exiting at the same time. I should've dove through the emergency exit - THAT'S what i should've done.

Please forgive me. (:-(
32
Cross the damn street yourself. Asshole.
33
LOL at the not getting it. Jesus fuck you guys are dense.
34
Speed up or get out of my way already.
35
"LOL at the not getting it. Jesus fuck you guys are dense."


Again with the *generalizations. But somehow it's "sexist" or "sex-phobic" if men do it. SEE HOW THAT WORKS?
36
I could just focus on you. Because you're pretty fucking dense.
37
Then that would just make YOU a racist. See how that works?
38
"That being said, I pity the fool who tries to fuck with me. I have brass knuckles always in my pocket and I know how to fucking use them. " - Sugarspill



A real firecracker this one must be, huh? Who does she think SHE is, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?
39
Whoever knew that a woman asking men to be considerate and be aware of how their behavior might be intimidating would inspire SUCH AMAZING BUTTHURT.

Y U MAD THO
40
"but she's being paranoid and expecting the rest of us to accomodate her dysfunction."

Exactly. Thats not how things work.

I guess otherwise from the poster of this I,A, for mature conscious aware citizens, its OK to have brass knuckles somewhere in your backpack, if its permitted by state laws. People carry swiss army knifes all the time because their handy and it helps them in case they've got to fix their bike on the go, or to kickstart their car.

41
@dadada a firecracker..., who do you think you are, a force of NATURE? ha ha ha
42
The injustice of it all
43
Sure. I'll cross the street. Isn't that what gentlemen do?
44
If someone's following you closely they probably just want to pass you and you've placed yourself obnoxiously and obliviously in their way! Oh no! You've probably been absent minded-ly diddling with your cell phone while walking & checking your face book status as this situation emerges: "Oh god, a creeper is stalking me AGAIN" you post to your 200 friends. I think though that this is some delusional narcissistic trait where you THINK the world revolves around you and your mind fashions this pervasive, continuing delusion that everyone is thinking about you, everyone MUST be thinking of you in some way and the guy (probably among the vast majority of NON RAPING MALE ORGANISMS) behind you must be a stalker or paparazzi (or both! You little star, you!). He has also honed in your pussy specifically and he's ready to go pitbull on that shit.

No. I doubt this very much.

Maybe you should try GETTING OUT OF THE WAY, seeing if this fellow will pass or crossing the street yourself. It's a sidewalk, it's for everyone, if this was a parking garage and this guy is lingering a few feet behind you I can see that being fear inducing... but a sidewalk? If you're that sheepish, melodramatic (and frankly narcissistic) then try arming yourself with pepper spray or a small pistol. No one has to abscond from a public sidewalk because you're psychologically weak and paranoid… and I'm going to take a stab in the dark here but in most cases I doubt these quickly labeled creepers want your pussy RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDEWALK, more likely they want to get to where they need to be and you're in the way (while fashioning delusions out of last night's grim news stories). SO get the F out of the way you silly goose.
45
Yes Ted Bundy, that's EXACTLY what gentlemen do. Thank you for chiming in.
46
Ted Bundy would offer to help a woman with her groceries. Get it right.
47
lol anonymous you so mad
48
I disapprove of the word "triggering."
49
HEY WOMEN! WALK FASTER OR GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY. I'M NOT STALKING YOU. YOU'RE JUST SLOWING ME DOWN. AND PUT ON SOME GODDAMNED SENSIBLE SHOES, THERE'S NO REASON TO WEAR THOSE UGLY-ASS FMPS, OKAY?
50
I stare at you Graham.
51
No Damosa, I'm a woman who has learned that it is best to be alert and able to defend myself if needed.

Why? Because getting raped sucks. You can make jokes about it, trivialize it, even sympathize. But the only person who should have dominion over my body is ME. And rape makes a woman feel completely powerless.

You bring up race issues a lot. I imagine that comes from being raised and feeling/being powerless in a culture or situation that you have or had ZERO control over.
Maybe it's a broad association jump, but I feel like it adds a bit of perspective.

But thanks for the comparison to Lisbeth Salander, because she IS a fucking badass.
52
"But thanks for the comparison to Lisbeth Salander, because she IS a fucking badass."


Well THANK YOU!

My work here is done.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.