I did it!! I was being heckled most unpleasantly on Sunday by a small black Fiat driver who had two small children in the back. he slowed right down and crawled along beside me (thank goodness it was in town), rolled down the window and started with the 'fancy a f***' 'Nice piece of ass' and blowing kisses. I stopped, pulled out a stub of pencil specially put in my bum bag and a scrap of paper and made to note his car numberplate. He actually stopped and got out of his car - I won't describe the state of my bowels at this moment. 'Wot you f***ing doin' he asked in his best local dialect. 'I'm noting your number to report you to the police for kerbcrawling, sexual harrassment and threatening behaviour'. i replied, managing to keep the tremble from my voice.
"Sh**. It was just a bit of fun" was his response before getting back into his car and driving off at high speed.
It took several minutes before i could unglue my feet from the pavement and persuade my legs to walk towards home.
Fine example for his children was my main thought when my brain started working again. I didn't manage to take his full numberplate, but i'll pass it on to a running mate who is a copper and see if he can pay a visit in the line of duty. Hopeuflly that is one driver that won't be hassling runners again.
Not sure if i could be that brave again, though.
I've nearly stopped trembling.
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Comments
Why do these people have to be so unpleasant
Any views Homer Hart, I believe you're a bobby
Good idea to take down his number but please be wary of confronting a looney like that in future. Sadly, we girls have to be extra careful.
Well done for your bravery - it's similar to what I have rehearsed in my mind often, but doubt I would ever have the nerve to do. I'm sure you are fast enough to outrun the kind of lout that would do that kind of thing in the first place, but be careful, please!
well done Dangly Spice - very brave of you - not sure I would have had the courage to act the way you did.. Yet another example of the moronic attitude we have to face when going about our own business. Hope his kids drop him right in it.
Dumpling
Respect is due, DS, for being so brave. I could not have done that.
Parsley.
Well done.
Hild
I can not believe that people think this sort of behaviour is acceptable. It is bad enough that this guy thought this was acceptable behaviour, but in front of kids!!!
Please be careful DS, and all you girls out there, I know you can take care of yourselves but don't take any risks (and no I am not being patronising, I just can not express what I am feeling any other way).
The forum would miss you.
SB
I haven't seen my mate who is a PC runner and as time is passing, i'm beginning to feel that i probably won't pass on the details - just hope the bloke in the Fiat is sweating and waiting for the knock on the door, and as several of you mentioned - hope his kids drop him in it.
I'm as much a coward as anyone really.
These people need challenging, whilst not taking ridiculous risks ourselves. Hope you do follow it up, he should be made to feel embarrassed and ashamed in front of his family.
Finally, sorry you had to deal with this and it's not surprising you're getting some 'aftershocks' now. Agression and harrassment is ugly.
I was once out running with some friends when we apparently crossed the road in a way which enraged a passing van driver. He stopped, got out and started swearing f***** bitches etc. I was all for ignoring it but my friend who's very assertive said: 'Pardon, I find your language very offensive and some women would find it threatening. We've taken the name of your van down and will be contacting your boss.' As luck would have it I knew the name on his van was a company a colleague's partner was a director for. We were hugely satisfied to learn that the driver had been pulled in front of his boss and told in no incertain terms that if this happened again he would lose the van!
Balancing the fury with the brain dead with the common sense of not endangering yourself is a tricky one. Well done.
Hope the police prosecute and name/shame the git.
It's right that people should advise caution but I think as it was a built up area you were taking a calculated risk and it was a brave but not foolhardy thing to do. We've got to stand up to these people.
Don't tortue yourself with what ifs. You were very brave, you're a hero!