Beeping at women runners

Start of rant....

Why is it,that some men think that "honking their horns","beeping at women runners" is a good thing or a laugh ?  would they like it if their wives..daughters or mothers would have to endure this harrasment

My wife went out for a run not so long back and had three of these idiots,and at least one shouted at her (she did not hear what the prick had to say as the car was going to fast)  do they not get how vunerable a woman feels on her own and the effect this can have ?

Unfortunatly this is a common occurance for my wife and as we have a two year old,we cannot run together so we have bought a treadmill, so speed work can be completed indoors,but long runs will still have to be run outdoors.

Rant Over...

I don't know why they feel to need to do it. I just assume they're all encouraging - maybe it's a state of mind thing.

I have to say that most of the shouts I've been able to comprehend have been encouraging, so maybe the beeps are too.

I understand what you are saying but it is just a beep - drivers beep for a number of reasons. As a woman I have learnt (slowly I'll admit) that a beep is not a threatening gesture. This is my take on it...and is not a judgement on how your wife feels or indeed your feelings. I agree that people who shout random and sometimes moronic comments are looking for peer approval - runners are a natural target with our hi viz, lycra clothes but this is just a fleeting comment.

If she does feel vulnerable, would she consider carrying a personal alarm? There are lots of types to choose from, like this one - designed for runners. This would give her an added layer of protection (if you see what I mean) and might mean that you feel a little more at ease when she is out running alone. I realise I am very lucky where I live - we have lots of street lights, a fairly small town where people recognise the runners and we do watch out for each other. But I also know that not everyone has this experience.

Really hope she stays safe...and definitely look into getting a personal alarm!

I get beeped quite a lot - it doesn't make me feel intimidated or threatened, though, and I just ignore them.

Sometimes it's friends, but I rarely recognise the car and only find out later "I saw you running the other day and beeped...."

I'm a woman and this sort of thing never bothers me to be quite honest - people without two brain cells to rub together really aren't worth bothering about. 

While I don't doubt for a moment that your wife feels genuinely intimidated by this she really can't let idiots like this dictate her life - otherwise where will it end?

As mimaduck suggests, perhaps carrying a personal alarm would make her feel safer or perhaps it's a case of just learning to accept it. 

I don't mind the beeping, and i don't get intimidated by it......but it sometimes makes me jump out of my skin if i'm not expecting it - usually resulting in an expletive of my own!!!

However, i find that most 'verbal' either from cars or passers by, only comes when i'm running with others....and very rarely when i'm on my own.  

Maybe their one braincell does comprehend that this could be intimidating to a lone runner.

popsider wrote (see)

I agree with you Warkie - if they wouldn't walk up to the same woman in a pub and say I was just admiring your arse or whatever why is it OK to beep at them when they are running. It isn't just encouragement as how many men get beeped regularly - or is it just me that doesn't! It's really just a lesser version (OK maybe much lesser) of the way in some countries it's common for women in public to get their arses felt by men. Funny what being in a car does for people's bravery. Similar to how plenty feel it necessary to castigate cyclists for riding 2 abreast perfectly legally - I normally gesture for them to pull over and discuss it and I've yet to have one take me up on the offer. Having said that I agree you can't let these sort of dickheads get to you.

Are we not reading too much into this?

I, for one, have no idea what a beep means as a thing in itself - it could be any one of a number of things, it doesn't have to equal sexual aggression.

I think it's already been established that on the last occasion Mrs W didn't actually hear what was being said to her so we can't glean anything from that either.

Agree with Screamy.

Those comments I've been able to decipher have always been positive or encouraging. I choose to interpret any comments and beeps as positive. Doesn't matter how they're meant, I take them as positives. Life's too short to get het up about this, imo.

I get beeped almost all the time I run on the main roads in High Wycombe. If no one beeps at me, I start to think something must be wrong LOL.

It does not really bother me, I do not look at it as a threat. If someone wanted to hurt me, they would jump out of their car and grab me (provided they can outrun me...) As Seren Nos is saying, people can beep at you for many reasons and some of the reasons may be good ones. People who beep you because they want to mock you while you are running must be quite miserable.

I am sorry this is bothering your wife so much and I hope this will not stop her from enjoying running outside.

Some random chav told me to "go faster" at the weekend.

You have a choice to engage or ignore: Do you abuse the numskull that probably can't even tell you his own name? Do you stop and explain to said moron that actually you are running a long way and that long runs are meant to be slow or do you just ignore and carry on?

It's number 3 all the time unless said chav is fat and is stuffing his face with junk food in which case it's 1 as A) he deserves it and B) he won't be able to chase you

Screamapillar wrote (see)

Some random chav told me to "go faster" at the weekend.

You have a choice to engage or ignore: Do you abuse the numskull that probably can't even tell you his own name? Do you stop and explain to said moron that actually you are running a long way and that long runs are meant to be slow or do you just ignore and carry on?

It's number 3 all the time unless said chav is fat and is stuffing his face with junk food in which case it's 1 as A) he deserves it and B) he won't be able to chase you

Mrs Warkie is a tough little cookie and was just moaning about it really ..it's more to do with me and my general grumpy outlook most of the time

In future please ignore all of my posting ....