Tag Archives: honking

“They shouted insults at me.”

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Location: 14th and N St. NW DC
Time: Morning Rush Hour (5am-9:30am)

I was walking to the gym in spandex and a tank top (not that it should matter) and heard a honk from behind me; I turned around and saw it was three guys in a trash truck honking at me. Iflicked (sic) them off (mature, I know) and then they slowed the truck down, holding up traffic on busy 14th, to crawl at my pace for a block and a half while they shouted insults at me. Not fun.

Submitted on 7/18/12 by Anonymous

If you experience or have experienced sexual harassment on the DC Metro system:
Please consider reporting to Metro Transit Police: www.wmata.com/harassment; 202-962-2121.

Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault? Submit your story to help raise awareness about the pervasiveness and harmful effects of street harassment. All submissions are posted anonymously unless otherwise specified.

Unnecessary Honking

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Image by Jason Cartwright via Flickr

Ugh. Walking home with groceries. Guy in a baseball cap honked at me repeatedly and blew me kisses. Yuck.

Submitted by PD

Location: Willard Ave

Time of harassment: Evening Rush Hour (3:30P-7:30P)

Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault you would like to submit? Just click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify

Harassed while Crossing the Street

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A few weeks ago, I was walking and crossed the street at a red light. A horn beeps really loudly, in an aggressive manner that I notice usually happens when someone’s stuck in traffic and experiencing bad road rage. I thought the driver was rushing me to cross, though I had pedestrian right of way and plenty of time to cross.

The driver beeps obnoxiously again, and I turn to see a pathetic excuse for a man sitting in the driver seat of his vehicle. He smiles and waves at me. His younger doppelganger sat in the passenger seat, not giving a crap about what I was doing, and probably embarrassed that the driver was making an ass of himself.

So beeping his horn obnoxiously was his way of getting my attention? He got it all right, but not the kind he was expecting. Instead of me running to his car filled with joy and passion, what he did was startle me and fill me with rage.

Since I was in the middle of crossing the street, my split second reaction was to flip him the middle finger while continuing to cross the street. I wish I had one of those holla back flyers I saw floating around that explains to these beeping jerks why it’s not cool to beep a horn to get a woman’s attention.

Submitted by anonymous on 7/3/2011

Location: Barton Street & Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA

Time of harassment: Evening Rush Hour (3:30P-7:30P)

Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault you would like to submit? Just click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify.

Men at Work

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Photo by uzvards via flickr

I was harassed by not one, not two, but THREE men! The worst of all is that these men were all on the clock in some way, shape or form. The first incident was a Metro Access driver who beeped at me. I knew the beep was addressed to me since there was no other traffic on the street at the time.

While I didn’t see his face, I got his license plate: DC plate B 43034. Where do they get these Metro Access drivers from?! They seem to be nothing but trouble. The second was a guy in a green pick up truck. He beeps at me, and reflexively I look (why did I look?) then he waves at me. I was furious. The second damn beep within a 5-10 minute period. I yelled at him to leave me alone and take that shit elsewhere.

I didn’t get the license plate (I saw this was also a DC vehicle), but I got a phone number on a bumper sticker (Electrician? Call 202-669-1170). I looked up the number online and all I got was random reverse phone number sites. Later in the evening, I was harassed by a guy who was either a cop or a security guard. I got the feeling he would do/say something, but I didn’t want to change my direction. I kept walking, and while he was doing something (it looked like he was directing traffic that didn’t exist), he says “Howya doin’, baby?” in that sexual tone. Gross.

I didn’t want to say anything for fear that he’d abuse his authority and arrest me for talking back, so I rolled my eyes and kept on walking. It was such a warm, pleasant day, but dealing with men harassing me (harassing while at work, to boot!) was unpleasant.

Submitted by anonymous

Location:0th & Daniel Street; 10th at Fillmore & Washington Blvd; Fairfax Drive between Monroe and Nelson, Arlington, VA

Time of harassment:Evening Rush Hour (3:30P-7:30P)

Do you have a personal experience with gender-based public sexual harassment or assault you would like to submit? Just click here and fill out the online submission form. All submissions are posted anonymously unless you specify.

Even at Night?!

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I was exhausted last night. After leaving a late meeting, I was deciding which public transportation system to use: bus or metro. The Metro, although faster, meant more blocks to walk on a fairly abandoned part of town. The bus meant shorter blocks, more people waiting, but cramped space. My decision was made for me when I saw the bus.

I jumped on the S4 to Silver Spring. Due to this blog and other incidents, I now sit on the outside seat as I can grab more space if needed, as well as an “escape route” (i.e., I can get up if someone is annoying/smelly/taking up too much room). My bus ride was uneventful although it featured several teens yelling at each other, which I have concluded is the way teens talk. One of the boys decided to stick his finger up his, what I presumed to be, girlfriend’s nose and hold it there for at least 45 seconds. This brought a rift of laughter and screams of pain from the girl.

Needless to say, with my grumpiness and high heels, I was happy to get off the bus. I started walking to the corner of the street. From the other side of the street, someone was honking their horn. Of course curious, I look. To my dismay, this truck was honking at me. While I didn’t show any interest, the noise changed to yelling, “Senorita! Senorita!” followed by kissing sounds. Usually, if I respond, I respond using non-communicative signs (my middle finger). I just didn’t even want to engage at 9P. They kept yelling at me as I was walking up my street. I mean, even at night the honking and the yelling doesn’t end, does it?! Sigh.

Location: Eastern Avenue and 16th Streets

Submitted by CS

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