Gender difference?
We had an interesting experience recently. We stopped as required at a 1-lane bridge to let cars approaching from the other direction get over the bridge first. (It’s incredible how few motorists using this bridge actually give way on the ‘give way’ side as they should, and we suspect this has a lot to do with the adequacy of modern signage at such bridges.)
Anyway, while we gave way 9 cars came across from the other direction. 8 cars had female drivers and 1 a male driver. 7 of those drivers drove by us without any eye contact or acknowledgement; only one driver acknowledged us with an appreciative gesture for giving way and that was the male driver. Now this may have been a statistical aberration but we wondered if it might indeed show a true gender difference, and if so, what might be the reason for it.
Now there’s an easy study for a Gender Studies student! Oh wait, I forgot, they only do research capable of showing men as bad or women as deserving more resources.
On my way for a blood test a few weeks ago, I was stopped by 5 sets of traffic lights. At THREE of them, there was a person texting while waiting for the lights to change. Yep, all 3 were women. None were passengers, they were all driving the car.
Comment by golfa — Fri 20th September 2013 @ 3:45 pm
In my travels, I like to set my car to cruise control at the speed limit. Then, on an open stretch of road, I can reasonably gauge those cars that pass me, as beng driven over-the-speed-limit. It’s not a scientific survey, but it seems to draw a consistent result.
When a car passes me, I like to glance over at the apparent gender of the drivers. On the whole , most company vans and utilities, tend to be driven by men. And over half of all other normal cars and 4wds, tend to be driven by women.
Of course, no one would like to acknowledge that women speed on our roads just as much as men.
Comment by Anti-Luther-ite — Fri 20th September 2013 @ 5:36 pm
How could anyone be anti Luther Blissett? (S)he’s an exceptionally nice person.
Comment by Luther Blissett — Fri 20th September 2013 @ 7:03 pm
Now that’s presumptive. Martin Luther would be proud.
Comment by Anti-Luther-ite — Fri 20th September 2013 @ 8:17 pm
Your whole site is filled with anecdotal crap without any credible evidence.
When will you wake up and realise that men (most particularly, white men) have the highest degree of institutionalized privilege?
What, exactly, is it that you don’t feel that you have?
Men’s overwhelming sense of entitlement – to women, money, respect – without having earned it, is starting to be seen for what it really is. Bullshit.
Comment by Alison — Thu 14th November 2013 @ 1:41 pm
Oh Alison. When will you realise that we poor menz are so hard done by. We have such a hard time with our privilege and our selective observation.
We even have such difficulty with our (in)ability to string a coherent sentence together.
Why oh why won’t someone think of teh menz.
Comment by Goodgravey — Thu 14th November 2013 @ 6:48 pm
Let’s leave aside the entitlement to women and respect for the moment. It’s the money that interests me just now. How do I actually exercise my entitlement and get some, without earning it? Do tell.
Comment by Ted — Fri 15th November 2013 @ 10:14 am
Allisons a troll..
Comment by kiranjiharr — Fri 15th November 2013 @ 2:11 pm
8. Exactly – why I posted a response back on the other thread she was trying to move us away from……clearly some contentious issues being tabled and discussed TRUTHFULLY…….cant have that…..
Comment by hornet — Fri 15th November 2013 @ 2:24 pm