# I may be a sexist



## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2008)

I was out in a very remote area riding when a young gal came riding along with a big smile. We were riding in area a LONG way from anyone or anything except wilderness. Long story short, I was amazed this incredible gal was riding all by herself in the wilderness. Is this a double standard?


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## frankenstein406 (May 11, 2007)

I'm sure she can handle herself. If not I'll be the prince charming


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I guess some people like long solo rides (male or female). I like and prefer the company.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

Jaybo said:


> I was out in a very remote area riding when a young gal came riding along with a big smile. We were riding in area a LONG way from anyone or anything except wilderness. Long story short, I was amazed this incredible gal was riding all by herself in the wilderness. Is this a double standard?


I guess it depends on your reasoning. If you think it's unsafe for any single person to be alone out in the wilderness, then no. You're just cautious - and that's just personal opinion.

If you're saying if you saw a solo guy there you'd think nothing of it but are assuming this girl is incompetent in terms of taking care of herself by comparison without knowing anything else about her, then, well - yes. If there are some other factors - like she was on a clearly unmmaintained bike carrying no water or whatever that made you question her decision making, that's different.

What exactly do you think could happen to her that couldn't happen to a guy in the same situation? I mean, sure you could make some stereotypical assumptions, but how do you know she's not an expert in survival techniques, self defense, etc.?


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## Andrea138 (Mar 25, 2009)

"Alone in the wilderness" is a key phrase here. If your mind is wandering to the "someone could attack this woman riding alone because they want to rape or otherwise prey on her because she's a woman," then you aren't necessarily being sexist, but you should be much more concerned about the women who ride alone in urban settings, where the density of ill-intent is much higher than in the wilderness. 

If you're thinking "what if 'x' else happens" (x = mechanical problem, injury, wild animal attack, etc) and she can't deal with it because, being a woman, she obviously is delicate and will crumble into an emotional heap in such situations, then yes, you're a sexist pig.

EDIT- damn, Connie beat me to it


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## screampint (Dec 10, 2001)

Andrea138 said:


> If your mind is wandering to the "someone could attack this woman riding alone because they want to rape or otherwise prey on her because she's a woman," then you aren't necessarily being sexist, but you should be much more concerned about the women who ride alone in urban settings, where the density of ill-intent is much higher than in the wilderness.


Exactly! I try to point this out to people who worry about me when I go ride alone. Wild animals are far safer than some urban dwellers.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

For me, a woman alone in the wilderness is extremely cool. Something about an independent, capable, loner type girl is very appealing! 

But like others said, in areas where the risk is not wilderness but bad guys, it is probably true that girls are in more danger than guys. 

Either way, I hope she was carrying Mace.


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## sspanish (May 29, 2011)

Sounds like Xena the warrior princess....There's anything except wilderness around and in her HEART!!
Ahahah I think it's not that sexist to scare yourself but..be aware of feminists societys that will eat ur brain if u think like that!


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## A girl from Seattle (May 3, 2007)

I don't understand why this is such a big deal to some people. I ride alone in the wilderness all the time. I don't even think about it. I do carry bear spray and a 6" knife, but I've never had cause to use either one. What are women supposed to do, stay home at all times unless accompanied by a bodyguard? Why would you even notice or care whether a woman is out alone? Such old-fashioned thinking! Jeez.


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

screampint said:


> Exactly! I try to point this out to people who worry about me when I go ride alone. Wild animals are far safer than some urban dwellers.


I totally agree with you both. I had a woman boss that asked "aren't you worried about riding the trails alone?" The concern being both wing-nuts and possible injury. This was on lunch rides, so how far into the wilderness can you get? I said no, it seems safer to me than many other areas I go in terms of the wierdos, and if I get hurt, I will crawl out if I have to.

I have never had a problem, but she ended up getting hit by a car while jogging on the road near work. Significant injuries, but she is OK. Risks are everywhere and unfortunately nobody has a crystal ball.


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

There is a book titled "The Beast in the Garden"- about mountain lion attacks in Colorado. One of the stories in the book is about a high school athlete that was killed by a mountain lion while on a run_ within sight of his high school in the middle of the day_. (The bike path bridge in Idaho Springs is named after him- the Scott Lancaster Memorial bicycle bridge).

Point being bad stuff can happen way out "in the wilderness", or right in your backyard. Whether you are male or female. Safety is an illusion. Everything you do in life is a risk.

So why is it "incredible" or "amazing" that a woman would be out riding "all by herself"? Is it just assumed that she is not competent enough to take reasonable, common sense precautions (such as knowing where she is going, having well-maintained equipment and needed supplies, letting someone know where she will be riding), ride within her limits and take care of herself on her own?


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

A girl from Seattle said:


> I don't understand why this is such a big deal to some people. I ride alone in the wilderness all the time. I don't even think about it. I do carry bear spray and a 6" knife, but I've never had cause to use either one.


I was up in Yellowstone earlier this month, and got to chatting about mountain biking with a park worker who was doing maintenance on some trails. He had been riding in Crested Butte a few weeks before, and said he was surprised that no one was carrying bear spray on their handlebars. Apparently no one rides without it in Montana!

I have never considered carrying mace or bear spray while biking. But it doesn't seem like such a weird idea to me now, after backpacking in grizzly country.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

MtbRN said:


> I was up in Yellowstone earlier this month, and got to chatting about mountain biking with a park worker who was doing maintenance on some trails. He had been riding in Crested Butte a few weeks before, and said he was surprised that no one was carrying bear spray on their handlebars. Apparently no one rides without it in Montana!
> 
> I have never considered carrying mace or bear spray while biking. But it doesn't seem like such a weird idea to me now, after backpacking in grizzly country.


Yelllowstone/Wyoming/ Montana = Grizzlys
Crested Butte = Black bears

That's the difference, although they both scare the crap out of me.


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

Sometimes alone is safer than with someone. In college, I used to walk home at night all the time. The one time I let my friends talk me into allowing a guy to escort me home, the escort tried to attack me (unsuccessfully - luckily he had no chance as he was so drunk, he could barely stand up).

There is a double standard. People are used to seeing men do more dangerous activities than they see women do. So they are surprised when they see women doing something that they consider dangerous (i.e. mountain biking, especially alone in the middle of nowhere). I got the same surprise when I chose to go into engineering 30+ years ago. I figure that one by one we'll blow those perceptions out of the water by just doing what we love to do. If we just keep doing what we love to do, by the time Jaybo comes across his 10th gal riding alone in the wilderness, it won't be a big deal at all. It will be normal and he'll be amazed when he sees a rare guy in the wilderness :winker:.


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## kpeach (Apr 15, 2011)

I ride by myself on occasion. The trails I ride generally have a bit of traffic, but I just try to stay aware. I don't generally bring anything for defense (though I think some pepper spray might be a good idea). **** can really happen anywhere, and I generally feel WAY less safe on the road with cars zooming by than on the trail...


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## womble (Sep 8, 2006)

A girl from Seattle said:


> I don't understand why this is such a big deal to some people. I ride alone in the wilderness all the time. I don't even think about it. I do carry bear spray and a 6" knife, but I've never had cause to use either one. What are women supposed to do, stay home at all times unless accompanied by a bodyguard? Why would you even notice or care whether a woman is out alone? Such old-fashioned thinking! Jeez.


What's the 6" knife for? Self defense or use as a general outdoor tool? (I'm asking as someone from Oz, where carrying big knives is a highly unusual thing to do, Croc Dundee jokes aside).


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## TVC15 (Jun 6, 2004)

Jaybo said:


> I was out in a very remote area riding when a young gal came riding along with a big smile. We were riding in area a LONG way from anyone or anything except wilderness. Long story short, I was amazed this incredible gal was riding all by herself in the wilderness. Is this a double standard?


Nope. It's just sweet.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Period.

Right on. :thumbsup:


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## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2008)

Okay, no worries...she is just having fun. I was just hoping she would not track me down on the climb and hurt my male riding ego


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## A girl from Seattle (May 3, 2007)

womble said:


> What's the 6" knife for? Self defense or use as a general outdoor tool? (I'm asking as someone from Oz, where carrying big knives is a highly unusual thing to do, Croc Dundee jokes aside).


Well, I got the knife before I realized that bear spray is probably an all-around better tool to fend off unwanted bears, cougars, and humans. The knife is just in case the bear spray doesn't work... or in the event that I should find an unsliced pizza, watermelon, etc in the middle of the trail.


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## sunnyracegirl (Apr 11, 2004)

Jaybo - I'm with TVC15.

Good-hearted people have a natural concern for other people. Good-hearted men will naturally have a stronger protective instinct over a female than another male. We are simply hard-wired that way. It's not that it's a double-standard per se, it's that as a male, and typically the stronger and larger of the sexes, it should be in your nature to be concerned for (and impressed by) a female who tackles challenges most PEOPLE would not attempt and conquers them.

I'm a Navy wife. My husband has said numerous times how proud and impressed he is by the way I approach challenges. Should I be insulted and assume he doesn't think I could do these things? Should I assume he's comparing me to men who would tackle such challenges without hesitation? Of course not.

When my little girl is running, falls down, skins her knee, gets back up and keeps running, am I impressed because I think she's *incapable *of ignoring the pain and continuing her fun? No. I'm impressed because she's chosen to do so. Most of the other little kids I know (not just girls) are more prone to cry or whine. Looking at a random sample of kids, my daughter is on the tough end of the scale. She surprises a lot of people. She is a-typical. I know what she's capable of, but I'm still impressed by her and proud of the choices she's making.

Female mountain bikers are a-typical. They surprise and impress you because *most *females are hesitant to even go mountain biking, let alone choose to go mountain biking in a remote area alone.

I'm really surprised at you women here who seem to have taken offense at the question: Is [feeling amazement at a lone female mtn biker in a remote area] a double standard?

Of course not. We should all be amazed when something impressive occurs. The reaction should be: 
Hey! Thanks for noticing! And thanks for feeling protective of your fellow riders, especially a girl by herself (who evidently passed you?). It's not easy getting out there for 3-hour rides, and it's especially hard to find other females to ride with who want to do the kind of riding I want to do. I end up riding alone a lot, but I have my cell phone and emergency supplies and I always tell people the route I'm taking. Also, thanks for having the courage to come into the Women's Lounge and ask. A lot of guys would just not say anything for fear of pissing someone off...


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

It depends. What kind of bike was she riding? If it was a beach cruiser, then yes, you should have been concerned.

.02


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## stucktruck (Oct 4, 2010)

I live in san diego county. 
about a year ago a high school girl was snatched off of our trails at lake hodges
her name was chelsey she was raped and murdered just off trail.
things do happen
I ride by her memorial all the time out on the trail.
I also still see high school aged 100lb girls jogging alone out there with their earbuds in and I can't help but cringe when I see that. 

this happened on a busy trail system in a good neiborhood in daylight.

I don't think this is a double standard


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

stucktruck said:


> I live in san diego county.
> about a year ago a high school girl was snatched off of our trails at lake hodges
> her name was chelsey she was raped and murdered just off trail.
> things do happen
> ...


When I was in junior high school, a classmate of mine (a boy) was snatched off the street in his (pretty nice) neighborhood and raped and murdered. And Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped out of her bedroom, if you recall.

Things can happen to anyone, anywhere. I'm not even close to believing that these things happen more often in the wilderness than they do in more populated areas. Should you pay attention to what's going on around you? Of course! Should you learn to defend yourself and develop some survival skills? Makes sense to me! Should you refuse to ever do anything alone? To me - that's thoroughly over the top and I'm not going to abandon doing things I love so I can live in fear.


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## screampint (Dec 10, 2001)

connie said:


> Should you refuse to ever do anything alone? To me - that's thoroughly over the top and I'm not going to abandon doing things I love so I can live in fear.


Agreed! Common sense.

I do fear more urban trails than wilderness ones. Just because you're less likely to encounter wackos out in the woods/desert.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Jaybo said:


> I was out in a very remote area riding when a young gal came riding along with a big smile. We were riding in area a LONG way from anyone or anything except wilderness. Long story short, I was amazed this incredible gal was riding all by herself in the wilderness. Is this a double standard?


You asked if you are you a sexist for being surprised that this girl was out alone. No. You are just used to a world where a lot of women wouldn't.

You'd be sexist/have a double standard if you thought something was wrong with it. But clearly you thought it was cool


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## Eckstream1 (Jul 27, 2011)

I worry about the person that tries to snatch/rape my girlfriend when she is out running the trails alone... She carries a gun!


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## It'llbefun!! (Aug 1, 2011)

I often get comments from friends, and bikers I meet along the way, about how "brave" I am to be out there alone.
I don't think I'm brave at all. What I am is smart, competent, tough, prepared, and willing to take the risk of injury or accident, just like any guy "out there alone." 
Can I change a tire? Yes. Can I repair minor equipment issues? Yes. Am I carrying water, food, a first aid kit, and a cell phone? Yes. Pepperspray (on my person, not on the bike)? Yes. Could I hoof it out, even if I was injured? Yep, done it before. If all these answers were "no" would I be a dumbass to be out there alone? Yes, just like any guy.


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## kimikaw (Apr 13, 2010)

screampint said:


> Agreed! Common sense.
> 
> I do fear more urban trails than wilderness ones. Just because you're less likely to encounter wackos out in the woods/desert.


Exactly. Here in Milwaukee we have a couple of MTB trails in the city. I am rather uncomfortable riding these alone due to the proximity to some less than desirable well populated areas of town ( and along a section of highwaybthat would mute out distress calls).

However, get me down to the trails at the Kettles or a couple of weeks ago down in Brown County IN, I felt perfectly fine riding alone. In fact really enjoy it at times.


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## Sdaniels (Oct 29, 2011)

I ride by myself all the time and I'm a girl. However, I have been taught bike maintenance and am confident in changing a flat, etc. I agree that anyone riding alone needs to know how to take care of themselves regardless of gender. Plus, I feel like i am more likely to be attacked in a parking garage than getting chased down and pulled off my bike. I think it's more that there aren't many girls out that's surprising. Personally, I wish I had more girls to ride with!


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