I am quite unsure how this blog is going to turn up when I hit the “Publish” button. I feel sick to my stomach, I feel irritated, I feel extremely annoyed and “shocked” or even “thunder struck” this very moment. What you’re going to read now could be “silly” or “overreacting” for someone but, I really hope, at least one finds this serious because this is kind of so “saddening” and bringing “mental agony” to me.
It happened today, exactly by 3.55 pm.
It’s the time I use to pick my Mum from school, she is a working woman, she has been a Govt School Teacher for more than two decades now. For the past 3 years, I have been helping Mum whenever I could by being her “transport” means.
Her School is located in Tirupur Road, in our Town; I have been here since my birth. The fact that this has happened in my own hometown really makes me feel sick. It’s just less than 3 km from my home. And since Lockdown I have been dropping off and picking her up by myself as the classes are only online. Through this time, I have been familiar there with the Petrol bunk, the non-teaching staff in the school also recognize me. So I’ve got used to it.
Today, as usual, I went on to pick her up. By 3.50pm I started the ride from my home. Because it’s literally my province, I mostly go out in my casual wear, which is Shirt and Pants. ( I really feel bad detailing what I wear and this is just so unfair. And I even wear Coat over the shirt irrespective of the weather because of the “Men” staring at me inappropriately. )
I crossed roads as I was taking a shortcut today. It was in SH 87 to be exact. So I got on the road and now I am on SH 87 and I saw a Bike, black bike with two men. They both were wearing “Black” shirts. I could not not down the number plate. But the number started from “32.”
The moment I got on the road and crossed the immediate barry gate, I saw that they were passing some comments and they were trying to come “parallel” with my vehicle. I was quite annoyed. So I slowed down by letting them pass from me and they were not going to quit. The one driving, he kept on looking at me through the mirror and the other man, he turned back several times and it was getting weirder and weirder. To escape from them, I sped up and crossed them and landed on the left corner of the lane, which is my safer place. Though I have been driving since my 8th grade, and have got my license, I never speed up or drive harshly because I am actually pretty scared. Till date, 60 has been my highest speed because I love my Mum, and I would not risk anything when I have her behind me.
I felt quite ok when I crossed them but, I could see that they were speeding up. They suddenly came parallel to me again, and looked at me, at this time they were just half-a-feet away from me. I was terrified, they could have pulled my chain, harassed and what not. They passed on some comments that I never replied or heard actually from the sound.
I slowed up to 30 and my heart was actually pounding, they went ahead of me and they kept on checking their rear mirror. Then they went far and I was just so scared.
I told my Mum about this and she was very angry. A minute after that I myself asked my Mum if I should wear “CHURIDAR” henceforth. She said yes because it is much safer.
When I reached home 10 minutes after that, I thought to myself; if I cannot feel safe in my own town, where else will I feel this?
The moment they went past me, I didn’t show the middle finger at them I didn’t shout some cuss words. I told myself out loud, “I need to write about this!”
I mean this is 2021. It’s not a night time that I went out or to a party or something…this is right in the middle of the day, by 3.55 pm in the afternoon! On a State Highway! And I was wearing the most appropriate clothes, a closed neck tee shirt and full length pants unlike my 3/4th like the other days!!!!
Those men would have been 35-40. The one that was sitting behind was a NorthIndian. If something had gone wrong and I I had panicked and ended up in an accident because of this on a SH, who would answer for my life? To my family? To my Mum who’s waiting for her daughter to come, take her home?
I did not have to write this. I did not have through this. When is this going to stop? And the fact that men of my age, say 20-30 really actually bring no trouble, they behave as respectful as possible as far as I’ve seen. But these guys, who are over 35… what the hell is wrong with you people?
To all these low- life creatures, who stare at Women inappropriately who drive two-wheelers when they drive past the “speed-breakers” ( even when I happened to wear a COAT OVER MY SHIRT EVERY bloody TIME) and the Men who just live their life to not let a Woman drive her vehicle in peace… when the hell are you gonna stop?
With anticipation for a change,
Veera 🙂
perception21 