Women commuters taking the train

indophile wrote:If you commute to work by train you may have experienced this. A woman with a heavy coat + big cap and a large bag on the shoulder hanging on her side (about the size of a diaper bag and with assorted things sticking out) and dragging a small suitcase like thingie on wheels behind her chatting with a friend beside her with similar attire and equipment. If you are in a rush to catch your train, first your front view is completely blocked, and second, you can’t do a sideways quick turn like a football tailback running with the ball because the darned behemoth of a bag will get you, and in the process you must realize that they have a built about 10-12 feet of security zone around them (their own girths + that big fat bags + the boxes being dragged behind them).  What is the solution around this problem without compromising the fact that it’s a free country.

indophile wrote:If you commute to work by train you may have experienced this. A woman with a heavy coat + big cap and a large bag on the shoulder hanging on her side (about the size of a diaper bag and with assorted things sticking out) and dragging a small suitcase like thingie on wheels behind her chatting with a friend beside her with similar attire and equipment. If you are in a rush to catch your train, first your front view is completely blocked, and second, you can’t do a sideways quick turn like a football tailback running with the ball because the darned behemoth of a bag will get you, and in the process you must realize that they have a built about 10-12 feet of security zone around them (their own girths + that big fat bags + the boxes being dragged behind them).  What is the solution around this problem without compromising the fact that it’s a free country.

indophile wrote:If you commute to work by train you may have experienced this. A woman with a heavy coat + big cap and a large bag on the shoulder hanging on her side (about the size of a diaper bag and with assorted things sticking out) and dragging a small suitcase like thingie on wheels behind her chatting with a friend beside her with similar attire and equipment. If you are in a rush to catch your train, first your front view is completely blocked, and second, you can’t do a sideways quick turn like a football tailback running with the ball because the darned behemoth of a bag will get you, and in the process you must realize that they have a built about 10-12 feet of security zone around them (their own girths + that big fat bags + the boxes being dragged behind them).  What is the solution around this problem without compromising the fact that it’s a free country.

indophile wrote:They will be shocked even if they know Telugu!
Back in my student days I used to work as a desk clerk and return late at night through a not a pretty part of Washington. It felt very uncomfortable walking on those streets at that our. A desi friend told me a trick on how to get around that fear. He asked me to talk to myself in Telugu (actually with an audible mumble) on any subject - from Mahabharata to Indira Gandhi (choice for the day is mine) and walk. Then others would think I am crazy and just wouldn't bother me. I tried and it worked. No one ever did come near me.

indophile wrote:They will be shocked even if they know Telugu!
Back in my student days I used to work as a desk clerk and return late at night through a not a pretty part of Washington. It felt very uncomfortable walking on those streets at that our. A desi friend told me a trick on how to get around that fear. He asked me to talk to myself in Telugu (actually with an audible mumble) on any subject - from Mahabharata to Indira Gandhi (choice for the day is mine) and walk. Then others would think I am crazy and just wouldn't bother me. I tried and it worked. No one ever did come near me.