May I Please Cross the Street in Peace?

I am consistently puzzled by the fact that males believe it is ok to yell at females from car windows, construction sites, across the street, and numerous other public areas. Why is this an acceptable form of communication? Furthermore, why is this such an easy form of communication for them?

If you are a female living in Columbia, then you may have experienced this annoying phenomenon while crossing Gervais or Lady Street in the Vista or Harden Street in Five Points. It happens everyday around here. While some people may think it is flattering, it bothers me so much. All I am thinking when I cross the street, in addition to the soundtrack to my life that is continuously playing in my head, is “Please God, don’t let this be the day that I eat the pavement.” I think that thought is running through my head twice as fast when I am wearing my black stilettos and attempting to cross the street. When you hear something unexpectedly, it throws everything off.

I live downtown so I have the pleasure every morning and afternoon of risking my life crossing Assembly Street to get back to my apartment. One day last week, I parked my car and was waiting in the middle of Assembly Street to cross. I had just returned from meeting with a customer in North Carolina so I was more dressed up than usual. I was so excited that the fall weather had finally started to settle in Columbia so I was able to wear my brand new pink trench coat that I got in La Jolla a few months ago. So, I am patiently waiting to get the cross walk sign and minding my own business when I get completely thrown off. A guy drives by in his pick-up truck and yells out to me, “Hey, I like your coat!” Not the usual comments that one would expect but still annoying

Ok, there are two obvious things wrong with this situation and why I have considered it something that would happen “Only in Columbia”: 1) Yelling out of a car at a complete stranger and 2) Driving a pick-up truck and commenting on someone’s attire. Really? Let’s not forget I was wearing a bright, pink coat. It completely threw me off and I really just stood there asking myself if that just happened to me. For the record, I wore the same coat today and it did not happen again.

Apparently, only in Columbia, can you get a comment from someone in a pick-up truck about a bright pink coat.