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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6869165" data-attributes="member: 4937">I think there are cases where that is true, but I think it's also true that men are continually on the other end of these awkward social exchanges, and are often thinking all the same sorts of thoughts from the other end of it.&nbsp; True, when we are in these awkward exchanges, we aren't also the ones that are feeling threatened and intimidated by the size or strength of the other person in it, which is bound to make things even more uncomfortable for the woman than it is for us.But keep in mind, most men are probably pretty darn wary of strange men as well.&nbsp; Violence between men is not unknown either.So yes, if I see a woman changing a tire beside the road, my mind starts going, &quot;Should I stop?&nbsp; If I stop, will she be afraid of me?&nbsp; She might panic and call 9/11 if some stranger just shows up.&nbsp; Or she might get offended.&nbsp; She might think that I think she can't change the tire herself.&nbsp; Probably she can change the tire herself.&nbsp; Or if she can't, she's probably called some friend or relative, and me stopping will just be awkward and unwanted.&quot;&nbsp; And by the time I think all that, it's too late to stop, and the world just became a little less civil and polite place.&nbsp; The sexist part is admittedly, all this probably won't go through my head if I see a man changing a tire.&nbsp; I'll just think, &quot;Poor guy.&nbsp; What an awful place to have a flat.&quot;&nbsp; But sure, none of what you describe is really anything other than what I would have imagined about the situation.Or, to give you another situation.&nbsp; I used to commute along a strip that had a lot of hitchhikers.&nbsp;&nbsp; I used to stop and give them rides.&nbsp; I would however never advice my daughters to give rides to strange men.But did it occur to you that I would have advice my sons never to give a ride to a strange woman.&nbsp; Can you imagine why?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 6869165, member: 4937"] I think there are cases where that is true, but I think it's also true that men are continually on the other end of these awkward social exchanges, and are often thinking all the same sorts of thoughts from the other end of it. True, when we are in these awkward exchanges, we aren't also the ones that are feeling threatened and intimidated by the size or strength of the other person in it, which is bound to make things even more uncomfortable for the woman than it is for us. But keep in mind, most men are probably pretty darn wary of strange men as well. Violence between men is not unknown either. So yes, if I see a woman changing a tire beside the road, my mind starts going, "Should I stop? If I stop, will she be afraid of me? She might panic and call 9/11 if some stranger just shows up. Or she might get offended. She might think that I think she can't change the tire herself. Probably she can change the tire herself. Or if she can't, she's probably called some friend or relative, and me stopping will just be awkward and unwanted." And by the time I think all that, it's too late to stop, and the world just became a little less civil and polite place. The sexist part is admittedly, all this probably won't go through my head if I see a man changing a tire. I'll just think, "Poor guy. What an awful place to have a flat." But sure, none of what you describe is really anything other than what I would have imagined about the situation. Or, to give you another situation. I used to commute along a strip that had a lot of hitchhikers. I used to stop and give them rides. I would however never advice my daughters to give rides to strange men. But did it occur to you that I would have advice my sons never to give a ride to a strange woman. Can you imagine why? [/QUOTE]

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