Beware public transport..
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Category: Long Hair Happenings
Forum Name: Long Hair Support
Forum Description: Growing it long takes commitment and support.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=842
Printed Date: June 06 2025 at 4:37am
Topic: Beware public transport..
Posted By: uzma
Subject: Beware public transport..
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 10:29am
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A Cautionary True Story...... I was on the upper deck of a bus this morning, going into town. On London buses you sit in rows behind each other on the top deck. Anyway, the bus was moving along and I was thinking about some work issues I had to deal with today. Suddenly, the driver braked hard and we were thrown forward. I felt an enormous yank at the back of my head and then a release. One of the girls sitting in the seats behind me had been touching my hair! I say "touching" but she must have been gripping it for it to pull so harshly when the driver braked. I was really annoyed (and a little shocked and upset) and told her so in no uncertain terms. She just gave me attitude. I took the precaution of changing seats and tying my hair up for the rest of the journey. Why do people think they can touch complete strangers in this way? It's both an invasion of privacy and ....well...in a way bodily harm if it results in pain as it did for me. Next time I'll sit where there is noone behind me. ------------- Uzi |
Replies:
Posted By: Grace912
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 11:59am
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I can't believe that she actually thought that that was okay! I mean, it's one thing to touch a friend, but this was a total stranger. That's not cool. Even when acquaintances invade my personal space, it bugs me. My hair is wavy, and I grew up on the east coast, so the humidity there makes it full-on curly. Well, one day in 8th grade, I'm sitting at a computer in science lab, typing something up for my group, when I feel something going on around my shoulders. The girl behind me had been pulling at the curls and watching them spring back up! She then said something like "Your hair is so curly and pretty!", so I let her slide with just a stern look. More recently, on my third day at a new job, one of my coworkers had to get my attention, so she poked me in the ribs! If you must get my attention, tap me on the shoulder or just say my name. But the rib/abdomen area is just not where you touch someone whom you barely know. Again, I'm pretty touchy-feely with close friends, but with strangers and acquaintances, there are definite limits. I'm sorry that this girl on the bus seems to be quite unaware of those limits. ------------- Monica: Isn't there any way that you could look at this as flattering? I mean, she's doing this to be more like you. Rachel: Well, then, couldn't she have just copied my haircut? |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 1:10pm
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Hi Grace I heard a real horror story recently, where a woman in the U.S was in a cinema watching a film and some teenagers cut off her long hair. She was really distressed as you can imagine. That is a nightmare and has meant that the only place I'll sit in cinemas is the back row. Thanks for sharing your experiences - I agree, it is really out of order for strangers to touch you anywhere on the body....unless it's to shake hands by way of introduction, of course. ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Tap Dancer
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 1:40pm
How horrible!  When my hair gets really long, I'm going to be extra careful. I would hate to have to worry about someone pulling or cutting my hair...or even sticking gum in it.------------- [IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/yerdumm/tapdancer2.gif" /> |
heard a real horror story recently, where a woman in the U.S was in a cinema watching a film and some teenagers cut off her long hair. Posted By: Hal
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 3:25pm
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Maybe she merely fell foward and pinned your hair between her and the seat back.. thus her attitude. ------------- |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 4:00pm
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I wish that had been the case, Hal. Her exact words back to me were "So what B***h? What are you going to do about it?" ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Laine1998
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 4:18pm
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hmmm Uzi, Sorry to hear about your unfortunate mishap this am! Often when I go out to public places, I'll put my hair in a bun-like shape, and secure it with a hair scrunchi. Its out of the way, and hands off to everyone else! ------------- |
Posted By: papillon_purple
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 9:00pm
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I've just realized this issue on busses, too. One time, my hair kept getting yanked by the person behind me because his book would hit my hair and then the back of the seat. I definitely have to be aware and tie my hair up or back (and then move it over my shoulders). ------------- |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: December 02 2003 at 10:07pm
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Ouch! Sorry to hear about this mishap, Uzi. Some people just aren't considerate... Sorry to hear you've had similar problems too, papillon_purple and Grace I've never found myself in such a situation... and I don't relish the thought of the first time it happens, if ever. ------------- |
Posted By: Erinlynn
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 5:41am
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Uzi, How long is your hair again? Is their a back to your seat? Was your hair drapping over the chair or something? Im trying to picture how the girl behind you had gotten ahold of a large portion of your hair. When Im sitting at a theater for example i wont drap my hair over the back of the chair. Id rather sit on it or have it pressesed between me and the chair but if no one is behind me I prefer to let my hair drap over the back of chairs so that Im not causeing un due breakage by pressing it up against anything or sitting on it. Are you sure she was gripping it and your hair didnt get caught in the corner of a seat cusion or something (I mean did she deny it or did she just give you additude implying that she should be able to touch your hair). I really dont understand these people who can just touch other people like that with no sence of respect. |
Posted By: caramia
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 5:53am
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I'm sorry for what happened to you, Uzi. That is very disturbing - especially because she did not apologize - but instead got nasty with you. When people act like that it really burns me up. Caramia |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 9:21am
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Hi Erinlynn The hair at the back of my head is at my bra-strap (God it feels sooo good to finally say that  ), and I wore it loose yesterday. I hadn’t deliberately draped it over the back of the seat, but my hair is thick and kinda wild so it gets all over the place and I keep bringing it forward onto my chest when walking around. She was definitely gripping some of it and the fact that she released it after the bus jerked suggested that she had it twisted around her fingers or something. Laine, p_p, Dave and Caramia  Thanks for your support….I’m still burning up!! I had my anger button pushed a second time yesterday when I mentioned the incidence to some folks at work and one person said I “had it coming by wearing it loose”! Apparently it’s my fault for inviting people to touch my hair by not wearing it bound up.  Wasn’t a similar argument used in the past to say that women who dressed in a revealing manner “deserved” to get raped? Anyway, I’m winding myself up again…..you can imagine how that conversation at work developed  .------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Tap Dancer
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 10:11am
That was a stupid thing that person to say. No one has a right to touch you or anything of yours. It doesn't matter if it's your hair, hands, purse... That would have ticked me off, too. ------------- [IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/yerdumm/tapdancer2.gif" /> |
Posted By: Viktoria
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 10:36am
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I once had a girl in a cinema put up her feet on my hair, I was letting it fall down the back of my seat. Not very pleasant. But she was as embarrassed as I was. And I once sat on a bus with a very big haired woman in front of me, and since the seats were so close together, I actually felt that her hair was invading my space. I would not have been able to read a magazine or a book without getting her hair tangled up in it. So it goes the other way round as well, I guess. I mean, how much fun is it to get a big hat in your face when you´re watching a stage? Maybe we need to think about where we put our hair, sometimes. Not that that´s an excuse for anyone to touch us or make comments about us! ------------- The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 7:37pm
Uzi, It's called "blaming the victim"... perpetrated by those who refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions. So many unsupportive people in your r-l ((( Uzi ))) Congrats on reaching the BSL milestone, though!  ------------- |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 03 2003 at 9:02pm
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Hugs back, Dave . I wonder if my hair will ever make it to my knees? Long Hair Forever!!! (just felt like saying that really loudly )------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Erinlynn
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 6:30am
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Ive by mistake hit someone with my hair before when it was in a long braid. I was also always very careful when i was in school not to let my hair go all over the desk behind me. I usued to sit behind a girl with wild but pretty black hair who every five minutes would flick her hair back and toss her head. her hair would go all over my desk where i was writing. Shed usualy pull it in font of her after a little while then five minutes later flick it back again. I had to say something but it didnt stop. I think I solved things by making sure my desk was far enough away from her chair in the row before we all sat down. That way her hair didnt fall on the desk at all. Anyways i never wanted to be like her but im sure my hair has been in the way before. I try to be good! |
Posted By: Elissa
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 6:56am
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I can't believe someone had the nerve to touch your hair like that, how infuriating! Although it is something of a compliment...it was so pretty that she obviously couldn't help herself! I haven't taken the bus in a long time, but when I did, now that I think of it people were always pulling my hair by accident--either by grabbing the rail on the back of my seat (flyaways would always get under the hand somehow) or by sitting next to me in horizontal seating, hairs would just somehow get wedged behind a shoulder or arm. My hair does tend to go off on it's own, but most of the time when this would happen the person would apologize and I'd smile or say "that's ok" or some such thing. Usually it was my hair's fault. But I never had someone touch it intentionally! In NYC that could get someone a punch in the face, or worse! Most people in the city are smart enough to keep to themselves. I would imagine it's the same in London? -------------  [/url]
http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 8:49am
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Viktoria, Erinlynn and Elissa Thank you for making me realise that I have to be more aware of where my hair is and if it is getting in other peoples way. I will take better care in future (not that I'm a hair flicker at all ). This is, I suppose, part of the lessons one learns as someone who is experiencing longer hair for the first time in her life. Just today, I learned that one has to be careful of car door hinges which can catch your loose hair. To all those who have "arrived" i.e have long hair, please share your wisdom with those of us who are following in your footsteps. Many thanks and many more blessings,------------- Uzi |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 8:55am
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P.S. Elissa - thanks for the compliment. I don't think my hair is pretty as such, but it is unusual or so I've been told. ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Elissa
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 9:02am
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Uzi, Your car door observation reminded me of another one. I close my hair in the automatic car window quite often! One feels very foolish doing that, though usually nobody else notices :) xoxoxoxox ------------- [/url]
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Posted By: Grace912
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 11:44am
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My hair doesn't get stuck in things too often. However, in an elevator in my building, there is a sign screwed to the wall, and sometimes I absentmindedly lean back on it (I'm on the top floor so it's a long ride), and a few strands will get stuck to a screw. Also, when I used to carry a backpack, my hair would sometimes get stuck under the shoulder straps, but now I carry a messenger bag and that's not as much of a problem. ------------- Monica: Isn't there any way that you could look at this as flattering? I mean, she's doing this to be more like you. Rachel: Well, then, couldn't she have just copied my haircut? |
Posted By: Lalaithial
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 3:47pm
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So sorry about what happened to You Uzma. I think I pretty much share the sentiments of everyone who's already posted. I'm glad I haven't run into that problem yet. Usually people I know ask if they can brush my hair if they see me combing it at school or something and as long as their gentle I don't have a problem with it. As for the hair-getting-in-the-way problem, My hair is naturally kinda wild and I have to be real careful when it's windy. It gets all over people even if I try to pull it back. The best thing to do at times like that is braid it or bun it and forget it. My biggest problem is and always will be those dang chairs with screws in them. That and children with sticky little fingers. :) ------------- |
Posted By: enfys
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 6:20pm
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I agree about the screws! OUCH Uzi, that's really terrible. Was the bus packed? I always sit on the side-ward seat behind the driver on the way to work, but I'm lucky that's only on Saturdays. I read in a magazine a girls story about when a stranger cut off her long hair when he was sat behind her on a bus, so I'm ALWAYS wary now. ------------- http://www.myspace.com/waltzin_with_the_open_sea - http://www.myspace.com/waltzin_with_the_open_sea Ah-ha, a place I can soon add hair pics...once I do some |
Posted By: Beatnik Guy
Date Posted: December 04 2003 at 7:07pm
I travel on buses just about every day, Uzi, and what you've said above applies there and to just about any other 'public' situation. Being *aware* of your extending tresses (and where they are) can solve a lot of potential problems (and keep them out of harm's way!). Chris ------------- |
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: December 06 2003 at 6:43am
Scary Scary Scary ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: Cornczech
Date Posted: January 08 2004 at 6:15am
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I have gone to clubs in Milwaukee, WI (they don't like Chicagoans very much, I guess...) and have actually WATCHED women turn their cigarrettes TOWARDS ME to try and catch my hair on fire....(my hair is to my waist) I ALWAYS wear my hair up to clubs now and am VERY aware of the people around me....... ------------- |
Posted By: hairalways
Date Posted: January 08 2004 at 7:00am
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Cornczech - that's APPALLING. I am not sure, but I am pretty sure that I would have turned the g$%#d*&( thing around and tried to burn one of them back! I just don't get the inner evil that exists in people. jacqui ------------- |
Posted By: Kintaro
Date Posted: January 12 2004 at 10:42pm
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So far, I haven't been nailed in Montreal by any crimes against capillarity. Once though, I thought the guy behind me had his back on my hair, every time i tried to get up, i felt a tug. Turned out it was me. o_O ------------- I hate all of the following and lots more : Fundamentalists, racists, sexists, fascists, ageists (people saying seniors = senile , kids = stupid , 18 = immature or a combo of them), and bigots for causes yet to receive their own designation. |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: January 14 2004 at 8:31pm
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Hi Cornczech, Welcome to the long hair party! er, the long hair gang... er, the long hair group.  I share Jacqui's disgust. Regarding the nasties at the club, I don't think it has anything to do with Milwaukee vs Chicago. A certain 5-letter word beginning with "b" comes to mind. Their hearts are filled with envy. I've heard of horror stories involving buses (and bus benches) and movie theaters. As Chris says, never take the safety of your hair for granted. Sad but true. ------------- |
Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: January 25 2004 at 9:43pm
| The worst thing that has happned to me is today I was at the mall with a big group of people including my younger sister (she's only 3 years younger than me and we are best friends) Some one tripped her and she fell forward and reached for the nearest thing to stop her from falling. That nearest thing turned out to be my pony tail. Let's just say OUCH. Fortunatly she didn't rip out any hair (I'm still not sure how she didn't) |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: January 27 2004 at 7:36pm
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OUCH! Country Girl, Your pain was her gain. Had you not had long hair, and in a ponytail, she might have broken a bone. Lucky for her you have long hair. ------------- |