I think we missed on several levels here.
I am not trying to tell you how you are treated anywhere in the world, just how I have seen you treated ON THIS FORUM, which I think is fairly. By that I mean just like everyone else. A level playing field.
My very comments were that I have never experienced what you have in your life; I did not disagree with you about anything and was trying to extend some understanding and empathy. If you want to reduce that down to 'sides', I am on YOUR side. And it actually has nothing at all due to you being a female, blonde, whatever.... it has everything to do with fair and just treatment for all people, at least of course until he / she proves that does not apply (such as criminals, for example).
I did not tell you how to treat anyone, in any environment, at any anytime. What I did do was to suggest that when walking into a new place, perhaps try to keep an open mind and start a fresh discourse with that vendor rather than have preconceived ideas about how this new vendor <may> be biased or unfair in some way.
So again, I think somehow this conversation between you and I got de-railed; maybe I stated my thoughts poorly, maybe you misunderstood them. It happens. But I was trying to support and agree with you, while offering perhaps some small thoughts on how you might forge ahead by being firm, forthright (as you certainly seem to be, and that is a compliment of course) and trying not to pull forward any previous [less than great] experiences. Not saying you are doing anything wrong, just giving a thought on how, perhaps, things might be looked at a bit differently going forward. I will say it again, not that you are doing anything wrong, or that you are not running to, I guess it would be a dismissive attitude from the way you describe a few of your previous experiences, just saying that you might be able to counter some of this misbehavior on the part of others in the way you react to it. NOT that you are wrong in the first place but because it would make the best out of given situation.
And frankly, your thought that you are absorbing all the ignorance and bad behavior because you are easily seen as being in the minority, as a women, in some situations, flies in the face of my own experience; I have been 'powering through' idiocy and ignorance for two years of my house project being talked 'down to' by trades people, contractors, carpenters, electricians, "Engineers" (in quotes 'cause they get the title with the job) in different fields, and a variety of others, all explaining 1) how and why I did not understand things. 2) that I could not do what I was proposing. 3) (my favorite) 'that' will just not work. Lots of struggling just to get to the point where what needs to be or is desirable to be done can begin, never mind be finished. And all of it because people assume that because I am not an electrician, plumber, etc., etc., my thoughts and wants are not correct. But what I do not do is to take an adversarial attitude with the next person in the same field, assuming that past experience will be repeated- everyone gets a fair shot at a level playing field and I have had some great vendors and suppliers provide some really excellent materials and services (Easy Boys! services for and around the house!).
I have also been told that 'that should not be your first bike' when sitting on a Honda VFR1200F but I do not think it is because I am a woman or blonde, I think it was because the statement is true and the person saying it simply assumed I have not been riding motorcycles since I was 9 years old- probably not enough tattoos or something. But I did not take offense and I did continue to interact with both that person and the dealership and would have completed a transaction had things worked out (I actually wanted to buy the bike, the final price, etc.) but they did not.
So again, my sympathies for having to put up with whatever foolishness you have clanked into based on gender (which is really not about your gender at all, it is about the other person's idiocy) but I still suggest, stand tall, forge ahead, and go to another shop or vendor, and get what you want. I have to believe that in 2017 they are not ALL going to be biased.
Brian
well Brian, thanks for sharing your opinion. Based on my short duration of being on this forum, I have seen your input on many topics, and usually I agree with you. I think that your a highly intelligent individual and have great life experiences to back up your knowledge. But since you chose to disagree, I will disagree with you as well. First off, now your treading into and placing your opinion merely just on a thought, and not life's experience. Second, I never said that everyone treats me or other women unfairly. Though as a generalization, women are looked at as the inferior. So here is a case and point of how one gender looks down their nose at the other gender. Before I purchased my C14, I did a ton of research and knew everything I could about the bike prior to visiting my local shop. As Im looking at the bike, the salesman finally came over and asked if he could help me. My response was positive, and I asked him if he could move the bike out of the lineup so I could sit on it, and hold the machine up. As Im on the bike, huge smile on my face, because the bike is everything that I hoped for, the salesman can back to me, and said " I just want to let you know that this is not a beginners bike". After I picked up my jaw, due to disbelief, I simply responded... " Neither is that Vmax in you parking lot that I rode here!" After he picked up his jaw, I thanked him for letting me look at the bike, and I walked out of that store, and never returned.
I could go on with scenarios like this considering that I work on a very big boat,and women are an anomaly. But I think maybe you will get the idea of what im trying to express.
I appreciate you offering your kind words about my knowledge and my minimal mechanical skills, but many dont share that kindness towards a woman in a male environment. Generally the male see's a woman and is soon looking for her male counterpart who is helping her to be where she is at. This gets so ridiculous that I actually put a sticker on the front of my bike "yes, this is a girls bike". This is due to being asked repeatedly, where is your husband? Or your riding this bike? While im thinking to myself.... No dumbass, I pushed it here, but I just smile and say it my bike.
So as you said before, you havent walked in my shoes. So please try not to tell me how men treat women in a male environment.
