shadows of echoes of memories of songs

That's the weird thing - I generally don't tend to feel vulnerable on public transport or when walking (I walk home from work in London most days, at varying times of the evening) - in fact I sort of make a point of NOT feeling vulnerable, or at least not going along with ideas that women should fear the streets because of the fact that they're women etc. Personal (and psychological) safety still comes into play a bit though, even though I wish it needn't. I think particularly when I'm on foot there's always the sense that if something or someone's bothering me (which doesn't often happen anyway) I can always move off, go into a shop, get on a bus, change direction, can always run, if necessary. When I'm on a bike (not that I've cycled for years, but I used to) there isn't the same sense of freedom, since wherever you go you need to take the bike with you - you can't as easily duck into a public place and if you're stuck at traffic lights next to some dudes in a van shouting at you you kind of just have to deal with it until the lights change. Something about being on a bike, as that article mentions, makes you sort of differently visible as well - not only are you more out there in front of people rather than lost among the crowd, but I think some drivers feel like by putting yourself on a bike you're almost squaring up to them, showing yourself as strong and able (or willing, even) to deal with whatever banter. Not that that's true, obviously, but to me it did feel like getting on a bike and going on the roads with it was like opting into playing a game whose rules I didn't like but couldn't really change.