Would you have done anything differently?
I went for a mountainbike ride today, and something odd occurred; odd to me, anyway.
As I was traversing the fireroad leading into the canyon and mesa areas I intended to ride, I came upon a woman meandering down the trail clad only in bra and panties.
I wondered momentarily if I was actually seeing what I thought I was seeing, and whether or not I should address her as to her situation; i.e., was she OK, or possibly in need of assistance?
This venue is very busy on the weekends, but often virtually deserted on weekdays. There was no one else around at this time, and my car was the sole vehicle in the parking area I'd just left.
After my brief assessment (no, not that kind), I chose to merely warn her that a bicycle was behind her and about to pass her. I went by her never looking back.
Now, this is a riparian habitat, with a decent sized stream flowing through it. But, the stream emanates from a water clarification plant a short ways upstream. It did not think she was going for, or had been swimming, therefore.
I contemplated possibly seeing her on my return trip out of the canyon, then possibly speaking to her if all did not seem well; but, I never saw her again.
What would your reaction have been to such a sight?
1
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9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I would have asked if she was OK and needed help. And then, are you sure? And perhaps "I don't mean to be nosy, but your clothing is uncommon. I just want to make sure you are OK?" and then I would report it to the police. Too odd not to do anything.
Mitch07102
Level 8
July 11, 2018
1
Yes, judging from the responses here, and time to think more about it, a course of involvement may have been wiser. It's helpful to get different perspectives on the matter, and I appreciate everyone's thoughts on it.
There are several issues...
If it was a man in swimming trunks or shorts would you have reacted in the same way?
Is nudity wrong?
Is the woman in danger of femicide because she is alone and dressed to swim?
Was she a victim of a sexual assault?
Had she escaped from someone?
Was she not in her right mind for whatever reason?
It's a difficult situation. Extreme heat can cause people to strip off. I'm glad you acted the way you did. Ultimately, I find it depressing. There seems to be a default sexual undertone whenever it comes to women being scantily clad, but this doesn't apply so much when it comes to men being scantily clad. The whole dynamic is different.
Ellatynemouth
Level 8
July 11, 2018
1
Thank you for understanding.
You just caused me to flashback to a sight I saw back in '99 or 2000. I was driving with my then girlfriend on a remote forest road in Potter County, Pennsylvania. For those who don't know the area Potter County bills itself as God's Country.
It was about 5:00 am on a Sunday in July. There was a newer pickup parked on the right side of the road. As I approached the truck a tall, thin figure walked across the road to get into the pickup. I could discern high heels, black fishnet stockings, garters, and black panties visible under a bright red teddy. I must have been as much of a surprise as I was surprised because my sudden appearance triggered an all out sprint to the truck.
At about 6'2" he probably didn't need the heels, but judging from the way he sprinted on the gravel road, he was pretty comfortable wearing them. The guy also sported a full, heavy beard and curly black hair.
I drove for about ten minutes and absolute silence before Heidi, my girlfriend, and I blurted out at the same time, "Did you see him too?"
JimG
Level 8
July 11, 2018
2
Not 8 paragraphs for sure.
GipsyOfNewSpain
Level 9
July 10, 2018
0
People seem to complain if it gets all bunched up.
I would most definitely stopped to ask if she was OK or needed help. I had a similar incident happen at a rest area in the middle of nowhere in Utah while traveling and saw a young woman sitting by her backpack. I stopped, asked her if she was OK and need help, she said she was backpacking alone and was just stopping to rest. I drove on satisfied with her answer.
jlynn37
Level 8
July 10, 2018
1
In a very visible and busy venue, I may have had a similar reaction.
If she appeared distressed or disoriented I'd have stopped. Regardless, in my neck of the woods, I'd have called the police. Your description of the scene would have sent off alarm bells in my head.
bigpawbullets
Level 9
July 10, 2018
1
I did not perceive any distress of disorientation.
@Condor5
I got that part. And I salute you for being alert and analyzing the situation rather than being oblivious to it. Around here though, with the opioid epidemic in full swing, I'd wonder about walking around in your underwear.
@bigpawbullets I'm in So Cal, we have no clue what to expect here. Just as an example, the area this park is in is a somewhat upscale area; multimillion dollar mansions, etc., and it's also semi-agrarian. However. Not a mile from where I was today, a few years ago, one of the wealthy residents was murdered by a random asshole in the middle of the day for no apparent reason.
Much like yours, my inclination is to help. I may have initially asked if everything’s OK, looking into her eyes as best I could, and leaving it up to her to ask for help if needed. Hard to say, it’s a screwed up world out there 
Varn
Level 8
July 10, 2018
1
That's why I didn't stop, I perceived no distress of any kind, and I have something of a reticence with addressing a woman alone in a deserted area if I see nothing blatantly amiss.
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