Crikey! I've never had anything like that happen to me. Perhaps it's a London thing.

I don't think I would have turned away. I hope not.

I think you have to be very careful not to start getting afraid of something like this happening. It could stop you going out on your own. The majority of "yoofs" are fine.

I'd like to think I'd say something too, but I know most people would 'walk by on the other side'.

Because the majority "walk by on the other side" their behaviour goes unchallenged and gets worse. It has a snowball effect. If the majority made it known that such aggression is unacceptable, the snowball effect would work the other way and there would be less of it. What would happen if they phsically attacked and gang-banged one of these young girls? Would passersby do nothing then? How far do they have to go?

I would like to think that I would join in any condemnation if I came across this, but it does take courage.

I had a situation in a supermarket car park with my late MiL where some lout nearly knocked us over and then stopped, rolled down his window yelled foul abuse at us. She set up such a caterwauling that it drew the attention of several nearby shoppers who were about to step in when he drove off. In panic I think.

I wonder what effect a sustained and loud scream would have had in this situation?

Good for you Helen. Shame on them for being hateful and hate-filled. Thank you on behalf of me and my daughters

I know it's a cliche, but I think this sort of anti-social behaviour might happen less if the police had a more visible presence on the streets.
Well done Helen for standing up to them.
I agree Elegran, it's time for zero tolerance so that more people might have the courage to say something.

I can't help but think that the louts in question would simply have jeered at any police and made off. Or claimed harrassment and/or assault...

I was walking up a narrow footpath on my way from the station to my DS's house when three teenage girls came up behind me, one of them singing raucously - I can't remember the words now, but I knew they were aimed at me. I moved aside to let them pass. The rowdiest one ran past, but one of the others apologised for her friend's behaviour. I would be very shocked if any of my GC were to behave in that disrespectful way.

I think you were very courageous to take those louts to task - I'm sure I wouldn't have been brave enough. I'm afraid that sexist ageism, noxious though it certainly is, is nothing new - just look at Dickens for a start (though without the swearing, obviously). Schools today try to combat the evil of racism, which comes from much the same kind of mindset, so perhaps they could include lessons for boys about treating women of all ages decently.

Obviously I wasn't ever overtly rude, but now I am sixty something I wish I had had more respect for older people when I was younger!

You are right Elegran if more people spoke up it wouldn't happen so often.I have spoken up in the past, when faced with loutish behaviour [ but you do have to be careful.]There isn't much of this kind of behaviour where I live, but I think if you live in a big town or city there probably is.It's hateful hearing boys/young men talking about women in this way, what's wrong with them?Far from looking 'big' it makes them look very 'small'.

They don't only do it to older women, they do it to younger ones as well. A friend is currently very upset and worried that she may have to send her daughters to school by taxi because they were followed home by two loutish yobs criticising them and swearing. The devil getting into them is how it would have been put years ago. It's nothing new, I had something similar happen in a largish market town about 20 years ago, in my 30s. They looked yobs, they were yobs, they were bored and were probably only about sixteen but had left school and had nothing to do, no jobs. they were making themselves feel better. It was sport.

After going on the big Stop the War march with my friend, who was wearing a CND badge, we were called "stupid old cows" and "traitors" by a bunch of louts on the tube. We stood up to them but it was quite frightening.

It must be even more frightening confronting people like that if you're on your own, and I do admire her courage. I'm surprised nobody stepped in but it often happens when there are a lot of people around that everybody thinks somebody else will say/do something. I think it's called the "bystander effect".

Not saying anything to or turning one's back on people who are behaving badly in public is not "condoning".

I'm wondering why you didn't step aside for them to pass you as soon as you felt uncomfortable, at the start of your second paragraph.

I'm sorry you had such an unpleasant experience. Well done for attempting to reprimand them, but please don't blame people who are less daring. Not being brave enough to confront trouble-makers and rowdies is self-preservation, not "condoning". One disapproves but one does not want to be personally abused so one ducks out of range. This is normal behaviour and you should not be criticising it.

I follow @everydaysexism on Twitter. Should be called: every day sexual harassment of young women in public places. When I was growing up men used to cat call or wolf whistle but never more than that in public places. The younger generation of women are suddenly waking up to the idea that feminism is not old hat that is not an issue for them.

Bags To walk on by without saying anything may not be condoning, which implies positive approval, but it does imply that you don't disapprove, which in effect gives permission for the antisocial behaviour to continue.

How brave one should expect people to be is difficult, isn't it? I don't think there can be a 'normal' response to a frightening or difficult situation, and a lot depends on making a judgement as to whether it's safe to intervene in the particular circumstances.

I cannot understand that attitude Bags and I wonder how you would feel if you were to be verbally, or even physically abused, and people just stood and looked on or turned their backs.

Sounds like you're blaming the 'victim' too...did she 'ask for it' perhaps?

As we made our way to the back of the bus recently, Gs stumbled but didn't quite fall over. He was fine and sat next to his sister and me. Two teenage girls laughed and one called out 'He fell, he fell!' I turned and pointed out that he was only 4 and I thought she was being very unkind. A few minutes later as she was leaving the bus, she stopped and offered me a 50p piece to buy a sweet for the children. I told her that wasn't necessary but that I very much appreciated the idea. She smiled, said goodbye to the children and left, leaving us all feeling better.
It wasn't an aggressive situation but it was one where I didn't want the children to think that this was acceptable behaviour.

When I was in my late fifties I was under a great deal of stress. To cope I used to simply walk, power walk, for miles. One evening after such a walk, I had stones thrown at my legs by several young lads. I was so angry that I turned, shouted, "You've picked the wrong one tonight!" and chased them at full speed along the street. They ran as fast as they could. I shouted that I knew where they all lived and would tell their mothers. I saw them several times after that, but they never bothered me again. I think I frightened them more than they did me. I must admit that less adrenaline might have made a difference.

Well I own up to being cowardly and would always avoid confrontation in the kinds of situations mentioned above. It's nothing to do with condoning the behaviours, it's self-preservation.

I always told my son to walk away from confrontation and not get involved in any physical fights even though he was a strong rugby-player. I'd rather he was safe than brave with a knife in his ribs.

Now, in my late seventies, I live in a flat above an Indian take away on the High Street. The take away is run by a man, his wife and teenage daughter. he and his wife have limited English although the daughter is fluent. One night I heard a great deal of aggressive shouting down below. I am unable to see what is happening this side of the street as my window over hangs the pavement, but I feared that they were abusing this family and, as there is no exit at the back of the shop, I feared for their safety.

I decided to go down and look through his window in order to get help if they were suffering abuse. My door is tucked round the side wall of the shop and I stepped out right into the middle of a gang of teenagers. They were not in the shop as I had thought, but on the pavement outside. One was on the phone and the aggressive abusive language continued at top volume. Time for the little old lady approach!

I said very kindly, "My dear you seem to be in trouble, is there something I could do to help, maybe call the police for you?" "I'm on to the fing police, they won't listen" was the reply. I touched his arm gently and said that he should calm down think clearly what he wanted to say and then they would listen. He thanked me and did just that. I turned round and quickly went back upstairs. A policeman arrived almost immediately, probably because they had heard me in the middle of them.

I think you have to adjust your own behaviour and approach to the situation. My safety was my main concern and I would not have got myself into that situation had others safety not been of concern. Had I started to tell them off for being aggressive, I'm sure their reactions would have been totally different.

That applies to many of us, and it is sensible, Gagagran but it is just as well that some people are prepared to step in when they see the weak being bullied. Otherwise there would be muggings and rapes in our towns in front of crowds of shoppers. Even in a busy city like Edinburgh, a young woman was dragged into a green space in the city centre recently and attacked in broad daylight. There were many witnesses! If they had all joined together to restrain her attacker, she would have been safe.