Irritating tendency in bike shops

[Guest]

I'm on the petite side but I've been riding since 1984. Today, I stopped at the local bike shop with a friend to look at helmets and tank bags. He was just browsing the bikes while I did my thing and took a liking to a Triumph Tiger 1200. All fine and good since he's been considering an adventure bike to go with his 1100L. I swear to god every last sales person in the place assumed I rode the back of his bike even though I pulled in the parking lot on my own bike. It so irritating that after 30 years, men still think women ride pillion.

[Lorenzo]

Still care after all this years....?

[trtsmb]

Still care after all this years....

What can I say? It's a sore spot with me that people assume because I'm small, I can't do things like ride my own motorcycle.

[yank]

Park it in the showroom next time!

[Lorenzo]

When I was abroad (working) people kept asking if I was working in a "pizzeria"...

[trtsmb]

Park it in the showroom next time!

I'm supposed to be going back there Wednesday so my friend can test drive a Triumph Explorer, I may drive it in .

[trtsmb]

When I was abroad (working) people kept asking if I was working in a "pizzeria"...

Hmmmmmmmm! People make me wonder sometimes.

[Big T]

Tamara

My sister in laws sister, while not short, has a similar issue. She wanted to buy a car for her house in the Hamptons (the land side) as she's a VP at Viacom and makes that sort of money.

She couldn't find a salesman who didn't completely patronize her. She had my brother go with her the 2nd time and he got the deal done in about 30 minutes for about 10% less. Being a high powered lawyer helps getting past salespeople.

[trtsmb]

Tamara

My sister in laws sister, while not short, has a similar issue. She wanted to buy a car for her house in the Hamptons (the land side) as she's a VP at Viacom and makes that sort of money.

She couldn't find a salesman who didn't completely patronize her. She had my brother go with her the 2nd time and he got the deal done in about 30 minutes for about 10% less. Being a high powered lawyer helps getting past salespeople.

I've been spinning wrenches since I was 5. My dad was a mechanic and he always let me help him. He never treated me like a stupid girl so I grew up believing that everyone treated girls that way. What a shock it was to discover most men act like a woman couldn't possibly know the difference between a spark plug and points.

[GS1150Pilot]

I think it's awesome that you know your way around a motor so well.

[Phred]

There was a post some time back in the Other Topics, (now Campfire section) that was entitled " One in a billion" I think it was a youtube video. It was about a girl who did some amazing stunt riding on a 650 in a parking lot. Watch this video and I am sure that it will inspire you to come up with some short and smart remark for the next salesman that tries to patronize you. What I usually do for people like this is, instead of getting upset, I engage them in a conversation, and then pull the rug out from underneath their feet. It takes a bit of work and thought, but you have been walking into some fossilized assumptions and presumptions. Over the years I have discovered that it can be a lot of fun to rattle the cages of other peoples pre-conceptions.

[Allie]

Talking to mechanics used to drive my Mom nuts. She knows a couple things about cars, and did not appreciate being spoken to like a child. My tongue can be a bit quick and acidic at times, I do try to keep that in check...

[Sandy]

Talk about assumptions. My sister, when she was in her 20s drove a tow-truck for about 5- 6 years in Toronto. She about 5'0" and quite petite. Let's just say a lot of egos got shattered when she jumped out of the truck. Another was about 15 years ago at our previous house in the country. We needed the roof done and one of the local contractors came by to give us an estimate. Every time she asked him a question he would look at me and give the answer - not her. Drove both of us nuts and no he didn't get the job.

[trtsmb]

There was a post some time back in the Other Topics, (now Campfire section) that was entitled " One in a billion" I think it was a youtube video. It was about a girl who did some amazing stunt riding on a 650 in a parking lot. Watch this video and I am sure that it will inspire you to come up with some short and smart remark for the next salesman that tries to patronize you. What I usually do for people like this is, instead of getting upset, I engage them in a conversation, and then pull the rug out from underneath their feet. It takes a bit of work and thought, but you have been walking into some fossilized assumptions and presumptions. Over the years I have discovered that it can be a lot of fun to rattle the cages of other peoples pre-conceptions.

I like your thinking!

[trtsmb]

Talk about assumptions. My sister, when she was in her 20s drove a tow-truck for about 5- 6 years in Toronto. She about 5'0" and quite petite. Let's just say a lot of egos got shattered when she jumped out of the truck. Another was about 15 years ago at our previous house in the country. We needed the roof done and one of the local contractors came by to give us an estimate. Every time she asked him a question he would look at me and give the answer - not her. Drove both of us nuts and no he didn't get the job.

I drove a semi and you should've seen the looks I'd get when I climbed down from the cab. When we go in bike shops, my husband always says talk to her when salesmen start addressing answers to him.