Ladiesaa Gentsaa?

Sometimes it kills me, the way people just stereotype each other and the world around them.

A few Sundays ago, P and I went on an afternoon ride just for fun - for those of you who don't know already, I ride a KTM Duke 200. Headed out on one of the state highways for about 30 km and somewhere along the way we spotted an 'interceptor' on the other side of the road, both of us making mental note of the location for the return trip. About 10 minutes later we decided to head back and made a U turn and signaled each other to keep under the speed limit till we got past the interceptor we had seen.

Coming round a nice deep curve in the road into a straight, sure enough, there they were, the vultures in white, waiting for us with their speed guns. We rode on, cruising past them at the ridiculously low speed limit of 50 kmph (on a highway!) and looking down our noses, very pleased with ourselves for having outsmarted them. Having happily cocked a snook at the traffic police we then opened up our throttles and zipped off down the road.

Our flight however was rudely interrupted over the next crest. The crafty b*****s had another interceptor waiting for vehicles coming over. Buddahey! So anyway, we pulled over and P was on my right, closer to the road. As the inspector sauntered over to us I hissed at P that I didn't think I had my bike documents or license with me. Sighing in most resigned fashion, P turned to the inspector, produced his papers, all in order, typical P style, and said to the man, "Here are my papers. Then he gestured at me and said "The papers for this bike are at home" 

I, in the meanwhile had lifted my smoked visor and was watching the proceedings. The inspector looked at the papers and at P and then glanced over at me and did the funniest double take I have seen. He looked me in my clearly eylinered and maybe mascaraed eyes for a moment.

He then leaned over at P and said sotto voce, "Don't mindaah." He nodded toward me and continued, "Ladiesaa, Gentsaa?" 

The eventual outcome of the revelation that I was indeed Ladiesaa, was that poor P was made to pay my fine for not having my papers - full marks for chivalry I must admit. And of course it made for much amusement and a great anecdote later. 

But try as I may, I cannot ignore the fact that we live in a country, a world, that stereotypes everyone and everything. There are enough girls on motorbikes these days and my appearance was not exactly androgynous but that policeman still found the need to ask the question. Tragic.