how do you deal with the inevitable hecklings?

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

Actually, no, not so much...though in a 54 page conversation one is going to find a bit of that and quite a bit else, too. Having followed this thread from its origination, I have found it to be far ranging and usually interesting, with a fair number chiming in with some diverse viewpoints...overall, worth reading.

~T

[Vagabond GentleMan]

has anyone noticed that this thread always turns into the proverbial pissing contest... very few stories of actual use are told and it always turns into 'so i punched him in his fat nose' like a bunch of guys telling fish stories...

just an observation

*pisses the farthest*

Once I punched a fish THIS BIG (stretches out arms) in his fat nose!

But on another tip, here's an observation regarding life in various US cities, hecklings, race, and culture (which runs some sort of gamut, as Thistlewaite mentioned):

In suburban America, where there is often a good number of white gangsta-wannabes (or 'chavs'), I am VERY likely to get heckled.  Like Utini suggested, the braver ones might get up in my face, while the more cowardly ones (the majority) are more likely to shout something vulgar and insulting from their cars as they drive by, perhaps even throwing an empty coke can or something.
However, in the major urban centers (like DC where I am currently located), the REAL gangbangers (well, not so much the MS 13 Salvadoreans, but certainly the black gangbangers) are very appreciative and supportive of my unconventional appearance.  I'm sure it helps that I work as a tattoo artist in a black-owned shop in a black neighborhood with black co-workers and a heavy majority of black clientelle, but even total stranger thugs are always giving me props.
Just last night, a gangsta rapper of some local fame who was performing outside a bar a couple of doors down from the shop stopped me on the street to get a photograph with me with arms around each other's shoulders like we were buddies.  He didn't know me from Adam, he just thought I looked cool.
As I was walking down the street this morning on my way to work, a thug and his woman passed by, and the fellow said, "Yo, THAT's different!"  In a tone that implied respect, and his lady responded, "Yeah, he's got courage".

I have theories as to why this is, but I don't reckon I'll wax philosophic right now.

Anyway, it's interesting, no?

[Utini420]

Actually, that is an interesting point, and my experience mirrors your own.

Anything approaching a racial stereotype is dangerous, but since this is positive I'll toss it out there: Black folks have been WAY more receptive, in general, to steamy dress than general suburban honkies.  I found this really interesting because, at least down south, most (by no means all) black folks were really put off by anything gothy, often with that "there goes another crazy white boy" look.  But the steampunk stuff doesn't come across as "I think I'm sooooo scarrry," but is clearly more stylish than your typical white guy by leaps and bounds.  And the love the kilts!  Seriously, the reaction I've gotten from most young urban black folks is just impressed by a white boy who doesn't shop at the Gap.  Meanwhile the further you get from the center of town, the more aggressively judgmental the white kids get.

One time I got on an elevator in a mult-company office building wearing my kilt. I'm not sure what the three (black) ladies had been talking about, but as soon as I joined them they all smiled, and the one telling her story pointed right at me and said, "Uhm, hum, see, now this man is confident!"  And I'm all, ya, that's right.     'Course I got right off the elevator and got another frowney face from one of the boring-ass white people I work with.  But that might be because I was in a kilt, and he was in a suit... clear case of fashion jealousy.

[Auntie Ludmilla]

Much better ventilation, in a kilt, I've heard.

[Rockula]

Much better ventilation, in a kilt, I've heard.

Depends on whether you're going 'commando' or not. Seriously.

[Utini420]

No, it doesn't.
The ONLY circumstances under which I'll give any credence to the, "its not a kilt its a skirt" sort of terminology is when some lilly-livered milk-tast fraidy cat has to sport drawers under it.  I don't care what culture you or your garments are from, if you got on panties under it, its a skirt.  Especially if its in your clan's colors. 

[Auntie Ludmilla]

But what if they're tartan knickers?

[Rockula]

No, it doesn't.
The ONLY circumstances under which I'll give any credence to the, "its not a kilt its a skirt" sort of terminology is when some lilly-livered milk-tast fraidy cat has to sport drawers under it.  I don't care what culture you or your garments are from, if you got on panties under it, its a skirt.  Especially if its in your clan's colors. 

Erm, that was my point actually.

[Auntie Ludmilla]

Ahhh... thankyou for clearing that up, gents. I shal now know what to look for when solving skirt/kilt conundrums...... Or, indeed, what not to look for ... Ahem, embarrassed cough, visions of THAT particular scene in "Carry On Up the Khyber"...

[Jonny B. Goode]

However, in the major urban centers (like DC where I am currently located), the REAL gangbangers (well, not so much the MS 13 Salvadoreans, but certainly the black gangbangers) are very appreciative and supportive of my unconventional appearance.  I'm sure it helps that I work as a tattoo artist in a black-owned shop in a black neighborhood with black co-workers and a heavy majority of black clientelle, but even total stranger thugs are always giving me props.

I have to agree. I've found that "people of color", blacks and hispanics, respect a well-dressed man quite a bit more than their white counterparts do. I've gone to bars dressed to the nines; white people would come up to me and say stuff like, "what are you trying to be, some sort of pimp?", whereas black people would come up to me and remark on how impressed they are at my style.

[Auntie Ludmilla]

In the immortal words of ZZ Top..... "every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man....."

[Utini420]

I'm not sure it is an absolute fact, but one is tempted to opine that the typical, middle class, middle age, white christian male is the most boring human being who has ever lived.  And he morbidly hates, or at least distrusts and suspects, all those more interesting than himself.

[Burr]

Conformity and peer pressure is a strong feeling for many groups. Not all celebrate diversity or quirkiness of character.

[Sgt.Major Thistlewaite]

It's their loss, wot?

[Burr]

Aye, agreed!

[Thaumaturgical Nuissance]

The local populace respects my fashion choices and leaves me alone after the last, ahhhh... "Incident" shall we say.

I was walking along in a cloak and tunic, some skater came up and started heckling me, I ignored him, and then he decides he doesn't like being ignored. Not one bit.
I intercepted his punch halfway to my face and drove a quarterstaff into his gut so hard he was on the ground gasping for a good few minutes before he could move again. In addition to knocking some punk down a few notches, hopefully in his eyes as well as his buddies', I was accepted into the group, which has since begun emulating my manners to some extent. We now have skater punks who hold doors open for ladies and tip their hats to passers by. 

[JingleJoe]

How do I deal with the inevitable hecklings? By using my superior intellect!


Some pillock says:
 your a tit
Joe says:

 tit    /tɪt/
1 –noun
various small birds.

You have made an error in species recognition
Some pillock says:
 sorry it must have been your massive beak that confused me
Joe says:
You have made a second error in recognising organic lifeform's parts, as tits not only do not have large beaks but also, I do not have one at all.

[Foxy]

The heckling surprises me. Don't people have better things to do?

I would like to say that the second (and third) looks might be people who appreciate the steaminess. My first exposure to steampunk was at the Archon conference last fall and I literally followed a bunch of folks to the doors of the Steampunk Tea. I just had to get a second, third, fourth look at the costumes.

Same with Archon this year. I hope nobody thought I was gawking, but I'm sure I was staring as I tried to figure out the costumes and how I could possibly do something that cool for the next conference. Seeing as I can barely dress myself in jeans and a t-shirt every day, I'm not holding out much hope.

[Paisley Pirate]

This would be along the lines of the flight I made from Sacramento to Wichita... we shut our job down for a bit and I had my top hat and goggles that I did NOT want to put into storage (since the Wichita Anime Fest was coming up, and I had promised my daughter we would go) Soooo, I wore my hat with goggles on the flight.  I had a few looks from folks, but I just smiled.  I think my co-workers were glad they didn't sit beside me, but on the other hand, one of them is another steamy type...  needless to say, no issues, and got there and back with it on... 

I get the same kind of thing when in Renaissance garb and go to eat dinner... my favorite if someone asks if it's a costume, "No, is yours?"
Frankly, they are my most expensive clothes... the boots alone are several hundred dollars, but they are COMFY!
 
Best thing I can ever suggest is, take some martial arts classes. Study hard. Then be friendly.

Or, in the immortal words of Patrick Swazey in Road House: "Be Nice. Until it's time to NOT Be Nice."

[ulfnir]

I live in Bangor, Wales. It is a student town, with students comprising about 30% of the population, so it is a pretty diverse place. or so you'd think. Over the past few years I've had lazer pens shot in my face, been stabbed, beaten up several times, and got my nose broken, and blinded in one eye. Heckling i tend to just ignore, as I wear an ipod a lot of the time now. The thing that gets me is that I am dressed ina less outlandish manner than a lot of the "emo" kids do, and I still get grief. Its not like I sport a massive crimped pink haircut, or wear luminous chequered gloves, twinned with braces (suspenders) and stripey trousers.
I tend towards the ubiquitous goggles, brimmed hat, and coachmans coat, with riding boots  and waistcoats etc. Pretty understated. Still, the local pond life (no insult to frogs newts or toads meant) insist on being rude and aggressive. On the odd occasion I have "returned fire" it has resulted in an escalation of hostility. I rarely go into town now, and never ever after the shops close.

[Utini420]

Jesus, dude, your town sounds like the shit hole end of Beirut.  BLINDED IN ONE EYE!?!?!?!  Beaten up not once, but several times?  WTF?

[ulfnir]

quite! There is a large and massively deprived estate not far from the town, and sadly the inhabitants consider going out and fighting to be the height of entertainment.
A saturday night is not complete without a kebab, twenty pints of lager, a "bunk up" behind a dumpster, and a good beating of someone who looks different.

[Rockula]

quite! There is a large and massively deprived estate not far from the town, and sadly the inhabitants consider going out and fighting to be the height of entertainment.
A saturday night is not complete without a kebab, twenty pints of lager, a "bunk up" behind a dumpster, and a good beating of someone who looks different.

Bangor's in the north, right? Sounds remarkably similar to Splott in the south. I don't want to visit either ever again.

[Utini420]

Ya know, there are groups of people who really do need the occasional ass-kicking.  You may have found some.

[BrethrenAndBetrayer]

Ya know, there are groups of people who really do need the occasional ass-kicking.  You may have found some.

Agreed, but the one to do so should be careful. We don't want anyone else to obtain injuries like those. Ouch ):
   
       -Brethren