First time on public transport

[Troy]

Well, I've decided to take the plunge tomorrow...

My team will be 'clocking off' at lunchtime tomorrow, and will spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying a Festive get-together at a local restaurant.

The dress code is 'neat casual', and the ladies (there are twelve of them in our team of fifteen - you may have seen photos of some of them in the photos I posted last month), and Mrs Troy have been asking if I'll be kilted. Looks like I'll be opting for the Cornish National tank, teamed with Dr Martens, neat black tee, and my new plain black day sporran.

Only thing is, it will be my fist time kilted on public transport - 40 minutes each way, to and from the city and "Sydney's troubled South Western suburbs". Looks like being a character-building exercise!



Cheers,

Troy

[davedove]

Only thing is, it will be my fist time kilted on public transport - 40 minutes each way, to and from the city and "Sydney's troubled South Western suburbs". Looks like being a character-building exercise!

I've been on the Metro (public train/subway system) here in Washington DC a few times while kilted, and it wasn't really a big deal. I did get a few glances, but that was it.

[cessna152towser]

Not sure what its like in Australia, but certainly in Scotland and the North of England I've often worn a kilt on public transport and nobody's ever made any comment. Its just not been an issue. People will only notice you as you board and alight, or on a long distance train when you go along to the toilet or diner. I boarded a London bound train at Newcastle in the north of England last year wearing a black kilt, and having found a seat, the first guy who passed along the aisle on his way to the buffet car was also wearing a kilt. A couple of weeks ago, boarding a train in Glasgow kilted, a mini-rabble of three young guys in kilts also boarded the same train.

[wsk]

... People will only notice you as you board and alight, ...

He said alight. How cool is that? One of the great things about this forum is that so many here use words outside of what passes for conversational English.

So that I don't hijack the thread: can't imagine how riding public transport should be a problem except for that puff of breeze that accompanies an arriving train.

[mbhandy]

Last year I had to ride a bus full of Sundance film people and had to stand. some woman behind me who was seated keep trying to lift my kilt. :rolleyes: She let out a scream and started to laugh, I turned and looked stern at her and she said don't you know it's cold. She was from LA and bundled up like a robot and could hardly move because of all the clothes she had on. Told her if she had on 8yrds. of wool she might not need so many clothes:rolleyes: Same thing allmost happened when I took the bus back to my truck.

MrBill

[Troy]

can't imagine how riding public transport should be a problem except for that puff of breeze that accompanies an arriving train.

Previously, I have only wormn my kilt to private parties/get-togethers, Highland Games, and when I have been playing gigs. I have always driven to these events.

What worried me the most was the prospect of being entrapped in a big metal box (i.e. the train carriage) with a couple of hundred other people, some of whom could possibly be young inebriated guys (it being the Christmas party season) with "something to prove", for 45+ minutes.

The area I live in has a lot of trouble with young guys trying to be "gangtas" (there's even a group getting around calling themselves "Tongan Crips"). Now, while I'm a fairly big guy and am rarely intimidated, quite frankly, I don't want to be bothered by the anti-social dimwits

As it was, I received no agressive comments from anybody, mainly just looks and the odd admiring smile. A couplke of "woo hoos" and a "Yeah, I guess he's Scottish", from a bunch of schoolgirls (why wasn't I kilted 20 years ago!).

I guess it's all to do with the confidence and attitude one exudes when one is kilted.

[McMurdo]

I guess it's all to do with the confidence and attitude one exudes when one is kilted.

That, in my experience is exactly it. The thing that continues to amaze me is the amount of confidence donning my trusty old Gunn tartan gives me, perhaps it's because my kilt was given to me by my father, I'm not sure.

Good on you though Troy, the only way the general public will accept kilts is if they see them.

[McClef]

Good on you though Troy, the only way the general public will accept kilts is if they see them.

Even where kilts are accepted, such as Scotland, getting people to accept their wearing outside of "special occasions" can only done by people seeing them outside of such events.

And that takes people wearing them and edcuating people into ceasing to associate them with such events.

[Erisianmonkey]

Not that Denver is any massively bad place, but it does have a few rough areas, and I've never had any trouble while kilted, and I used to live in an area where gunshots were a regular occurrence (way *too* regular-you could almost set your clock by the 2am gunshots). There's actually a psychological effect on characters of that type. They seem to think "He's got the guts to wear that *here*? He must be one *bad* dude" That and they notice that the ladies look at you like a starving man looks at a prime steak...

Or at least that's been my experience.

[Mr. Kilt]

I was kilted when my wife and I took a bus to and from the Seattle Space Needle back in October. Got a few looks, but no comments from anyone, not even the drivers. I sat up front on one trip and talked "transit stuff" with him during the trip.