Haha! I've actually used that one. I have a touch of baby face so when I get the feeling an older dude is hitting on me because he thinks I'm underage I have no problem shout out and embarrassing him.

wow.

Fake number. If you feel compelled to give one, always use a fake number.

I once had a guy carry on a whole hitting on me thing AND give me his phone number on a scrap of paper while never taking off my headphones. I literally did not hear a single word he said. And he STILL THOUGHT HEY MAYBE SHE IS INTO IT.

My English grandma would have done the same! Except her walker had wheels, and ramming it into a guys knee or groin would have delighted her.

Oh, God. The only time it is acceptable to ask someone to take their headphones off is if you need help. Are you lost? Do you need medical attention? No? Then get lost.

Good for you! I also ended up going on a couple dates with someone I met on a subway once. There's nothing inherently wrong with men approaching strangers if they are respectful and competent at picking up on cues when their attention is not welcome.

It's even MORE fun if the book is something that is total Man Krypton. I have the dust cover for "The Feminist Critique of Language" and I slap that over whatever trashy thing I'm *really* reading. If that doesn't keep a dude at arms' length, then nothing will.

Well, if you continue to use "My parents don't let me take calls from strangers" in response to unwanted advances, I'm pretty sure it would get them to back off quick.

"Sex pest" has now entered my vernacular.

Hey, use it in whatever empowering way you want! Unless the book you're trying to bait the young gent is by Nicholas Sparks. Because then you're guaranteed to not get any.

Ugh, I really hate it when guys ask you to take out your headphones only to then hit on you. Happens to me ridiculously often! Why do these dudes think I'm wearing headphones in the first place? Obviously, it must be because I desperately want weird strangers to chat me up, right?

Stealing this!

I'm also a fan of Making A Scene which, in England at least, makes most pick-up pricks lumber off into the horizon. I'm really quite shy, but if someone won't stop harrassing me, I'll force myself to say in a a voice penetrating enough to make dogs put their paws over their ears, "YOU ARE MAKING ME UNCOMFORTABLE."…

Ugh. See, normally I get next to zero attention, and I didn't realize how nice that was until I had a day last week when apparently a Hit on Septembergrrl Holiday had been declared without my consent. (I was wearing a below-the-knee corduroy shirtdress, tights, and low heels, so it wasn't like I intended to look…

From the Post article:

Semi-related story time. Normally I am pretty good at shaking off men trying to pick me up in public places but last week my friend and I went the mall to get her ring finger sized. When we headed out this boy (who was on the phone so already being rude) stood way too close in my personal space and asked for my…

I'm a fan of the "Oh, sorry, I'm actually really sick and don't want to give it to you" as an excuse to back away. If they persist, you can always cough in their face and freak them out.

I always use this response. "I'm married, and my husband just got released from jail. He was freed from a murder charge early due to a technicality." They usually walk away at that point. It they don't, I like to add: "He said he didn't really mind it, and wasn't afraid of going back."

CAAAAN YOOOOU DIGGGIIIITT