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And while wary of the danger of simply reducing gendered space to the inside/outside (feminine/masculine) opposition, it still appears to hold a certain validity. Many people, especially women, seem much more comfortable inside a car than out, in a quiet or busy urban street, day or night. There are few spaces as intermediate as a car – the freedom of the public/outside, with the comfort, seclusion, and anonymity of the private/inside. This safety is a commodity, and there is an inherent fear of becoming stranded. Traditionally, a ‘proper’ woman (legitimate femininity) was not meant to linger or loiter in open public spaces, especially alone. They were allowed to simply pass through public space, in transit, from one (closed) private space to another, or to an intermediate zone. To be ‘stranded’, is different for a woman, than a man.
