Piggy-man alert! Mexico has apparently given up on its efforts to end male harassment and assault of women through public service announcements.

Back in 2006, the Mexican government pictured sex dolls dressed up as normal workers in a bizarre anti-machismo campaign—which actually sent the message that all women are whores under their professional duds, I thought at the time.

But today the strategy is simpler and more physical — just keep the men out of public transit vehicles that are reserved for women. Apparently Mexican elites aren't concerned with damaging the self-esteem of males so restrained.

Mexican men have long gotten a relative pass on their obnoxious behavior toward women because the Arabs are so much worse on the worldwide piggy-man scorecards. So the women-only buses of Mexico City are a helpful reminder of our neighbor's knuckle-dragger culture.

Groping and verbal harassment is an exasperating reality for women using public transportation in this sprawling capital, where 22 million passengers cram onto subways and buses each day. Some men treat women so badly that the subway system has long had ladies-only cars during rush hour, with police segregating the sexes on the platforms. [...]

And while some men have complained that they have to wait longer for a bus, she said the women are thrilled: "The women are really happy and we have been getting a lot of e-mail and letters from them."

Juliana Romero, a 49-year-old secretary, said not riding with men is "fantastic."

"When the bus is packed, there will inevitably be a lecherous man who will bother you," she said.

Women-only buses or subways have been rolling for years in India, Brazil, Japan and other countries. Mexico City finally took the action as part of a growing responsiveness to complaints about discrimination against women, Montiel said. [Mexico City Rolls Out Women-Only Buses, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan 24, 2008]

Say, can we get American buses that will keep Mexican men off?