HOT RIDER IN HEELS - Secretary getting marriage proposals as she cycles to work

"Ride it baby," a man said as he drove past Shellysha McCarthy on the streets of Kingston yesterday. He, like other men making comments with strong sexual overtones, has been captivated by the sight of Shellysha, all dressed up in heels and work dress, on her bicycle, as she goes about her daily business.

Shellysha pedals approximately six kilometres to work and back, daily, attracting thousands of gazing eyes, an oversupply of sweet talk and even marriage proposals.

"When I am on the road, the comments that were coming, oh gosh!... I couldn't bother with it because I used to wear my tights and change at office but me a seh mi caa bada," she said.

'Pick-up lines'

Her admirers appeared to have read the same 'pick-up lines' book, as they invariably shout at her saying, "Yes baby, mi like it," or, "Go ride it baby".

"I don't know what to say because I get so much proposals, it is not even funny. My messenger is swamped with messages of people wanting to marry me," laughed the 39-year-old single woman.

"The funniest one I got was this man who said text me and said: 'To how you body sexy, me would a go over the moon for you.' I was like 'okay then'. And he messaged me back to say he was serious".

When The STAR caught up with Shellysha in Kingston yesterday, she was wearing a pair of four-inch heels and a black and white dress. And of course, the 39-year-old was on her Racers bicycle.

"I don't like flat shoes, I love me heels, and I can't deal with the flats. I feel more comfortable in the heels. I carry a 'crep' (sneakers and I don't see the difference because when I tried the crep my foot is bucking in the ground but when I have on my heels, I use the tip so it's okay, there are no obstacles," she said.

A secretary at G.W. Christie (Engineers) Limited, Shellysha has been using her bicycle as her primary mode of transportation for the past three months. She said that on the day she made the decision to ride to work, she did not have any bus fare.

Bus fare

"Mi caah deal wid the squeeze up squeeze up and the delay in the traffic, plus I am saving up to get a car, so that was one thing that inspired me, plus that morning I did not have any bus fare so I thought of the bike that was handed down to me by my grandfather. I grew up as a tomboy, enuh, a play football and thing so riding came as a natural thing to me," she said.

Shellysha's dream car is a Honda Fit, but she has her eyes set on a Mistibushi Mirage, which she is well on her way to getting. She said the change came as a result of the Mirage being less appealing to thieves. Currently she said it is difficult to maneuver taxis and potholes on the road, but she has the skill to dance her way around the traffic.

Dodging potholes and bad drivers are not the only hazard being faced by Shellysha. She said that in the past month, she got wet two times ,which resulted in her getting sick.

"Me get wet up yesterday (Tuesday) but it doesn't matter enuh, I like the thrill of when rain failing and the fresh air. I don't mind getting wet but it is the after effect that concerns me sometimes. I do have my umbrella and rain cloak but I don't have the time to stop and put it on," she said.