Nanouche Umeadi said women did not feel safe at bus stops late at night

• GOOD to see Labour councillor Nanouche Umeadi stray from the tedium of the tired old political vernacular by using the word “chirpsing” in the council chamber, (Women on a night out “still don’t feel safe getting home”, November 23).

I just want to clarify her explanation of what the word means: she says “being chatted up by people I don’t want to be speaking to”. But chirpsing is a perfectly respectable thing to do, chatting up.

When it becomes clear that the chirpsee doesn’t want to proceed in an exchange, a chirpser who persists turns into a sexual harasser, and that’s not acceptable.

As someone who spent 15 fairly happy years living with someone I met as a tube carriage chirpser, I think it’s an important distinction. Why only 15 years? Another story, but enough to say the chirpsing had sadly long ceased.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, NW3