My experiences
As a turban wielding Sikh I have lots of fun on a daily basis... but two experiences stick out in my mind:

1. About a year ago, I was on the tube, and LU had obviously been taking lessons on sardine packing from John West. A lady brushed her elbow on my turban, and I could see the look of horror in her eyes as she began apologizing profusely. She wasn't amused when I jokingly asked her if he was trying to "feel me up".

2. About 6 months ago a 3 year old with his mom on a train pointed to me and went "what's that man wearing?" Cue much embarrassment and shouting at the kid from the mom. WTF??
(zero.coke, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 18:05, 7 replies)

What's wrong with some parents?
What's the big deal about saying "It's a kind of a hat that's made from a really long piece of cloth"

Okay, there's more to it (I assume) but to shout at her little 3 yearold? some people have the wrong priorities in life...

Prof. Kuldip Ubbi lectured me at University for some time.. that man could wrap with speeed =)
( Humpty Dumpty was Pushed Is unaware of having any limits., Tue 27 Nov 2007, 19:02, closed)

My experiences
No, there wasn't more to it. She genuinely went nuts to some (perceived) insult she thought I'd taken. Eventually I told her to relax, told him it's a turban and explained why I wear it.
(zero.coke, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 19:19, closed)

I work next to a Sikh
Lovely guy. Initially I was a bit nervous as Guildford isn't the most multi-cultural of places, being a Daily Mail reader stronghold and I really didn't want to accidentally offend him. Instead I just started asking him questions about his religion and so on. I learned loads, he got to explain it so somebody actually understood without treading on eggshells and everybody won.

The most offensive thing about racism and about unthinking political correctness is in forgetting that the person on the receiving end is, in fact, a person. How this gets forgotten boggles the mind.
( Kroney, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 20:12, closed)

I sometimes wear a turban
and I'm not even a Sikh. I do it just to be awkward.
(frankspencer, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 20:48, closed)

turban
They're great looking things, I haven't seen one for ages.
(Nibi, Tue 27 Nov 2007, 21:32, closed)

A brown-skinned friend of mine
doesn't wear a turban (he's bald), but he does carry a rucksack with him on the tube, which combined with his complexion and sinister stubble makes him look pretty much exactly like the stereotype middle-eastern terrorist.

Although he likes the space he gets on the tube carriages, he's bought a T-Shirt which reads "Don't freak, I'm a Sikh!"
( chart cat has an itch, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 8:52, closed)

Bald Sikh?
Does your bald Sikh friend keep his comb with him? This leads to the question - Where does a bald Sikh keep his comb? Does he get an extra pocket sown into his kex so he can keep it with his knife?
(Rastus P Watermelon, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 10:27, closed)