Musing With a Purpose-When Kindness Turned Stalking
As I pulled out of a parking lot at a fruit market, a guy walked out in front of my car. I slowed down to let him pass when he signaled me to go. I shook my head to allow him to finish his walk. I didn't feel right and didn't trust this very playful man.
He dashed back and forth in front of my car, making hand signals to stop, to go, and pointed to his car while smiling with a flirty smirk. I smiled back as a gesture of being kind, and thought that I was yielding to a pedestrian.
Shockingly, he took it to a different level, and asked if I would go for a cup coffee. At this point, my patience reached the top of a breaking point. Irritated, I lowered my window and told him, "Man! I'm not interested, and I have to go", and used my hand to ask him to move aside. He laughed as if I've said something funny.
He got in his car, and the next thing I knew he was following me almost to my home. Luckily, I saw him in the rear view mirror, still smiling, and still acted bizarre! Creepy, I tell you! I couldn't believe being kind earned me a follower in the weirdest sense of the word.
At first, I didn't know what to do, but I know that I wouldn't pull onto my driveway, so I drive on around and around. During this time, I keep saying to myself "shoo...this is so freaky" to stay sane. Then I turned into the Police Station near my home, and he was still right behind me.
I park my car in front of the Police building to make sure this stalker sees the sight, and he did before he could get out of his car. Darn, this incident shakes me up for the day! Have anything like this happened to you, and what did you do?
Here are my suggestions:
He dashed back and forth in front of my car, making hand signals to stop, to go, and pointed to his car while smiling with a flirty smirk. I smiled back as a gesture of being kind, and thought that I was yielding to a pedestrian.
Shockingly, he took it to a different level, and asked if I would go for a cup coffee. At this point, my patience reached the top of a breaking point. Irritated, I lowered my window and told him, "Man! I'm not interested, and I have to go", and used my hand to ask him to move aside. He laughed as if I've said something funny.
He got in his car, and the next thing I knew he was following me almost to my home. Luckily, I saw him in the rear view mirror, still smiling, and still acted bizarre! Creepy, I tell you! I couldn't believe being kind earned me a follower in the weirdest sense of the word.
At first, I didn't know what to do, but I know that I wouldn't pull onto my driveway, so I drive on around and around. During this time, I keep saying to myself "shoo...this is so freaky" to stay sane. Then I turned into the Police Station near my home, and he was still right behind me.
I park my car in front of the Police building to make sure this stalker sees the sight, and he did before he could get out of his car. Darn, this incident shakes me up for the day! Have anything like this happened to you, and what did you do?
Here are my suggestions:
- Don't ever go home
- Go to a nearest Police station
- If it gets aggressive, call 911
- Be aware of your surrounding
11 comments:
So the devil turns out to be a stalker. Too bad. :-(
OMG! Icy this is out right creepy. You did the right thing to drive straight to the police station. I wish I will remember that when it happens to me. Hope that you will not see him again. Be careful always.
Yes, Icy, I have had many similar incidents in NY. I can remember how my heart was racing. Thank God you used your head. He may have been high! Who knows what he may have done!!
This is excellent advice, Icy. As you know, for 21 years, I was a sexual assault nurse examiner for the city and county of San Francisco. I heard stories similar to yours and even worse. What is scariest are the things teens, and youngsters, are getting into today online in internet chat rooms with older predators. They are so unaware that they are prey and set up meetings, often imagining themselves "in love". I saw girls so often who had met a guy and had sex with them and were furious when their parent found out and brought them in to us, begging their child to receive services ( we could not force them to have an exam or work with law enforcement to go after these guys ). It is most important to have early dialogues with your children about these things and to be aware of your child's internet usage and with whom they communicate.
What a story! The answer is "no, and I am glad it has not happened to me!"
This is so scary BC. I'm just so glad you are OK. If I'm in your shoes. I wouldn't know what to do :( We women should know self defense :(
oh, that was scary, but am glad for you that you were able to handle the situation best by going and parking to the police station. i haven't had that experience and i don't wish for one.
This is very frightening. I have never gone through this, but I would have done what you did. There's no way that I would have gone home either.
You did exactly the right thing, Icy. Driving to the police station is the best thing to do. You were very wise, and I would've done the same thing. You don't want creeps to know where you live.
It must have shaken you up pretty good.
Extremely scary Icy and you did the right thing, not pulling into your driveway. I'm just glad you are okay.
You did the right thing by going to the police station, I hope you walked inside and told them about the creepy guy.
I have run into similar situations many times, mostly when I worked in Anchorage and Portland, OR. I have had a few follow me around inside stores but I would walk up to the customer service desk and have them call security if it got out of hand. Never had one follow me in a car.
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