Have you ever "followed" someone when walking somewhere?

[19magic]

So for about 15/20 mins today I was following this mum and her kid. I knew I was making her nervous as she kept looking back at me, her movements were that touch hurried and it ended up that she was looking back every 20/30 seconds or so. I even noticed her face getting panicky, it was really bizarre.

I wasn't creeping as I would kick the stones around and I was just listening to music on the walk home from work, and due to the music I walked fast as I'll put a catchy rock tune on and walk to the beat. I mean I was about 3/4 inches taller than her and she was definitely skinner than me but it was really odd how nervous she got. I mean if it came down to a fight then it'll more than likely be in my favour, I guess, personally it was just super awkward as this was my direct way home and the three/four turns we both took were all the same. And being the cause of the anxious feeling in her made me feel bad I tried on three separate occasions to walk on the opposite side of the road to her to stop her from being so anxious/scared - which didn't seem to work at all so 🤷‍♀️

Has this happened to you before, what has been your experiences?

Yes

No

[God_of_Thunder]

I've had that happen before, purely unintentionally.

It's arguably worse, when you're a guy following a woman, because they probably think you're going to rape her. It doesn't help that I'm 6'4", broad shoulders, and built; I'm regularly told I'm very intimidating.

There's not really much you can do, though, except try and keep your distance, but even that seems to make women nervous, because it looks intentional. It doesn't help that I'm a power walker, either.

The best "fix" I could come up with was to stop and smoke a cigarette, to prove I wasn't actually stalking them. 🤷‍♂️

[19magic]

Yeah I can definitely see that, it wouldn't bother me in the daytime but it would at night. I've just never been on the receiving end of it, I've "followed" people before tbh its mostly been guys, but never had I got the uncomfortable awkward feeling, I was going to call out I'm not following you I swear I just live down xyz road but thought that might seem even more fishy lol

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

I was age 18 and these 2 girls were laughing and following me home from this one store they were like age 14/ 15 and I did get creeped out and scared but after a certain distance they went the other way

[19magic]

I've definitely had it happen to me but in my case I was alone, there were no other people and it was a pretty urban area, whereas this happened at 4:20pm bright sunshine in residential areas with other people around

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

@19magic Yeah, it's something else for sure.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Thanks for Most Helpful Guy :)

[GurlMaster40]

I said yes only because I kinda follow my friends around instead of standing next to them while walking unless it is just one friend.

[1GoldTwins]

You weren't creeping but she was panicking. That means you were creeping alright!

[19magic]

I was on about hiding from sight, trying to be silent as possible, I mean I even switched roads I was walking on to make her feel better

[1GoldTwins]

I have followed somewhere before because I didn't know how to get somewhere and I knew that the person was headed there too. And I was stealthy about it ;)

[1GoldTwins]

Creeping is creeping! So were my actions! But you got to be subtle!

[19magic]

I was just walking home and wondering whether to get a slushie or not hell I was eating an ice cream while we were waiting at the same traffic lights, being subtle would make it worse, I purposely made noise so that she would be aware of me and that I'm not a threat, she already knew I was there so being silent would make it more weird.

[1GoldTwins]

No that's actually giving the impression of a creepy follower that you gave off. :(
It's not worse if you're subtle, because they simply won't even be aware that you're there. Making it obvious that you're following them Makes you a possible threat by default.

[19magic]

But she knew I was there we waited at the same traffic lights whether I was subtle or not after that it didn't matter. Hell I was going to walk past her which is when I noticed the first looks and because of the looks I held back. When I said I made noise I just meant the same noise I would make on a walk home anyway I'm clumsy so I scuffed my shoes a couple of times. So the more panicky she got I slowed down and made a little more noise so that she's aware I'm not going near her. Besides until I noticed her looking at me all the time I was just nodding to the music I was listening to, hell I even smiled in greeting her at the traffic lights - which every other person normally smiles back - which she also did, and then I never looked at her again, until she kept looking back. The whole sitch has really troubled me, I really don't get it we were in a populated area (there were other passers by) and it was just after 4pm on a very sunny day, if something untoward was going to happen all she had to do was call out for help and someone would help her, I really don't understand it.

[1GoldTwins]

Take it from an observer. Making it obvious can make it threatening.

[Bob92220]

I haven't but there were several women who thought I was. I was leaving a nightclub, around midnight, and walking to my car. There were two women walking ahead of me who kept looking back at me. They looked like they'd been drinking so I assumed they just left the night club too. One of the women looked directly at me and said she is calling the cops. I fast-paced it to my car and got out of there.

[AviatorTom]

It sometimes happens that two people are going to the same place, and it looks like one is following the other. I've been on both sides of that, walking and driving a car. It can be scary until one realizes that they're not being followed.

[PatriceONeal]

So for about 15/20 mins today I was following this mum and her kid

Can you stop following mom's and their kids you loon?

[19magic]

Okay yeah I can't see if you're being sarcastic or not so I'm going to just explain, just in case: I was just walking home and we all crossed at the same lights and then happened to go the same way each and every time for about 15 mins.

[PatriceONeal]

If you're in that situation again say something like. "Hey I'm not stalking you I just live on ______ st. Add smile and laugh.

[19magic]

I can't say I've ever scared someone before, I've always been the nervous type, I'm the kind of person who gets an item of food I never ordered for, and almost shaking at going to the till to return it and get the correct order. To scare someone else was so unreal and super uncomfortable.

[Guardian45]

I must admit that rarely and briefly an attractive woman would pass me, and I would try to steel up the nerve to say HI. But invariably, I would chicken out and leave. Beautiful women make me nervous.

[TheMajesticKing777]

Nope but that story is pretty funny lol

[eagle1951]

when i was in high school

[Anonymous]

Only for a brief time, she had a nice ass. 😜