Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

There are sickos everywhere.....


Late yesterday afternoon, while driving through Commack, I was stopped at a red light next to a grey work van - no company name on the side. A greasy-looking white man with a lot of facial hair was hanging out of the window, HOOTING. (I drive with my windows open, my car's AC doesn't work so well.)

Of course, I rolled up my windows and continued driving. About a mile or 2 later, I'm driving down Jericho and this guy is STILL next to me - winking and waving.

Get this: He FOLLOWED ME INTO KINGS PARK....I started getting nervous! I keyed his License plate # into my cell phone, and had the phone on my lap, "just in case". I had to get home to keep an eye on my brother, but I was actually afraid to turn down my block because i thought this idiot was going to follow me!!!

I turned down the block AFTER mine, made some quick turns, and lost him.

10 minutes later, I saw the van slowly driving through the neighborhood!!

My brother was outside mowing the lawn - I made him come inside until my Dad got home.

I called the police, but they said they couldn't really do anything - the closest officers just responded to an accident and it would be 45+ minutes before they got to me. They told me to keep the License plate and vehicle description, just in case, but he'd probably be gone in 45 minutes.

I didn't see the van again, but my GOD - my heart was racing

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

OMG!!! That's so scary!

Message edited 6/7/2007 10:05:41 AM.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

That's so scary!!

There are a million weirdos out there.
Some strange guy was following me one day while I was driving with my son. He kept inching towards my truck at every red light and as I looked in my rear view mirror...I could see him laughing like a nut. He almost hit me. I had to do friggen movie stunt driving to get away from this idiot. Thankfully, I lost him.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

That really is so scary!!!

And, yes, I do feel less safe lately. Too many bad people in this world that we live in!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

that is so scary!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

Oh my goodness! How scary. I am glad you are OK. I feel very unsafe these days. I don't know if more stuff is going on or I am just more aware but I feel less and less safe the older I get.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

So scary! I'm glad you are okay

I have always looked over my shoulders and been wary of the world. I was raised that way -- I never saw the world as a safe place!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

omg nic

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

OMG!!!!!!!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

that is definately scary....I think the world is filled with many sickos. I don't trust anyone unless I know them. If I ever see someone in a car that seems to be following me, I quickly try to loose them or go to a public place but NEVER home!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

I have a degree in Forensic Psychology.

I studied all types of violent offenders, serial killers, sexual predators.

I do not feel less safe b/c i know, now matter WHERE you are, you always have the possibility of being confronted with danger.

I have taken self defense classes and I am continuously aware of my surroundings. but that STILL doesn't make me feel "safe"...just perhaps (and hopefully) better prepared to defend myself should I ever need to.

I pray none of you are ever in the position either. I worry for my friends and family every day.

ETA: Nic, you completely did the right thing. NEVER EVER STOP your car. continue driving...you have a barrier of protection as long as you on in your car. you can call and speak to the police and let them know your locations as you go.

that guy was most certainly a predator. I am so glad you are a smart cookie.

Message edited 6/7/2007 10:32:02 AM.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

OMG I cant believe that happened to you!!!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

That is scary! But no, I do not feel less safe now.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

That is so scary.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

Smart move Nic! Glad you're safe! What a creep

To answer the question - I feel the same amount of safety as I've felt since college. I think going to school in the Bronx made me more cautious & aware of my surroundings at all times.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

OMG thats so scary!!!

to answer your question, i dont feel any more scared than i usually do. i guess i'm always watching my back and i'm cautious of everything and everyone!

Message edited 6/7/2007 11:03:31 AM.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

Posted by alnem

OMG thats so scary!!!

to answer your question, i dont feel any more scared than i usually do. i guess i'm always watching my back and i'm cautious of everything and everyone!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

I am constantly paranoid. I have a fascination with true crime novels and from all my reading I know that it can happen ANYTIME, ANYWHERE (Ted Bundy claimed one of his victims on a college campus after she rounded a corner...she had just waved goodbye to her friend and she "disappeared" into thin air 20 ft later off the sidewalk)..DH makes fun of me but I am always on alert and I am suspicious of everyone and every situation unti I am proved wrong.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

I am ALWAYS extremely aware of my surroundings and looking around. I was followed twice when I was 18 and ever since then I am soooo alert. That was 10 years ago and it still scares the pants off me!

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

that is really scary!

Whenever people are bothering in my car, I think about where the closest police station is. I figure if I pull into it, the car will not come after me.


Dh makes fun of me that I lock the car doors whenever I get in, but as a woman, you just can't be too safe.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

Do I feel less safe? No.

Just more aware. I also have a large number of family members in law enforcement, so I guess I was predisposed to the idea of "bad people" at an earlier age.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

Nic-

I am so sorry you had to go through that. Thank goodness you're ok.

I don't feel less safe because I have never felt very safe. Just as others have written, I am very aware of my surrondings at all times. My car doors are locked as soon as I get in and I keep my cell phone in my lap while driving.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

I agree. I've been aware that the world we live in is not ever truly safe.

I've had to push myself to be more suspicious of people.

Just this morning, there was a guy on a bicycle meandering in my office parking lot. The lot was mostly empty when I arrived and he pulled up right next to my car and started asking me in not really understandable English where to find a certain office. Since I didn't know what he was saying, I just pointed him towards the entrance for the receptionists.

He then reached inside my car as if to show me the paper with the name written on it.

Most likely, he was really lost and just had boundaries that weren't appropriate, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

I said a firm NO, pointed him away and said I couldn't help him and didn't get out of my car until he rode off.

Incidentally, he did not go in the entrance I pointed to, but I don't know if that's because he just didn't understand me.

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?

OK - that is F UCKED up scary.... I would not be ok with that for a very long time!!!

I grew up in the city and lived in Brooklyn - to tell you the truth, I am more scared here in Long Island than anywhere else...

I had to go to this place in Carle Place today - its that 1-800-Flowers building - anyone familiar with it? There is a place called TRI there - a vocational training program for people with disabilities... you park underneath - it was sooo isolated and dark, I kept thinking that at any moment, someone could easily come from behind any car and grab me I have never been so scared. I kept picturing that girl leaving Target with her stuff, looking like any other person going shopping that day. I held my key out, ready for anything - on my way to my car....

Re: Spinoff to Liza's Target post....Do you feel less safe than usual lately?