safety
Replies
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michellemybelll wrote: »dude. that would've totally freaked me out too. i don't think i would've called 911, but that's a weird and unusual occurrence. i run alone and mostly the same route, with variations here and there, and i have co-workers, family, friends constantly chastise me about my safety and how i should carry pepper spray. Giving the OP a hard time for calling the cops is silly.
Glad you're ok OP.
Being aware of our surroundings at all times is important. OP, if you were that close, could you have noted the license plate? That may have helped identify if this was a work van and someone was merely doing their job.
As far as the bold - mocking people is standard procedure on these boards.
meanwhile, here in the real world, the van was on the **other** side of the street and every time she got close to it the van drove two blocks **away from her**. so no, unless she has a hella telephoto lens attached to her iphone, she was never close enough to take a pic of the plate
Hell, since the van kept moving away and she kept closing the distance, a case can be made that **she** was the dangerous stalker. do you also support the van driver's decision to dial 911 and report the OP?
Somewhere on the meter reader forums, some guy is asking if he should have called the cops on this lady who kept approaching his vehicle and staring at him down constantly.0 -
michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »Cranquistador wrote: »
Pretty sure calling the cops was the silly part.michellemybelll wrote: »dude. that would've totally freaked me out too. i don't think i would've called 911, but that's a weird and unusual occurrence. i run alone and mostly the same route, with variations here and there, and i have co-workers, family, friends constantly chastise me about my safety and how i should carry pepper spray. Giving the OP a hard time for calling the cops is silly.
Glad you're ok OP.
I would have called the cops if I felt it was suspicious. I probably would have used the non-emergency number, but the police are there for situations like this where someone thinks there could be a threat.
agreed. but, i would have used 911 as i have no idea what the non-emergency number is. 911 would be the only way i would know to contact the authorities in a threatening situation.
911 would have given you the non-emergency number if it was something they typically don't handle. If you were to call 911 for a burglary if you walked in after the incident was over they would give you the non-emergency number.
nice. good to know. so, 911 then would need to be called in any case.
NO. try this. "Okay Google" wait for the beep. then say "dial police non emergency number." trust me, it works. I used it last month when I had a custody situation with my ex. I had the courtesy to not delay help getting to someone that was in an actual life or death situation by taking 2.6 seconds to look up and use the correct police number for my situation.
or maybe you have an iphone. i bet it's got the same capability. using a RAZR? no problem, that's what directory assistance is for. use the non emergency number for non emergencies. it ain't that hard.
Worse comes to worse call 411 or 0 or whatever the old school phone directory is.0 -
michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »Cranquistador wrote: »
Pretty sure calling the cops was the silly part.michellemybelll wrote: »dude. that would've totally freaked me out too. i don't think i would've called 911, but that's a weird and unusual occurrence. i run alone and mostly the same route, with variations here and there, and i have co-workers, family, friends constantly chastise me about my safety and how i should carry pepper spray. Giving the OP a hard time for calling the cops is silly.
Glad you're ok OP.
I would have called the cops if I felt it was suspicious. I probably would have used the non-emergency number, but the police are there for situations like this where someone thinks there could be a threat.
agreed. but, i would have used 911 as i have no idea what the non-emergency number is. 911 would be the only way i would know to contact the authorities in a threatening situation.
911 would have given you the non-emergency number if it was something they typically don't handle. If you were to call 911 for a burglary if you walked in after the incident was over they would give you the non-emergency number.
nice. good to know. so, 911 then would need to be called in any case.
Not necessarily. 911 is the main emergency number. If you are not in danger or possible danger you should use the non-emergency number. If you call 911 and it is something not handled by them they will give you a different number to call.
right. so, if you don't know the non-emergency number, you would need to dial 911 initially in order to obtain the aforementioned non-emergency number. at least, that is what i am understanding from what you've said.
No, you can look up the non-emergency number through a variety of other means (Google sometimes displays the number on the main search results). Calling 911 just to get the non-emergency number is misusing the system. I would actually encourage most people to program the non-emergency number for their local police department into their phone. If someone broke into your house while you were gone or into your car overnight you have time to look up a phone number because you don't need a cop there immediately.0 -
michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »Cranquistador wrote: »
Pretty sure calling the cops was the silly part.michellemybelll wrote: »dude. that would've totally freaked me out too. i don't think i would've called 911, but that's a weird and unusual occurrence. i run alone and mostly the same route, with variations here and there, and i have co-workers, family, friends constantly chastise me about my safety and how i should carry pepper spray. Giving the OP a hard time for calling the cops is silly.
Glad you're ok OP.
I would have called the cops if I felt it was suspicious. I probably would have used the non-emergency number, but the police are there for situations like this where someone thinks there could be a threat.
agreed. but, i would have used 911 as i have no idea what the non-emergency number is. 911 would be the only way i would know to contact the authorities in a threatening situation.
911 would have given you the non-emergency number if it was something they typically don't handle. If you were to call 911 for a burglary if you walked in after the incident was over they would give you the non-emergency number.
nice. good to know. so, 911 then would need to be called in any case.
no, they would only give you the number because you didn't call the 'right' number to begin with0 -
Or just add the police non-emergency number to your contacts. That's what I did and have used that number a couple of times. No searching or Googling if it's already there.0
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jeez...she obviously felt like she was in immediate danger, peeps. just because you would have reacted differently doesnt mean she wasn't scared.
I have been physically grabbed on the street out of nowhere and had to put a knife in a guys face to avoid being...whatever he planned on doing. I might have been creeped out, too...but probably just would have ran off in another direction or towards people or something.
This is why I carry a weapon or go with people. People always think that kind of thing happens to other people until it really happens to them! I hope no one trying to make the OP feel dumb for being safe rather than sorry ever experience violent assault. There are more sick people out there than most people care to realize.
I'm glad you're okay OP. I hope it was just a meter reader or something but seriously...better to be observant and safe than a missing person or victim.0 -
I wonder if I could have used the work "people" more in that post jeez ^^^0
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Wow lots of food for thought0
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nordlead2005 wrote: »ok, let's get this straight.
If you are out walking and possibly crossing jurisdictions, 911 is totally a prudent number to call.
If you are at home and your car was broken into the night before, 911 is not a reasonable number to call, look up the local police number and call them.
As for this situation, I wasn't there, but the way I see it unfolding in my head it sounds like imagination got the best of someone. Calling 911 though isn't a problem. Yes, it costs taxpayer money, but that money is spent anyways and they constantly deal with "false alarms" and the staffing levels are setup to handle that.
Yeah, I've never even heard of an understaffed or cash strapped Police department.0 -
thanks0
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jeez...she obviously felt like she was in immediate danger, peeps. just because you would have reacted differently doesnt mean she wasn't scared.
I have been physically grabbed on the street out of nowhere and had to put a knife in a guys face to avoid being...whatever he planned on doing. I might have been creeped out, too...but probably just would have ran off in another direction or towards people or something.
This is why I carry a weapon or go with people. People always think that kind of thing happens to other people until it really happens to them! I hope no one trying to make the OP feel dumb for being safe rather than sorry ever experience violent assault. There are more sick people out there than most people care to realize.
I'm glad you're okay OP. I hope it was just a meter reader or something but seriously...better to be observant and safe than a missing person or victim.
So she thought she was in immediate danger but continued to follow what she thought was a suspicious vehicle? It wasn't following her, she was following it.
She thought she was in immediate danger but didn't bother to identify the license plate, the make/model of the truck or a description of the occupants? Or at least photograph the vehicle?
Definitely sounds like the actions of someone in immediate danger. More like someone who freaked themselves out for no reason.0 -
In my area if you call the non emergency number, you are told to call 911.
You were right to call 911 if you feel threatened. That was suspicion behavior.
I would change up your routine and let some know your routes.
Could the person be PI? Some are not very good.0 -
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jeez...she obviously felt like she was in immediate danger, peeps. just because you would have reacted differently doesnt mean she wasn't scared.
I have been physically grabbed on the street out of nowhere and had to put a knife in a guys face to avoid being...whatever he planned on doing. I might have been creeped out, too...but probably just would have ran off in another direction or towards people or something.
This is why I carry a weapon or go with people. People always think that kind of thing happens to other people until it really happens to them! I hope no one trying to make the OP feel dumb for being safe rather than sorry ever experience violent assault. There are more sick people out there than most people care to realize.
I'm glad you're okay OP. I hope it was just a meter reader or something but seriously...better to be observant and safe than a missing person or victim.
So she thought she was in immediate danger but continued to follow what she thought was a suspicious vehicle? It wasn't following her, she was following it.
She thought she was in immediate danger but didn't bother to identify the license plate, the make/model of the truck or a description of the occupants? Or at least photograph the vehicle?
Definitely sounds like the actions of someone in immediate danger. More like someone who freaked themselves out for no reason.
Not everyone reacts "appropriately" to situations all of the time. A lot of people deal with things through denial.0 -
michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »michellemybelll wrote: »Cranquistador wrote: »
Pretty sure calling the cops was the silly part.michellemybelll wrote: »dude. that would've totally freaked me out too. i don't think i would've called 911, but that's a weird and unusual occurrence. i run alone and mostly the same route, with variations here and there, and i have co-workers, family, friends constantly chastise me about my safety and how i should carry pepper spray. Giving the OP a hard time for calling the cops is silly.
Glad you're ok OP.
I would have called the cops if I felt it was suspicious. I probably would have used the non-emergency number, but the police are there for situations like this where someone thinks there could be a threat.
agreed. but, i would have used 911 as i have no idea what the non-emergency number is. 911 would be the only way i would know to contact the authorities in a threatening situation.
911 would have given you the non-emergency number if it was something they typically don't handle. If you were to call 911 for a burglary if you walked in after the incident was over they would give you the non-emergency number.
nice. good to know. so, 911 then would need to be called in any case.
Not necessarily. 911 is the main emergency number. If you are not in danger or possible danger you should use the non-emergency number. If you call 911 and it is something not handled by them they will give you a different number to call.
right. so, if you don't know the non-emergency number, you would need to dial 911 initially in order to obtain the aforementioned non-emergency number. at least, that is what i am understanding from what you've said.
how about you be an adult and go look it up- it's pretty easy to find- save it in your phone and then it's a none issue.
Calling the 911 number ties up a dispatcher who could be handling a life threatening call and is instead handling a minor issue.
In the time you've been bantering about this you could have gone and looked it up and put it in your phone.
so. go look it up- plug in your phone.0 -
jeez...she obviously felt like she was in immediate danger, peeps. just because you would have reacted differently doesnt mean she wasn't scared.
I have been physically grabbed on the street out of nowhere and had to put a knife in a guys face to avoid being...whatever he planned on doing. I might have been creeped out, too...but probably just would have ran off in another direction or towards people or something.
This is why I carry a weapon or go with people. People always think that kind of thing happens to other people until it really happens to them! I hope no one trying to make the OP feel dumb for being safe rather than sorry ever experience violent assault. There are more sick people out there than most people care to realize.
I'm glad you're okay OP. I hope it was just a meter reader or something but seriously...better to be observant and safe than a missing person or victim.
So she thought she was in immediate danger but continued to follow what she thought was a suspicious vehicle? It wasn't following her, she was following it.
She thought she was in immediate danger but didn't bother to identify the license plate, the make/model of the truck or a description of the occupants? Or at least photograph the vehicle?
Definitely sounds like the actions of someone in immediate danger. More like someone who freaked themselves out for no reason.
^ALL THE ABOVE0 -
911 operator here. I would be okay with you calling 911 for that. Personally, I just don't like:
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Secondly- I had someone do something very similar to me- I was running against traffic on the road- car on the opposite had just made the turn to head the same direction as me (so he came from behind me- to my right)- and drove past me by 100 yards- slowed- pulled over to the shoulder.
Ran past him- was listening for engine noises- as his was still idling- (I don't wear headphones when I'm running for reasons like this) - I run past- and may 25-40 yards past I hear the engine start to go.
No I'm really kind of weirded out- car doesn't speed up to accelerate- it's slower- eventually it pulls even to me- I have red bells everywhere and I'm now looking for escape routes and places to go.
Guy rolls down the window and says "I'm not trying to be creep but.... <insert something mildly less creepy than driving slightly behind me while I'm running>"
Um. thanks buddy- have a nice day. and away he went.
it happens- being situationally aware is SUPER important.
OP good looking out on being aware- I would take a picture and or capture the plates- and tell your closest people- and then let them know when you run and when you expect to be back (I text my fiance when I go- and he can activate the "where's my droid" thing on his phone to check if he needs to) I wouldn't have called the police- but no thus far- no harm no foul- just continue to be aware and cognizant of what's going on.
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In my area if you call the non emergency number, you are told to call 911.
You were right to call 911 if you feel threatened. That was suspicion behavior.
I would change up your routine and let some know your routes.
Could the person be PI? Some are not very good.
In my area, too. We only call the non-emergency for things really small things. Last time we had a suspicious character sulking around our property we called the non-emergency number and they told us to call 911. I turn into a stalker when I see someone suspicious. I stalk the heck out of them until I figure out what they are doing.
A few years ago I was in our area newspaper (a full picture of me bike riding away and a full interview) because of a suspicious man who turned out to be dangerous. He was walking up and down our local Azalea trail. That's a normal thing, for people to walk up and down it, seeing as it's a walking/biking trail...but he was suspicious. He just had that "creepy" look that made him different from the normal hobos we find naked in our pool. He started making weird comments to women who passed him, inappropriate comments. At some point he pulled out a pocket knife and chased a 60 something year old women into the woods, yelling that he was going to rape her. Police finally caught him and after whatever legal stuff happened he was banned from the trail. A year later he was on the trail again, but on a bike. He got arrested for riding past women once, turning around, pulling out his ding dong, and shaking it at people as he rode by again.
Suspicious people should be reported.0 -
LifeInTheBikeLane wrote: ». He just had that "creepy" look that made him different from the normal hobos we find naked in our pool. d.
I don't know why- but out of all of this- this just cracked me up tremendously.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.0
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3dogsrunning wrote: »nordlead2005 wrote: »ok, let's get this straight.
If you are out walking and possibly crossing jurisdictions, 911 is totally a prudent number to call.
If you are at home and your car was broken into the night before, 911 is not a reasonable number to call, look up the local police number and call them.
As for this situation, I wasn't there, but the way I see it unfolding in my head it sounds like imagination got the best of someone. Calling 911 though isn't a problem. Yes, it costs taxpayer money, but that money is spent anyways and they constantly deal with "false alarms" and the staffing levels are setup to handle that.
Yeah, I've never even heard of an understaffed or cash strapped Police department.
sarcasm?? because... it's totally a thing.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.
Thank you for this. I can't imagine why people are getting to up in arms about a woman using a public service when she thought she might be in danger. There were times where I was out running and if I had my phone, I would have called 911 because I got freaked out. There are a LOT of weirdoes out there.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.
I'd rather get a call from the family that can't get their kids to eat dinner than from a family that just beat their kids until they were hospitalized because they defied their parents. I'd rather get the call from a woman complaining about her cold french fries than get one from someone reporting a shooting at a McDonald's after an altercation escalated.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.
I'd rather get a call from the family that can't get their kids to eat dinner than from a family that just beat their kids until they were hospitalized because they defied their parents. I'd rather get the call from a woman complaining about her cold french fries than get one from someone reporting a shooting at a McDonald's after an altercation escalated.
Why are you guys so up in arms about her calling in? She saw something she felt suspicious of and used the appropriate channel to report it. Maybe they were watching her and maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way it's great that the OP got home safely.0 -
If anyone is "up in arms" it's the people who are upset by those who think the OP overreacted.0
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You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.
I'd rather get a call from the family that can't get their kids to eat dinner than from a family that just beat their kids until they were hospitalized because they defied their parents. I'd rather get the call from a woman complaining about her cold french fries than get one from someone reporting a shooting at a McDonald's after an altercation escalated.
Why are you guys so up in arms about her calling in? She saw something she felt suspicious of and used the appropriate channel to report it. Maybe they were watching her and maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way it's great that the OP got home safely.
I'm curious too on why. It's not like she walked by and the person smiled as she went by. He was following her.
Hope op doesn't talk her self out of calling if it happens again because of these people.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »If anyone is "up in arms" it's the people who are upset by those who think the OP overreacted.
The OP may have been overreacting. Ridiculing someone for calling 911 in a situation that could or could not have turned out bad makes no sense. Better safe than sorry.0 -
You psyched yourself out when you looked for white trucks and when you noticed one too close, you got freaked out. I do that all the time, but I don't involve the police.
I worked as a cop. I'd rather get a call from some freaked out woman and have it turn out to be nothing than from a woman who was raped or a family calling in a disappearance or someone calling in a found body. It's better than the calls we get from people who can't get their kids to eat dinner and the woman pissed off that McDonalds forgot her fries.
I'd rather get a call from the family that can't get their kids to eat dinner than from a family that just beat their kids until they were hospitalized because they defied their parents. I'd rather get the call from a woman complaining about her cold french fries than get one from someone reporting a shooting at a McDonald's after an altercation escalated.
Why are you guys so up in arms about her calling in? She saw something she felt suspicious of and used the appropriate channel to report it. Maybe they were watching her and maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way it's great that the OP got home safely.
It's more that we can take any situation and use some combination of maybe/mights to justify any action we choose. As someone that's been on the wrong end of "call the police on him 'just in case'" I'd like to make a case for a little bit of common sense and restraint in these matters.
No one here was rooting for the OP to not get home safely from her encounter with the probable meter reader that was on the opposite side of the street, always ahead of her, and never so much as looked, spoke, or gestured in her direction.0
This discussion has been closed.
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