I’m a female mid-40s and feel like over the past year I’ve had an increasing number of incidents where I have been out and about alone and felt intimidated by a lone man.
Is it just me, am I becoming more paranoid as I hit menopause age, or is this a thing others have noticed?
Here are some examples. Would these scare you too?
For context I live in an affluent market town and all these things happened in “nice” areas in daylight. I’ve always been very independent and adventurous in the past, and would think nothing of travelling alone or going for long bike rides or trail runs or hiking alone. I’m not a timid person.
- walking along affluent residential road in middle of day. Phone out as sending friend voice note. Man passes me from behind on one of those illegal type e-bikes, clocks my phone in my hand, 30 seconds later turns around and rides back towards me. I had sensed something dodgy so had dropped my phone into a bush before he turned round. He sees I no longer have phone in hand and rides away
- walking down wealthy residential nice road. Daytime. Man (who looks out of place in that area) walks the other way past me. 30 seconds later I’m aware he’s turned around and is behind me. I notice a house nearby is having building work done and builders are there so I go up the driveway of that house and chat to the builders until the man is gone.
- Out for a walk I’m about to head into the woods down a public footpath. Lone man behind me so I stop to see which way he’s going / let him pass and he says “are you worried I’m a migrant trying to follow you” or something similar.
- Out on a bike ride on a country lane. Man on moped passes me and clearly checks me out. I turn the corner and notice he’s stopped in the next lay-by. I turn around and cycle another route.
Despite being a lone runner I’ve actually just signed up for a running club as I’m not sure I feel safe running alone now. I’ve also stopped using my phone when out walking about.