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Original poster

Bit freaked out after being followed by a random in car. What was that all about??

77 replies

BlakeCarrington · 10/04/2025 22:59

I’ve just got home after a bit of a scary experience and am a bit freaked out so would value your opinions.

I live rurally and I live alone for sad reasons I won’t go into. Well I say alone, I have a lovely and massive ddog so it just me and him.

I just drove out to the nearest open shop which is about 15 mins way. I take the windy and isolated country lanes route because it’s beautiful round here and if I’m lucky I might see an owl, pheasant or deer.

As I was coming back through the lanes just now, fully in the dark and barely any other cars usually, there was a car following behind me. I went on for a while then pulled over into a passing spot to let them through so I could go on at lowish speed (30mph) without lights up my backside and keep an eye out for wildlife. The other car passed me.

I carried on then 100m later on the same car was pulled over into the next passing spot in the lane so I drove past and carried on. Other car then pulled out and followed behind me.

This is starting to freak me out as I’m in the middle of nowhere without ddog and they seem to be playing silly buggers. So I put my foot down along a straight stretch, and so do they, so I think they’re definitely following me.

I decide I’m not having it and not being intimidated by an arsehole behind me, so I pull over at the next passing spot for them to go past. And they stop in the road and wait about 50m behind me. I wait 5 mins and so do they

I’m a bit scared now. Why the hell are they following and then loitering behind in this isolated spot?? I pull out abruptly and do a straight stretch, they bloody well follow, so I do to a do a v sharp u turn/ reverse at the next turning so I am then back turning right towards them at the little junction iyswim (no I cannot do a diagram I’m afraid, don’t know how that all works!!)

Anyway, when I did my almost handbrake turn and was going to turn back towards them they drove up to me at the junction to block my right hand turn. I wound my window down a bit and said what the f is your problem? I am thoroughly freaked out at this point. It’s a bearded guy alone in the car who says through his wound down window “wait there, I want word with you”.

I am not bloody well waiting there. I immediately pull forward and round him, scraping the he’ll out of my car in the hedge I drove into to do o, and then I sped off down the lane fr too fast me terrified of see his headlights behind me.

WHAT THE HELL??!! Did I over-react? I was really scared. Surely if it was police or something and they’d had a legitimate reason they’d have said so?? (It was a dark escort type car, one driver with mobile on a mount).

What do you think that was all about? Usually I feel confident and secure, but I like I said I live alone and this happened not far from my house so I’m a bit perturbed. Am I just being paranoid or is a bit scary?

OP posts:
Tbrh · 11/04/2025 00:07

That's creepy. I'm assuming it was a road rage incident, maybe you were driving too slow and so they were trying to intimate you?

happy20218 · 11/04/2025 00:07

Hope you’re okay op . Things like this can really shake you . Definitely report it . Check in in the morning so we know you’re okay xx

MargaretThursday · 11/04/2025 07:25

My granny once was followed home at night. Car was just behind her, only other car on the road.
She turned into her small village, he did.
Turned down the side road. He followed.
Into her little close. He was still there.
She pulled up into her drive. He stopped outside her house.

She thought. "If he's going to attack me then I can't do a lot about it" so got out of the car.
He got out too and came towards her.

And said, "this fell off your wheel" and gave her back a hub cap from her car. He'd followed her for 4 miles to give it back. She invited him in for a drink (my grandad was at home) but he refused and drove off.

User345662 · 11/04/2025 07:48

The fact he pulled over twice and made it extremely obvious about following you sounds like road rage. He wasn't going to follow you home as that would have been too obvious. You said yourself you pulled over to let him pass which is slightly unusual behaviour and indicates you may have been driving too slow to begin with.

He was probably behind you for a bit and got irritated and started tailgating. When he saw you pull over, it excited him even more because that's a clear sign a driver is getting nervous so he just continued the cat and mouse game. It sounds more like trolling than actual rage but he just gets kick out of making a female driver anxious. The fact you gave him a reaction, along with rolling down the window to talk was exactly what he wanted.

I had a similar (less creepy) experience on the highway once where I overtook a car under fully normal circumstances. A few minutes later the same car overtook me (one male driver) but kept driving at exactly 3mph under the speed limit which felt a tick too slow. So I overtook him again, and he sped up to overtake me again and then dropped speed. I'm not a reckless driver at all and always aim to keep the optimal flow of traffic. This car kept cutting in front of me and then dropping his speed so I would be forced to overtake him. It was extremely annoying to say the least and went on for a good 40-50 miles. At one point he drove parallel to my car and I could see out the corner of my eye his head was turned and he was trying to catch my attention. It didn't feel aggressive though, almost a sort of passive trolling which is why I think that's what the guy was doing here.

In the end I just got bored of it all and decided to zoom away in the fast lane. I ignored him the entire time and I also knew for sure there was nothing wrong or broken on the car itself.

Nominative · 11/04/2025 07:58

If it happens again, drive to the nearest police station and report it. Especially if he follows you in.

ButterCrackers · 11/04/2025 08:02

Did you get the number plate? Report it. Get a dash cam. Check home security as well.

notacooldad · 11/04/2025 08:03

User345662
You said yourself you pulled over to let him pass which is slightly unusual behaviour and indicates you may have been driving too slow to begin with.
While I agree with most of your post, I disagree with this bit.
There's been many times I've been out on the country roads near me doing the speed limit or ok, I'll admit slightly above but I've had blokes nearly in my back seat they are so close pushing me to go faster because they can't overtake.
I just pull over so they can piss off out of my way. It's not unusual to do it, Dh does it, my parents do , my friends do. Better to let them get out of your way that sit on your tail.

I had a similar (less creepy) experience on the highway once where I overtook a car under fully normal circumstances. A few minutes the same car overtook me (one male driver) but kept driving at exactly 3mph under the speed limit which felt a tick too slow. So I overtook him again, and he sped up to overtake me again and then dropped speed.
God, aren't these knobheads annoying !

I had this last Wednesday, I was on a long stretch of road with no one behind me. A car pulls from a left junction. There was no need, it wasn't like there was a break in the traffic. From then on he would do 60, then 30 then up again and then right down to 20. I could see him looking in his rear view probably wanting a reaction. I just had my normal RBF and gave nothing away.

Op, I hope you are feeling calmer this morning. There's dickheads everywhere!!! You can't escape them.

Boredlass · 11/04/2025 08:04

You need a dash cam. It would make reporting far more easier. I don’t understand people who drive without one tbh

PigInADuvet · 11/04/2025 08:13

I get why this was scary and intimidating, but think the likelihood of this guy having any nefarious reasons for what he did is low. Why would he follow a random car on the off chance it may be driven by a lone female who lives alone when it could contain a couple, or a bloke twice his size?

I would suspect either there was a problem with your car (I've done similar to let someone know they had no lights on the rear of their car working) or he was lost (I've been lost in similar circumstances and literally had to drive to the only house with lights on in the middle of nowhere at midnight and rapidly running out of fuel!)

ButterCrackers · 11/04/2025 08:15

notacooldad · 11/04/2025 08:03

User345662
You said yourself you pulled over to let him pass which is slightly unusual behaviour and indicates you may have been driving too slow to begin with.
While I agree with most of your post, I disagree with this bit.
There's been many times I've been out on the country roads near me doing the speed limit or ok, I'll admit slightly above but I've had blokes nearly in my back seat they are so close pushing me to go faster because they can't overtake.
I just pull over so they can piss off out of my way. It's not unusual to do it, Dh does it, my parents do , my friends do. Better to let them get out of your way that sit on your tail.

I had a similar (less creepy) experience on the highway once where I overtook a car under fully normal circumstances. A few minutes the same car overtook me (one male driver) but kept driving at exactly 3mph under the speed limit which felt a tick too slow. So I overtook him again, and he sped up to overtake me again and then dropped speed.
God, aren't these knobheads annoying !

I had this last Wednesday, I was on a long stretch of road with no one behind me. A car pulls from a left junction. There was no need, it wasn't like there was a break in the traffic. From then on he would do 60, then 30 then up again and then right down to 20. I could see him looking in his rear view probably wanting a reaction. I just had my normal RBF and gave nothing away.

Op, I hope you are feeling calmer this morning. There's dickheads everywhere!!! You can't escape them.

Edited

Yes - It’s normal to pull over to let the car behind pass. I do this so that the car behind isn’t bothered by a car in front. It’s not a race track and the speed limit is the maximum not the required speed. If I’m behind someone I give them space. Totally normal to pull over on a rural road.

GeorgianaM · 11/04/2025 08:17

This happens to me all the time and it's always men who have missed their turning and follow me almost home.

They don't seem to realise that their behaviour could be seen as suspicious or threatening

notacooldad · 11/04/2025 08:21

They don't seem to realise that their behaviour could be seen as suspicious or threatening
I think they do tbh.

TortolaParadise · 11/04/2025 08:28

Did you notice whether he was in the shop too? The shop may have CCTV footage?

TrafficCones · 11/04/2025 08:31

I hope you're feeling ok this morning Op, scary f*cker.
I live in the countryside, my Dd borrows the car - thinking we'll put a can of hairspray in the car and a large spanner or screwdriver? Something for self-defence.
Re dash-cam I'd like to get one but, perhaps stupidly, think someone's going to smash my car window to steal it?

cakeandteaandcake · 11/04/2025 08:33

PigInADuvet · 11/04/2025 08:13

I get why this was scary and intimidating, but think the likelihood of this guy having any nefarious reasons for what he did is low. Why would he follow a random car on the off chance it may be driven by a lone female who lives alone when it could contain a couple, or a bloke twice his size?

I would suspect either there was a problem with your car (I've done similar to let someone know they had no lights on the rear of their car working) or he was lost (I've been lost in similar circumstances and literally had to drive to the only house with lights on in the middle of nowhere at midnight and rapidly running out of fuel!)

Well then his opener should have been “wait, there’s a problem with your car” or something else with sub substance then, shouldn’t it?

Hope you’re ok OP.

IntermittentFarting · 11/04/2025 08:38

I had this too once, I was terrified. They were driving VERY erratically annd dangerously and definitely following me. Also very rural. I was terrified.
When I was almost home I managed to get my phone out of my bag and phone DH - whilst driving! - and told him to come outside and wait for me, but I managed to lose them just before I got there as they missed the turning. Was awful.

Come to think of it, MIL had the same once. Also rural. Daytime.

What is it with these pricks?

notacooldad · 11/04/2025 08:41

I get why this was scary and intimidating, but think the likelihood of this guy having any nefarious reasons for what he did is low. Why would he follow a random car on the off chance it may be driven by a lone female who lives alone when it could contain a couple, or a bloke twice his size?

I think this is a very naive view.
I would bet the driver knew it was a woman, either by her profile, seen her as she passed a junction or in her in the shop.
While he may not intended to physically harm her I think he was using her a bit of sport , for his own amusement and to shake her up.

TrafficCones · 11/04/2025 08:42

There's a lot of bored pricks out there who do it for fun, they hate women on the road esp in front of them.

WickWood · 11/04/2025 08:53

Gosh, how scary. I would absolutely report it to the police, you can do it online.

Lurkingandlearning · 11/04/2025 09:10

Hope you managed to get a good nights sleep and are feeling ok this morning.

You said that had he been police he would’ve said so. You were on edge last night so probably hadn’t thought about that in light of what happened, but please never get out of the car, or even unlock it, for someone who is claiming to be a police officer. Tell them you will follow them to the nearest police station. Or that as they have your registration number, they can get your address and call on you the next morning.

A genuine police officer would understand your fear.

4forksache · 11/04/2025 09:15

Definitely report

ItTook9Years · 11/04/2025 09:17

A) dashcam. Front and back. You never know when it will be needed.

B) there are drivers around here who will cling to your tail in the lanes because you end up doing all the thinking for them. Drives me potty.

rainbowstardrops · 11/04/2025 09:26

I hope you called the police OP! I’d have been terrified!

dottydodah · 11/04/2025 09:33

I think you were remarkably brave and level headed .WTF! I think sadly the request to pull over was a chance to get you alone .Defo report to police

Gliblet · 11/04/2025 09:36

notacooldad · 11/04/2025 08:21

They don't seem to realise that their behaviour could be seen as suspicious or threatening
I think they do tbh.

The ones who act like this? Yes. DH is 6'5" and built like a tank, he knows he can be intimidating - even if he wants to offer a woman on her own help with something he's extremely reluctant to. He's asked me to go and offer his help with things before so that it's more of a clear offer of help and not a creepy attempt to get at them in any way. I've just asked him what he'd do in this kind of situation if it was something like he'd noticed the OP drop her purse outside the shop - he said he'd probably hand it in at the shop but if he had picked it up he'd be more likely to pull up alongside somewhere like a junction, switch the interior lights on, wave the purse at the OP, and let her control how the situation unfolded, not follow her around for miles like a budget Christopher Walken character.

Oh, and for the person who suggested driving to the nearest police station, if there is one then yes, excellent advice (or at least drive to somewhere populated and busy) but you might be surprised to find out how few police stations are left that are staffed and accessible to the public 24/7. From where my parents live (Chilterns, so not exactly wild) it would be a good hour's drive to one.