Scary experience at Wasabi today

[Jane379]

I was at the bus stop outside Clapham Junction today and a well-built man was making odd grimacing faces and waving his arms. I suspected he was mentally ill/on drugs and went into the nearby Wasabi to get some food & wait until he had gone. Unfortunately he also came in & waving his arms, grabbed some food and went out again. The shopkeeper just chuckled, I was quite afraid.
I waited a bit as I wasn't sure if he was hanging around outside. Then he came in again and growled at the shopkeeper, who stood his ground until he left again.

I asked the shopkeeper if he could do anything & he said he'd phoned someone to deal with the situation.

The man didn't threaten anyone, and I've seen men like this at bus stops before without being that scared, but not as well-built as this, nor in shops either. Shops have always been a refuge in places I've felt unsafe, although I know this isn't guaranteed.

The shopkeeper was brave but he shouldn't have needed to be. People on drugs must be helped, and shops need to be safe.

Is this your first day in London? If he's not threatening anyone then what's so scary. Plenty of people act like that

@Werhere "I love the “relaxed approach” of the UK long may it last"

I don't. My city centre is brimming with people smashed out of their faces on heroine or crack. Actually openly queuing up to buy it in the "flag ship" shopping quarter. Shop doorways and pavements are full of mentally ill and extremely unstable people, mostly men. I don't know what the answer is but I don't think it's "long may it last".

People get stabbed, killed, beheaded, by unstable strangers, in london. Is this your first day on this planet?!

I'm sorry I missed the part of the post which mentions that he was carrying a machete.

There are mentally ill people walking around and shouting in every big city - you can see them in London, New York, Berlin. It's hardly a rare sight so is it really worthy a MN post like it's something unusual

Ah I see you are facetious rather than intelligent and compassionate. Your choice. I’m out.

Who can say that he wasn't?

Right, so lock everyone who looks or acts a bit different away, eh?

Bloody hell. Sounds awful. Have your kids grown up here?

Goady troll post.

I really don’t believe these “yeah, all good” posters have dcs. To belittle people’s concerns and fears is nasty, and to ignore the threat of drug-addled and mentally ill people is foolhardy.

I'm not being deliberately obtuse, OP, but I am still not sure exactly what changes you want to see.

You are upset by shop lifting, and want it to be punished with more harsh sentences perhaps?

I can't agree with that. I think it's disgusting that we live in a society where some have vast wealth, and others have to regularly go without food. Given this situation exists, I can't get exercised about people taking basic essentials (such as food and health supplies) without paying for them. Surely the greater crime here, is that of the society that allows people to subsist in such need that they feel compelled to do this?

And as for the unusual, scary behaviour exhibited by the guy - let's assume he has mental health needs (sounds like it). While it was unpleasant for you to feel scared today about what he might do, I imagine his life must be far more unpleasant and scary - waving one's arms at random and growling in public aren't the actions of a person who feels secure, confident and happy with life. I agree strongly that more money should be invested in care and treatment for people suffering like this - but primarily to make their lives better! If it stops people like you being scared by them too, that's all to the good. (And if course, there have been some well-documented occasions when people suffering like this have caused serious harm to members of the public - of course I deplore that this has happened).

Life would be better if nobody needed to shoplift. Life would be better if everyone who was ill had good support, care and treatment.

But I feel more sorry for the guy than for you, in your example. Though obviously I'm sorry you were a bit scared.

Does that make sense?

The Op explicitly said The man didn't threaten anyone,

as far as I can tell the Op took issue with him waving his arms about and entering the shop… twice.

With or without my children with me…. I’d have just kept my distance and ignored him. And cracked on with my shopping.

Yes my son grew up here but he's very much an adult now. There were always homeless and mentally ill people on the streets just like there is in any UK city. But it has become really, really bad over the last decade. In fact one particular area of the city centre was basically a no go zone, although the authorities have tried to address that.

I can’t believe we are in the same country to be honest! So far removed is this from my town on the outskirts of London

It's Bristol and it has been gloriously named the crack cocaine capital of the UK. We have a huge crack and spice crisis going on as well as one of the worst homeless problems in Britain. We've also been named the van dwellers capital of the UK. Some of the scenes in the centre of the city are almost dystopian. Otherwise it's great!

I went to London for the day, earlier this year. Between 10 am and 4 pm I experienced a man tap dancing up and down the tube, and another man walking around with a knife in his hand inviting people to 'Come at me, bitches' (to nobody in particular). Is this the new normal in London? Those of you that live there, do you just shrug and accept it as the way it is? I live in Rutland and the police would be inundated by reports if any of this happened here.

I don't know why posters aren't being supportive of the op, a large man behaving unpredictably in an enclosed space is terrifying.

That’s unfortunate, I was in central London for 10 hours on sat, from mid day to late evening and the worst I got was some bloke telling me I was very ethereal.😂

I once had a bloke tell me I was very 'real'. That kind-of sounds like the opposite of ethereal and yet both seem to have been intended as compliments.

He was right, though, I am real.
Edited to add: Sorry if that sounded like boasting. I am real, though. I have passed captcha tests so I know it for a fact.

Some posters try to be all swing yer pants/down with the kids/cool girl - oh no, they’re not bothered if a place is overrun with drug addicts.

Just remembered when posters were cheering on someone buying Travelodge rooms (in Bristol) for homeless to stay over Christmas. Big Bad Travelodge for stepping in wanting to protect their rooms, their customers and above all their staff.

Ds lives in London. He had to move from his first flat share as addicts kept breaking into the communal hall and defecating there.

'Plenty of people act like that'

• that doesn't mean they're probably safe, necessarily, or that their behaviour will be predictable.

And stealing.

You're missing the point also that I was waiting for the bus(though I got the train instead after that)-not really a situation where you want to remain confined to the bus stop while someone unstable-seeming paces up and down.

Yes, I go the central London quite a lot,luckily I haven't encountered anything like pp said.Generally I'm going somewhere indoors and only outdoors for a fairly short amount of time, so that may be partly why.

and another man walking around with a knife in his hand inviting people to 'Come at me, bitches' (to nobody in particular).

• that's terrifying. 💐 I hope you were able to get out of the situation fast. Did you report anything later?

I live in Wandsworth & when walking around there &Tooting, Clapham, Battersea, Wimbledon, Putney etc I generally feel safe. Same in central London, although generally there I'm on a bus to get somewhere and not out in the street long. I don't go to North London much but have generally felt safe there when I have.

I don't think everywhere in London has this kind of thing happening a lot but according to pps on here & wider news, anti social behaviour, shoplifting & drugs all seem to be increasing. Knife crime is generally more common in some areas and aimed at gangs rather than general public but not always...

I get people being resigned, you can't be extremely worried all the time if you are in high crime areas- but at the same time, we shouldn't be resigned. Nothing will change if everyone accepts it as the new normal.

I’d have just kept my distance and ignored hi

• that was another problem. Wasabi is a tiny shop, if I'd gone into somewhere like Sainsbury's and he had too at least I'd have felt less exposed.

. I think it's disgusting that we live in a society where some have vast wealth, and others have to regularly go without food. Given this situation exists, I can't get exercised about people taking basic essentials (such as food and health supplies) without paying for them.

• re food, we do have UC and food banks. Stealing is not the only option, surely? Is shoplifting 'needed'?

Some people obviously do fall through the cracks and that's wrong. I agree about vast wealth of some being unfair, but that doesn't mean stealing is the only option usually.

You're also assuming the man was stealing due to need. He might have been, but given his (presumably at least somewhat) disturbed mental state, maybe he was stealing for other reasons? He looked quite well-built/muscular as I said, though I know a person can look that way & still be underfed.