Was IBU to say/do this?

[farmers]

Yesterday I saw a young woman (20ish) walking past me, obviously crying.
I stopped her and asked if she was alright. She nodded (still crying) and I asked if there was anything I could get her (tissues/water).
She said she didn't need anything so I told her I hoped she felt better soon and walked off.

I mentioned this to a friend who said it was very intrusive of me.

WIBU and if I was, what would you like a stranger to do if you were crying in public?

So no op, YWNBU.

You were being kind, and you listened to and respected her desire not to have any help. You did the right thing, OP.

If in doubt err on the side of being nice, yanbu.

I would have appreciated it. Someone decided to beeo their horn at me stick their finger up at me and my kids and call me a f ing paki. Im white british and i wear a headscarf. I was so shocked i burst into tears after all ready having a bad day. I walked home in tears. Passed 3 people who just ignored me and didnt even give me a smile. Well done to you. I wish someone had even smiled at me. Its normally a very friendly village and i have lived here for a few years but i felt very unwelcome yesterday and i was vorn and grew up here to white british parents. Yet i was treated like i shouldnt be here. Sad times

I would have appreciated it. Someone decided to beeo their horn at me stick their finger up at me and my kids and call me a f ing paki. Im white british and i wear a headscarf. I was so shocked i burst into tears after all ready having a bad day. I walked home in tears. Passed 3 people who just ignored me and didnt even give me a smile. Well done to you. I wish someone had even smiled at me. Its normally a very friendly village and i have lived here for a few years but i felt very unwelcome yesterday and i was vorn and grew up here to white british parents. Yet i was treated like i shouldnt be here. Sad times

Sory not sure why it posted twice

it was a kind thing to do u didnt hound her just offered-i would have appreciated it

You did the right thing, op.
Jolly, that's terrible.

And Kitty. What little bastards to do that to you.

It's a nice thing to do.

I remember waiting to get bloods done at hospital, crying, I knew the misscarriage had happened. I was crying silently into my hands.

A lovely older lady next to me just patted my arm and passed a tissue. It was the most I could do to smile my graditude to her. But I was grateful none the less.

I thought maybe i was over reacting. But i gave birth 3 weeks ago and thunk ita finally caught uo with me. 2nd times its happened in the village. Starting to rethink about the headscarf. Does it really provoke people enough to do things like this?

Poor you kitty. Teenagers can be awful. I have had run ins with them before my headscarf and after. Teens just think they are hillarious until they grow up and it happens to then or their gf/wife in the future

Kindly meant but very intrusive.

Due to MH issues I have been known to cry in public - I wish I didn't but it's unavoidable. Occasionally I have had strangers come up to me - if they spoke to me it would be annoying but they often think it's appropriate to touch me, try to hug me etc. I hate being touched, even by my own family so it really annoys me.

If in doubt err on the side of being nice, yanbu

Or.. If in doubt err on the side of not adding to the problem by intruding

If some people find it intrusive then surely they just say "I'm fine thanks" or "no thanks " or even "fuck off ".
It is still better to offer a tissue to someone in distress even if they reject it.

That's a great theory but people don't always take any notice. Other than having a big sign saying 'leave me the fuck alone and don't touch me', I'm not sure what else to do

But then I try to go through life with as little impact on strangers as possible - I realise not everyone is that thoughtful

I agree that it's better to offer and get a no, than ignore. I was driving home last week, stopped at traffic lights. Looked in Mty mirror and the woman in the car behind was sobbing. Tears streaming down her face. I felt awful for her. We'd just passed the local hospital and I wondered if she'd come from there.

Had we not been driving I would certainly have offered a kind word.

I find it more distressing if someone comes and bothers me tbh.

Yanbu OP

Perhaps she felt better when you did that, a bit of kindness does no harm.

Well, given the response on this thread Livia you are in the minority. So given the odds, most people are probably safe to approach.

You are a decent person, I feel better when I know people like you are out there.