To get an overwhelming sense of danger from a stranger?

[ThisIsCheese]

The weirdest thing just happened. I’m in the supermarket and as I’m stood selected and bagging vegetables I suddenly feel very uncomfortable.
There is a man about 50 something stood with his elderly mother a few feet away to the side of me and I felt very sick and uncomfortable when I looked at him.
Absolutely no reason for it but it was overwhelming, like a sense of fear he was not a good man.

Completely clueless why I felt that way I moved along quickly but I crossed paths with him again in another aisle and knew he was there before I saw him because the sick / anxious feeling returned.

Anyone else ever had this? I don’t have anxiety or anything but this feeling was so odd, like I could sense he wasn’t a good person.

Never met him before, he could be perfectly lovely but my physical reaction to him was so strong

JOOI what would you do if;

This happend to me a while ago quite late at night was walking down a road and before me was a single woman by herself now I expect she was a bit worried so as i was behind her I crossed over to the other side of the road and walked a bit faster so as to overtake her i do walk rather fast but I had the impression that this unsettled her a bit, so it was out of my way but i tumed down a side street so as not to spook her anymore than need be.

It did delay me by around 5 mins or so whilst she got a fair bit further dwon the road but what would anyone else do in the same circumstances I wonder?

I'm a woman and if I'm walking at night behind another woman I would cross the road, hang back, walk slower and wait for her to get a fair distance ahead before carrying on.

I think it's just the decent thing to do.
Absolutely do NOT speed up behind her in order to get past, although walking fast on the other side of the road I wouldn't mind so much, as I would slow down so you could get ahead and I could keep an eye on you.

I didn't do anything, I didn't touch her, I didn't touch her

^^

Ye doth protest too much, methinks, that chap there

My husband is 6 foot 4 and looks like a wrong un in certain lights! He is very aware how he might look so he absolutely holds back when walking behind women, crosses the road or stops and checks his phone for a minute to let her move ahead.

While I think that often first impressions are very much valid, I do think it’s worth remembering that there are an awful lot of posts on this thread which talk about this overwhelming sense of danger they felt but actually, nothing happened, so while it might have been a feeling there is no evidence that it’s anything more than that.

Also, a lot of people do fall victim to predators because the predators are considered to be likeable, trustworthy, people who others have confidence in etc, and people often feel as if they were stupid for not having recognised that there was something amiss when they generally didn’t, when in actual fact those people haven’t done anything wrong - the predator has. To suggest that some people have this sense of danger and it should always be heeded very much suggests that those who don’t have such feelings and fell victim are somehow in the wrong, when they most definitely are not.

Name changed as outing!
First one was me and a sense of danger. I used to travel the piccadilly tube line for work. I never liked the tube and found it claustrophobic, but one day woke up at about 5am and knew I couldn't get on it again. I got up and dressed and caught an early bus to the nesrest bike shop (not en route), waited for it to open and bought a bike, with the intention of cycling the rest of the way to work (central London) and thereafter. While I was paying and the chap was fixing my mud guards on, we heard about the Picadilly Line bomb on the radio. I then had to cycle (which I'd not done in years) back home through an unfamiliar part of London. I only got DH on the phone once, who told me to stay away from main roads as they 'were blowing up buses'. I got thoroughly lost but made it back eventually and stuck to cycle commutes (9 miles each way) thereafter. If I'd got on the tube as usual I likely would have been on that one, or the one behind it at least, and stuck in the tunnel for ages. It's true I didn't like it before but to have such an extreme reaction that morning was a weird co-incidence. My office was next to a bike shop so I could have done one more journey and bought a bike at lunchtime, but instead set off on an awkward journey about 2 hours before I'd normally leave.

Second one was DS suddenly freaking out about a man at gymnastics. He would have been 3 at the time, and was terrified of this man, whose grand daughter was in his class so he'd also sit in the viewing area near me. He'd shake and cry and couldn't look at him or would just freeze and refuse to continue the lesson if he spotted him. The man seemed perfectly nice and benign to me and DS never had this reaction to any other elderly gent before or since. I ended up having to switch to an earlier class after about 4 classes like this. He never could really articulate why (though he was articulate for his age) he'd just say "his face..." and shudder.

“I also find this trying to tell people what they have experienced and felt is/was instinct or an unknown sixth sense or whatever you want to call it, ISNT and is silly and magical to be sneering and really condescending”

I don’t say or do any of those things. It’s just that there is always a rational explanation. Always. And the “follow your instincts” thing can be very dangerous.

Gnitiman but nothing happened with the grandfather? Your DS just didn’t like him is all. There is no evidence that he was dangerous or a risk to anyone. And tbh the internet is full of stories about people who didn’t take the tube on that day etc. Similar probably happened on many other days too and nothing happened.

Alright @NoCauseRebel, not trying to make out I or my son are psychic or anything, just sharing my story as others have done!
Nothing did happen with the man but it's the first time I've ever seen someone just take against someone so strongly for no reason. Never happened to me.
And yes of course many people will have similar co-incidence stories of that day. Doesn't mean I can't share mine though. It's relevant to the thread as it was a sudden sense of panicky danger that morning, escalated 10 fold from my previous general discomfort, that made me react in an unusual way to try and avoid it. I did already put it down to co-incidence, but thank god it happened and I did what I did.

although walking fast on the other side of the road I wouldn't mind so much, as I would slow down so you could get ahead and I could keep an eye on you.

Well that was the idea so she could see me and what i was doing the idea was to walk on that bit faster so i was out of her, scare zone?.

And I was super embarrassed by DS taking against this man btw, it was really awkward! I can't wrap my head around just taking against someone on sight as I've never felt that myself. (Other than obvious ones like feeling uncomfortable being a dodgy area of the city late at night and being stared at by someone hanging about with a scarf over their face and hood up etc)

Years ago I was on a school holiday trip. There was an adult who accompanied the teachers. We were hiking and went off to have a pee. I pulled my shorts up turned around and this man was taking pics of me. My bottom etc was exposed as I crouched down. He was charming and good looking and had no vibes.

Give a fuck if a man is offended that I think he’s creepy. I’d rather be wrong and apologise than get assaulted or murdered out of politeness

The way to try and avoid being assaulted or murdered is to be very cautious with anyone whom you don’t know well or have reason to trust, rather than assume that it’s the “creepy” ones giving off a “vibe” who are dangerous. Ted Bundy was charm personified.
And see bignosenobums experience above.

I also think people read body language subconsciously.

This is a strange one and nothing to do about intuition or feelings before an event but here goes.
Several years ago, a colleague who was a well respected, level headed specialist nurse came onto the ward to undertake a patient assessment. Afterwards, we were having a brew (yes, we occasionally got one ) and one of the staff was talking about some spooky thing she’d seen on tv the night before and how it frightened her. This led to some banter and some staff saying it was rubbish and don’t believe all that scary stuff. My colleague, who I will call Mary, listened to the banter and someone asked her if she believed ‘in it’ or had ever experienced anything weird. She sat there, drinking her tea then said she’d tell us something she’d never told anyone else.

Years before she took up nursing, she worked in an office admin role and shared an office with other admin staff. There was a lovely man who called round to the offices and departments 3 times a day, morning, lunch and late afternoon to collect / deliver post. He was a very amiable, pleasant well liked member of staff. Married, had grandchildren and all the staff exchanged pleasantries with him and enjoyed his jokes and general banter. Let’s call him Walter.
One day, Mary was in the office with one other member of staff - let’s call her Alice - when Walter did his lunchtime round. He entered the office, smiling. Alice said hello then her phone rang so she answered her phone. Mary, (my nurse colleague) said ‘I’ve got the post here, Walter’ and looked up at him...The sun was shining immediately behind him and temporary dazzled her as she was looking at him whilst holding out the post.
She told us his face had changed. It resembled the very strong, sharp features of Punch but with a ghoulish expression and she could see 2 small protuberances on his head, like horns. He had a weird, almost mocking smile and just stared at her. She said his eyes turned her blood cold. She couldn’t breathe, her tongue was stuck in her mouth and she was desperately trying to get her colleague Alice’s attention but she was still on the phone. Mary said he seemed to be staring at her for ages and she was absolutely terror struck and couldn’t believe what she was seeing on a lovely sunny day in the office, with a colleague at the next desk just doing normal office activity on the phone.
But...it was what happened next in this scenario that freaked us out on the ward when she was telling us about Walter and her terror. Just before Alice put the phone down, Walter said to Mary “ I know what you can see” as he was looking at her!!
Mary said she felt as if her heart was going to explode from her chest, she couldn’t speak but just make grunting noises and she looked over at Alice as Alice put the phone down and Alice asked her if she was alright, completely oblivious to what had happened whilst she was on the phone. When Mary looked back at Walter, he was back to normal and he said jokingly, she must be sunstruck as the sun had been shining in her eyes and dazzled her. He then had a chat with Alice, sorted out the post then left. Mary said she asked Alice if she’d seen his face and Alice just said, “yes, it was Walter, what’s the matter with you?” Mary said she couldn’t discuss it with Alice as she didn’t believe herself what had happened.
Mary said she had never witnessed any other strange happening, ever, and she left the firm shortly afterwards as the incident frightened her so much. The short time she had left at the firm, Walter was his normal, happy, lovely self but Mary avoided him as much as possible.
As she was relating this incident to us, she became upset and said she had never discussed it with anyone else because it frightened her to think about it, never mind talk about it but she just felt she had to talk about it that day to get it out of her system.
Mary said she tried to persuade herself that she didn’t see what she saw that day but it was his words “I know what you can see” that confirmed it did indeed happen and reinforced her terror.

I often think, albeit reluctantly, about what Mary said that day and I’ll be honest, it still frightens me but it just pops up in my mind unbidden.
What’s the saying about ‘they walk amongst us’?

The celebrity that gives me the real creeps is the guy that plays joker in suicide squad. Never want to see him again gives me a really sickie creeped out feeling

dollydee I had a very similar conversation in a pub garden with a young lad in his late 20's. He confided in me that he would walk down the High Street and could see who was an angel and who was, you know..."the other" and shuddered. About ten minutes later after gentle probing from me, he admitted he was bipolar and had decided to stop taking his meds. My best friend also has this and I knew what was happening. I know a lot of people are scared of mental health and I suppose I was lucky he thought I was an "angel" but in his mind he was completely convinced.

Just to give another perspective.

Just to add, I think it's more the character than the actor though

My uncle was supposed to drive one of the tube trains that was blown up on 7/7 he called in sick that day we don't know why and missed it. He had a breakdown after and we haven't seen him since

This is such a juicy thread!

But some of these posts are such non events. You get to the end of the (often drawn out for drama) story and then nothing. There is no punchline, no explosive conclusion....it's all a bit.. disappointing

'My son didn't like his drama teacher and would cry and shake and practically combust when he came near him. Nothing ever happened but obviously he was a peado child killer cos my son reacted that way. Does not make a good anecdote

dollydee

This is giving me the creeps.
I am home alone and having a coffee and the doorbell just rang unexpectedly. I nearly
Jumped out of my skin.

Not expecting anyone and because of this thread got a feeling I shouldn't answer 🤣

On a serious note, yes I have had this a few
Times.

I was quite mature looking for my age and when I was around ten/eleven I would often get a danger instinct around certain men and the way they spoke to me/ looked at me. Instincts are very real.

Some of these are terrifying though! 😱

@dollydee oh my that made my hair stand on end that's really really scary

I've had similar to this, over the window cleaner in work, it's an odd on edge feeling of being very aware that I'm alone with him, with no one to hear me scream. He doesn't say anything weird or sexual, but has this intensity or something about him that gives me a shiver down my spine (and not the good kind).

Being alone with him has me mentally working out the nearest escape route, taking an involuntary step back for every step forward he takes, etc. A colleague admitted one day she was glad I came in when I did, as she also hates being alone with him. I've had it at other times too, but usually in a social situation where I can walk away.

Tinyteatime the research would suggest that experience of certain circumstances (eg suicide) makes those who've experienced it better able to spot certain markers.

SelfIdentifying - hypervigilance is likely why we're looking but doesn't explain what we see.

But yes my fathers mood could turn in a nanosecond so we all were "on alert" as a result.

My brothers found it useful as a police officer, he wouldn't condemn someone without evidence but it does mean he reads people and situations very quickly, an area he's gone into specialising in but isn't his every day work (dealing with hostage situations) it's particularly useful in.

LumpyPillow well said.

No people shouldn't be accused without evidence BUT I still think people should protect themselves if they feel someone is a threat. It's possible to do that without accusing.

There are far too many get away with appallingly low sentences for despicable crimes because they're good looking/charming/successful it's a disgrace!

"Fuck. Right. Off. I can understand not believing or understanding especially if youve never experienced but that haughty 'oh dear, do try not to belive you have a magical power, dear' tone is beyond gross." Agree, plus I think the majority of us on this thread aren't attributing it to anything supernatural anyway but to subtle cues we're picking up on that are just difficult to quantify/explain

JustABoy - that dilemma came up when friends and I were playing a game that prompted discussions on ethical dilemmas. All the guys said they would cross over/take a slightly different route/pop into a shop or something to delay themselves. To me decent good men are aware of how nervous that can make girls/women. Years later the game came up in discussion with another friends then boyfriend present, he scoffed and said he wouldn't change his route/pace "just so some hysterical woman gets to think they're safer" this couple later split due to Dv. He was a nasty piece of work.

"very much suggests that those who don’t have such feelings and fell victim are somehow in the wrong, when they most definitely are not." I totally disagree, nobody's saying its a character flaw not having such instincts just that like any skill that's not taught some have it and some don't. If you don't that is not anybody's fault.

"And the “follow your instincts” thing can be very dangerous." But it doesn't have to be, you can avoid certain people without accusing them of anything. Ignoring your instincts DOES have potential to be dangerous though.

And nobody supporting the "trust your instincts" stance is suggesting NOT acting cautiously in life generally even if they're not getting that "gut reaction" but a situation is clearly unsafe/has a potential risk factor.