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

I love these threads.

When my DS was about 1 we were at a local zoo. He needed a nappy change so I took him off to the baby change part of the loos only to realise when we reached it (5 mins from where I'd left the others) that I'd forgotten his changing bag.

It was v busy, big queues, and an older lady offered to watch him while I ran back for the bag. A sense of pure terror went through me head to toe, like when the blood drains from your face, much more than just a maternal protective instinct. I was sure her intentions were bad, based on apparently nothing.

I just grabbed DS and made myself thank her for the offer before going back with him for the bag. Never had such a physical reaction like that before or since.

My DH and I experienced this last year. We had decided quite impulsively to take the kayak up a river we liked and then camp one night in a space up the river bank we had seen a few days before.

When we got to the river another car had recently pulled up too, and we were unloading our things at the same time. There were two men and one woman and they had a little boat thing with a small engine.

Anyway from the outset I had the most uneasy feeling about them. Extreme uneasiness, actually more fear, it was like I knew they were there for sinister reasons. My DH felt exactly the same.

Anyway we started kayaking to our spot before they left and we were so scared and kept saying how we hope they don't catch up with us and see where we are camping that night! Thankfully they didn't find us, but still it was a very scary night!

That was probably the most extreme uneasiness / fear I've had about complete strangers based really on nothing. And that my husband felt it too made it that much creepier! We thought we'd be murdered for sure

she have had a van load of coppers with her making her stand out from the crowd?

my mum was in hospital and a high profile prisoner was on the same floor. There was only one policeman at the bedside with a second nearby.

My last window cleaner became a bit stalky of me. He would show up wherever I was all the time-supermarket, nights out etc. Even the dc's who were quite young at the time noticed and started to comment on it. I put it down to coincidence for a while but It was pretty creepy. We moved away in the end which was fortunate. From the (obviously highly scientific) evidence here it seems that there is a high propionate of creepy window cleaners!

Twice, first when I was 12 at school, I just didn't like my music teacher, he was well loved by teachers and parents, always put on amazing shows and musical events. I gave up both instruments, even though I enjoyed them. About 15 years later DM told me he had been arrested for molesting boys.

The second time, a surveyor turned up to survey our house for sale, as soon as I saw him on the step I was repulsed for some reason. Firstly he had blocked the drive exit with his car, even though we could fit six cars on the drive, then he asked if I was at home alone. He walked straight in, and invited me to sit down in my own dining room, he was very off. I phoned DH, and said about my unease, he just kept phoning every 5 minutes to say he was "stuck in traffic" but would be home soon. I spent the hour and a half weeding in the garden, and cleaning the climbing frame!

Ugh yes, my boss has a friend who sends whole body shivers of repulsion through me whenever I see him. He's always been perfectly pleasant to me but I physically can't abide him.

I mentioned him to two colleagues separately and both independently said he made their skin crawl.

Can't explain it, other than when I eventually see him in the paper for being the Croydon cat killer or similar I won't be the least bit surprised.

You senses it before you even saw him? Bullshit then I reckon.

I remember my dd noticing our neighbour, saying he had evil eyes and was a bad man.
he was

I have a story actually but it's my husband's. A while ago, there was a guy in DH's extended group of friends. He was always personable but DH just felt he was a bit off. By chance they found themselves alone one day and DH said his demeanour changed and he just became unpleasant. DH had a terrible and strong feeling that he was a bad person and made his excuses and left. Some time later, we found he was wanted for murdering an apparently good male friend. Mutual friends couldn't believe it but DH could.

Men do feel theses things. In my own experience, more about places than people, but not exclusively.
I recall leaving a secluded but bizarrely busy french campsite ridiculously early one morning because of a weird vibe all night.

I've always had this with Michael Jackson, since I was a kid. Never been able to listen to any of his music and made people turn it off.

If that's aimed at me, BabyDarlingDollfaceHoney, I thought it was weird at the time but then subsequently realised I had probably heard the rustle of his trousers when he walked - that swish-swish sound is so distinctive. Beautiful sunny day, no rain possible, no one else was even wearing a jacket, and I'd specifically noticed his clothing when I'd clocked him in the car park earlier. But it was definitely the reaction first and then the realisation of who he was. Our brains do a huge amount of work for us without us being aware of it; animals don't just rely on what they can see to assess whether they're in danger and neither do we.

Posture, movement, tics, facial expressions, natural non offensive body odour...That help us make up our minds about people

Yes, I agree, but remember these may be different for people for all kinds of reasons not in their control and not because they are 'evil'. People who have seizures or epilepsy may look very 'odd' before they have a seizure for example, as their facial muscles fall. People have tics because...well tics are a common thing to occur and doesn't 'signal' danger in itself. Slurred words/difficulty speaking can be for all types of reasons, possibly drug related, alcohol but also stroke, brain impairment.

The 'eyes' thing of someone else staring out- I saw this in my family member when they were having a nervous breakdown/psychotic break. Their eyes made them look like another person. I agree that this could signal 'danger' if they weren't treated, but they could also be signaling- I need help.

I am just concerned that some of the 'feelings' people are having and then attributing to 'evilness' are actually manifestations of people being unwell. It doesn't mean you don't have to avoid people who seem unwell, but it seems a bit primitive and regressive to attribute this to their innate evil. We don't believe in demon possession any longer, although there have been hints of it on this thread.

Finally- lots of sociopaths and psychopaths present completely normally. That's how they get to run large corporations and do well in politics as well as have lots of relationships.

Some of these outward 'signals' of distress and mental unwellness should not be confused with personality disorders of this type.

Plenty of people on here would have been able to spot a witch in previous years....

There is a guy that lives locally and drinks in the same local as me sometimes. He absolutely gives me the creeps. I can't stand to be near him and move away from him.

He has no record that I know of and has done nothing wrong but he gives me the creeps and I would never be alone with him

By the way, I am not saying ignore your instincts. I follow mine all the time, and have taught my children to do the same. It doesn't matter why you feel uncomfortable with that man on the bus or a guy who came to fix your cooker, just remove yourself and get away. This is sensible as if they have major undiagnosed 'issues' you don't necessarily want to stick around to find out!

I'm just questioning the link between some of these physical symptoms and whether they signal 'evil' in people (I know some people didn't mention the physical 'signs' but lots have).

I remember clearly when I was about 13/14, I'd been to the cinema with my friends and was waiting for my dad to pick me up. I was in the city centre and it was a busy Saturday, but from across the square I could feel a man staring at me; or more specifically staring at my chest (which was almost totally undeveloped at that point). He did nothing to try and get my attention, but I could just feel his presence following me with his eyes. I walked around and around waiting and hoping the feeling would stop, but I could feel him the whole time. As soon as my dad arrived, I burst into tears in the car (although actually my dad didn't seem bothered at all...) That's the only time I've really felt terrified of someone's presence like that.

I still wonder whether I had some kind of escape from someone evil, that's how strongly I felt. I even tried googling what I remember of him. Although it was so busy I don't know what he could really have done... but just that feeling still makes me shudder.

@Justaboy - Re: Myra Hindley in hospital - as I said to another poster, I am only repeating what i read in Paul O'Grady's (excellent) book. I think he did say she had a couple of people with her (Prison Guards from Holloway). This was probably early 1970's, when, as we all know now, things were a lot more "lax". Remember, this evil monster was, reportedly, taken on days out by the Prison Governor and had an affair with a Prison Officer - so, no, it does not surprise me that she was not accompanied by a van full of police.

Slightly unrelated but I've also had horrible feelings when we were looking at schools. We went in one school, fairly close and decent OFSTED reviews etc etc. The atmosphere was oppressive.... 'dark' is the best word I can use to describe it. I felt awful for the rest of the day, sort of sad and down.
The teacher who showed us around also made me feel really uncomfortable, but I can't put that feeling into words

Justaboy a man, there's no need to say an Asian man. And WTF? Do they all tend to do that? Wha you think being an Asian male means you're hardwired to stare at young women? No wonder there's still racism around in 2019. I don't care if you have no desire to start a race argument, you just did.

What with this and people considering not moving near a psychiatric hospital, mn has gone batshit this morning.

@YesQueen I can't believe that's all he got! Should've been life!
I hope you're not still in that area and are safe when he is released.

This scares me, only time I've had this is when look around my house with my landlord. Suddenly felt I needed to leave the situation so I did. Was desperate for a home so ended up talking myself down and going back and I now live there.

Justaboy

What a stupid, ignorant post.

Reported the racism.