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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you think this man was doing lurking around in the dark?

20 replies

AnnListersBlister · 19/11/2021 21:26

I have a lovely local pub that, being a spinster, I take my dog to of an evening quite often. It's gettin darker now obviously so I am quite aware of my surroundings while I walk (it's about 8 minutes away) up a dark road.

Last night I was walking to said pub, with dog and dog kept staring to the left hand side of the road where there's a couple of houses, and a drive behind. I looked to see what ddog waas looking at and saw a weird shadow but couldnt' make it out, and carried on walking. I looked behind some seconds later and shadow had moved and dog began barking.
A man emerged and said very nervously 'sorry love, I've just come off my bike that's all'

I told him he'd scared the hell out of me lurking about like that, he apologised, I asked did he want some help and he said no. My (thankfully huge) dog barked at him again which I am glad of whatever people's opinions of dogs are, and then I carried on.

I looked behind again a few seconds later and man ran across the road, too fast I thought for someone who's just fallen off a bike, looked up and saw a car approaching from the road opposite and ran back in the direction he originally came from.

The incident shook me up a fair bit, although I don't think he meant me any harm I can't be sure-perhaps Ddog put him off.

Perhaps he was hiding from someone or someone is after him or... ?

I don't know. What would you think?

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thisplaceisweird · 19/11/2021 21:40

Very strange indeed!! Possibly sinister or just strange, maybe he was peeing or having a wank! Was he near people's houses and was snooping? Was his vehicle around or did he go on foot?
Thank god you have a big scary dog!

Santaischeckinglists · 19/11/2021 21:42

May have been the little scumbag who put my ds's windows out earlier.

AnnListersBlister · 19/11/2021 21:45

@thisplaceisweird

Very strange indeed!! Possibly sinister or just strange, maybe he was peeing or having a wank! Was he near people's houses and was snooping? Was his vehicle around or did he go on foot? Thank god you have a big scary dog!
He really did not seem happy that ddog had spotted him/

It's possible but doesn't explain why he continued to try to hide, and was scared when he saw a car coming and ran back to his hiding place.

Was on foot as far as I could tell. Yes near some houses.
I know!I don't think I'd have considered ever walking that way without ddog to be honest :)

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AnnListersBlister · 19/11/2021 21:45

@Santaischeckinglists

May have been the little scumbag who put my ds's windows out earlier.
Aw sorry to hear that. Around this time of year, a lot more scumbags seem to be about. Dark nights seem to be their favourite :(
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TotallySuper · 19/11/2021 21:57

Scumbag up to no good. Report it to the police, you never know he might be a serial rapist or something. Horrors like Levi bellfield got away with it for so long as lots of people didn't report his behaviour.

AnnListersBlister · 19/11/2021 21:58

totallysuper I did, for those reasons exactly. As soon as I'd calmed myself a bit, in fairness the people at my local were great, one of them grabbed dog off me and went straight out looking for him. But yes I rang and reported it. It is also possible they were looking for him isn't it.

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CaptainMyCaptain · 19/11/2021 22:05

Why do you describe yourself as a spinster? I'm afraid it makes the whole story like something out of an Agatha Christie novel. What were the people in the pub who grabbed your dog and went out going to do?

I've no idea what the man was doing.

AnnListersBlister · 19/11/2021 22:09

I just meant that I live alone and have that sort of lifestyle. Most women probably dont venture to the pub by themselves of an evening I guess, if I had family or a husband or live in partner I wouldnt', so I thought if I didnt say that it may sound a bit odd.

I don't know, it annoys them how the area seems to suddenly have a lot of weirdos in it. Someone was apparently trying car doors a couple of nights ago too, he may have been something to do with that.

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TotallySuper · 20/11/2021 09:09

@AnnListersBlister

totallysuper I did, for those reasons exactly. As soon as I'd calmed myself a bit, in fairness the people at my local were great, one of them grabbed dog off me and went straight out looking for him. But yes I rang and reported it. It is also possible they were looking for him isn't it.
Well done, so many people don't do this and it means some offenders get away with things for years.
Thethreecs · 20/11/2021 09:13

Where was his bike?

AnnListersBlister · 21/11/2021 18:01

super I did think along those lines. Thank you. You just never know.

thethree I didn't see a bike of any sort.

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slashlover · 21/11/2021 18:33

Maybe he was scared of your huge dog staring at him and then barking twice?

Lammysaurus · 21/11/2021 18:41

I don't know what to think, but... I wouldn't take "I've just come off my bike" (in a UK context) to mean that he'd fallen off and might be injured, but just that he'd arrived on his bike, locked it up, and was now heading on foot to his destination. That said: always trust your instincts; take care of yourself and don't worry that you might offend some random other person. I don't think there's any reason to report this person to the authorities, but also no reason for you to let down your guard and/or chat with him.

AnnListersBlister · 21/11/2021 21:21

@slashlover

Maybe he was scared of your huge dog staring at him and then barking twice?
He was hiding there all the time I approached (I could see the spot a good few minutes before I arrived at it, but couldn't see him). He was definitely hiding from something for many moments before I approached.
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HandlebarLadyTash · 21/11/2021 21:43

11.30 pm sat night, guy lurking waiting for his dealer. Car came by deal done man man walked home

dayswithaY · 21/11/2021 21:53

I'd agree with drug deal. My seemingly respectable neighbour was a long time coke addict which appeared to mainly involve lots of hanging around his driveway at night, looking up and down the road, darting down dark streets to meet up with his dealer's car.

It's everywhere.

Stephthegreat · 21/11/2021 21:57

I love the word ‘spinster’ I agree with the person who said this sounded like a Miss Marple story! If you chuck a few bell ringers in there it might even be Midsomer Murders.

Seriously though, this is weird. I’d report this because lurking around at that time is odd.

SarahJeffers341 · 21/11/2021 22:11

Drug deal for sure. I live in what I thought was a relatively nice safe road… I see drug deals happen every few days.. it’s shocking! Car pulls up, someone is lurking, jumps in car, jumps back out.. car leaves. I am a nosey neighbour I can’t help it but I am shocked at what goes on!

Maybe carry a rape alarm in future?

BlackeyedSusan · 21/11/2021 22:16

she was walking the rape alarm. did its job and went off... barking.

AnnListersBlister · 21/11/2021 22:46

@HandlebarLadyTash

11.30 pm sat night, guy lurking waiting for his dealer. Car came by deal done man man walked home
HandlebarLady I'd agree but it doesn't explain why he was stepping closer to me as I passed, or why he sped over the road, saw the car and ran back either.

Lammy I was paraphrasing but when he said what he said he definitely implied he had fallen and was injured which is why he was staying where he was.

dayswithaY

I hope so-this feels better than if he had sinister intention toward me/passers by

SarahJeffers that's shocking, as I've said if it's drug dealer behaviour... But he just seemed to edge closer to me and I found itvery unnerving, and that he ran across the road and then back again. Just, odd.

BlackeyeSusan Grin true! The dog notices EVERYTHING. I won't walk that way again, but I am very grateful to her for night vision/scent!

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