Frightened

[IveGotToGoToMeDads]

Just been into the local cemetery walking my dog, and felt uneasy about a man who seemed to be watching me.
He went to one grave down the bottom of the hill, went to another all while watching me, he didn't have any flowers or nothing for anyones grave. He appeared to be talking to himself.
He slowly made his way up towards the hill towards me, at this point my back where to him. I felt really uneasy, so faced towards him and he was staring at me and I felt really intimidated he stopped at another grave and then faced me again staring. I felt is was not quite right and my gut instincted was going, so I decided to abandon my walk with the dog and run back to the car. Got in the car and locked myself in and come back home.

What do you want people to say? This man, who you believe was exhibiting signs of MH issues had the intent of causing you harm?

He didn't do anything wrong. You felt uncomfortable and left. great. You were staring at him too. Maybe he felt uncomfortable. People with MH issues (if indeed that's what he has) aren't usually a risk to others.

If you don't feel safe going back, don't go back but stop pushing for someone to agree 'yes, the man in the cemetery was talking to himself. He was probably a murderer. You had a lucky escape. What a dramatic story '.

You're the one going around with a known biting dog without a muzzle.

@alexdgr8 you are entitled to your opinion on weather dogs should be walk in cemetaries and I am entitled to mine. I'm not going to stop walking my dog in the cemetary just because some people like yourself find it disrespectul.
Its not, its perfectly normal.

I had something similar once, not in a cemetery but in a quiet walking spot while out with my young teen son and my dog.

it was a very strong sense of “wrong”, he didn’t do anything other than stare and I have never been more relieved to see another dog walker.

it felt so wrong I reported it to the online equivalent of 101, and was astonished to get a call back immediately and then a visit.

they said they were checking some background and it may have tied in to something else.

a few months down the line our local paper ran a court case where he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young teen boy.

clearly my description of him and his behaviour rang very loud alarm bells with an active case which they couldn’t tell me about.

moral of the story, trust your gift of fear.

Just because you think it's ok to dog walk through the cemetery, doesn't mean that it is.

Entitled dog walkers taking up paths (and sometimes leaving dog shit or flicking it into bushes) walking where my loved ones are buried seems thoughtless and unnecessary.

I'd be thinking "is she going to a grave or just walking her mutt here because she can? And why on earth is she staring at me like that?"

definitely trust your gut. He's clearly a weirdo. Maybe avoid that location for a couple of months in case he comes back.

Sorry OP, men are sh1t! (yes, NAMLT etc, not my Nigel, yawn)

@yousexybugger i'm going back with my friend tomorrow.
Also I had the dogs muzzle with me, my dog most likley wound not bite any one. I just take the muzzle as a precaution. My dog hasen't bit anyone for over 9yrs it was an isolated incident.

"I'm not going to stop walking my dog in the cemetary just because some people like yourself find it disrespectul.
Its not, its perfectly normal."

And there we have it. I am going to do what I want because I can. Even though you have told me that it upsets you and other bereaved people and I know this, I will continue to do so because I don't care.

Selfish and entitled.

If he was talking to himself I'd imagine he was mentally ill. Whether he was dangerous or not, you'll never know.

Isn't it horrible how men can make us feel so scared?

I bet they were laughing up their sleeves!

@InferiorDesign thank you.

@ExhaustedHousewife they were very understanding and have sent a patrol round.

Just because you think it's ok to dog walk through the cemetery, doesn't mean that it is.
Why is not OK?
Our cemetery has dog poo bins in several places and a sign reminding people to pick the dog poo up.
They are not banned.

To visit you? Since 11am this morning? Wow,that's incredible 😲

For those rolling eyes and saying don't report it.... this guy made the OP feel threatened and frightened.

There MAY be something odd or sinister, there may not.

Reporting it to 101 flags an incident onto the police database. If someone else reports the same at another time, it flags again, creating patterns.

Police might do a check and speak. May have already done and the OP would find out.

Maybe it COULD prevent an attack on someone.

Basic precaution isn't a bad thing. What happened to sisterhood?!

I'm fairly sure she means round to the cemetery...

@ItWasOnAStarryNight theres nothing selfish or entitled about walking my dog in the cemetary, loads of people do it.
I pick up any mess, were quiet and respectful, and stay away from any one that is greiveing.
I have family buried in this cemetary and when I see people walking a dog, I dont find any thing wrong with that as long as they are clearing any dog mess and are being respectful.
I'm not asking you to agree with me, but don't expect me to feel the same as you reguarding walking dog in cemetary.

@ExhaustedHousewife no not to visit me, they are doing a patrol around the cemetary.

I'm fairly sure OP can answer for herself.

@Ilovemyshed thank you.

@notacooldad thank you. Yes no bylaw here either.

You definitely did the right thing OP, both leaving and logging it.

"Why is not OK?
Our cemetery has dog poo bins in several places and a sign reminding people to pick the dog poo up.
They are not banned."

Yes, can you imagine the state that led to them having to do that?

"theres nothing selfish or entitled about walking my dog in the cemetary, loads of people do it."

Loads of people doing it doesn't make it ok. You've been made aware that plenty of people find it disrespectful and uncomfortable. That should be enough for you to take pause and think for a moment. The fact you refuse to do even that proves that your entitlement wins over anything else.

It is entirely possible that he was upset that some dog walker he feels should go elsewhere had interrupted his visit and then stood staring at him before running off.

'There is nothing disrespectful about taking my dog for a walk in the cemetary'

But many cemeteries don't allow it so obviously some feel it is inappropriate.

Many people wander about looking at gravestones or just taking in the calm and poignant surroundings.

I'd just walk your dog in actual dog walking areas like parks and woods and not bother too much about others minding their own business.

Always trust your gut. It may have been nothing, but it is not worth taking the risk, and being frightened is horrible.

I wouldn't report this man though because he didn't really do anything and may have been in a bad way himself, because of losing someone he loved.