Holy Sh*t That Was Scary

[MakeThatMakeSense]

So, I was just driving home alone at ~00:15am

And I saw a guy in a black tracksuit, out in the rain, in a posh road amongst big gated houses. And it looked like he was trying to break into a parked car.

So I was just processing what I was seeing. So I slowed down as I drove past, and then came to a stop down the street (much further, but still in sight I suppose).

It's not a remote spot. And actually it's not a road that tends to have 0 passing traffic.

Anyway, I called the police and told them what I saw. They asked if he was still there. I looked in my mirrors, couldn't see him. Assumed he must have fled. And backed up, still with police on hands free. Said no, I can't see him anymore.

However, then I saw an eye looking at me through the gap between the gate and the wall of this big gated house.

I still had the police on the phone.

I wound my window down and said "can I help you?" And then he appeared over the fence, shouting abuse at me aggressively and proclaiming that that was his house.

I really felt like it was not his house.
But whatever, I drove off and was talking to the police giving a description of him.
But I see him running after me in the rearview mirror.

So I just continued to drive on at a steady pace. But he must have jumped in a car because next thing, I'm being chased / pulled up alongside by this lunatic scally shouting abuse at me through the window.

I didn't react and I didn't want to speed up so in the end he threw a glass bottle at my car and sped off like a mad man.

The whole time I was on the phone to police.

They're out looking for him now.

Was scared to go home for a while but I'm in now.

Just sat here thinking... Wow I was just wanting to get in bed and enjoy catching up on Traitors and somehow ended up in some sort of mad dramatic night.

Did I do the right thing?
Feel like j just got myself in dangers path?
Should I have just ignored what I saw?

It just depresses me to think I wouldn't look out for people in my local area. Hence j felt a duty to call police.

I don't know what scene I just stumbled on but there was definitely something 'off' about it.

YABU - you should have just ignored it and gone about your business

YANBU - you did the right thing calling the police

Gosh hope you’re ok. Think I’d need a stiff drink after that You did the right thing though He was definitely up to no good

Why the heck did you call out to him???
That was a crazy thing to do.
YABU for that
YANBU to call the police

You did the right thing phoning the police, but not by winding the window down and talking to him! I’m scared just reading that.

I hope you can settle down and get some sleep

Well. I don't know. I actually felt confused tbh and we were just looking at each other. Me in my car, him through the gap

I didn't really think. I suppose I felt a, clearly false, sense of safety because I was in my car and he was on foot

Now I feel really stupid

Well, look at the flipside of it

Some people never think they’re in danger

People like me anticipate danger all the time - I probably miss out on stuff because of irrational fears

You’re probably being more realistic than I am.

And you are okay. So all’s well that ends well.

You drove ‘much further down the street’ and then reversed all the way back again and asked if you could help him because you spotted his eye peeping through the fence in the dark and the rain?

I think that was unnecessary. At that point it was for police to deal with.

Yeah. Eurgh. Why did I do that.
To be fair, when I was reversing, I thought he gone.
So then when I saw him looking at me... I was a bit surprised/confused/trying to process.
And I did kinda think for a moment... Maybe it IS his house?! Huh?!
I don't know, I think my brain just hadn't caught up. And for some reason I don't get scared in these moments until afterwards. I just think, What's some little wrongun like you gonna do? And then afterwards I'm like oh sh*t actually that could have been bad.

I've had a lot of exposure in life to wronguns and so I think I've become a bit numb to them.

In future I'm just gonna mind my own. But what a sad world in that case, really.

Wow. That is scary

Agree with everyone else. Absolutely fine to call the police. Completely batshit to reverse back and confront him. What if there’d been more than one man lurking about? Not to mention he now knows your face, your car, and the area you live in. Really odd decision.

Why on earth would you wind your window down? He could have choked you or grabbed your hair.

You did the right thing by calling the police but not by confronting him.

Calling the police was fine but reversing and winding down your window was not. You put your safety at risk tonight. Fortunately, no harm done but do learn from it.

@MakeThatMakeSense “In future I'm just gonna mind my own. But what a sad world in that case, really.”

why are you acting like that’s the only option?

You could have just called the police.

It's easy for others to say what they'd have done but the fact is noone knows what they'd do in the circumstances.

Sounds incredibly scary and it doesn't sound like it was his house because why would he bother chasing you. Hope you've managed to calm down and had a stiff drink, if that's your thing.

I once had a guy running at my electric milk float at 3am it was scary as anything. Ww weee on an industrial estate in the middle of noowhere. It was the very early days of mobilesand it turned out he was lost and was after directions. I shouted at him for being so stupid and he just said he didn't think

What a cinematic series of events! The eye peering through the gate, the dramatic fence appearance, the foot chase turning into a car chase and then a glass bottle for the grand finale?! Sounds like something out of a film.

That sounds terrifying. Don't berate yourself too much for how you acted in the moment, you likely went into fight or flight and seemingly chose fight for a second by confronting him a little. It's difficult to think straight when you're in a situation like that and trying to think on the spot.

That is scary

How did you manage to see an eye between the gate and wall in the dark?

I wound my window down and said, “can I help you?”

Are you serious? WTAF did you think you were playing at?

That sounds very scary and I am glad you are okay.

Don't beat yourself up for not immediately reacting in the way you'd react if you had time to think about it all. When you are not expecting something it's possible to just 'react'. Then afterwards you think 'why did I do this exact thing?'. I once went wading into a street brawl to break it up between two men who were off their heads on drugs or alcohol or both. I'm 52, short, fat and I have one leg shorter than the other so i limp. Afterwards I thought 'WTAF!!!!' As it happened I got lucky. Me wading in meant that a couple of men who were observing then jumped in too and pulled the guys apart while I walked down the street with my DH who gave me a thorough serve for putting myself in danger.

I’d be worried he’d got your car reg number. Be vigilant OP

Or out of someone's imagination on MN 🤔

I’d have called the police but I definitely wouldn’t have backed up to look for him!

Very believable sadly my parents live in a nice high burglary area and we have many stories far more dramatic than that!

He was behind the fence, so wouldnt probably be able to choke her through it.