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Original poster

Abuse outside walking

71 replies

PlantHerd · 23/03/2020 15:15

I took the children out for a walk today very local to us (prior to the pandemic we used to go daily) found a very quiet spot and didn't see anyone for about 40 minutes and a small family gave us a wide berth.

About 10 minutes later a man with his two dogs starts approaching us quickly with his phone in his hand (it appeared he was taking photos of our DC) screaming at me that I'm a fucking idiot and should not be outside the house socialising..

I asked him to stop taking photos of the children and he screamed for me to phone the police because they won't do anything about it.

Sat at home v upset. Cried and shaken up.

OP posts:

Derbygerbil · 23/03/2020 16:18

He’s a hypocritical twat. Sorry you had that.

Derbygerbil · 23/03/2020 16:20

Upset dogwalkers need to get a grip.

This. I’m fed up with how dog walkers don’t get the irony when they moan about more people being in the countryside. And I own 3 dogs!

Original poster

PlantHerd · 23/03/2020 16:24

Thank you all for the kind messages.
Im feeling less anxious reading through them.

I agree that the areas aren't just for dog walkers, I don't own a dog (nor ever will) but have always loved a walk and my children have been raised the same.

Following the government advice closely and have just kept interaction within our household!

OP posts:

armwrestler · 23/03/2020 16:24

my local facebook page has one woman berating people for walking down the street as "surely not everyone is an essential worker". No, we're going outside like the government said we could for physical activity and for mental health.

Same woman, same day, is encouraging locals to put up drawings of rainbows in their window so children walking around can look for them.

Hypocritical, judgemental tosser.

lowlandLucky · 23/03/2020 16:46

But he was out walking his dog !

Barbararara · 23/03/2020 17:07

This isn’t about anything you did OP. No decent man would harass a women alone with her children regardless. This type of scum scuttles back under his rock as soon as they notice a man with you.

This wasn’t about whether you should be in the park, or whether he should be able to walk his dog in solitary splendour. It’s only about him being a nasty, woman-hating asshole.

Don’t waste a moment wondering if you did something wrong. He is something wrong, and that’s all there is to it.

Sorry it happened to you

imamum21 · 23/03/2020 17:10

i would have faked cough towards him and i would have asked why he was out.

Abraid2 · 23/03/2020 17:15

In the past those of us who worried about the pressure on green spaces in the SE were breezily recited the same old population density figures that include the Highlands of Scotland.

It was a daft argument then and a dangerous one now.

MoonBaby1 · 23/03/2020 17:20

I’ve been worrying about this happening to me. I’ve had some looks just out with the children in very secluded woods.

Bluntness100 · 23/03/2020 17:24

i would have faked cough towards him

And you’d have been arrested. A couple of kids have just been arrested for fake coughing over an elderly couple. I’d strongly suggest you don’t do it. As a minimum you’d risk getting hurt by whomever you do it to. At worst arrested.

I also think this is going to happen more and more. Panic buyers getting attacked in shops, people not complying. The man clearly has panicked and he had to walk his dogs and doesn’t want to meet anyone so has verbally attacked you for taking your kids out, where if a wide berth isn’t given either they are at risk or they put others at risk. Clearly you were complying but as said. I think this will happen more and more.

pigsDOfly · 23/03/2020 17:28

as someone also used to very quiet dog walking routes, the sudden influx of family outings is irritating.

Well, unless the family outings are walking on your land or your back garden, they have as much right to be there as you.

I'm also used to walking my dog in places where I normally don't see a soul, yes, that's changed, but I just make sure I don't go near anyone else.

I'm certainly not going to expect them to all stay in their houses, or somehow disappear because this is my dog walking route and I always walk my dog there.

pigsDOfly · 23/03/2020 17:30

Sorry meant to also say, don't give him any more head space OP.

He's a nasty person, forget him. Seems there's a lot of them about at the moment.

notalwaysalondoner · 23/03/2020 17:44

And the next most active thread is “please don’t go walking or cycling” - when the official advice (provided you’re not going to a popular tourist spot likely to be overcrowded) is that you are allowed out. Inevitably you’re going to get people interpreting the government’s far too vague advice at both extremes - from the crazy man you sadly experienced who thinks no one should go out at all to people who think it’s fine to crowd into Battersea park...

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 23/03/2020 17:46

In the past those of us who worried about the pressure on green spaces in the SE were breezily recited the same old population density figures that include the Highlands of Scotland.

And now it might cost us lives.

Vinylsamso · 23/03/2020 17:49

You’re probably on your local Facebook group. It’s brought a lot of people with serious mental health problems together. They are loving being “absolutely furious” about everyone and everything. Nobody is allowed any opinion that disagrees with them and they are literally posting 4/5 times a day.

Don’t give it another seconds thought! Weirdos.

diddl · 23/03/2020 17:51

"as someone also used to very quiet dog walking routes, the sudden influx of family outings is irritating."

I was thinking that today tbh.

Mainly because as I was keeping to one side of the approx 2m path, others were three/four abreast across it!

I mean make an effort, people!

cologne4711 · 23/03/2020 17:54

It’s only about him being a nasty, woman-hating asshole

This.

DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 23/03/2020 17:54

OP my husband had the same experience.

He took the kids out opposite our house on some grass for some fresh air. Not a soul in sight.

A man with two dogs (!) approached him and questioned why they weren't at school (it was last week), then questioned whether they were stood in the mud because it's full of bacteria (?!).

We were very much following government guidelines in every which way.

What a divvy.

SingleDadReally · 23/03/2020 17:57

Plant Herd-you’re okay, you’ve done nothing wrong. Unless one of you has symptoms you will of course all be mingling at home. If anyone of you had symptoms you would all have to self isolate at home. If you don’t have symptoms you can of course all go out as a household together. The government advice should focus a lot more on households isolating themselves and keeping distance from others when they go out.

Donkeytail · 23/03/2020 18:00

I echo the others you have done nothing wrong. I go out everyday with my dd and the dog for a walk. We keep distance between us and the few people we meet along the way but considering we all live squished in a small house together there is little point in us keeping a 2m distance when outside.

Wolfgirrl · 23/03/2020 18:05

Gosh OP that must have been very scary, I'm not surprised you're shaken up. Sounds like you need a cup of hot sweet tea!

If I'm being honest it sounds like he had MH issues nobody rationally acts like that.

As for the photos, I know its unnerving but try not to worry. Theres literally nothing he can use them for, you've done nothing illegal.

He is probably off bothering someone else now!

Hope you're okay x

Original poster

PlantHerd · 23/03/2020 18:15

Thank you again everyone.

Ive reassured the children we did nothing wrong

If I did see them come up on social media or local page can I get them removed because I haven't given permission/they show my children? Im not sure how it all works legally but I only assume I can't because I see photos in the news of people who have actually been crowded!

OP posts:

helgahelga · 23/03/2020 18:16

helgahelga · 23/03/2020 18:19

Hope you are OK OP.

helgahelga · 23/03/2020 18:19

@PlantHerd Maybe I am over-reacting but I would legit have reported this to the police. Horrible, aggressive, woman-hating pig. WHY? Because he took pics of your children. That's fucking disgusting. Weird pervert.

And WTAF? HE was out, so how can he have a go at YOU for being out. He sounds flat out batshit and unhinged.

No WAY would he have behaved like this if you had been a man (or had a man with you.) I had a man hounding me one time, saying 'what's your name, fancy a drink with me?' And I said 'no,' and continued walking and turned my back.

'Don't ignore me you fucking slag' he said. 'Who the fuck do you think you are?' i shouted for DH who was 20-30 feet away round the corner. He popped his head round the corner and said 'wassup Helga?'

I have NEVER seen anyone bolt away so fast as this horrible individual who verbally abused me. He disappeared so quick that all you saw was a dust cloud.

As I said, (and some others have) he would NOT have behaved like this towards a man.

Hope you are OK.

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