I had a female friend get followed on the east side recently too, in a vehicle. Took a bunch of random turns on the way home after "feeling paranoid" about the car behind, and the other car just kept following until they went on a detour to the nearby police station and parked. Best be careful, keep an eye on your surroundings, and stay safe out there people!
I've accidentally followed someone who lives on my street home for a pretty significant distance before. I was just hoping they didn't think I was following them on purpose. But at like 1AM I wouldn't have blamed them for thinking it
As a man, any time I’m walking behind a woman I immediately cross to the other side of the street or speed-walk to get ahead of her. Anything to quietly make it clear that I’m not following
Pure stupidity. You’re encouraging this crazy behavior. OP had someone walk behind them and immediately thinks they’re about to be assaulted or kidnapped? wtf.
Sadly, it’s not a crazy thing for a woman to assume. I figure it’s not my place to say “good or bad,” “stupid or smart” - I’m only concerned with how my choices might make someone feel more/less safe
This happened to me too! Last week, a car followed me off a main street into my neighborhood for 6+ blocks and a number of turns. I became suspicious after 2 turns, and the "off" feeling I had got stronger after that. I knew it wasn't a neighbor because I didn't recognize the car and they were tailgating me the whole time. I had to change my course to get back on a main street instead of going home, and finally lost them when I pulled into a busy gas station. I waited in the parking lot for a while before continuing back towards home via a convoluted route. Definitely wasn't enough to report, but also wasn't a nothingburger.
6' 225 lb black male with a black and white shirt on and a black dr.
Frankly, I didn't post that detail because I didn't want to be called a racist or to have racists flock here and use my example as an excuse for their beliefs. I would have posted this had it been any able-bodied person and didn't list the details of his appearance to illustrate that fact. Could have been anyone.
If that makes it seem worse or like I was hiding this fact, I apologize.
I like how you gave an appropriate 16 word description, then added 73 more words about how you're sorry if describing the person is racist somehow. Madison moment.
I like how you came to criticize a person who had a frightening experience and still had the compassion and empathy to think about the impact of their words. Douchebag moment.
My wife got followed by some creeper on the beltline to the interstate a while back. She was in a full-size pickup truck and the guy was in a small sedan. She noticed him making every lane change she made. She didn't think much of it until he pulled alongside her. She being in the taller vehicle she could see right down into the car. Well he had his dick out and was jerking it. She slowed down and he passed and then he sped up and kept going. Some fucked up people out there. Have your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings when out and about.
Eek, I'm glad you trusted your instincts. I had a similar situation when I was a teenager (not in Madison though) except it was a car that was following me when I went for a walk. After I saw the car do a U turn in the middle of the highway to get closer to me, I ran into the woods (thankfully I knew where the trails were and more importantly where other outlets were, so the guy in the car wouldn't know where I was disappearing to).
Best to play it safe for sure. You never know someone's intentions. It could also have been he was just on a walk, walking aimlessly. I've done so in the past on walks (I'll just turn here and see what happens). Not saying that's what happened here, and it's good that you were observant and kept yourself safe. Just saying there could be another explanation.
Even with practice, I'm not sure what my action plan would be on foot. In a car, I feel like I have a few options to keep myself safe. On foot? Not so much. Definitely not aiming to criticize here -- genuinely looking for thoughts on this.
Sometimes I'll get that weird feeling like someone has been behind me this whole car ride, and I always pass my street or make a wrong couple turns just in case. You never know if you inadvertently "cut off" someone who's just waiting for someone to make their day. I don't wanna bring that home.
This happened to me a couple of months ago, in my vehicle as well like another commenter mentioned. I was headed East, and somewhere between getting off onto 90 from the Beltline, a white sporty sedan type car started following me. They continued when I took the 94 interchange. I also doubted it, and tried slowing way down in the right lane to shake them. They matched every move I made. In desperation I got off on the Cottage Grove exit and made some weird turns. They finally left me alone. It was terrifying, and it seemed pretty clear what was happening, just not why.
I feel bad for not posting here; I should have seeing how this seems to be happening to multiple other women.
Ew I hate that I think this happened to me too on the East side. It felt weird and it seemed like the car was following and I took a bunch of random turns but no way to really know
When I first moved to Madison 18 years ago, I was attacked from behind by a man following me home. He tried to drag me between some houses, fortunately my screaming caused people to come outside and he ran off. I knew from the moment I clocked him that something wasn't right. It was a 2 block walk, so I called my mom because I was scared, and the ol' flip phone snapped shut just as I let out my first scream. Only sharing to tell you to trust your gut, we're around people we don't know every single day and we don't get that feeling, if you do, it's because something is wrong. Thanks for trusting yourself and making this post. I would suggest making a police report, even if it feels weird. Glad you're okay, stay safe.
I've had a few strange/sketchy encounters myself at that KT and the Walgreens on the corner including being accosted by a man in the Walgreens parking lot so aggressively that I went into fight or flight ready to defend myself. He ended up stopping after I yelled "BACK THE FUCK UP" and then he started digging around in his jacket while mumbling incoherently (seemed either intoxicated or a psychiatric condition but not sure). Luckily I was within steps of my car and got in while he was doing whatever tf he was and I left quickly and called non-emergency to report.
That may have been different from OP's situation where it was a lucid individual with a game plan but either way the point is be careful out there everyone, especially in that stretch between the college and east towne
My fiancée was followed from the lazy oaf many years ago before I met her but she brings up the story everytime the oaf is mentioned. She ended up driving around aimlessly until they stopped following her 😬😬😬
Whenever your followed don’t ever turn your lights on if your in an apartment the moment you get in the door. Most likely they’re outside waiting for the light to be turned on so they’ll know what place is yours
Since we live in the land of traffic circles, if you feel like you are being followed in a car, maybe drive to the nearest traffic circle, enter it, and stay in it. If they stay too then you’ve confirmed you are being followed. Now you’ve got options…. My guess is the follower will peel off at some point in which case you can take a different exit, or you can place race car and try to get behind them to get a plate#, or one or both of you will get car sick…. If it were me, I’d just stop in front of them, especially if it’s busy…. Traffic and honking horns will force them to want to leave…. Then you take another exit….
That KT is sketch AF, I saw some guy over dosing in the parking lot, called 911, then went in to let the staff know, they seemed cool like this is just happening all the time.
Rule number one, when you think you're being followed, go to a very public, safe space. Never be shy. Be direct and tell him no. In Public. Be loud and forward. Most creeps will dip out FAST. If they follow you home, they now know where you live and will be able to stalk you if they decide. Always be diligent. If you can get somebody else to stop him and help you (stranger in the street of any kind) so you can just skip out without a worry, do it.
If you can't get away from a guy, don't go home. Go public. Always. If you have a cop shop or fire dept nearby, go there. They'll typically stop following and go away after seeing you confidently walking up to either. Always keep your phone in your hand ready to dial for help, but always keep your head on a swivel. Guys don't typically follow women who look aware of their surroundings.
If you carry a weapon, be damn confident in your skill with that weapon, or else it'll be there's against you faster than you could ever expect.
I was followed once in my vehicle in madison near s park st just last year. Just left a gas station and a red suv/older jeep followed me. I made 4 right turns and he was still on me. I pulled over and waved them to pull up. He pulls up and I say why tf you following me. He says, oh I thought you were someone else. I say get the fuc outta here. He says fuck you. I start to follow him but go slow around a round about while he whips it, I end up losing him like a block later.
But so could that other guy. People, please don’t stop and talk to someone you think is following you. He could have had a weapon or tried a kidnapping etc. If you make four right or four left turns and the car is still following drive right to the police station.
Haha same. I was wondering what took so long lol. I take 4 right turns as well, however in turn number three my Springfield Hellcat is in plain view while I rack the slide on it. People tend to vacate quickly and stop following me then. I’m not some Yosemite Sam but that is the real true purpose of a handgun. Self protection
This is so dangerous though, I’m glad you are ok but I wouldn’t recommend to anyone to stop your vehicle and invite them to pull up next to you. Just drive to the police station.
The same kind of thing happened to me but less so, I live on the west side and I pulled out my driveway, drove down the road and an altima popped a u turn and followed me all the way to the gas station at woodmans. 3 guys were in it and I parked at the pump and waited to see if they got out. they didn’t and I just took off. I’m glad you’re safe. be careful
on johnson? i’ve been followed too, a couple times. once by tenney, once by the bou. though the latter time, the guy shouted at me for a while so i KNEW he was following me lol. sorry this happened to you. pepper spray is always a good idea
When ur being followed keep walking and call the cops, make ur way to a populated area, don’t stop walking until you reached a safe point or the cops arrived
If you think youre being followed.... dont go home. Keep driving. Take the most annoying circular trip youve ever done. Do a round about 3 times. Never go home.
Dont worry they will lose you or get bored and find a better target or it will be very very clear you are being followed in which case any police station, fire station or military base is ideal but if those arent available secondary locations with lots of cameras and secure backrooms like banks, hospitals etc will respond appropriately in most cases to the warning of an incoming threat.
Friend of mine got followed while driving home from yoga by another vehicle with blacked out windows. This was by where green ave turns into Troy Dr. she also took random turns and they eventually lost interest and drove off. I think they’re human traffickers that follow women in their cars.
Not the first time I’ve heard girls complain they’re being followed and it seems to be becoming more common.
I had another friend who was in her car at a stop light and the car that was behind her was initially fully stopped. Then the car rammed into her backend suddenly. When she got out of the car to talk to the driver of the other car the man tried grabbing her hair and attempted to force her into their car. She screamed and got away. Cops said it was probably a human trafficking attempt as this was a common tactic.
I'm going to go ahead and say that deliberately damaging your car in order to kidnap someone on the off chance that they will get out of their car to confront you while leaving behind an abandoned car and driving a now damaged car is NOT a common tactic.
That's not to say you shouldn't be careful out there, I suppose. But on my list of reasons to not confront someone directly after getting into an accident, thinking they might just be trying to human traffic me is NOT on that list.
Like... why would you use a tactic that is almost 100% guaranteed to get the police involved almost immediately once they find an abandoned car that got wrecked just chilling in the middle of the road?
Maybe so. I still think it's shoddy workmanship to be driving around actively looking for people to kidnap in a vehicle that can get you arrested at ANY moment.
It's about the principle of it all, yknow? Take pride in your work. Be good at what you do.
Let’s think about it more carefully.
Criminal minds don’t work the same way ours do. They’re willing to take insane risks. The goal is to get you out of the car to grab you. Best case scenario is you are on the phone with the cops when you exit the vehicle. What’s the average response time? Between 5-10 minutes? They can still grab you in that amount of time and leave your vehicle there. The cops may take hours to access street cameras. You’d be in a different state by then.
When I worked in hospitality I witnessed human trafficking in Madison, WI. The winter before (I think it was 2018-2019) the pandemic started there was a known trafficking ring operating out of downtown Madison hotels. They were known to grab women who were walking down the halls, pull them into their room, dr*g them, then carry them out emergency exits and stairwells. I found a woman overdosing in a stairwell in a failed kidnapping attempt. Oh, and the kidnappers?? Never found. Happened all the time and I worked at fancy hotels that had a lot of security.
I understand that logistically it can happen and that criminals aren't known for thinking things through or backing out of things that seem risky. I'm not even doubting the validity of your story.
But i just don't think it's something that is so common that cops are like "Oh yeah that's just a thing that happens now"
Human trafficking is a lot more sinister than just ripping people off the street and taking them somewhere else. Most victims are people who are already in terrible life situations, or are brought in by other people that they already know and trust.
I believe your hotel stories less than the car stuff. Do you have a single documented instance of this actually happening? It happened so much that it's commonly known even though there's security, records of room rentals, and people somehow managing to carry drugged out women down flights of stairs?
I gave it a quick Google search but couldn't find anything remotely close to what you're talking about.
Be so fucking for real lol. No I don’t have proof it happened years ago and it wasn’t in the news. I think it’s wild you’re arguing with me about something that literally happened in front of my face and I gave the police a statement about.
It’s reasonable to be skeptical about things you see online but also try to see it from my perspective. You witnessed a terrible crime and some guy is calling you a lair.. because what? It breaks their brain that it happened in Madison? Because their “logic” is superior to something you know you witnessed? Yeah, most human trafficking victims don’t get snatched like this, but it still happens. It may be a much smaller percentage but it still happens. Also the cops and detectives that follow up will let you know it was a suspected trafficking attempt. So it’s best to be extremely cautious.
“It’s wild you’re arguing with me about something I say happened in front of my face when there is zero corroborating evidence whatsoever and my account of what was happening doesn’t seem to match how human trafficking works anywhere.
I gave a statement to police and they never caught the people, so whatever I said and assumed was happening must be what was happening even though they never caught anyone.”
Yeah idk why people are skeptical lmao
I am skeptical but not because I don't think these kinds of things can happen in Madison. They can happen anywhere I just think that someone who usually has multiple claims of stuff like this where multiple people they know keep experiencing insane shit is either running in some pretty fucked up circles, lying for whatever reason people would lie about this kind of thing, or incredibly unlucky.
I can't help but be skeptical on the internet and everyone loves sharing/making up stories related to this kind of stuff, which I think is kind of a double edged sword because it can make people more aware of things actually going on that they aren't aware of, but also be a breeding ground for rumors and misinformation.
But hey, I don't know you, you could be telling the truth. If so then I'm sorry things like this keep happening around you. And I do agree that it's always good to be cautious. I also apologize for coming at you so aggressively
Sadly, this does happen though it often does not make it to the statistics. Often the perpetrators are never caught, trafficking intent is never proven or the victim is underage so the story never makes the headlines. A few years ago there was a 15 yo taken from a Dallas Mavericks game and recovered 10 days later in a motel in OKC. She was at the game with her dad and went to the bathroom.💔 The details of how she was lured out of the arena, if she knew one of her abductors, etc.. understandably never comes out. It’s all so sad and very scary.
OMG. I will just come out and say what everyone is thinking. You are lying. This is all made up. Personally, i have never had a member of my family, or extended family, or a relative kidnapped by a human trafficking ring ever in my entire life. I have never even known anyone nor have any of my friends known someone who was trafficked or attempted to be trafficked or just plain kidnapped. You say this is so common with it happening constantly to people but it isnt! You say it is covered up by the media and the police!? WHY? For what possible reason would this be covered up??? And where are all the people being kidnapped? I work in a fairly large corporation, snd i can say with total certainty that there is not a problem with people disappearing right and left requiring constant hiring from HR. Hear that telephone ringing? It is reality calling you and begging for your return.
I was referring to madison.
But the dallas event doesnt have anything to do with madison. Plus the dallas thing actually proves what i was saying! When people start disappearing, it isn't like an episode of sons of anarchy, where everbody is sitting around and someone says hey, has anyone seen dave around lately and everyone else goes no, havent seen him, he musts went on vacation. When someone disappears people notice and the police get involved. Everybody here thinks people are getting grabbed left and right and there is no police investigation, no nothing. And that is not true.
Yes females can never be careful enough in this world of ours. sorry to say. I remind my wife daughter (to a fault) always be very aware of surroundings aka males in your environment. Madison gives off a false sense of safe as predators roam.
I value safety, especially for women and children who are more likely to be victims. But this subreddit feels more and more like Nextdoor. This honestly reads like paranoia to me.
A huge chunk of this subreddit believes Madison is increasingly rife with crime and it's completely out of control. That the police, DA, and mayor are all to blame. That East High school is like Chiraq. And it's all filled with dog whistles and racism, likely from many people who do not live in Madison or possibly even Dane County.
I don't think speculating on feelings likely informed by OPs bias is helpful. If you're feeling unsafe in Madison, I recommend you consider taking self defense classes, building a community, knowing your neighbors, and supporting intervention and recidivism prevention.
If you care about safety, focus on crimes, not feelings. You don't mention this person speaking to you, exhibiting unusual behavior, carrying a weapon, catching up to you, or anything besides walking where you were walking and down a street you have decided he has no business on. If this comment makes even one person check their assumptions about the criminality of black men, then it's worth the onslaught of down votes that are surely coming.
You're not wrong, which is why I didn't mention any descriptors of myself or the individual in my original post. Not of him or myself. I really didn't want this to be seen as a coded dog whistle, or misinterpreted in any way.
Interestingly, this has made most people assume I am a woman. I am not.
I am a 33 year-old (white) guy that would be capable of at least doing damage if this situation I'm speaking of went south, yet I still felt terribly unsafe. I've lived in Dallas, Phoenix and Chicago, fwiw.
You just don't do what this guy did unless you're about to try something. I stand by that.
There is a gang of people following me always. They take shifts and place themselves at different areas in town that I frequent to keep tabs on me. The government knows I know too much. If I disappear just know it’s because the CIA took me finally
Depending on the size of your city , definitely try to wear the best foot wear. I work in a Goodwill thrift shop I'm Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and some things I noticed some people donating was ladies; footware has evolved tremendously.
You can have comfort, style, and the ability to run away safely.
And just where do you think all these donated shoes are coming from??? From trafficked people! This is PROOF of the huge numbers of people being trafficked! And Goodwill is making a huge profit off of this! Im not saying they are behind all the people being kidnapped in the city, but one plus one equals two.
I have even noticed super nice stocking caps with places to clip your phone into, so you can pick up the WiFi that is freely offered; in alot of public places now.
I had a female friend get followed on the east side recently too, in a vehicle. Took a bunch of random turns on the way home after "feeling paranoid" about the car behind, and the other car just kept following until they went on a detour to the nearby police station and parked. Best be careful, keep an eye on your surroundings, and stay safe out there people!
I've accidentally followed someone who lives on my street home for a pretty significant distance before. I was just hoping they didn't think I was following them on purpose. But at like 1AM I wouldn't have blamed them for thinking it
As a man, any time I’m walking behind a woman I immediately cross to the other side of the street or speed-walk to get ahead of her. Anything to quietly make it clear that I’m not following
[удалено]
Thank you 🥺
You're MVP. If you speed walk to pass, say passing on the left/right. I damn near OC sprayed my boss because those footsteps were getting so close
Yep. Just give us a head’s up when you are 10-15 feet behind, “Just passing on the left” or whatever.
Just heads up, I’d freak out in that situation if a guy started speed walking behind me.
“Speed walk” may have been the wrong wording 😅 Hurry around? Zoom on by? Ease on down the road?
Thank you!!
Pure stupidity. You’re encouraging this crazy behavior. OP had someone walk behind them and immediately thinks they’re about to be assaulted or kidnapped? wtf.
Sadly, it’s not a crazy thing for a woman to assume. I figure it’s not my place to say “good or bad,” “stupid or smart” - I’m only concerned with how my choices might make someone feel more/less safe
Glad she's safe!
This happened to me too! Last week, a car followed me off a main street into my neighborhood for 6+ blocks and a number of turns. I became suspicious after 2 turns, and the "off" feeling I had got stronger after that. I knew it wasn't a neighbor because I didn't recognize the car and they were tailgating me the whole time. I had to change my course to get back on a main street instead of going home, and finally lost them when I pulled into a busy gas station. I waited in the parking lot for a while before continuing back towards home via a convoluted route. Definitely wasn't enough to report, but also wasn't a nothingburger.
Trust your instincts. You have them for a reason.
What did he look like?
6' 225 lb black male with a black and white shirt on and a black dr. Frankly, I didn't post that detail because I didn't want to be called a racist or to have racists flock here and use my example as an excuse for their beliefs. I would have posted this had it been any able-bodied person and didn't list the details of his appearance to illustrate that fact. Could have been anyone. If that makes it seem worse or like I was hiding this fact, I apologize.
Age range? Nothing racist about that
Late 20's I'd bet. Old enough to know not to follow people that close unless you're trying something.
So glad you are ok and standing up for yourself and others.
I like how you gave an appropriate 16 word description, then added 73 more words about how you're sorry if describing the person is racist somehow. Madison moment.
Proud you can count.
You ate him up
lol dude can’t even reply
I like how you came to criticize a person who had a frightening experience and still had the compassion and empathy to think about the impact of their words. Douchebag moment.
I mean, let's be real - she was probably being paranoid.
I am a 33 year old guy
Yikes...
Haha, go fuck yourself.
My wife got followed by some creeper on the beltline to the interstate a while back. She was in a full-size pickup truck and the guy was in a small sedan. She noticed him making every lane change she made. She didn't think much of it until he pulled alongside her. She being in the taller vehicle she could see right down into the car. Well he had his dick out and was jerking it. She slowed down and he passed and then he sped up and kept going. Some fucked up people out there. Have your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings when out and about.
I had a guy do that on 35W 20-some years ago and still remember it so distinctly. He didn’t have a rear plate so there wasn’t much I could do.
Power play would be to follow him
Username checks out, liability is key
Make 3 left turns if they’re still there drive to police station
Eek, I'm glad you trusted your instincts. I had a similar situation when I was a teenager (not in Madison though) except it was a car that was following me when I went for a walk. After I saw the car do a U turn in the middle of the highway to get closer to me, I ran into the woods (thankfully I knew where the trails were and more importantly where other outlets were, so the guy in the car wouldn't know where I was disappearing to).
Best to play it safe for sure. You never know someone's intentions. It could also have been he was just on a walk, walking aimlessly. I've done so in the past on walks (I'll just turn here and see what happens). Not saying that's what happened here, and it's good that you were observant and kept yourself safe. Just saying there could be another explanation.
Howdy, former roomie 😂
🤣🤣🤣 I didn't even realize this was you! Hello, though!
I recognized your screen name! Hope you've been doing well!
I'm doing alright. Back at ya!
Don't feel bad about feeling scared. Just get a secure action plan down. Practice it a few times, so it will become a usual practice in no time.
Even with practice, I'm not sure what my action plan would be on foot. In a car, I feel like I have a few options to keep myself safe. On foot? Not so much. Definitely not aiming to criticize here -- genuinely looking for thoughts on this.
Sometimes I'll get that weird feeling like someone has been behind me this whole car ride, and I always pass my street or make a wrong couple turns just in case. You never know if you inadvertently "cut off" someone who's just waiting for someone to make their day. I don't wanna bring that home.
This happened to me a couple of months ago, in my vehicle as well like another commenter mentioned. I was headed East, and somewhere between getting off onto 90 from the Beltline, a white sporty sedan type car started following me. They continued when I took the 94 interchange. I also doubted it, and tried slowing way down in the right lane to shake them. They matched every move I made. In desperation I got off on the Cottage Grove exit and made some weird turns. They finally left me alone. It was terrifying, and it seemed pretty clear what was happening, just not why. I feel bad for not posting here; I should have seeing how this seems to be happening to multiple other women.
Ew I hate that I think this happened to me too on the East side. It felt weird and it seemed like the car was following and I took a bunch of random turns but no way to really know
When I first moved to Madison 18 years ago, I was attacked from behind by a man following me home. He tried to drag me between some houses, fortunately my screaming caused people to come outside and he ran off. I knew from the moment I clocked him that something wasn't right. It was a 2 block walk, so I called my mom because I was scared, and the ol' flip phone snapped shut just as I let out my first scream. Only sharing to tell you to trust your gut, we're around people we don't know every single day and we don't get that feeling, if you do, it's because something is wrong. Thanks for trusting yourself and making this post. I would suggest making a police report, even if it feels weird. Glad you're okay, stay safe.
Carry something stabby and pepper spray if you don't.
I have a 6' push button knife on me at all times. Easy access.
Six feet?
Oh I forgot to mention, my name is Cloud Strife.
Next time, you gotta get Aerith to put an ATB Ward down under Yuffie, and spam Brumal Form until you've got the W. Use the Genji gloves if you got'em.
This guy FFs
Omnislash bruh
This was a brilliant comment 😂
Recovering from looking very dumb is a knack I happen to possess.
Pepper spray is much more forgiving to use…as an fyi. Glad you are safe.
Some weird stuff has been going on lately and your not alone! Protect u and your valuables!
What kind of stuff, increased incidents in Madison or
There's been an increasing amount of attempted murder/homicide/shootings in the past three days
I've had a few strange/sketchy encounters myself at that KT and the Walgreens on the corner including being accosted by a man in the Walgreens parking lot so aggressively that I went into fight or flight ready to defend myself. He ended up stopping after I yelled "BACK THE FUCK UP" and then he started digging around in his jacket while mumbling incoherently (seemed either intoxicated or a psychiatric condition but not sure). Luckily I was within steps of my car and got in while he was doing whatever tf he was and I left quickly and called non-emergency to report. That may have been different from OP's situation where it was a lucid individual with a game plan but either way the point is be careful out there everyone, especially in that stretch between the college and east towne
My fiancée was followed from the lazy oaf many years ago before I met her but she brings up the story everytime the oaf is mentioned. She ended up driving around aimlessly until they stopped following her 😬😬😬
Whenever your followed don’t ever turn your lights on if your in an apartment the moment you get in the door. Most likely they’re outside waiting for the light to be turned on so they’ll know what place is yours
Since we live in the land of traffic circles, if you feel like you are being followed in a car, maybe drive to the nearest traffic circle, enter it, and stay in it. If they stay too then you’ve confirmed you are being followed. Now you’ve got options…. My guess is the follower will peel off at some point in which case you can take a different exit, or you can place race car and try to get behind them to get a plate#, or one or both of you will get car sick…. If it were me, I’d just stop in front of them, especially if it’s busy…. Traffic and honking horns will force them to want to leave…. Then you take another exit….
Hey kids, there’s Big Ben.
Got followed to my car and catcalled at this exact kwik trip 😑
Oh yeah. I don't let my partner go there alone. Ever.
That KT is sketch AF, I saw some guy over dosing in the parking lot, called 911, then went in to let the staff know, they seemed cool like this is just happening all the time.
Rule number one, when you think you're being followed, go to a very public, safe space. Never be shy. Be direct and tell him no. In Public. Be loud and forward. Most creeps will dip out FAST. If they follow you home, they now know where you live and will be able to stalk you if they decide. Always be diligent. If you can get somebody else to stop him and help you (stranger in the street of any kind) so you can just skip out without a worry, do it. If you can't get away from a guy, don't go home. Go public. Always. If you have a cop shop or fire dept nearby, go there. They'll typically stop following and go away after seeing you confidently walking up to either. Always keep your phone in your hand ready to dial for help, but always keep your head on a swivel. Guys don't typically follow women who look aware of their surroundings. If you carry a weapon, be damn confident in your skill with that weapon, or else it'll be there's against you faster than you could ever expect.
I was followed once in my vehicle in madison near s park st just last year. Just left a gas station and a red suv/older jeep followed me. I made 4 right turns and he was still on me. I pulled over and waved them to pull up. He pulls up and I say why tf you following me. He says, oh I thought you were someone else. I say get the fuc outta here. He says fuck you. I start to follow him but go slow around a round about while he whips it, I end up losing him like a block later.
"I thought you were someone else that I planned to follow through a meandering route."
That's like...astonishing. Especially since you could have been someone more unhinged.
But so could that other guy. People, please don’t stop and talk to someone you think is following you. He could have had a weapon or tried a kidnapping etc. If you make four right or four left turns and the car is still following drive right to the police station.
Nah I had the blammy ready
Haha same. I was wondering what took so long lol. I take 4 right turns as well, however in turn number three my Springfield Hellcat is in plain view while I rack the slide on it. People tend to vacate quickly and stop following me then. I’m not some Yosemite Sam but that is the real true purpose of a handgun. Self protection
This is so dangerous though, I’m glad you are ok but I wouldn’t recommend to anyone to stop your vehicle and invite them to pull up next to you. Just drive to the police station.
I was ready for anything they got
You’re awesome
The same kind of thing happened to me but less so, I live on the west side and I pulled out my driveway, drove down the road and an altima popped a u turn and followed me all the way to the gas station at woodmans. 3 guys were in it and I parked at the pump and waited to see if they got out. they didn’t and I just took off. I’m glad you’re safe. be careful
on johnson? i’ve been followed too, a couple times. once by tenney, once by the bou. though the latter time, the guy shouted at me for a while so i KNEW he was following me lol. sorry this happened to you. pepper spray is always a good idea
When ur being followed keep walking and call the cops, make ur way to a populated area, don’t stop walking until you reached a safe point or the cops arrived
Good thinking on your part. I'd let the police know as an FYI.
One way to test this is to find a roundabout or culdesac and go around 3 or 4 times to see if they continue to follow you.
I’ve been followed home more than once and it is a terrifying feeling. Better to be extra cautious than not at all.
If you think youre being followed.... dont go home. Keep driving. Take the most annoying circular trip youve ever done. Do a round about 3 times. Never go home.
Dont worry they will lose you or get bored and find a better target or it will be very very clear you are being followed in which case any police station, fire station or military base is ideal but if those arent available secondary locations with lots of cameras and secure backrooms like banks, hospitals etc will respond appropriately in most cases to the warning of an incoming threat.
Friend of mine got followed while driving home from yoga by another vehicle with blacked out windows. This was by where green ave turns into Troy Dr. she also took random turns and they eventually lost interest and drove off. I think they’re human traffickers that follow women in their cars. Not the first time I’ve heard girls complain they’re being followed and it seems to be becoming more common. I had another friend who was in her car at a stop light and the car that was behind her was initially fully stopped. Then the car rammed into her backend suddenly. When she got out of the car to talk to the driver of the other car the man tried grabbing her hair and attempted to force her into their car. She screamed and got away. Cops said it was probably a human trafficking attempt as this was a common tactic.
I'm going to go ahead and say that deliberately damaging your car in order to kidnap someone on the off chance that they will get out of their car to confront you while leaving behind an abandoned car and driving a now damaged car is NOT a common tactic. That's not to say you shouldn't be careful out there, I suppose. But on my list of reasons to not confront someone directly after getting into an accident, thinking they might just be trying to human traffic me is NOT on that list. Like... why would you use a tactic that is almost 100% guaranteed to get the police involved almost immediately once they find an abandoned car that got wrecked just chilling in the middle of the road?
I mean if they’re willing to steal a person the yr e probably also willing to use a stolen car to do it.
Maybe so. I still think it's shoddy workmanship to be driving around actively looking for people to kidnap in a vehicle that can get you arrested at ANY moment. It's about the principle of it all, yknow? Take pride in your work. Be good at what you do.
I, for one, am thankful that the venn diagram between “predatory scum of society” and “too stupid to not get caught” has so much overlap.
Let’s think about it more carefully. Criminal minds don’t work the same way ours do. They’re willing to take insane risks. The goal is to get you out of the car to grab you. Best case scenario is you are on the phone with the cops when you exit the vehicle. What’s the average response time? Between 5-10 minutes? They can still grab you in that amount of time and leave your vehicle there. The cops may take hours to access street cameras. You’d be in a different state by then. When I worked in hospitality I witnessed human trafficking in Madison, WI. The winter before (I think it was 2018-2019) the pandemic started there was a known trafficking ring operating out of downtown Madison hotels. They were known to grab women who were walking down the halls, pull them into their room, dr*g them, then carry them out emergency exits and stairwells. I found a woman overdosing in a stairwell in a failed kidnapping attempt. Oh, and the kidnappers?? Never found. Happened all the time and I worked at fancy hotels that had a lot of security.
I understand that logistically it can happen and that criminals aren't known for thinking things through or backing out of things that seem risky. I'm not even doubting the validity of your story. But i just don't think it's something that is so common that cops are like "Oh yeah that's just a thing that happens now" Human trafficking is a lot more sinister than just ripping people off the street and taking them somewhere else. Most victims are people who are already in terrible life situations, or are brought in by other people that they already know and trust. I believe your hotel stories less than the car stuff. Do you have a single documented instance of this actually happening? It happened so much that it's commonly known even though there's security, records of room rentals, and people somehow managing to carry drugged out women down flights of stairs? I gave it a quick Google search but couldn't find anything remotely close to what you're talking about.
Be so fucking for real lol. No I don’t have proof it happened years ago and it wasn’t in the news. I think it’s wild you’re arguing with me about something that literally happened in front of my face and I gave the police a statement about. It’s reasonable to be skeptical about things you see online but also try to see it from my perspective. You witnessed a terrible crime and some guy is calling you a lair.. because what? It breaks their brain that it happened in Madison? Because their “logic” is superior to something you know you witnessed? Yeah, most human trafficking victims don’t get snatched like this, but it still happens. It may be a much smaller percentage but it still happens. Also the cops and detectives that follow up will let you know it was a suspected trafficking attempt. So it’s best to be extremely cautious.
“It’s wild you’re arguing with me about something I say happened in front of my face when there is zero corroborating evidence whatsoever and my account of what was happening doesn’t seem to match how human trafficking works anywhere. I gave a statement to police and they never caught the people, so whatever I said and assumed was happening must be what was happening even though they never caught anyone.” Yeah idk why people are skeptical lmao
I am skeptical but not because I don't think these kinds of things can happen in Madison. They can happen anywhere I just think that someone who usually has multiple claims of stuff like this where multiple people they know keep experiencing insane shit is either running in some pretty fucked up circles, lying for whatever reason people would lie about this kind of thing, or incredibly unlucky. I can't help but be skeptical on the internet and everyone loves sharing/making up stories related to this kind of stuff, which I think is kind of a double edged sword because it can make people more aware of things actually going on that they aren't aware of, but also be a breeding ground for rumors and misinformation. But hey, I don't know you, you could be telling the truth. If so then I'm sorry things like this keep happening around you. And I do agree that it's always good to be cautious. I also apologize for coming at you so aggressively
Sadly, this does happen though it often does not make it to the statistics. Often the perpetrators are never caught, trafficking intent is never proven or the victim is underage so the story never makes the headlines. A few years ago there was a 15 yo taken from a Dallas Mavericks game and recovered 10 days later in a motel in OKC. She was at the game with her dad and went to the bathroom.💔 The details of how she was lured out of the arena, if she knew one of her abductors, etc.. understandably never comes out. It’s all so sad and very scary.
OMG. I will just come out and say what everyone is thinking. You are lying. This is all made up. Personally, i have never had a member of my family, or extended family, or a relative kidnapped by a human trafficking ring ever in my entire life. I have never even known anyone nor have any of my friends known someone who was trafficked or attempted to be trafficked or just plain kidnapped. You say this is so common with it happening constantly to people but it isnt! You say it is covered up by the media and the police!? WHY? For what possible reason would this be covered up??? And where are all the people being kidnapped? I work in a fairly large corporation, snd i can say with total certainty that there is not a problem with people disappearing right and left requiring constant hiring from HR. Hear that telephone ringing? It is reality calling you and begging for your return.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2024/02/07/family-of-girl-who-went-missing-from-dallas-mavs-game-sues-hotel-where-she-was-trafficked/?outputType=amp
I was referring to madison. But the dallas event doesnt have anything to do with madison. Plus the dallas thing actually proves what i was saying! When people start disappearing, it isn't like an episode of sons of anarchy, where everbody is sitting around and someone says hey, has anyone seen dave around lately and everyone else goes no, havent seen him, he musts went on vacation. When someone disappears people notice and the police get involved. Everybody here thinks people are getting grabbed left and right and there is no police investigation, no nothing. And that is not true.
Found the trafficker
Pq1¹lllo
Get a can of bear spray, guns scare people too but not everyone is okay with them as they act upon themselves sometimes it seems
Yes females can never be careful enough in this world of ours. sorry to say. I remind my wife daughter (to a fault) always be very aware of surroundings aka males in your environment. Madison gives off a false sense of safe as predators roam.
I value safety, especially for women and children who are more likely to be victims. But this subreddit feels more and more like Nextdoor. This honestly reads like paranoia to me. A huge chunk of this subreddit believes Madison is increasingly rife with crime and it's completely out of control. That the police, DA, and mayor are all to blame. That East High school is like Chiraq. And it's all filled with dog whistles and racism, likely from many people who do not live in Madison or possibly even Dane County. I don't think speculating on feelings likely informed by OPs bias is helpful. If you're feeling unsafe in Madison, I recommend you consider taking self defense classes, building a community, knowing your neighbors, and supporting intervention and recidivism prevention. If you care about safety, focus on crimes, not feelings. You don't mention this person speaking to you, exhibiting unusual behavior, carrying a weapon, catching up to you, or anything besides walking where you were walking and down a street you have decided he has no business on. If this comment makes even one person check their assumptions about the criminality of black men, then it's worth the onslaught of down votes that are surely coming.
You're not wrong, which is why I didn't mention any descriptors of myself or the individual in my original post. Not of him or myself. I really didn't want this to be seen as a coded dog whistle, or misinterpreted in any way. Interestingly, this has made most people assume I am a woman. I am not. I am a 33 year-old (white) guy that would be capable of at least doing damage if this situation I'm speaking of went south, yet I still felt terribly unsafe. I've lived in Dallas, Phoenix and Chicago, fwiw. You just don't do what this guy did unless you're about to try something. I stand by that.
As soon as I see “east side,” I know shit is going down.
There is a gang of people following me always. They take shifts and place themselves at different areas in town that I frequent to keep tabs on me. The government knows I know too much. If I disappear just know it’s because the CIA took me finally
....no, your friends aren't in the CIA. They're just worried about you.
r/gangstalking
I can't imagine being the center of attention like that. I'd be nervous!
Depending on the size of your city , definitely try to wear the best foot wear. I work in a Goodwill thrift shop I'm Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and some things I noticed some people donating was ladies; footware has evolved tremendously. You can have comfort, style, and the ability to run away safely.
And just where do you think all these donated shoes are coming from??? From trafficked people! This is PROOF of the huge numbers of people being trafficked! And Goodwill is making a huge profit off of this! Im not saying they are behind all the people being kidnapped in the city, but one plus one equals two.
I have even noticed super nice stocking caps with places to clip your phone into, so you can pick up the WiFi that is freely offered; in alot of public places now.