Advocacy & Safety - Anyone Else Get Freaked Out By This?

I was my ride yesterday afternoon after I had gotten out of work for the day. I was approaching a street light at a three way intersection, as I was coming off a small highway. As I had gotten closer to the intersection a man was sitting in the shoulder in his car just staring out in front of him. I didn't notice if he was eating or doing anything in his car but I pulled around his car and continued on my way towards the intersection. The distance between the car and the intersection was rather lengthy with a wide shoulder. I found myself looking back frequently in fear that he was gonna start up his engine and just plow into me. I might just be paranoid, but has anyone had a similar situation where they feel unsafe or just at unease?

Not while riding my bike, but I did a few weeks ago while walking at night and I have once or twice while driving. I was attending a local LGBT convention and there was a report of an attack on what some drunk college students thought was a gay student downtown. I didn't think anything about it because I'm heterosexual, but there were big warnings at the conference the next day even though nothing like this has ever happened here for as long as anyone can remember. I was walking the night after the attack and felt uneasy.

I also get an uneasy feeling while I'm riding and I think something bad is going to happen. It's not really paranoia but at least 4 out of 5 times the driver does exactly what I think they will, and if I would have failed to react I would have been harmed or killed.

I generally listen to my intiution when I get that uneasy feeling and either get the heck out of there or go to a public space for a few minutes until the feeling passes. Paranoid, maybe, but I'd rather be paranoid and safe rather than not listen to that gut feeling and end up hurt in some way.

No, but it reminds me of a funny book I read a few years ago, Tepper Isn't Going Out (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0375758518/qid=1120274279/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/102-5581113-1515363?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). It's about a guy in NYC who enjoys finding a parking spot, always legal of course, and just sitting there reading his newspaper. Drives people crazy around him, which he doesn't seem to understand. Highly entertaining.

Naw,my favorite motorist maneuver is when they stop in the middle of a 5 lane one way for a perfectly good green light and just sit there.

Read The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker.

I think it's always good to pay attention to those "feelings." We're all much more intuitive than we know, and better safe than sorry.

Oh geez, see the "you meet the strangest people" thread, I seem to have developed an unerring instinct, I can sniff out psychos just by their behavior on Email, I do have the longest banlist on Ebay and I'm proud of it!

There are a lot of really strange and psycho people out there and most drive cars. "The gift of fear" is a good thing to have.

There are a lot of really strange and psycho people out there and most drive cars. "The gift of fear" is a good thing to have.
In a foreign country your intuition becomes incredible, because you cannot get the usual visual and convesational cues you depend on in your own culture.


roughstuff

Always go with your 1st instinct.. If someone gives you a bad vibe, pay attention..