A weird encounter in the supermarket car park - strange man!

[Cindy]

I drive a rather nice red MX-5 and I like it and very proud of it as it is my survival gift to myself.
It attracts a far bit of attention and I'm a very open friendly woman and always happy to talk to people so I certainly don't mind people approaching me.

So today I pulled into the supermarket (store) carpark found a park and got out grabbed my shopping bags and was about to go and a man approached me. He looked pretty old but fit and no, way too old for me and not my type!

"I really like your car, what is it?" I politely tell him and then he says. "May I sit in it?" Well no harm done why not? It has a proximity lock and not going anywhere without me so I let him.

"Lovely, can I take to of a drive?"  Ahh no. (Don't like this! time to bail out) I'm the only named driver on the insurance. "Oh can you take me for a drive?" Ahh No, I've got my shopping and business to do. "OK, I'm on holidays so I'll hang around until you have finished" I smile and nearly vomit and walk away, go around the block ,get into the car and leave and go to another car park.

Weird?

[Ms Grace]

A real whack-a-doodle by the sound of it!

[V M]

Bit too forward I think, sounds a bit hinky

Probably best you took out of there imo

[big kim]

Good decision sounds like you'd have been found in a rolled up carpet a few days later. Has anyone vanished in your area?

[Cindy]

Good decision sounds like you'd have been found in a rolled up carpet a few days later. Has anyone vanished in your area?

I didn't get a danger vibe from him. He told me he was down from the country for the holiday (this is South Australia, down from the country can mean coming in from 1000Km away to spend time with family and country people are very open and trusting).

I think he was just interested but it shook me enough that I'm thinking about it. For some reason I let my defences down. Is that how it happens, in a busy carpark in front of lots of people and you think you are safe?

I said I didn't get a danger vibe but I got scared enough to take avoidance action. TBH he was a lot older than I but he could easily have overwhelmed me. I'm 5'7" (170cm) and  110lbs (50kilos) he was well over 6 foot and scrawny but no fat. Outback people tend to be fit and scrawny and physically fit. I'm in convalescence and couldn't fight a wet kleenex.

Mmm it shook me.

[AnonyMs]

Maybe you should report it to the police? You never know if it might be helpful to someone else.

[Ms Grace]

Unlikely to be a killer but you might have ended up being without a car.

[Cindy]

Maybe you should report it to the police? You never know if it might be helpful to someone else.

Not sure what to report? That I invited a man to sit in my car and he wanted to take it further?


I'm in the bad books here with the police as I have called them over potential suicides from members in Australia and they may have me on a pest list. Not sure how true that is but they let me know I had called them before and what did I expect them to do. When I told them to get off their arse and help it didn't go down all that well. I did get an apology from a more senior person the next day but I am cautious of the police; and they may arrest my mop again.

Such is my life

[AnonyMs]

If there have been any assaults recently maybe you saw the guy. Or if there is one tomorrow. Likley it's not a problem and nothing will happen, but what if?

Also, it sounds like he'd deserves a bit of police attention.

[Cindy]

I'll send a report to neighbourhood watch as it is in my area and that is monitored.

I should have just been unfriendly and walked away. But that is a sad reflection on life.

And it is not me.

[V M]

I'd probably give him directions to the car dealer and tell him to give one of theirs a drive 

[Cindy]

I'd probably give him directions to the car dealer and tell him to give one of theirs a drive 

I did!!!

Jeez, looking back I was stupid!

[V M]

Jeez, looking back I was stupid!

Not at all!!! You're a kind polite person who was momentarily placed in an awkward situation

I think you handled it rather well and everything turned out okay

[warlockmaker]

Hi Cindy, men and their facination with cars, or maybe just interested in you. Maybe I live in places where this is no big deal, so I have no paranoia. I drive a really OTT sports car and constantly have men talk with me. Its the car and of course the hot looking owner. lol

[stephaniec]

I'm way too paranoid to let the conversation get that far plus I live in Chicago

[Rikigirl]

Hi Cindy,

Some country people are over friendly and don't understand their behaviour is not right in the city. Still this one seems to be a few a few cents short of a dollar so smart to move on! Some people play on our friendly nature to their advantage. It always pays to be polite but safe!

Riki

[Raell]

Scary! You did the right thing.

In my case, no way I would have allowed a strange man into my car or encouraged him.

Perhaps your lack of fear comes from a lifetime as living as a male?

I'm a tiny female in body, but subconsciously believe I'm a tall, strong male, so I tend to go places and do things I have no business doing. I do have a cautious female element in me also.

[Angela Drakken]

My near assault in a bookstore in Yorkdale seemed innocent enough too. Trust the animal side. Instinct is never wrong. I'm forever grateful for taking the time to learn to defend myself. (I wouldnt have even let him in the car for starters but I'm also a rather prickly person.)

[LizK]

Hindsight is always 20/20 I am glad you are OK. I suspect being in recovery mode left you vulnerable to this incident. Had you not just been recovering from life saving surgery and possibly one the harder episodes in your life I am, sure you would have handled it differently. But despite having all that on your plate you still extracted yourself from the situation safely...great outcome, potentially it could have been very nasty for you. Country person or not  approaching  you about your car is one thing, but this was inappropriate and not like that.

Glad you are OK

Liz

[JoanneB]

I was just reminding a female co-worker of mine of the very simple facts of life:
1) You make eye contact with a guy = You Like Him
2) You actually talk to him = He thinks you want to bed him
3) Generally speaking... Guys are wierd

BTW - I am in guy mode while giving all these insights