Obi Wan Ginobili said:
88planoAg said:
Just had dinner at the Rim, and escaped unscathed.
But I walked behind a guy on his phone for over a minute. Guess he didn't find me threatening (I'm female) but I'm not even sure he knew I was behind him.
Situational awareness is a thing.
Lol what a weird post. Situational awareness? This isn't Fallujah in 2014. I'm not advocating for a lack of safety, but this specific scenario is so weird to me. A dude on his cell phone in a public space now lacks awareness? Was there other people around when you followed a stranger for that long? Or did you follow a male stranger, alone, for a minute with no knowledge of his intentions? THAT sounds like a lack of awareness.
It was in a parking lot and onto a sidewalk, and I've obviously failed to convey his level of obliviousness. Yes, there were other people in the general area, but no one super close. Why didn't I pass him? Because I didn't realize I should until we were both on the (very narrow) sidewalk and my car was immediately ahead of us (?) Why didn't I go a different way? Because the shortest distance to my car out of traffic was the way he was going (?) - I can't explain the situation any better. But no, I wasn't stalking him, I was walking to my car. If our positions had been reversed I would have acknowledged his presence and changed my speed though.
Awareness of your surroundings isn't a bad thing in a parking lot, regardless of gender. It is just not a good idea to be unaware of the people around you to that extent.
There is a level of unawareness that leads to people running into stationary objects, which is how the dude was behaving. Any discussion of basic personal safety includes not being oblivious to other people and potential hazards when in a parking lot.
One other thing that I didn't mention - within the last year a woman was attacked by 2-3 men while walking in the Hobby Lobby parking lot area toward her car at the same time of day at the Rim. She was beaten - I think it was an attempted carjacking or purse snatching. So I will not apologize for being aware of my surroundings and shaking my head when others are not.
People (even those on this thread) insist that the world and my corner of it is so unsafe that one should avoid the whole city. Others responded to the incident where the lady was attacked by suggesting that women should never go to the Rim alone, etc. I don't do that either. I'm neither paranoid or overly cautious.
I do, however, stay off my phone in a parking lot, walk with confidence to get where I'm going, am aware of my surroundings such that I know if anyone is close to me, get in my car and immediately lock the doors and leave the parking space.