Unusual *being followed?* story..

Some would say this is paranoia but it was just too well played out to not be suspicious..

I have always been the type to watch everything going on around me. Im not a paranoid person but I do have a little public anxiety in large groups of unknown people. In places like a mall or museum I dont like when people get right behind me. I like my space. Well I pay attention to everyone on the road when Im driving. Especially on the interstate. An odd thing happened tonight so I thought Id share.. Nothing quite this perfect had ever happened before.

I get off work. I have 10 miles between my work and the interstate. I didnt notice if this particular car was behind me in that 10 mile stretch. If it was it was pretty far back because I passed a tanker right after I turned onto this road. I get on the interstate to go home. I have 20 miles more to drive. I notice a car catching up me so I get in the right lane. Im using cruise control so my speed is 70mph steady. This car gets within a car length of me and stays there. I go up to 75mph and pass a car ahead of me. Im now in the left lane and cruising at 75mph. The suspicious car is behind me again. Passing under some street lights the car was light. Maybe silver or white. A few miles down I get in the right lane again. So does the suspicious car. Not long after that, I get back in the left lane. No traffic in front of me. I just wanted to see what that car would do. Still cruising at 75mph. Suspicious car is still with me. Now the interstate opens up to 3 lanes each way. Im in the middle lane. Car still with me. Hmmmmm. So I drastically slow down. Im now cruising at 65mph. None of this was done in a suspicious way on my part. I put quite a few miles between each speed change. Car still with me but now about 3 car lengths behind me. I had given him a couple chances to pass but hes still there. I get in right lane. Car gets in right lane. Im about fed up by now..

Here comes my exit. I get off the interstate. I reach the light and car is getting off as well.. The light is yellow so I punch it and turn left just as it turns red. I normally turn right but I wasnt going home if I was being followed. I flew to the next light and made a couple turns. I couldnt see if the car was able to follow or not. So now Im thinking If it was someone who just happened to be going to my exit and just could not drive without being glued to someone else, then I wont see them again. I go to a grocery store and run in to grab a couple things. I walk out and there is a silver car parked right next to me that wasnt there when I pulled in. A man standing by the store entrance leaning against a stone pillar talking in broken sentences on his cell phone. I thought to myself WTF is going on? I felt like I was in a movie. By now I thought I must be nuts cuz this stuff just doesnt happen. I get in my vehicle and look toward the door. The man glances my way but averts his gaze to look across the parking lot. Then hangs up his phone. He glances my general direction 2 more times before I put it in reverse and leave the parking lot. I went straight home because I could tell no one followed me out of there.

I told a friend what had happened and he agreed that the sequence of events was too weird and movie-like. We have all had people follow us who just happened to be going the same way but has anyone ever had something quite like that happen? I got home and kept thinking man was that strange. The guy at the store must have just been a coincidence but it really does make you think doesnt it? LOL wow.

Man, that is creepy.

I know I'd sure be creeped out too!

My goodness, I'm glad you are OK.

That would freak me out too, that's just too planned out like you said.

Why would people be following you though? Doesn't make too much sense. You don't seem like the kind of person to do anything bad or get into bad situations with people.

Exactly the reason for having a CCW permit. Although I don't think it is legal in your area.

LOL well, there is no reason I should be followed. I dont do anything illegal. I work at the same place I have been at for 4 years. Im boring as hell. Going out for coffee a couple times a month is my idea of a good time.

Who knows. A few years ago I left my job for a few months to work at a high security government lab. I had weeks of training. Physical training, baton usage, OC spray usage, take downs, cuffing etc. FEMA certs, FBI background checks to get my security clearance. So if there was anything the government needed to know they already know everything.

I dont worry about stuff like that. They know too much about me from that job for me to do anything stupid. So then I wonder if someone was put up to just following me. That doesnt make sense either unless I have some crazy stalker. If that were the case they are following the wrong woman. I do carry a spec plus bayonet in my vehicle. Plus Im way too observant to not notice if anyone was going to try anything. Thats why the security field is so perfect for me :)

Sometimes people just get randomly followed.

Most sick guys go after the pretty girls and that's how they get followed and stuff. But since you have training they can't stand a chance trying to abduct you, you'd kick their butt!:cool::D

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Originally Posted by CoolioTiffany

Sometimes people just get randomly followed.

Most sick guys go after the pretty girls and that's how they get followed and stuff. But since you have training they can't stand a chance trying to abduct you, you'd kick their butt!:cool::D

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HAHA I sure would try but that training was weeks of hell and Ive forgotten most of it by now lol. It was fun but man I always wished I had kept my training book that had all the pictures and explainations of the correct moves. The only thing I kept was my list of "10" codes so I would know what they were talking about on the police scanner at my other job.

Maybe all your tail lights were out and he wanted to tell you and to make sure you were safe, he drove behind you since he was aware of the issue. You then tried to ditch him but he found your car in a parking lot, but you were acting weird so he didn't want to approach you.

Just a thought...same thing sorta happened to me, but I was the "crazy following guy". They had pulled into a well lit gas station and pretty much said "why the hell are you following us?". I told them their lights were out and drove off before they could thank me.....or flick me off.

Hey Monica i was just wanting to go out for coffee :rolleyes:.So you could have slowed down some so i could catch you :P.Do you have a cell phone? I am sure a police officer would not mind pulling that vehicle over for a little "check on there welfare" inspection ;).

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Originally Posted by AndrewGeibel

Exactly the reason for having a CCW permit.

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Yep, within easy reach... :gj:

Foschi, If you notice the guy or cars around, start getting license plate numbers...

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Originally Posted by AndrewGeibel

Exactly the reason for having a CCW permit. Although I don't think it is legal in your area.

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For now its not :(

I bet he was wanting to buy a snake from you. Because of your actions, you've lost a customer. :colbert:

Jim Smith

my granny has a creepy story like that as well, but they followed her to here housing develpoment so she kept going, then to wal-mart, the pulled in were she couldn't get out but she called the police, the arived and she drove off, while the police was tlaking to them, so she could get home, W/O them following her, I agree it is very disterbing.. im glad you are safe, but yea you lost a customer lol

One time when my BF and I were driving home on the interstate, we had a car following us and pretty much tail gating us. Unlike you, I am a paranoid person! Lol. I thought it was some crazy guy who was trying to get us to race him, but it turned out to be an undercover cop trying to get us to speed up. It could be that, and maybe the cop was just irritated that you were patient so he decided to follow you! Lol... Cops get mighty angry when they can't write tickets. At least here they do.

If that were the case, I'm sure you would have noticed something in the back seats though.

i gotta say... ive done that a few times because i thought it was funny....

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Originally Posted by crusher

i gotta say... ive done that a few times because i thought it was funny....

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..You think that freaking someone out is funny? I don't think you'll find it funny when you do it to the wrong person and they report you to the police.

Creepy for sure, if there is a police station on your way home drive there next time...

Yeah I'd be creeped out.

I am pretty bad with paranoia myself. It's one reason I like to keep a knife or a tazer around. And one reason I am looking into getting a gun license.

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Originally Posted by jfreels

Maybe all your tail lights were out and he wanted to tell you and to make sure you were safe, he drove behind you since he was aware of the issue. You then tried to ditch him but he found your car in a parking lot, but you were acting weird so he didn't want to approach you.

Just a thought...same thing sorta happened to me, but I was the "crazy following guy". They had pulled into a well lit gas station and pretty much said "why the hell are you following us?". I told them their lights were out and drove off before they could thank me.....or flick me off.

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~Ha my tail lights were out a couple weeks ago and some guy pulled up next to me to let me know. I replaced the sensor under the brake pedel so Im good there!

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Hey Monica i was just wanting to go out for coffee :rolleyes:.So you could have slowed down some so i could catch you :P.Do you have a cell phone? I am sure a police officer would not mind pulling that vehicle over for a little "check on there welfare" inspection ;).

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~I could totally see you doing something like that Joe... But eventually you would let me know it was you lol.

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Originally Posted by crusher

i gotta say... ive done that a few times because i thought it was funny....

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And Im not not very nice if someone is messing with me on the road. I have a jeep and I know how to use it :rolleyes: :D

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Originally Posted by David Green

Creepy for sure, if there is a police station on your way home drive there next time...

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EH, I wasnt nervous or afraid. I was just confused. I thought it was odd how that car just stayed with me in the most suspicious way. I wouldnt have called the police unless it really got crazy. Im crafty ;)

Stuff like that never happens around here. Here in Indiana as long as your 18 years or older, your allowed to carry a shotgun in your car or truck without a permit. :gj:

If the car was midsize or small, he may have been drafting. It saves a little bit of gas if you happen to be following a vehicle slightly larger than you. Or maybe he's just a jerk who wants to follow people because he's got no life. Quick braking can discourage that. When I've had a tailgater, I've been known to test their brakes vs my brakes. Whoever has the better set wins.

Just kidding, don't cause a wreck,(I have to say that so you can't sue me).

If there is a suspicious vehicle following it's always a good idea to not head back home. In fact.. last night someone was right behind me through SEVERAL turns for me headed home, and then they even followed me onto my dirt roads.. so I passed by the road to get to MY road, and went around to the hard road again and looped around. They did go on when I turned finally, but you can bet I had weapon to hand and eyeballs on my mirrors to watch what they were doing.

Something really odd that i noticed about a month ago..
Every day I leave work and I go home along the same route.. but at wildly different times. I do commission work, so sometimes I leave at noon, sometimes 5pm.. and anywhere in between.

So every afternoon when I hit this certain spot on a state road.. this SAME truck(it has a topper with particular stickers that are very noticable) would be on the road going a lot slower than me. So I would go past them.. and go on my way. I noticed that every day, I'd pass this same truck.. even if the day before I left at 1pm.. and this day it was 4pm.. and the next it was noon.. ALWAYS this same damned truck.

So about the time I noticed and had definitely started to look for it, it disappeared. No truck anymore... but..

Further along(about 30 miles further along my route in fact), when I come to a crossroads with the blinking caution light.. there's a beat up pickup(the front fender has primer white paint chipping off, it's distinctive) that arrives at that light RIGHT WHEN I ARRIVE. I don't have to stop.. he's the one in the cross street.. but either he crosses just before I arrive, or more often.. he sits while I drive by.

Neither vehicle has ever seemed to follow me.. but the wildly different times.. and it was one vehicle.. then the totally different vehicle in a different area.. it's bizzare.

I haven't seen either one for about two weeks, and I think I miss them. I never keep stalkers.

Wolfy, that one is weird.. This person wasnt drafting. It was very much the way a PI would be following. Trying to be inconspicous. But to someone who thinks the very same way as a PI, this method doesnt work. I wouldnt brake check anyone if they were that close. I really like my new Jeep and the back bumper already had a dent in it when I got it. I wont be adding any new ones lol.

I just know after this Im going to even more observant to be sure there isnt anyone watching me. Im certainly not going to bring a stalker home to my neighborhood. I leave work the exact time every night. I cant change it up so I just pay attention.

All I can say is that I am glad you were aware of something funny going on around you and that you made it home safe.

I am also glad that the state of Texas recognizes its honest citizens' best method of protecting themselves is with a concealed firearm. Just read my signature line.

wow that is totally creepy!! If that happens again....just drive straight to the police station. I am glad that you are so observant!!

some old guy tried to follow me and my brother on a 15-20 minute drive from our school back to my house. I live away from the main part of the city, in a more rural city really and he followed me the whole way, and would always put his turn signal on after me. I got to the one back road that leads to my development and just passed it up, went to this 4 way stop and didnt use my signal and just went right and he followed me, though he used his signal on every turn before (as i did) but i did a big zig zag. i was heading west, then went south then west again, then south again when i could have just went west then sout oh and stayedn two main roads. either way i lost him because he was in a ford ranger and i just floored it then took the next road away from him. I dont think he could even see me make the turn i was so far ahead...

also carry a bat in my trunk just in case...

I'm suprised BigGunns hasn't chimed in and offer his bodyguard protection. I don't need BigGunn type protection - I let my own .45 Big Gun do my protecting.

when something like that happens. i make a few calls and have people meet me someplace. Let them follow me to the spot where i have people waiting and will take it from there. :gj: you can also call the police and tell them your being followed.

That is creepy! Maybe he was tailing someone (spying) and it was a case of mistaken identity? At any rate, I am glad that you are safe, and had the sense not to drive right home alone!

This is the kind of stuff that makes me really glad that I do not work at wal-mart anymore.
A couple months back there was this customer that needed help with buying a bike lock. I helped him find the combo for it. He bought it, and then decided to linger and talk to me for what seemed like forever (this was at about 4 a.m.). To the point where it was awkward. Luckily, another customer showed up (keep in mind this was during a graveyard shift) and he took hint and left.
Finally, my shift ends. I walked out to my car, got in and had started my "after work ciggy break". The same guy (the one that bought the bike lock) walks out of the store, sees me in my car, and walks over and starts talking to me again.
It all made me pretty uncomfortable. Logically, I know he wouldn't have been able to follow me home on his bicycle, but it creeped me out that he had waited like three hours in the store so he could chat me up.