I wouldn't do that. I'd want to keep an ear on her location. Ranters can become assaulters.Put on some noise cancelling headphones and enjoy your walk.
Twice, while walking on the street outside my residence (which I've been doing for twenty years), some foul mouthed woman I never saw before started yelling at me. The first time, because it was early Sunday and no one else was around, she followed and harangued me for roughly 20 minutes as I simply kept walking, apparently for not listening to whatever she was raving about. I did everything I could not to interact her the first time, but the second time, she again addressed me without any provocation on my part, though she only said two things because there were more cars around (no listening witnesses though).
I am informed that verbal assault is not illegal but that threats are, though without a witness, I doubt the cops will do (or will want to do) anything. I'm certainly not going to stop my walks because of this twit. I thought about taking my iphone on the walk and, if she does it a third time, threaten to take her picture and use it to bring charges against her (also a long shot, I imagine). She probably doesn't have a brain in her head and is incapable of understanding consequences, but I might be better protected if I had some documentation.
I'm not sure that's good advice. If you pepper spray someone who is merely blocking your path, that's a likely an assault charge.Keep walking and use some sort of recording device (audio or video, video is preferred if possible). If they block your path, warn them to move. . If they refuse to move or maybe a physical gesture then pepper spray them.
Was their blocking of your path planned, intentional, and part of threatening gestures?I'm not sure that's good advice. If you pepper spray someone who is merely blocking your path, that's a likely an assault charge.
Maybe. But I would rather avoid being arrested and prosecuted and having to convince a jury of it, so I'd just step around.Was their blocking of your path planned, intentional, and part of threatening gestures?
Twice, while walking on the street outside my residence (which I've been doing for twenty years), some foul mouthed woman I never saw before started yelling at me. The first time, because it was early Sunday and no one else was around, she followed and harangued me for roughly 20 minutes as I simply kept walking, apparently for not listening to whatever she was raving about. I did everything I could not to interact her the first time, but the second time, she again addressed me without any provocation on my part, though she only said two things because there were more cars around (no listening witnesses though).
I am informed that verbal assault is not illegal but that threats are, though without a witness, I doubt the cops will do (or will want to do) anything. I'm certainly not going to stop my walks because of this twit. I thought about taking my iphone on the walk and, if she does it a third time, threaten to take her picture and use it to bring charges against her (also a long shot, I imagine). She probably doesn't have a brain in her head and is incapable of understanding consequences, but I might be better protected if I had some documentation.
I didn't have a phone with me on either encounter, but I will for the foreseeable future.I would have immediately called the police via 911 and let them know that you have real concern about your safety and the safety of the person that was attacking you.
At least if there were any physical confrontation, you would be on record.
When I was a upstart hungry contractor, I took jobs all over the place against my better judgement and had quite a few run ins with whack jobs over in the zoo. (Newport News-Hampton-Norfolk-Portsmouth)
I carried my Ruger, but I'm not one to pull a gun out unless it's a actual recognizable and immediate life threatening situation. Let the cops deal with it.
They may not let you step around them. That is the problem. I'm not talking about spraying everyone in your way. It's about the people who intentionally put themselves in your way and won't you you try to walk away because they want to start a problem or harass you.Maybe. But I would rather avoid being arrested and prosecuted and having to convince a jury of it, so I'd just step around.
And if I were on a jury, I'd have a hard time voting someone innocent who pepper sprayed a guy for standing in his way, whether planned and intentional or not.
Yeah, you've got a point. I'm generally not gonna touch someone unless they touch me first, though. Generally.They may not let you step around them. That is the problem. I'm not talking about spraying everyone in your way. It's about the people who intentionally put themselves in your way and won't you you try to walk away because they want to start a problem or harass you.
I try to walk away without turning my back. When they don't allow me to walk away is when the problem begins.Yeah, you've got a point. I'm generally not gonna touch someone unless they touch me first, though. Generally.
It's not worth the legal hassle.
Yeah. Agreed.I try to walk away without turning my back. When they don't allow me to walk away is when the problem begins.
You should take your phone with you. I've frightened away belligerent homeless people just by holding eye contact and raising my phone to my ear.Twice, while walking on the street outside my residence (which I've been doing for twenty years), some foul mouthed woman I never saw before started yelling at me. The first time, because it was early Sunday and no one else was around, she followed and harangued me for roughly 20 minutes as I simply kept walking, apparently for not listening to whatever she was raving about. I did everything I could not to interact her the first time, but the second time, she again addressed me without any provocation on my part, though she only said two things because there were more cars around (no listening witnesses though).
I am informed that verbal assault is not illegal but that threats are, though without a witness, I doubt the cops will do (or will want to do) anything. I'm certainly not going to stop my walks because of this twit. I thought about taking my iphone on the walk and, if she does it a third time, threaten to take her picture and use it to bring charges against her (also a long shot, I imagine). She probably doesn't have a brain in her head and is incapable of understanding consequences, but I might be better protected if I had some documentation.
Twice, while walking on the street outside my residence (which I've been doing for twenty years), some foul mouthed woman I never saw before started yelling at me. The first time, because it was early Sunday and no one else was around, she followed and harangued me for roughly 20 minutes as I simply kept walking, apparently for not listening to whatever she was raving about. I did everything I could not to interact her the first time, but the second time, she again addressed me without any provocation on my part, though she only said two things because there were more cars around (no listening witnesses though).
I am informed that verbal assault is not illegal but that threats are, though without a witness, I doubt the cops will do (or will want to do) anything. I'm certainly not going to stop my walks because of this twit. I thought about taking my iphone on the walk and, if she does it a third time, threaten to take her picture and use it to bring charges against her (also a long shot, I imagine). She probably doesn't have a brain in her head and is incapable of understanding consequences, but I might be better protected if I had some documentation.
Former cop - I would suggest that you are more subtle in your approach. Download a voice recorder app and turn it on before you go for your walks. If nothing crazy happens that time, just delete the file. If something happens, you have it to provide to responding police officer.
The other reason you do not want to photograph her is you have no way to gauge her reaction and you do not want the encounter to put you in jeopardy of being the aggressor.
I would also recommend that you do not take a direct route to your home or place of employment. There is no reason to provide her an easy path to harass you elsewhere.
Stay safe - call 911 if you are in immediate danger - Keep a paper trail.
OMG! Will this reverse racism in America never stop? What if you turned that around and asked, "Were you white in a black community?"Ouroboros - just a question
Are you black by any chance, and were you walking through a white community? If that is NOT the case, maybe she is just a fruitcake. Fruitcakes are best ignored.
It can be illegal if it is a repeated behaviour (harrassment). In any case, if she comes up again, I'd just whip out a phone, start recording her, and say "Welcome to YouTube."Twice, while walking on the street outside my residence (which I've been doing for twenty years), some foul mouthed woman I never saw before started yelling at me. The first time, because it was early Sunday and no one else was around, she followed and harangued me for roughly 20 minutes as I simply kept walking, apparently for not listening to whatever she was raving about. I did everything I could not to interact her the first time, but the second time, she again addressed me without any provocation on my part, though she only said two things because there were more cars around (no listening witnesses though).
I am informed that verbal assault is not illegal but that threats are, though without a witness, I doubt the cops will do (or will want to do) anything. I'm certainly not going to stop my walks because of this twit. I thought about taking my iphone on the walk and, if she does it a third time, threaten to take her picture and use it to bring charges against her (also a long shot, I imagine). She probably doesn't have a brain in her head and is incapable of understanding consequences, but I might be better protected if I had some documentation.
I’m white. I worked in an all black school for 5 years and would go from my college campus to the predominantly all black community where the school is on foot or roller blades for all 5 of those years.OMG! Will this reverse racism in America never stop? What if you turned that around and asked, "Were you white in a black community?"
There is not a white persona alive that would dare walk the streets alone in a predominantly black area and yet I see black people strolling the sidewalks, parks, and many other areas where it is predominantly white without any trouble whatsoever. You need to stop with your nonsensical racist comments. Comments such as yours are causing division and racial strife and ruining the fabric of America. Why do you hate white people so much? What happened when you were little?
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