How to Run Away from Suspicious People You Meet Alone in Public

You have to think fast.

I met someone suspicious on a travel bus once when I was traveling alone. He kept on pushing me to talk to him even when I show no signs of wanting to continue the conversation.

He asked for my name, where I live, told me about some sketchy business he was running, and how I should follow him to get free clothes.

I doubt that giving me free clothes was his real intention.

I had to endure it for more than two hours. Fortunately, I managed to quickly flee once the bus arrived at its appointed stop.

From then on, I’ve learned how to run away from such people well.

1. You have to be good at lying

The first rule when meeting someone suspicious is to not give away any personal information. You have to lie.

The secret to telling believable lies is by telling half-truths that you manipulate.

For instance, when they ask for your phone number and you couldn’t say no, type down your actual number, but change the last 4 digits. No one will notice your little lie. Just make sure that your phone’s on silent.

2. Get off at a familiar place

The goal is to leave the person behind as quickly as possible, and getting off somewhere familiar will give you an upper hand.

Back then, I was fortunate that I knew the area where the bus stopped well.

I exited the travel bus, took my belongings, and took a long way home even when I knew that it was closer if I had used the escalator near the bus stop.

By taking a long way, I managed to hide from his direct and peripheral vision as well. I left him clueless as to where I was going next.

Knowing the area made me save time by not having to search for alternative routes, and it gave me a guarantee of not getting lost.

3. Don’t steer away from the crowd

During situations like this, the crowd is your friend. It prevents the suspicious person from actualizing their hidden motives.

Make lots of random turns.

Or pretend to know someone in the area. Approach them and discreetly tell them about your situation without giving away that you’re asking for help from your expression. Most of the time, they’ll be willing to help you, or at least stay with you until the suspicious person leaves.

4. Call someone you know, or pretend to be in one

Sometimes, there is no crowd to help you. When this happens, continue walking and call someone or at least pretend to be in one. Casually tell the other side where you are and what you’re doing.

You can even go as far as saying that you’ll arrive at the meeting point soon.

This prevents the suspicious person from approaching you because if something happens to you, the authorities can easily track them down.

5. Go into a convenience store

If there’s a convenience store near you, go in there. Tell the cashier about your situation, so that you can stay until the suspicious person disappears.

If the person kept on waiting relentlessly, the easiest way to leave the scene is by asking another customer for help or get an Uber. If you choose the latter, make sure to only come out when the Uber’s right in front of the store.

Final thoughts

Traveling alone can be fun and exhilarating, but don’t forget to be cautious at all times and know how to keep yourself safe. Remember to lie with conviction, go to a familiar place, the crowd is your friend, make use of your phone and your surrounding.

I hope the tips help!

If you’ve experienced something similar, what did you do?

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