Nobody likes that creepy feeling of being watched, especially by a random stranger on the street. Not only that but when you notice them lurking and staring, they start following you too. Nightmare scenario! This guy, posting on the subreddit TwoXChromosomes under the name Karlosmdq, did exactly that to a young woman on a lonely street in Belfast, UK, and wrote an open letter to explain why.

Written deliberately to draw to the reader in, the letter has people preparing themselves for the worst as he describes his methods, keeping a distance and pretending to talk on his phone. So far, so creepy.

What happens next is a surprising twist that has left many people applauding his actions, as well as quite a few skeptics too.

Could he have done it in a better way? The woman was so freaked out by him, she even took his picture. There is plenty more to this story, but it has gotten people talking about women’s safety when walking alone, and what you can do if you spot potential danger. Karlos told Bored Panda that he was afraid for both of them, and has no idea what he would have done if things had escalated. “What would have I done if they decided to attack her? And what if they decided to attack me after she left?” he said. “As for a method to not scare her, I don’t know, there are very good arguments in the comments about that, but in the end I think that any approach would have resulted in her being understandably scared, of me or them.”

“I would encourage anyone (not just guys) to be aware of their surroundings and that if they see something strange to act upon it immediately, don’t wait to see what happens and don’t be afraid of call for help.”

Scroll down below to check it out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments.

(h/t: Someecards) (Facebook cover image: Richard)

This story, shared by a guy who followed a woman on the streets, has gotten people talking about women’s safety

Image credits: Sebastian Appelt  (not the actual photo)

After getting some skepticism about his version of events, the OP decided to clear up a few issues

Here’s what people had to say about it

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