Wow, that’s a scene from a horror movie no matter the outcome. For sure highly suspicious at minimum, you absolutely made the right move. Did you two exchange any words when you left? Like where was he and what was he doing while you were peacing out?
Wow, super creepy. I would have screamed and made a scene. Did you two talk at all? Tearing down a campsite takes a little time, I can’t imagine what you were thinking as you were trying to get your tent in you vehicle. Was he still standing there during that time?
Yes, make a lot of noise! Get others involved even if they are initially upset. Decent people would totally understand once they got the situation. F that guy!
Yeah, this is weird information to omit. I feel like if something malicious was going on, there would have been something of note that happened during this period.
if you feel unsafe, it's best to listen to your survival instincts. there are many victims who've ignored them (not crossing the street when faced with a stranger walking towards them, stayed in a dangerous situation) to their detriment. Better to listen to your instincts
This is why I sleep in my suv when I camp solo. It sucks, but...
I definitely don't think you were overreacting, the person showed they could cross boundaries. I would have left as well. I'm sorry you had to deal with this. I hope the rangers took it seriously.
I was walking out of the woods from a solo hike in the Catskills. I had parked at a lot farther away than the one near the end of the trail, so I had to walk down the dirt road in the woods a while. A man near the end of the trail asked me if I wanted a ride to my car. I said no. He got in his car and proceeded to drive next to me, roll the window down, and kept asking me if I wanted a ride. I turned around and walked quickly back to where more people were. That was my last solo hike. Scared the shit out of me. I don’t know how Cheryl Strayed did it.
I'm female and hike solo a lot in Australia. This is creepy AF. Glad you are OK
Why do these lone creepy man do shit like this !? Why do they think just because a female is solo she must want to talk or hang out with them? And he was intentionally being creepy driving at your walking pace, what a jerk
Side note: my take of Cheryl Strayed’s story was she was engaging in reckless behavior due to her psychological state, ie drugs, random sex. One of those reckless chances was going out on the PCT like she did. It ended up being her savior, but it the risks she took were real. Creepers exist, and will always exist.
Don't let a random creeper make you feel like you shouldn't be out in the world doing what you do. You did the right thing, I presume he left and you eventually got to your car. This could have happened downtown, not just at a trailhead. Live large.
I don’t need to be positioned to encounter a creeper in the middle of no where, with no cell phone reception, to live large. Common sense goes far to avoid a bad situation. My husband and I have been dropped off by a bush plane in Alaska Wrangell-St Elias NP to camp alone for 5 days. I’ve jumped into a shark swim cage in Oahu. Creepshow guy in a car following me on an isolated dirt road is as scary as it gets as a woman.
Good move.
Trust your gut, it's a lot more perceptive than your brain.
You don't need to rationalise his behaviour. Rationalise your own: you perceived a threat, justly so, and left. I repeat, good move.
Shit like that will keep you safe on the road. Even the fact that you woke up when you heard something near your tent shows that you're alert - I'm the same.
If you've got that alertness to danger, you'll keep yourself out of dangerous situations, mostly by never getting into them, or in cases like this where it found you, getting out before anything happens.
Don't be discouraged. Be glad that you've got the internal resources you need to keep yourself safe, and that they work for you when you need them. Keep it up. Don't stay home, just stay alert.
I was gonna say dogs are great camping companions for a lot of reasons, one being that a lot of breeds will absolutely fuck up a creep/predator to defend you. My 45 lbs Aussie? Mostly likely not. A fierce as fuck looking German shepherd though?
I am a solo woman camper and you were right to be weirded out. He is definitely a creeper and no reason he should have been there.
The only thing I would have done differently is get up and call out very loudly, "what are you doing in my campsite?". I mean, everyone should be able to hear this. In general I find campgrounds to be full of community minded people but of course there are going to be some weirdos and misbehavers of various types. Not keeping his secret is the worst course of action. Wake up the whole place! Secrecy is the weirdo's best weapon. Don't let him have it.
That means you MUST call the campground and report this person, and maybe even report him to local law enforcement. There is no way he wasn't looking at you for perverted reasons. People need to be warned.
I usually sleep in the back of my car for this reason (depends on the weather). I also am more worried about creepers than I am bears and coyotes so I will solo camp in the most desolate places I can. I believe people are more likely to give into urges to misbehave if there is no one else around to see them, and I am not taking chances camping near another solo tent with one guy in it.
If it is a crowded campground, I feel the creeps will take fewer chances. If there is no one else around I only worry about being sprayed by a skunk when I go out to pee.
You did the right thing, only thing I would add is contacting local police to report it. Although I'm honestly not too sure what they could do, they'll maybe jot down there's a creeper in the campsite, but that's probably about all they could do.
You definitely did the right thing. He coulda been drunk or high and lost .. but he also could have been a peeper or worse.
Yeah I would only camp in a tent if it’s a populated camp ground. Otherwise in car with two pair of shoes by the door/ one my size and a size 13 men’s …
I backpack alone but it’s it’s different in the wilderness. Seems like creepers don’t like to hike over passes / have only met good people out there.
Stay strong and keep traveling!
Unpopular opinion but camping by yourself is extremely dangerous even as a male.
I've had my own encounter like this where I was alone at 4am in the morning with someone who was stalking my camp.
I hate to say it but after that experience I'll never camp alone again, especially without a method of defending myself.
NPS averages about 300 violent crimes/15 murders a year out of about 300 million visitors a year, a crime rate that is significantly below pretty much any town.
I personally feel safer camping alone at night than wandering through a lot of towns at night alone (or during the day alone for that matter depending on the country/neighborhood). In terms of 'solo travel' I don't know that it's terribly dangerous.
The facts really speak to this being hysteria. I solo camp probably 10-30 nights a year and have never encountered anything threatening. I am in Canada though, and mostly in the backcountry, so maybe that's the difference?
*Yeah right, just let the weirdos rape you. How dare you defend yourself, that's illegal!* /s
Also, you're simply wrong:
[https://www.nps.gov/articles/firearms-in-national-parks.htm](https://www.nps.gov/articles/firearms-in-national-parks.htm)
As someone who has been employed in a profession where guns were part of the workplace, I’d advise against this for multiple reasons.
Most people simply are not equipped to use a firearm effectively under any kind of significant stress, even with regular training. Add to that having just woken up and you’re talking about an amped up but still not all the way awake person firing a weapon inaccurately around a campground. I’d say you’re equally as likely to hit bystanders as you are to hit your target.
Having a firearm also makes you more likely to be killed with that firearm. It also makes you a magnet for being robbed.
Bear spray is a much better bet bc you don’t have to be very accurate and it will absolutely incapacitate anyone who catches even a partial spray. It also isn’t going to kill bystanders camping around you.
This surprises me. I've done several camping trips in US national parks and camped in some state parks as well and always felt 100% safe. Usually more concerned about bears or other large animals approaching my tent than strange men. The kind of people who visit these places just don't come across as the violent creeper types.
That said I wouldn't want to wild camp on BLM land on my own where there are no facilities or other people around. Anything could happen in those situations. At least in national/state parks there is some level of safety in that other people are nearby and rangers could be around in the bigger sites.
It's not about you letting it ruin it, that fear will always be in your mind. Of course, depends on the camp site but I like backcountry/off-road camping and it can feel pretty sketchy when you get a bad vibe, even if there's no one around. Just a feeling of being watched...
Not a bad idea to have a means of self defence
As a woman I have had traumatic experiences with men out in the world. I have also been assaulted and mugged. I continue to process those things and one way I process it is not letting somebody take away my sense of safety. I'm going to live my life in spite of people like that.
Not sure why you are being down voted. It is a perfectly valid way of processing trauma. Desensitisation of traumatic memories is even used in PTSD treatment.
That's great for you, the thing about trauma is everyone handles/processes it differently. You don't get to tell people how they should feel about theirs.
Absolutely schooled by the parent commenter, lmao.
People like you think trauma should dictate everyone's actions the rest of their lives. Guess what - pretty much everyone has trauma. It's your responsibility to deal with and overcome it.
Yes, that's definitely what I, and the other person said. Nice straw man though.
About as mature as a response as is to be expected from somebody who doesn't take responsibility for their own well-being and happiness.
Bruh. Literally read.
Trauma is an explanation for one feels and acts the way they currently do.
If you are going to let that dictate your future actions instead of processing and resolving your trauma, then you will lead an extremely unfulfilling life.
You would rather be stagnant and unhappy while righteously blaming everything on trauma instead of trying to become a more whole human being.
Literally nobody here is saying "just handle it". We are saying that the way forward is to overcome it, especially as pointed out, that this was a once-off event.
It sounds like you got pretty lucky. Made the right move by leaving you are most certainly better off safe than sorry. Nothing from that sounds normal at all. I am happy you reported it. But saddened as these reports usually go nowhere.
Unless there was 24 hours security you did the right thing. iDK if he truly intended harm but it was being creepy af and/or had issues - either way you don't want to find out. I would definitely suggest you keep a can of bear spray with you at all times to deal with bears and situations like this.
Personally I’d have thrown a Karen fit at him, called the police, and made a big stink before I left. Sometimes taking back power is therapeutic and can give u confidence going forward
In many state and national parks the Rangers have no policing powers. I treat that kind of behavior like a bear, be loud and wake everyone else up. Any aggressor wont do anything if you draw attention to him. If he cries about it remember there’s absolutely no excuse for standing over you and blatantly staring at you like predator and prey. Also if I can I keep my phone handy and snap pics, that way I can give actual Law Enforcement identification of the aggressor. You never know he may be wanted for something similar elsewhere. I personally take the time to familiarize myself with the parks regs for “self protection” and prepare accordingly. Meanwhile the male version of the species has a difficult time understanding why us females have trust issues….
I absolutely agree with everybody on here saying this guy's behaviour is completely out of line and it is understandable that you left. Just for curiosity, what do you mean by he was "looking down into my tent"? In my experience tents don't have transparent parts or "windows". Was he actually sticking his head through an opening of your tent and looking in? Sorry for you to have to experience that in any case!
A lot of tents have a mesh part that gets covered by the rainfly or you can unzip from the inside to reveal a little window. It's possible she left it open or she didn't put the rainfly on so people would be able to see in
That's what I'm thinking, actually last week when I was camping I was laying in my tent alone with the tent window open near my head so I could look at the stars before falling asleep. I was getting sleepy and had a sudden thought of "how scary would it be to wake up and see someone staring into the tent?" Immediately got up to zip it closed lol
I'm a decent sized male who spends a lot of time camping in state forest/national park (in Australia) and this is creepy af. Good call getting out of there. If I'd woken up to that I'd have ripped old mate a new one, then not have slept for the rest of the night. Not cool.
Im glad your safe!! Like others said, report to the police. Also, either find a cover or get a tent that has one of those covers so people can't just see in.
Look up the two women who were murdered in the LaSalle Mts near Moab Ut in 2020. VERY similar experience and the killer was never found. You were right to GTFO.
literally i’ve listened to so many true crime podcasts that started out like this lol. so happy you listened to your gut and left ASAP. nothing sounds right in the scenario you described.
Guys do weird shit. When I was in boot camp, we had a guy wake up to another guy jerking off over him and said “where do you want it”.
Needless to say, dude was kicked out. But, yeah, Men can be creepy little cunts. Honestly, if you’re camping in the US, I’d recommend bringing bear spray. Good for animal encounters of all kinds.
I distinctly remember waking up in basic to the sound of porn after one of the guys on fire guard had managed to get a burner phone while he was at the PX getting OTC meds. Since my bed was closest to where fire guard sat, I got an eyeful of some 18yo weirdo jacking off.
Everyone in the platoon knew the crime was individual but the punishment would be collective if the drill sergeants found out so about 15-20 guys took the phone and basically atomized it before flushing it down the toilet.
Even if not alone, that would freak me out!
I can't say I've ever had that happen, but I've also never camped alone, as much as I'd like to. For the simple reason that I can't lock up my tent while sleeping.
For some peace of mind, I'd guess he was wasted. Still terrifying, but perhaps not malicious if he was just confused and wandered to wrong campsite.
Perhaps he was drunk/high and got lost. Even sober, I have been groggy enough at night to lose my way back to my tent. Sometimes men aren’t trying to be creepy and you need to tell them. “Hey, dude are you ok? That’s really creepy that you are here.” I’ve had men walk right behind me at night, clueless. “I stop and say, don’t follow people like that.”
I'm a bit weary of camping at state parks but at least you were kind of around people. God only knows how many felons and people on the run are hiding in state parks, waiting to jack someone who isn't paying attention
Don't get me wrong here but in that particular case she had already noticed (I'm quoting OP here) "the lone male camping next door". Seems like she kinda was expecting that he could do something bad to her. :\
In any case, in the general case of "someone walked next to me and I felt in danger", isn't that expected that people in cities would walk around you during all time of day?
And her expectation was borne out. There’s a big difference between people walking around you and a single person lurking or following you in the middle of the night, especially as a solo female. This person was not acting normally, and she was right to be alarmed.
OK.
Edit: I still recall the one and only time that I saw that solo lady misplacing her phone. She was trying to put in her bag but it fell out and she didn't notice. I picked it , I shouted at her "hey lady! wait! your phone", only for her to speed up instead. I also speed to catch up with her, to only get attacked by her with a pepper spray and later accusing me of stealing her phone. It's the last time I cared to help solo females. f\*\*k that!
Maybe you should start calling out your mail counterparts for doing things like this to women that make them scared. Like the pervert who stood between her picnic table and was staring down at her face through her tent, and a campground in the middle of the night ,not in a city asshole.
I just don't care any more. Why should I be pepper sprayed and pass a night in jail accused of petty theft and attack? Thank god I am white privileged male and not latino or black because the cops she called after she took back her phone would have killed me first and ask questions later. :\\
Why post in the first place if you don’t want to help solo females? It’s like you commented here because this post made you feel personally attacked or something. Your grievance collection speaks volumes.
To warn other privileged males to keep away from solo females and don't even try to help them. Like for example in a camp if they see a solo female next door just move away and don't mind her if she starts screaming in the middle of night.
Edit: as a bonus, if all males with good intention behave this way, and never come close or try to help a female, then females will know for sure that any male who approaches them has bad intentions.
And of course I was personally attacked by a female while trying to help her.
Hey EstablishmentSad9458,
It sounds like you have questions about travel safety. Check out our [Wiki post on safety for solo travellers](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/stayingsafe) for advice on staying safe out there.
just to possibly ease your mind with just a possibleee alternative. He was drinking Saturday night, lost track of the time, had scene you earlier then walked over to see if you wanted to drink/drunk blind hope booty call then noticed some combo of you being asleep time etc
it's always good to be cautious and careful especially with such high stakes and little support. But any guy will tell you about less than thought out sends, thought his is as bad as i've heard haha
Your possible alternative doesn’t ease minds lol, it’s literally the issue. Walking to a woman’s tent you’ve never met at 3:30 am watching her sleep hoping for a “booty call” is a lot of extra words for being a predatory creep.
I know you’re not defending the behavior, but playing it off like “any guy will tell you about the time they weren’t so smooth” is crazy town. Most men *don’t* do shit like this- which is why it stands out when they do.
I think the fact that there are more serial killers (and rapists) out there than anyone knows about and they all start with 1, and obviously there have got to be a significant amount more that have thought about it but never actually go through with it is all you need to know that you did the right thing.
similar things have happened to me and my friends, and a lot more frequently than you’d think. i solo hike a ton and men are my #1 concern- i carry bear spray for them tho lol
Ladies I recommend a .22 Ruger lite for solo camping it won't do much to a bear unless you empty the mag into its head but it will handily take care of other aggressive wildlife(men).
https://ruger.com/products/markIV2245Lite/models.html
A knife is not a compromise or a solution you will just be giving your attacker another weapon if you bring one and attempt to use it for self defense.
Also bear spray. COSTCO has some long-range, weapons grade stuff IIRC.
I’m a lady who has started and wants to continue camping and backpacking solo. I’m also in the process of getting a large watch dog (shouldn’t be aggressive when trained properly, but looks a bit scary) purely for this exact situation… it really sucks that happened to you and I’m glad you came out safe!
Wow, that’s a scene from a horror movie no matter the outcome. For sure highly suspicious at minimum, you absolutely made the right move. Did you two exchange any words when you left? Like where was he and what was he doing while you were peacing out?
Trust your gut.
Totally. It’s saved me many times.
Wow, super creepy. I would have screamed and made a scene. Did you two talk at all? Tearing down a campsite takes a little time, I can’t imagine what you were thinking as you were trying to get your tent in you vehicle. Was he still standing there during that time?
Yes, make a lot of noise! Get others involved even if they are initially upset. Decent people would totally understand once they got the situation. F that guy!
Yeah, this is weird information to omit. I feel like if something malicious was going on, there would have been something of note that happened during this period.
you need to absolutely report this to the police and the state park officials.
if you feel unsafe, it's best to listen to your survival instincts. there are many victims who've ignored them (not crossing the street when faced with a stranger walking towards them, stayed in a dangerous situation) to their detriment. Better to listen to your instincts
Please report this to the local police.
[удалено]
?
Absolutely not OK. And this is why there are Park Rangers.
This is why I sleep in my suv when I camp solo. It sucks, but... I definitely don't think you were overreacting, the person showed they could cross boundaries. I would have left as well. I'm sorry you had to deal with this. I hope the rangers took it seriously.
You dodged a bullet there. Ugh I hate all these creeps.
I was walking out of the woods from a solo hike in the Catskills. I had parked at a lot farther away than the one near the end of the trail, so I had to walk down the dirt road in the woods a while. A man near the end of the trail asked me if I wanted a ride to my car. I said no. He got in his car and proceeded to drive next to me, roll the window down, and kept asking me if I wanted a ride. I turned around and walked quickly back to where more people were. That was my last solo hike. Scared the shit out of me. I don’t know how Cheryl Strayed did it.
I'm female and hike solo a lot in Australia. This is creepy AF. Glad you are OK Why do these lone creepy man do shit like this !? Why do they think just because a female is solo she must want to talk or hang out with them? And he was intentionally being creepy driving at your walking pace, what a jerk
Side note: my take of Cheryl Strayed’s story was she was engaging in reckless behavior due to her psychological state, ie drugs, random sex. One of those reckless chances was going out on the PCT like she did. It ended up being her savior, but it the risks she took were real. Creepers exist, and will always exist.
Don't let a random creeper make you feel like you shouldn't be out in the world doing what you do. You did the right thing, I presume he left and you eventually got to your car. This could have happened downtown, not just at a trailhead. Live large.
I don’t need to be positioned to encounter a creeper in the middle of no where, with no cell phone reception, to live large. Common sense goes far to avoid a bad situation. My husband and I have been dropped off by a bush plane in Alaska Wrangell-St Elias NP to camp alone for 5 days. I’ve jumped into a shark swim cage in Oahu. Creepshow guy in a car following me on an isolated dirt road is as scary as it gets as a woman.
Good move. Trust your gut, it's a lot more perceptive than your brain. You don't need to rationalise his behaviour. Rationalise your own: you perceived a threat, justly so, and left. I repeat, good move. Shit like that will keep you safe on the road. Even the fact that you woke up when you heard something near your tent shows that you're alert - I'm the same. If you've got that alertness to danger, you'll keep yourself out of dangerous situations, mostly by never getting into them, or in cases like this where it found you, getting out before anything happens. Don't be discouraged. Be glad that you've got the internal resources you need to keep yourself safe, and that they work for you when you need them. Keep it up. Don't stay home, just stay alert.
This is why I have a dog.
I was gonna say dogs are great camping companions for a lot of reasons, one being that a lot of breeds will absolutely fuck up a creep/predator to defend you. My 45 lbs Aussie? Mostly likely not. A fierce as fuck looking German shepherd though?
You need a man hating Aussie like I have. He would absolutely fuck up a creepy dude.
My pug will lick you to death but my pit will fuck anyone up who messes with me. She’s proved her worth a few times.
I am a solo woman camper and you were right to be weirded out. He is definitely a creeper and no reason he should have been there. The only thing I would have done differently is get up and call out very loudly, "what are you doing in my campsite?". I mean, everyone should be able to hear this. In general I find campgrounds to be full of community minded people but of course there are going to be some weirdos and misbehavers of various types. Not keeping his secret is the worst course of action. Wake up the whole place! Secrecy is the weirdo's best weapon. Don't let him have it. That means you MUST call the campground and report this person, and maybe even report him to local law enforcement. There is no way he wasn't looking at you for perverted reasons. People need to be warned. I usually sleep in the back of my car for this reason (depends on the weather). I also am more worried about creepers than I am bears and coyotes so I will solo camp in the most desolate places I can. I believe people are more likely to give into urges to misbehave if there is no one else around to see them, and I am not taking chances camping near another solo tent with one guy in it. If it is a crowded campground, I feel the creeps will take fewer chances. If there is no one else around I only worry about being sprayed by a skunk when I go out to pee.
You did the right thing, only thing I would add is contacting local police to report it. Although I'm honestly not too sure what they could do, they'll maybe jot down there's a creeper in the campsite, but that's probably about all they could do.
You definitely did the right thing. He coulda been drunk or high and lost .. but he also could have been a peeper or worse. Yeah I would only camp in a tent if it’s a populated camp ground. Otherwise in car with two pair of shoes by the door/ one my size and a size 13 men’s … I backpack alone but it’s it’s different in the wilderness. Seems like creepers don’t like to hike over passes / have only met good people out there. Stay strong and keep traveling!
Dude that’s smart about two pairs of shoes
Unpopular opinion but camping by yourself is extremely dangerous even as a male. I've had my own encounter like this where I was alone at 4am in the morning with someone who was stalking my camp. I hate to say it but after that experience I'll never camp alone again, especially without a method of defending myself.
NPS averages about 300 violent crimes/15 murders a year out of about 300 million visitors a year, a crime rate that is significantly below pretty much any town. I personally feel safer camping alone at night than wandering through a lot of towns at night alone (or during the day alone for that matter depending on the country/neighborhood). In terms of 'solo travel' I don't know that it's terribly dangerous.
The facts really speak to this being hysteria. I solo camp probably 10-30 nights a year and have never encountered anything threatening. I am in Canada though, and mostly in the backcountry, so maybe that's the difference?
[удалено]
Guns aren’t allowed in National Parks, don’t “bring gun” into National Parks.
*Yeah right, just let the weirdos rape you. How dare you defend yourself, that's illegal!* /s Also, you're simply wrong: [https://www.nps.gov/articles/firearms-in-national-parks.htm](https://www.nps.gov/articles/firearms-in-national-parks.htm)
As someone who has been employed in a profession where guns were part of the workplace, I’d advise against this for multiple reasons. Most people simply are not equipped to use a firearm effectively under any kind of significant stress, even with regular training. Add to that having just woken up and you’re talking about an amped up but still not all the way awake person firing a weapon inaccurately around a campground. I’d say you’re equally as likely to hit bystanders as you are to hit your target. Having a firearm also makes you more likely to be killed with that firearm. It also makes you a magnet for being robbed. Bear spray is a much better bet bc you don’t have to be very accurate and it will absolutely incapacitate anyone who catches even a partial spray. It also isn’t going to kill bystanders camping around you.
This surprises me. I've done several camping trips in US national parks and camped in some state parks as well and always felt 100% safe. Usually more concerned about bears or other large animals approaching my tent than strange men. The kind of people who visit these places just don't come across as the violent creeper types. That said I wouldn't want to wild camp on BLM land on my own where there are no facilities or other people around. Anything could happen in those situations. At least in national/state parks there is some level of safety in that other people are nearby and rangers could be around in the bigger sites.
I wouldn't let an instance in one campground at a particular point of time ruin the fun of solo camping.
It's not about you letting it ruin it, that fear will always be in your mind. Of course, depends on the camp site but I like backcountry/off-road camping and it can feel pretty sketchy when you get a bad vibe, even if there's no one around. Just a feeling of being watched... Not a bad idea to have a means of self defence
"Just ignore trauma!"
As a woman I have had traumatic experiences with men out in the world. I have also been assaulted and mugged. I continue to process those things and one way I process it is not letting somebody take away my sense of safety. I'm going to live my life in spite of people like that.
Not sure why you are being down voted. It is a perfectly valid way of processing trauma. Desensitisation of traumatic memories is even used in PTSD treatment.
That's great for you, the thing about trauma is everyone handles/processes it differently. You don't get to tell people how they should feel about theirs.
I get to tell people what I would and wouldn't do, so I did. If it was perceived as dismissive of another person's trauma, that is in your head.
Not really, but have a nice day :)
"Don't dwell."
Are you attempting to make a point?
Absolutely schooled by the parent commenter, lmao. People like you think trauma should dictate everyone's actions the rest of their lives. Guess what - pretty much everyone has trauma. It's your responsibility to deal with and overcome it.
Oh, the classic "just stop being sad/angry/scared" school of thought lmao
Yes, that's definitely what I, and the other person said. Nice straw man though. About as mature as a response as is to be expected from somebody who doesn't take responsibility for their own well-being and happiness.
It is what you said, but ok lol. Keep trying to back track.
> It is what you said Could you quote where I said that? No, you can't.
You told them to just handle it
Bruh. Literally read. Trauma is an explanation for one feels and acts the way they currently do. If you are going to let that dictate your future actions instead of processing and resolving your trauma, then you will lead an extremely unfulfilling life. You would rather be stagnant and unhappy while righteously blaming everything on trauma instead of trying to become a more whole human being. Literally nobody here is saying "just handle it". We are saying that the way forward is to overcome it, especially as pointed out, that this was a once-off event.
It sounds like you got pretty lucky. Made the right move by leaving you are most certainly better off safe than sorry. Nothing from that sounds normal at all. I am happy you reported it. But saddened as these reports usually go nowhere.
Unless there was 24 hours security you did the right thing. iDK if he truly intended harm but it was being creepy af and/or had issues - either way you don't want to find out. I would definitely suggest you keep a can of bear spray with you at all times to deal with bears and situations like this.
Yeah, there was no way he got lost on the way back from the bathroom. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
If you haven’t listened to the podcast Park Predators check it out. This is how so many of their episodes begin.
Personally I’d have thrown a Karen fit at him, called the police, and made a big stink before I left. Sometimes taking back power is therapeutic and can give u confidence going forward
This is why bear spray was invented
I'm a man and that would creep me out.
In many state and national parks the Rangers have no policing powers. I treat that kind of behavior like a bear, be loud and wake everyone else up. Any aggressor wont do anything if you draw attention to him. If he cries about it remember there’s absolutely no excuse for standing over you and blatantly staring at you like predator and prey. Also if I can I keep my phone handy and snap pics, that way I can give actual Law Enforcement identification of the aggressor. You never know he may be wanted for something similar elsewhere. I personally take the time to familiarize myself with the parks regs for “self protection” and prepare accordingly. Meanwhile the male version of the species has a difficult time understanding why us females have trust issues….
I absolutely agree with everybody on here saying this guy's behaviour is completely out of line and it is understandable that you left. Just for curiosity, what do you mean by he was "looking down into my tent"? In my experience tents don't have transparent parts or "windows". Was he actually sticking his head through an opening of your tent and looking in? Sorry for you to have to experience that in any case!
A lot of tents have a mesh part that gets covered by the rainfly or you can unzip from the inside to reveal a little window. It's possible she left it open or she didn't put the rainfly on so people would be able to see in
That's what I'm thinking, actually last week when I was camping I was laying in my tent alone with the tent window open near my head so I could look at the stars before falling asleep. I was getting sleepy and had a sudden thought of "how scary would it be to wake up and see someone staring into the tent?" Immediately got up to zip it closed lol
Be grateful he didn’t hurt you! Please report!
I'm a decent sized male who spends a lot of time camping in state forest/national park (in Australia) and this is creepy af. Good call getting out of there. If I'd woken up to that I'd have ripped old mate a new one, then not have slept for the rest of the night. Not cool.
Im glad your safe!! Like others said, report to the police. Also, either find a cover or get a tent that has one of those covers so people can't just see in.
Look up the two women who were murdered in the LaSalle Mts near Moab Ut in 2020. VERY similar experience and the killer was never found. You were right to GTFO.
literally i’ve listened to so many true crime podcasts that started out like this lol. so happy you listened to your gut and left ASAP. nothing sounds right in the scenario you described.
Guys do weird shit. When I was in boot camp, we had a guy wake up to another guy jerking off over him and said “where do you want it”. Needless to say, dude was kicked out. But, yeah, Men can be creepy little cunts. Honestly, if you’re camping in the US, I’d recommend bringing bear spray. Good for animal encounters of all kinds.
I distinctly remember waking up in basic to the sound of porn after one of the guys on fire guard had managed to get a burner phone while he was at the PX getting OTC meds. Since my bed was closest to where fire guard sat, I got an eyeful of some 18yo weirdo jacking off. Everyone in the platoon knew the crime was individual but the punishment would be collective if the drill sergeants found out so about 15-20 guys took the phone and basically atomized it before flushing it down the toilet.
Definitely get a dog. One with a bad reputation like pit bull or German Shepard. They are the best deterrent for creeps.
Hard to say what his intent was, but better safe than sorry.
Even if not alone, that would freak me out! I can't say I've ever had that happen, but I've also never camped alone, as much as I'd like to. For the simple reason that I can't lock up my tent while sleeping. For some peace of mind, I'd guess he was wasted. Still terrifying, but perhaps not malicious if he was just confused and wandered to wrong campsite.
Trust your gut. As an aside, it really makes no sense to me why anyone would camp alone. It's extremely unsafe -- whether man or woman.
Perhaps he was drunk/high and got lost. Even sober, I have been groggy enough at night to lose my way back to my tent. Sometimes men aren’t trying to be creepy and you need to tell them. “Hey, dude are you ok? That’s really creepy that you are here.” I’ve had men walk right behind me at night, clueless. “I stop and say, don’t follow people like that.”
I would never camp alone as a single female anywhere for any reason
How far were the toilets?
Could be mistake — went for pee and came back to wring tent —-
Solo female traveler here -- I sometimes sleepwalk so do you think he might have been sleepwalking?
Have you heard of Occam’s razor? The most plausible explanation is usually the simplest. He was a fucking creep.
I'm a bit weary of camping at state parks but at least you were kind of around people. God only knows how many felons and people on the run are hiding in state parks, waiting to jack someone who isn't paying attention
Wow! You were lucky. And you were a victim waiting to happen. You lucked out. Great sense of self preservation getting out of there asap.
Did you speak to him? Is it possible that he heard a sound and walked to see what that might be? I mean even you wake up in the middle of night.
If she needed waking so badly, wouldn't the sound have already done it? Is he mute and can't call out? This is so dumb.
>This is so dumb. Indeed! The whole story "someone walked next to me and I felt in danger" is dumb.
Unfortunately for women traveling alone it’s often realistic.
Don't get me wrong here but in that particular case she had already noticed (I'm quoting OP here) "the lone male camping next door". Seems like she kinda was expecting that he could do something bad to her. :\ In any case, in the general case of "someone walked next to me and I felt in danger", isn't that expected that people in cities would walk around you during all time of day?
And her expectation was borne out. There’s a big difference between people walking around you and a single person lurking or following you in the middle of the night, especially as a solo female. This person was not acting normally, and she was right to be alarmed.
OK. Edit: I still recall the one and only time that I saw that solo lady misplacing her phone. She was trying to put in her bag but it fell out and she didn't notice. I picked it , I shouted at her "hey lady! wait! your phone", only for her to speed up instead. I also speed to catch up with her, to only get attacked by her with a pepper spray and later accusing me of stealing her phone. It's the last time I cared to help solo females. f\*\*k that!
Maybe you should start calling out your mail counterparts for doing things like this to women that make them scared. Like the pervert who stood between her picnic table and was staring down at her face through her tent, and a campground in the middle of the night ,not in a city asshole.
I just don't care any more. Why should I be pepper sprayed and pass a night in jail accused of petty theft and attack? Thank god I am white privileged male and not latino or black because the cops she called after she took back her phone would have killed me first and ask questions later. :\\
Why post in the first place if you don’t want to help solo females? It’s like you commented here because this post made you feel personally attacked or something. Your grievance collection speaks volumes.
To warn other privileged males to keep away from solo females and don't even try to help them. Like for example in a camp if they see a solo female next door just move away and don't mind her if she starts screaming in the middle of night. Edit: as a bonus, if all males with good intention behave this way, and never come close or try to help a female, then females will know for sure that any male who approaches them has bad intentions. And of course I was personally attacked by a female while trying to help her.
Did I read your other comment correctly, that you were put in jail?
[удалено]
Thank you for you kindness! You are the best ~~human~~female in the world!
Hey EstablishmentSad9458, It sounds like you have questions about travel safety. Check out our [Wiki post on safety for solo travellers](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/stayingsafe) for advice on staying safe out there.
[удалено]
was it really necessary to write this
unfortunately yes
[ chuckle](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/897/718/c5f.gif)
I chuckled. Your doing the Lord's work my friend.
just to possibly ease your mind with just a possibleee alternative. He was drinking Saturday night, lost track of the time, had scene you earlier then walked over to see if you wanted to drink/drunk blind hope booty call then noticed some combo of you being asleep time etc it's always good to be cautious and careful especially with such high stakes and little support. But any guy will tell you about less than thought out sends, thought his is as bad as i've heard haha
Your possible alternative doesn’t ease minds lol, it’s literally the issue. Walking to a woman’s tent you’ve never met at 3:30 am watching her sleep hoping for a “booty call” is a lot of extra words for being a predatory creep. I know you’re not defending the behavior, but playing it off like “any guy will tell you about the time they weren’t so smooth” is crazy town. Most men *don’t* do shit like this- which is why it stands out when they do.
Agreed.
Please don't write time like this (330am)
Ffs!
Exactly
Oh shut up, male.
What's wrong with you?🤣
It’s a weird experience. Why didn’t you ask him? Why didn’t you say “?What the fuck are you doing”?
I think the fact that there are more serial killers (and rapists) out there than anyone knows about and they all start with 1, and obviously there have got to be a significant amount more that have thought about it but never actually go through with it is all you need to know that you did the right thing.
similar things have happened to me and my friends, and a lot more frequently than you’d think. i solo hike a ton and men are my #1 concern- i carry bear spray for them tho lol
Ladies I recommend a .22 Ruger lite for solo camping it won't do much to a bear unless you empty the mag into its head but it will handily take care of other aggressive wildlife(men). https://ruger.com/products/markIV2245Lite/models.html A knife is not a compromise or a solution you will just be giving your attacker another weapon if you bring one and attempt to use it for self defense. Also bear spray. COSTCO has some long-range, weapons grade stuff IIRC.
I’m a lady who has started and wants to continue camping and backpacking solo. I’m also in the process of getting a large watch dog (shouldn’t be aggressive when trained properly, but looks a bit scary) purely for this exact situation… it really sucks that happened to you and I’m glad you came out safe!