I’M BEING FOLLOWED
You could be followed for any reason, really. It could be a coworker stalking you. It could be a thief. Or, it could be a government agent. Even, it could be nothing at all but some kids fooling around. Across America yearly, people report being followed quite often for a variety of reasons, and the following party must really be pretty lousy since they are easily detected.
Realize that if a professional is following you, you will not really notice at all if he is doing his job correctly. On the other hand, someone like a stalker or an enemy who is trying to intimidate you will often make it obvious you are being followed just to scare you. Become aware of your surroundings!
Get in the habit of counting the number of turns vehicles make behind you. If they make the same turn as you once, it’s probably nothing. If they make the same turn as you twice, they should now be on your radar. And, if they make the same turn as you three times, you are probably being followed. Another great way to tell if you are being followed is to increase your speed 10-15 miles over the speed limit. Sure, this puts you at a risk for a speeding ticket, but try it if the situation is dire.
What you will notice when you look in your rear view mirror is a slew of cars that are doing the speed limit. They will look like a non-moving mass. Then, as you speed up, your follower will probably speed up to suit. Suddenly, a car behind you also exceeding the speed limit will stick out like a sore thumb!
If you get the impression you are being followed, there are some important things you need to do:
- First and foremost, don’t let on that you aware of the tail.
- Immediately alter your route from where you were going. If you were going to pull into the supermarket, keep going. If you were on your way home, keep going. Do not make an obvious route correction such as a swerve or last minute turn. You will alert the follower that he has been made!
- Immediately and casually alert a loved one or friend. This is especially important if you are a female driver. Many female drivers have been abducted or raped and no one knew they were in danger. Tell someone now, and stay calm.
- If it becomes plain that you are being followed, the best course of action is to drive to a police station, and call 911. Do not under any circumstance stop somewhere that is unpopulated or devoid of people. Do not attempt to speak or communicate with the other driver under any circumstance, and avoid confrontation!
Above all, do not lead the person to your home or the home of a loved one. Do not give away locations that are close to you – even if you are on your way to pick up your children from school! In that case, call the school, explain the situation, and come back later. Do not lead someone to where your children are!
