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[apana]

It's always an uncomfortable situation. Seems like there are more crazy people on the streets these days, maybe its due to the economic downturn. Just this week I've had three run ins with mentally unbalanced individuals. The first lady came up to me and started screaming in my face as I was walking around in a shopping area. She started screaming that I was going to hell, that I haven't accepted Jesus. Oh god, I felt so creeped out. I was afraid she was gonna take out a knife and stab me. Luckily there were other people around who helped me out. The second dude was a few days later as I was walking out of the dentist's office. His face was all mangled. He just came upto me and started complaining about homeless people. I just said "yeah" and tried to keep walking. That only encouraged him and he kept trying to talk to me about different things. Eventually he went into a sandwich shop and said he was gonna come out quickly, I ran away and went off the main street in order to get back home. The third time this giant agressive grizzly looking man was shouting at some chinese girls, he said that they had broken onto his property because they stepped on his lawn. He shouted at them for a good few minutes, I wasn't sure what to do exactly. I told him to calm down but that just made him fly into a rage. I thought I was gonna die protecting chinese girls. Luckily the problem sorted itself out when an even more agressive and grizzly looking man (probably somebody who lived next door) told him to knock it off. So what is the best way to handle these people? I can't be sure what kind of mental illness they have, so I don't know the best approach. How should we handle this problem as a society?

edit: I hope none of these people post on GAF.

 

[Outlaw]

Punch them on the face? That's what I would do. That or pull a Casey on them.

 

[Ilúvatar]

Your response to the second individual was the correct one, head down, keep walking, keep agreeing with them.

 

[Salmonax]

Just keep moving. Don't make eye contact.

 

[Cornbread78]

Punch them on the face? That's what I would do. That or pull a Casey on them.

OH God, and I just got done re-reading the GF thread and watching the Star Trek Gifs....

 

[Flo_Evans]

Try and act more crazy then them.

 

[onlyindreams]

I hate walking down the street in Los Angeles. Homeless literally everywhere just yelling out random obscenities and babbling and asking for change.

 

[Alucrid]

Do you live in America? If yes, second amendment.

 

[Crash Station]

Maybe this wouldn't happen if you accepted Jesus.

 

[UltraMav]

I seem to have remarkably bad luck when it comes to finding myself in these situations. Most of the time I just try my best to be polite and talk to them like "normal" people, but sometimes it can backfire.

For example my last encounter, a crazy man approached me aggressively, I tried to be super polite to him, he calmed down, began speaking back in a calmer tone. I thought I might make it out without being stabbed at this point, but then he asked me to buy him a beer at the place we were standing outside of, I refused, politely, said that I'm sorry but I have to go and I really don't have any extra cash. He then became aggressive again and started cussing me out. Luckily he just turned and walked away as he cussed, rather than assaulting me.

I think I'm just going to ignore them and go into the nearest building I can find from now on.

 

[Jangocube]

Punch them on the face? That's what I would do. That or pull a Casey on them.

Don't be a moron and do this.

Avoid eye contact if they really are mentally unstable and just keep walking.

 

[Wickerman]

Try your best to ignore them or least get away from them as fast as you can.

You don't want to mess with crazy people.

 

[Ryck]

Try and act more crazy then them.

I like the cut of your jib sir.

 

[Koomaster]

Just say 'I don't want to talk to you' and keep doing what you're doing. If they continue trying to engage you say you will scream for the police if they don't leave you alone.

 

[geeko]

Don't give them any attention and avoid eye-contact. They will quickly lose attention and take it out on someone/something else.

 

[JABEE]

Ignore them and keep walking. Never try to communicate with crazy people, it will only make it worse. That's why I always wear headphones on the train.

 

[quickwhips]

First find you back bone. I'm not saying you have to be a hard ass or get in fights but have confidence and speak up and tell them to leave you alone or the chinese chicks alone. You have to have confidence when speaking to anyone if you want to take control of the conversation. Thats how you become that guy.

 

[Angry Fork]

Yell obscenities at them while wearing an oversized colorful helmet and clothes that don't match. They'll either laugh or get scared and just walk away.

 

[Shanadeus]

Ignore them and keep walking. Never try to communicate with crazy people, it will only make it worse. That's why I always wear headphones on the train.

This.

 

[LosDaddie]

Give them money

 

[JABEE]

First find you back bone. I'm not saying you have to be a hard ass or get in fights but have confidence and speak up and tell them to leave you alone or the chinese chicks alone. You have to have confidence when speaking to anyone if you want to take control of the conversation. Thats how you become that guy.

No, don't follow this advice. Reasoning with strangers who are belligerent and out of their mind is a way to get physically assaulted. OP should try to spend as little time as possible near crazy people. Just keep walking and don't make eye contact, The girls can handle themselves around crazy people. They should keep moving too.

 

[Ovid]

It's always an uncomfortable situation. Seems like there are more crazy people on the streets these days, maybe its due to the economic downturn. Just this week I've had three run ins with mentally unbalanced individuals. The first lady came up to me and started screaming in my face as I was walking around in a shopping area. She started screaming that I was going to hell, that I haven't accepted Jesus. Oh god, I felt so creeped out. I was afraid she was gonna take out a knife and stab me. Luckily there were other people around who helped me out. The second dude was a few days later as I was walking out of the dentist's office. His face was all mangled. He just came upto me and started complaining about homeless people. I just said "yeah" and tried to keep walking. That only encouraged him and he kept trying to talk to me about different things. Eventually he went into a sandwich shop and said he was gonna come out quickly, I ran away and went off the main street in order to get back home. The third time this giant agressive grizzly looking man was shouting at some chinese girls, he said that they had broken onto his property because they stepped on his lawn. He shouted at them for a good few minutes, I wasn't sure what to do exactly. I told him to calm down but that just made him fly into a rage. I thought I was gonna die protecting chinese girls. Luckily the problem sorted itself out when an even more agressive and grizzly looking man (probably somebody who lived next door) told him to knock it off. So what is the best way to handle these people? I can't be sure what kind of mental illness they have, so I don't know the best approach. How should we handle this problem as a society?

edit: I hope none of these people post on GAF.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK

 

[apana]

No, don't follow this advice. Reasoning with strangers who are belligerent and out of their mind is a way to get physically assaulted. OP should try to spend as little time as possible near crazy people. Just keep walking and don't make eye contact, The girls can handle themselves around crazy people. They should keep moving too.

He was telling them not to move. That was more of a tricky situation. If he had put a hand on one of them I would have nad no choice, and that would be the end for me.

 

[apana]

Do you live in America? If yes, second amendment.

So I'm gonna have to carry a gun around everywhere I go? How would that solve the problem? If someone is being a nuissance and they touch me, am I supposed to take my gun out? That could get real messy. Of course it helps in life or death situations, but no crazy person has actually tried to kill me.

 

[thecheese]

If they are walking beside you, try to increase walking speed in small increments. In a few minutes you should pretty much be speed walking, and the crazy will either try to keep up or he'll back off. If he remains beside you, just keep increasing speed. At this point, it's a test of endurance that you can't afford to lose.

 

[Cwarrior]

I say try properly talk to them, stop treating them like crazys by avoiding them and giving them a funny look(which will get you stabbed).

Spoiler

<-is a crazy

 

[Always-honest]

Take Away Their Capitals.

 

[Nemo]

I thought I was gonna die protecting chinese girls.

:lol

 

[quickwhips]

No, don't follow this advice. Reasoning with strangers who are belligerent and out of their mind is a way to get physically assaulted. OP should try to spend as little time as possible near crazy people. Just keep walking and don't make eye contact, The girls can handle themselves around crazy people. They should keep moving too.

When did people become such babies. I've been beat up a few times but wow you know you get up you get better. I think alot of people in this thread are afraid of confrontations. How are you guys at public speaking?

 

[Dahellisdat]

Buy them a huge bag of M&Ms.

 

[apana]

One of the complications is that you can't know what type of mental problems they have. Some people want to communicate a message like the first lady, the second dude was probably lonely, but the third guy had serious power/control issues. It was with the thirdy guy that I wasn't sure whether standing up to him was the best way to handle it. I did tell him to calm down.

 

[aronnov reborn]

just agree with them politely on whatever they're spewing as you try to get away from them. last thing you want to do is disagree with a crazy.

 

[Angry Fork]

In all seriousness I've had some weird stuff happen. All of them while on the subway of course.

One time I was sitting in the corner just by myself, there were like 15 people in that particular tram car thing or whatever. Anyway I looked to my left and saw a guy at another seat and he was looking straight at me. I didn't think nothing of it and I looked away for a bit then looked back at him to see if he was still staring (which he was), and when I did he randomly said "you got a problem!?!?" in a drunken slur. He was crazy loud and at which point I realized he was just some incredibly drunk guy looking to fight or something. It was particularly funny though because he looked his mid 30s and at the time I looked about 18, which makes it funnier that some guy wants to beef with someone so much younger. I said "what" in a "why are you asking me this" kind of way, he asked me again and I just said no, and went back to my PSP. Nothing else happened. Weak payoff I know. Still that's the first time any random person just started with me for no reason.

Then there's people that just come up to you and talk to you out of nowhere as if they've known you for years. This has happened to me like 4-5 times while on the train but one time was particularly awkward.

I was playing Sonic 3 on my PSP via emulator and again the train had like 15-20 people in it. This kid/guy who was like 2-3 years older than me comes on the train and sits next to me and says something like "damn you taking it back that's old school" etc. something like that. I just chuckled and said 'yea i know'. Usually that's where conversations end with strangers but all of a sudden he just started telling me about some problems he was having rofl. Like he told me this entire backstory of the week prior and how he was having trouble with some girl, I can't remember much from it, but it was very detailed and he just kept talking about random personal stuff and this went on for a good 15 minutes straight before he got off at his stop. I responded to things he said and said 'yea', 'that sucks' etc. and so on and was there for him to talk to but I had no clue what he was talking about. At the end he just got up, gave me dap and left. It was so awkard.

Luckily nothing too weird has happened but I do wonder where these people come from that they don't understand/recognize general manners and stuff, or maybe they do and they just choose to ignore it because they just want someone to talk to or something.

Also:

The third time this giant agressive grizzly looking man was shouting at some chinese girls, he said that they had broken onto his property because they stepped on his lawn. He shouted at them for a good few minutes, I wasn't sure what to do exactly. I told him to calm down but that just made him fly into a rage.

 

[quickwhips]

just agree with them politely on whatever they're spewing as you try to get away from them. last thing you want to do is disagree with a crazy.

Thats how hitler got so far buddy.

 

[apana]

Buy them a huge bag of M&Ms.

That only works with sane people. Crazy people don't like M&Ms and throw a giant fit if you give them any.

 

[spermatic cord]

One time I was approached by this dude asking for random directions to somewhere. He kept wanting to stay around and talk but I kept walking away from him. He followed and started telling me about how he just got out of prison. Who the fuck introduces themselves by saying they just got out of prison to a stranger on the street. He was saying about how people "wouldn't give him a chance" Just kept walking away till he eventually left. I think he wanted some money lol

 

[orion434]

Where I live there is a WalMart and a very BIG guy who is mentally unstable pan-handles outside often. He's not homeless... and he sometimes gets aggressive with people asking for money, especially the elderly. I once bought him some Dunkin' Donuts ( located inside of Walmart ) so maybe he'd leave and he threw out the food right in front of my face. When I see him I always call the police... one day he's going to injur someone. Why doesn't anyone do something?

 

[joelseph]

apana where do you live?

 

[TurboLibre]

I've dealt with a lot of crazy people. Depending on the situation I go with one of three reactions.

1) If it's jibberish or random small talk I just act polite and have a small conversation with them, or if I don't understand, just smile and nod.

2) If they're saying something stupid, I tend to argue with them. I keep it very civil and open ended, but I challenge some of the insane stuff they're babbling about and they almost always quickly end the conversation.

3) Sometimes for fun I try to out-crazy them.

 

[apana]

apana where do you live?

Errr...Why do you want to know?

 

[Zenith]

Your appearance and outward demeanour will attract crazy people to you. They can sense a the easily intimidated. Try and walk more confidently.

 

[Bebpo]

I'm noticing this too lately. Increase of crazy in the US. I can't go to a movie theater without having some crazy person sit directly behind me and make the experience uncomfortable.

 

[Always-honest]

yeah, tell us where do you live? gna gna gna

 

[apana]

Your appearance and outward demeanour will attract crazy people to you. They can sense a the easily intimidated. Try and walk more confidently.

Is this really true? I know bullies do this, but are crazy people like this as well. I always thought it was more random.

 

[Angry Fork]

Errr...Why do you want to know?

He's one of them...

but they're probably asking because they're sarcastically letting you know that this kind of stuff happens often in urban/populated cities across America and maybe the world in general.

 

[apana]

He's one of them...

but they're probably asking because they're sarcastically letting you know that this kind of stuff happens often in urban/populated cities across America and maybe the world in general.

Well the encounter with the first lady was in an urban/populated area. The other two were in more of a suburban area.

 

[FairyD]

Try and act more crazy then them.

This. Next time some some crazy person tries to fuck you just transform into a crazy person.

Pretend you're the cookie monster and that the other person is a cookie.

 

[UltraMav]

Is this really true? I know bullies do this, but are crazy people like this as well. I always thought it was more random.

I think that's certainly true when the crazy person WANTS something from you, like money or a smoke or something.

 

[apana]

For people who are suggesting that I act "crazy". What does that mean? What would you have me do?

 

[Crash Station]

For people who are suggesting that I act "crazy". What does that mean? What would you have me do?

Start talking about mole people, fake a seizure, explain thermodynamics, tell people your very existence is a paradox, pretend to talk to a ghost, etc. Use your imagination. Also make sure you act like you've never heard the term "personal space".