What are you supposed to do?
 

What are you supposed to do when a stranger comes and sits nexto you on the train or some other public place and asks you your name and starts annoying you in a sleazy way? I mean is there any good way to get rid of a person like this? This has been happening to me since I was about 11 and it still hasn't stopped, it always erks me when I see someone sitting down incase they're gonna decide to try to chat me up. By the way my usual tactic is to ignore them and if that doesn't work then I tell them I'm not interested. This doesn't work too well but it's the most effective method I've tried. People have told me it's not good to ignore people cause it might make them angry but I've tried replying in a polite way and they take that as an opportunity to continue with bothering me. Sometimes I wish I could just vaporize people or something, now that would be effective!

That doesn't happen to me.
Headphones and dark glasses are my advice.

This is an easy one for men, though I am not sure how to advise a woman to make people go away. For me, a firm "No" usually does the trick. That word is magick.

And headphones really do work. When I wear them at the office it is like I am invisible, practically no one bothers you.

You have to look and sound stern. Low voice, hard look in the eyes. Make it clear that you don't want to engage, and say so in no uncertain terms. You just have to be direct about. "Look, I don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone." This is especially effective if there are a lot of other people around, as on a bus, because ideally this should make the person uncomfortable. Increase the volume if the person persists.

two words - fuck off

a very fine choice.....

The last time it happened (this week some time) I had dark glasses on but I didn't have my headphones with my cause I forgot to charge my ipod, but I've had people do that to me even with headphones on, and I point to my headphones as in "I can't hear you, I'm listening to music" but they just kept tapping me and signalling to take my headphones off. Then I tried to tell them I'm not interested in talking and they just sat down and kept trying to talk to me. Having headphones has helped sometimes though.

I thought maybe what I wear might be a factor at one point but this week I was wearing a black suit with dark glasses (work clothes), I just don't get it.


So ChocolateJesus- you just turn around and say "no" and they split?

yeah I've been tempted to say that but I don't really tell anyone to fuck off and I would be scared as to how they would react

.....and die

You could say you feel sick and like you're going to throw up.

Some people really don't get the message until you say something like that, though.

yeah I should be more stern, they catch me off guard cause I'm usually tired or sleepy or something but yeah I should just know that I need to be tough even if I really don't feel like it

So ChocolateJesus- you just turn around and say "no" and they split?[/quote]

Yes - an example of how this method is used is when people walk up to me and they are going to ask for money. I look right at them and say "NO". It is not terribly clever, but leaves absolutely no fucking room for interpretation. It means what it means. Works for me every time.

In Minnesota, people don't talk to other people on the street unless they were raised somewhere else.

I could save myself the trouble of talking and buy a hat that says 'Fuck off and die you sleazy jerk' on it

Then they would just open with "I love your hat!"

Yes - an example of how this method is used is when people walk up to me and they are going to ask for money. I look right at them and say "NO". It is not terribly clever, but leaves absolutely no fucking room for interpretation. It means what it means. Works for me every time.[/quote]

That's a good idea, I usually just say 'no thanks' or shake my head at the multitude of people asking for money in Sydney but for some reason sleazy people are more determined and less easily warded off that money seekers

He is totally right about this....

hehe true! I can't win :(