Newby artist girl in SD

[elliannl]

Hi, I am Elizabeth. I am an artist (portraits mostly). I live in the middle of the woods of western SD. I have questions about keeping myself safe, but I dont really have anyone to ask so when I came across this site I thought I would give it a try!

[Kimble]

From one artist (amateur on the side) to another, welcome aboard. Ask away.

[Samuel]

How about a couple of well-trained land sharks?









or



or even

[marinepilot]

Welcome to RP from the Florida Panhandle!

[elliannl]

I love and have a dog. He isn't trained for protection or anything but he will bark at people he doesn't know... that last picture is kinda freaky!

[elliannl]

I am not sure if this is where i should post or not but my most recent issue was yesterday. I was driving home on the highway and a truck came up to pass. But he didnt pass, he stayed beside me even when I slowed. I looked at him a few times and he was looking back. Finally I braked and started going about 25mph under the speed limit. He slowed too but eventually sped back up and I started to go near the speed limit again. When I got to my turn off he was 1/2mile or so ahead of me. He turned around and took my turn and followed me. I wasn't sure what to do. I pulled off at the bank mail boxes of a more populated driveway (since i live past nowhere) and acted like I was getting mail. He drove by really slowly but didnt come back. I waited a few minutes and then went the 4 additional miles to my driveway and home....
What SHOULD I have done? called the police? I figured I could either do what I did, or race home and hope I could get to my handgun before he got to me if that's he wanted to do.

[Kimble]

Did you get anything useful for police to build leads from? Good description of the truck (color, unique characteristics, driver description, etc)? Did you get a plate number (even a partial one)? The more info you can provide the more help you provide police in identifying the truck. On the other hand, a description like "a red pickup with a white guy driving it, no clue on the plate" won't likely be much help, and will in turn limit how much the police can help you with that info alone.

Best advice I can give is if you ever feel threatened, endangered, or even just suspicious of the circumstances is to be observant of your surrounding, memorize key details, and report it to police promptly.

[Samuel]

What other events have happened?

Maintain awareness. Vary routes to/from home. Try to vary schedule too. Have important numbers ready for speed dial on your phone. If you think someone is following you, call it in and head towards the local police/sheriff station - at least somewhere bright and busy. I would not go home or stop anywhere near home to help keep the suspicious person from finding out where you live. If it gets serious, take whatever precaution(s) you think are Reasonable and will help protect you...

[elliannl]

I’ll admit I was not as observant as I should have been. It was a weird tan color, ford truck. White guy redish brown hair (at least his bushy beard was). I only noticed the color of the truck because it was odd and his face because he was staring at me whenever I looked over at him. Not very proactive on my part.

So should I have called the police from the road when he slowed to drive beside me or turned around to turn at my turn off? When was it something for me/the police to worry about?

As for other events, I have an abusive almost ex husband. But I left him in another state… If he were here I would have gotten a restraining order. And then I think I picked up a stalker. I am not sure what qualifies but he texts, calls and threatens to come and find me if I don’t sleep with him. He doesn’t know where I live so I am not too worried about him finding me.

Thanks so much for helping me out!

[Kimble]

I’ll admit I was not as observant as I should have been. It was a weird tan color, ford truck. White guy redish brown hair (at least his bushy beard was). I only noticed the color of the truck because it was odd and his face because he was staring at me whenever I looked over at him. Not very proactive on my part.

No, not very proactive, but now you know if this happens again what can better help your situation if you need to call the police. Luckily you were resourceful enough to not have this person see you go to your residence, though.

So should I have called the police from the road when he slowed to drive beside me or turned around to turn at my turn off? When was it something for me/the police to worry about?

At the point you felt you threatened and that this person was following you it would certainly be reasonable to call the police while driving, and if there's an officer in the area they can pull the car over for reasonable suspicion and at the very least fully identify the driver. Even if there wasn't an officer nearby the dispatcher would have probably asked for the plate and other details you didn't think of, which would have proven helpful. In either case the driver would at least be on the police's radar, should he cause you any further problems.

As for other events, I have an abusive almost ex husband. But I left him in another state… If he were here I would have gotten a restraining order. And then I think I picked up a stalker. I am not sure what qualifies but he texts, calls and threatens to come and find me if I don’t sleep with him. He doesn’t know where I live so I am not too worried about him finding me.

In both counts above, don't live your life in a state of paranoia, but don't be naive to the fact your almost ex or possible stalker could make a turn for the more serious (and more malicious). Domestic violence relationships have proven fatal in several instances, so have stalker situations. If either of these two are seen by you or exhibit further threatening behavior don't hesitate to call the police and at least have the incident documented.

[Ispbear]

What other events have happened?

Maintain awareness. Vary routes to/from home. Try to vary schedule too. Have important numbers ready for speed dial on your phone. If you think someone is following you, call it in and head towards the local police/sheriff station - at least somewhere bright and busy. I would not go home or stop anywhere near home to help keep the suspicious person from finding out where you live. If it gets serious, take whatever precaution(s) you think are Reasonable and will help protect you...

Lol, Samuel she lives in a rural area. There is usually only one way in and out to travel. You silly city boys.

[elliannl]

In both counts above, don't live your life in a state of paranoia, but don't be naive to the fact your almost ex or possible stalker could make a turn for the more serious (and more malicious). Domestic violence relationships have proven fatal in several instances, so have stalker situations. If either of these two are seen by you or exhibit further threatening behavior don't hesitate to call the police and at least have the incident documented.

I hope I am not paranoid or naïve… When a shove or two turned into broken bones I left him and moved a few hundred miles away. I know a few people in that situation who are just dealing with it. I never did get documentation (yeah, I know, it was dumb) unless the record of having my jaw fixed and the fact that my shoulder needs surgery because it was dislocated a few too many times counts. But I doubt that.
I am glad I am away, and safe. I just want to live life without the fear that all guys will end up like he was. So maybe I am paranoid! lol

[elliannl]

Lol, Samuel she lives in a rural area. There is usually only one way in and out to travel. You silly city boys.

Ha! Well yes there is only one road going to my house but I can access it from the east or the west… I usually go one way because I end my day on that side of the city plus the road is less curvy and hilly. But I am able and willing to take the road less traveled if it really is worthwhile.

[Samuel]

Lol, Samuel she lives in a rural area. There is usually only one way in and out to travel. You silly city boys.

Shewt, I thawt all y'all 4 by evrywur?

[elliannl]

Shewt, I thawt all y'all 4 by evrywur?

that seems southern to me... we are much more "dontcha knooow" up here in South Dakota!