Something Really Odd Happened Earlier!

[Smowball]

I came out of my seminar just after 5 in Russell Square, London, to be met by wall to wall police vans packed full of officers, police cars, ambulances and a helicopter flying overhead.(I'm assuming to do with the Whitehall incident earlier).
So I'm stood there on the pavement and within seconds this man, (and I'm trying to word this to not offend anyone so don't have a go if I get it wrong) who was very similar in appearance to the man arrested earlier, came straight up to me with his arms held out and says come here please. I don't know why but my heart starts thumping like mad. I say quickly "Why?" And he says "I want a hug. I'm lonely" and before I knew it he had his arms round me. I quickly untangle myself and say sorry I'm running really late and walk off as fast as I can but now an hour or so later I'm thinking what if he really was at a really low ebb and just genuinely needed a hug?
Or he could have been a raving lunatic with a knife - how would I have known? I just feel that however I reacted it would have probably been wrong.

[goodgoalie]

Smow, I'd certainly never hug a stranger who said that to me, no matter what the circumstances, or what he/she looked like. Don't feel bad: you definitely did the right thing to extricate yourself from such a situation - anything might have followed

[Old_Geezer]

Don't beat yourself up over it.
Better safe than sorry.

[murraymints]

EEK !!! was it ED ? lol.... what happened earlier in White hall ??

[Islay]

Lol I and my hubby used to walk past RS every day and there are some very odd people there, he use to get accosted by ladies of the night all the time as he used to wear a mac!! We were only 18/19 I used to find it funny but he didn't!!

[murraymints]

did you check your pockets had not been dipped ? ..I'd have screamed very loudly !!

[EcclesCake]

It's a tough cal, but ultimately if you felt uncomfortable, then you felt uncomfortable, irrespective of what had been happening elsewhere.

Don't beat yourself up!

[Smowball]

MM police arrested a terror suspect with rucksack full of knives.

[Old_Geezer]

But you didn't think it as funny when he asked how much !

[Smowball]

And no I had nothing in pockets. I just immediately panicked. I didn't hug him btw - he just had his arms round me before I knew what was happening.

[silliemillie]

Have you checked your bag & purse? A lot of pick pockets use this tactic, so I'm told.

[vulcan42]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39736733

[murraymints]

ta vulcan x

[Smowball]

Charming OG ! Lol. No I had a backpack with my purse and phone hidden right inside the deepest zipped up pocket.

[Barmaid]

So what if he was at a really low ebb and just needed a hug?! Sod that. he was a total stranger. If he had done that to me, I'd probably have knee'd him in the nads and screamed very loudly.

[Maydup]

How scary, its worth practising your knee to their boiiocks reaction in case anything like this should happen to you again!

[goodgoalie]

Well said, Barmaid!

[Butterbun]

There is a device with which they can copy your card details. Best to watch your bank balance for unusual spending.

[rockyracoon]

Hmmm. He'd have definitely been sorry if he'd have tried to hug me. You can't go around trying to hug strange women. It's not on.

[Eve]

I'd have felt very uncomfortable and would have been suspicious of having something stolen, sad to say but, especially in a city, you really have to be careful. We've had quite a few "hugger mugger" incidents around here, seem to be common in area where people are drunk and likely to be less inhibited about hugging strangers.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-warn-people-wary-hugger-10679404

[gness]

Heck, Smow.....one of those situations that when you have time to think about it you feel worse or more uncomfortable because so many "what ifs" go through your mind....

I'm quite a huggy person....and I do feel for folk who are alone..we all know a hug is so comforting....

But no way would I ever hug back someone who did that to me......like you, I'd be off........
Never mind thinking that whatever you did would have been wrong....you did the right thing......x