I was sitting by the bus stop minding my own business. I had just gotten off of work and had done a bit of grocery shopping. I was covered in a layer of dust, grime and plant detritus and was still in my work clothing. You waived as you drove past and I waived back. My friendly mistake, as I assumed you were someone I knew and I was just too tired to recognize. You gestured wildly and proceeded to turn around, drive back and pull up beside me, asking if I needed a ride somewhere. I don't need a ride, I have the bus to get me where I need to go. While your intentions may have been friendly, you came across as a frightening creep. I had my hand on my mace and was ready to use it, if the situation turned ugly. You drove off in the opposite direction, leaving me to believe you were looking for someone to pickup and not actually driving to a specific destination.

I described this encounter to other ladies I know, and this seems to be a fairly common occurrence! I'm happy to say thank you when someone pays me an uninvited compliment, man or woman. But this is too much. If someone doesn't have their thumb out while hitchhiking, they don't want a ride from a stranger. Period. You're creepy, and I hope I don't see a news report about you picking up someone else in the near future.