I've heard a good tactic to get rid of someone sketchy approaching you is to look completely insane (i.e. start yelling at an invisible person or a fire hydrant. etc).

Even sketchy people are afraid of insane people.

----------

In other news, I was in downtown Hamilton about a month ago and got approached by a guy who wanted money. He was like "Can I... um... can I .. err.. could you um.. I need.. uhhh.. please could you uhh...". I then gave him a quarter out of confusion and he smiled and walked away.

Weird.

Originally Posted by Ownaginatios

I've heard a good tactic to get rid of someone sketchy approaching you is to look completely insane (i.e. start yelling at an invisible person or a fire hydrant. etc).

Even sketchy people are afraid of insane people.

----------

In other news, I was in downtown Hamilton about a month ago and got approached by a guy who wanted money. He was like "Can I... um... can I .. err.. could you um.. I need.. uhhh.. please could you uhh...". I then gave him a quarter out of confusion and he smiled and walked away.

Weird.

Originally Posted by bcars

On the contrary, Mickey2012, I only dream of that happening. I think you should stop doing drugs.

You probably pride yourself on coming up with such a welcome joke,
but if a door is opened by a key, does that mean the key volitionally opened the door?
Call me whatever, but as the center of the incident, I couldn't resonate. Sorry.

^ Stop being a baby and learn how to take a joke. Whether he says the joke or not, makes absolutely no difference to the situation, it's not like you're going to cry about it. We all laughed at it. It happened to you, which is unlucky, be glad nothing happened. Learn how to take something bad and use it to educate you more and give you more experience.

Hamilton born and raised, man up pussies.

Originally Posted by Ownaginatios

I've heard a good tactic to get rid of someone sketchy approaching you is to look completely insane (i.e. start yelling at an invisible person or a fire hydrant. etc).

Even sketchy people are afraid of insane people.

----------

In other news, I was in downtown Hamilton about a month ago and got approached by a guy who wanted money. He was like "Can I... um... can I .. err.. could you um.. I need.. uhhh.. please could you uhh...". I then gave him a quarter out of confusion and he smiled and walked away.

Weird.

I can totally picture this scenario with you (Dillon). When those people approach me I literally pretend they aren't there until they give up and go away. Builds character.

Originally Posted by Phaint

I can totally picture this scenario with you (Dillon). When those people approach me I literally pretend they aren't there until they give up and go away. Builds character.

what if they shove you?

@OP: Go talk to CSD if you think this experience has affected you badly (which, obviously it has). Give some more details about the incident though, how they approached you, how many people were around, where did they hold the knife to (i.e, your neck, stomach, etc), when and exactly where was this.

I've been to Jackson square at 3am and all the hours during the day and night and am fortunate enough to not encounter these kinda people...then again I've also been threatened with a gun back in Pakistan

To everyone else: So these guys only threaten or do they actually stab? and where do they stab if they do?

Cheers.

Originally Posted by andrewjdg

^ Stop being a baby and learn how to take a joke. Whether he says the joke or not, makes absolutely no difference to the situation, it's not like you're going to cry about it. We all laughed at it. It happened to you, which is unlucky, be glad nothing happened. Learn how to take something bad and use it to educate you more and give you more experience.

Baby or not, that's my view. There are few jokes in this thread. I pointed that one out because semantics was involved. All you like is humour. You want to be respected even though you only respect the absurd. It's not like I could ruin the party anyways. I did learn something and today is a new day.

Originally Posted by Afzal

what if they shove you?

@OP: Go talk to CSD if you think this experience has affected you badly (which, obviously it has). Give some more details about the incident though, how they approached you, how many people were around, where did they hold the knife to (i.e, your neck, stomach, etc), when and exactly where was this.

I'm functioning okay. It only makes me worried and extra-cautious everywhere, for myself and for my friends. It happened on King St., the stop right before the one outside Jackson Square, which really wasn't that quiet or dark with all the stores around. If I was all alone on the street, I'd have paid attention to anyone within my 5 meter radius. I think the worst decision I made was to stay in a glass box waiting for bus. I was basically trapped in there.

Three guys came in and just stood there chatting. They looked like they were still in high school, but could be in their 20s. They made small chat with me and sounded pretty normal, albeit ill-mannered. And then they asked me what time it was and I showed the screen of my phone to them (it was at 7:26 p.m.). It was alright until one of them asked to borrow my phone to call his girlfriend in hospital, claiming she was delivering a baby. I was alert enough to not to "lend" my phone and politely declined, but he would not stop begging and mentioned there was no paid phone around. Eventually he asked me just for 50 cents to use a phone somewhere. I thought if 50 cents could get them away, why not? So I gave it to him, but he didn't leave and start being more aggressive, with all the yelling and pushing. I was unable to leave because they blocked the exit of the glass shelter.

During that time, I considered dailing 911, but I never had a chance and a knife eventually appeared right in front of my face. I'd be less worried if they were pointing it at my stomach, bacause my coat is made to endure damages to some extent. Still, stabbing my throat would be fatal. When these things happen, time seems to slow down. The whole scene probably took 3 mins but it felt like 15 mins or more. I don't remember exactly how I escaped the glass box, but I did. The moment I turned back when all of them came up and surrounded me, before my realization, I was already punched in the face. I don't remember what they said anymore, because I was just thinking about how to flee. I peeked at one direction, pretending I saw someone and hoping to get them distracted. At the second they looked to that direction, I ran to the opposite way while my nose was bleeding. They didn't chase me too far because a few other people were on the street (I guess). Fortunately I got napkins with me somehow. I was horrified at one point but I didn't want to scare anyone with my bloody face either. They probably just did the whole thing spontaneously without planning. I was just unfortuately picked.

Someone in the previous replies suggested bringing a blade. But that seems only effective when there is only one person and it would take some skills. That type of battles are too violent for my tastes anyways. I think I should look into pepper spray. I feel ridiculous typing it all out. How could I let it happen?

Originally Posted by mickey2012

I'm functioning okay. It only makes me worried and extra-cautious everywhere, for myself and for my friends. It happened on King St., the stop right before the one outside Jackson Square, which really wasn't that quiet or dark with all the stores around. If I was all alone on the street, I'd have paid attention to anyone within my 5 meter radius. I think the worst decision I made was to stay in a glass box waiting for bus. I was basically trapped in there.

Three guys came in and just stood there chatting. They looked like they were still in high school, but could be in their 20s. They made small chat with me and sounded pretty normal, albeit ill-mannered. And then they asked me what time it was and I showed the screen of my phone to them (it was at 7:26 p.m.). It was alright until one of them asked to borrow my phone to call his girlfriend in hospital, claiming she was delivering a baby. I was alert enough to not to "lend" my phone and politely declined, but he would not stop begging and mentioned there was no paid phone around. Eventually he asked me just for 50 cents to use a phone somewhere. I thought if 50 cents could get them away, why not? So I gave it to him, but he didn't leave and start being more aggressive, with all the yelling and pushing. I was unable to leave because they blocked the exit of the glass shelter.

During that time, I considered dailing 911, but I never had a chance and a knife eventually appeared right in front of my face. I'd be less worried if they were pointing it at my stomach, bacause my coat is made to endure damages to some extent. Still, stabbing my throat would be fatal. When these things happen, time seems to slow down. The whole scene probably took 3 mins but it felt like 15 mins or more. I don't remember exactly how I escaped the glass box, but I did. The moment I turned back when all of them came up and surrounded me, before my realization, I was already punched in the face. I don't remember what they said anymore, because I was just thinking about how to flee. I peeked at one direction, pretending I saw someone and hoping to get them distracted. At the second they looked to that direction, I ran to the opposite way while my nose was bleeding. They didn't chase me too far because a few other people were on the street (I guess). Fortunately I got napkins with me somehow. I was horrified at one point but I didn't want to scare anyone with my bloody face either. They probably just did the whole thing spontaneously without planning. I was just unfortuately picked.

Someone in the previous replies suggested bringing a blade. But that seems only effective when there is only one person and it would take some skills. That type of battles are too violent for my tastes anyways. I think I should look into pepper spray. I feel ridiculous typing it all out. How could I let it happen?

You couldn't "let" any of it happen because as you said yourself, unfortunately, you were picked.
Your response got you out of the situation and therefore, was perfect.
Don't keep beating yourself up for something you could not have voluntarily stepped into or knowingly avoided.

It takes balls to share a traumatic incident, and I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels glad you did. It can also be a bit therapeutic, but definitely not ridiculous. By having the courage to share what you went through, you could have helped a lot of people, so thank you.

Never pull out an iPhone or anything expensive downtown...

/thread

You handled the situation pretty well Matthew. Glad to hear you got out safe. Whenever I'm waiting at places I feel sketched out, I try to make sure I don't set my self up so to speak. Don't let this one event detract you from living your life. Next time you are down there, don't stand in the closed bus stop. Maybe by an old lady would be better.

Lol, when I was growing up in Hamilton I thought that every other city was exactly the same way with crackheads, hookers, sirens and crime (house was robbed multiple times) being a regular thing.

It was kind of a revelation when I started going to Mac with the non-locals andthey would tell me they were scared of hanging around downtown and that the downtown core was so dirty and gross.


P.S. Try going to bustops where it is nicely lit, at a bustop where you think there will be other people at all times of the day, or at one where not a lot of people or traffic pass by

Sounds interesting, never heard of anyone having problems downtown other than the usual encounters with crazies..

I would probably got stabbed :(

I wish somebody tried to rob me, I'm so sheltered.

Originally Posted by mickey2012

You probably pride yourself on coming up with such a welcome joke,
but if a door is opened by a key, does that mean the key volitionally opened the door?
Call me whatever, but as the center of the incident, I couldn't resonate. Sorry.

My post got liked by 23 people. Your post got liked by 0. Therefore, I do pride myself... bow down and fear my incredible Paint skillz.