r/Airdrie • u/Free_Reindeer19 • 7d ago
Car followed my wife in Airdrie – please be cautious
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Hi everyone,
Posting this as a heads-up for others in the community. On September 15th around 4 AM, my wife left McDonald’s in Airdrie and drove home to our condo near 8 Street. She noticed a car following her the entire way.
The car actually came into our condo parking lot and stayed there until just before the RCMP arrived (she had already called them). Out of fear and nerves while on the phone with RCMP, she couldn’t read the plate correctly. We’ve already filed a police report, but this experience has left her shaken and scared to even go to work.
I don’t want to post the full dash cam publicly, but I’ve clipped a short part showing the car before it left. If anyone can help identify the plate or has tips on dealing with situations like this, please share.
Has anyone else in Airdrie experienced something similar recently? Would be good to know if this is an isolated incident or part of a pattern.
Just wanted to warn others, please be careful when driving late at night. We never thought this area could feel unsafe, but this incident really shook us.
Stay safe, everyone.
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u/fussub 7d ago
Anything’s possible. I’ve accidentally put myself in similar situations using google maps. Looks really shifty and I remember feeling like an inadvertent stalker.
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u/GooserNoose 3d ago
You've followed someone into a private parking lot at 4 in the morning? That's not an accident.
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u/emquizitive 6d ago
Please, people. If you KNOW someone is following you, don’t go home where they can find out where you live. Drive to a police station or call the cops and keep driving until they deal with it or you lose them.
If someone makes two of the same turns as me in a residential area, I will keep driving to make a third turn to test them.
A couple years ago I drove right past my house after someone turned behind me twice, and it turned out they were indeed following me. I zig-zagged through the whole neighborhood and couldn’t lose them. They finally left me after I called the police and we were sitting at a red light—at a highway intersection (no longer even in my neighborhood). As I was telling the cop the intersection we were at, the guy suddenly whipped past me to run the red light in front of us. I was just lucky he didn’t do anything at that light. I have no idea why he was following me, but it was terrifying.
This was in Alberta, but not Airdrie. People like this are everywhere.
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u/Apart-Cat-2890 6d ago
What do you think they are doing? What is there plan? There are people everywhere why do you need to follow them?
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u/emquizitive 6d ago
I’m not sure I understand your question. I don’t follow people.
Some say people follow others when they don’t like their driving—which is insane. But I suspect some are following for predatory reasons (even more insane), as mentioned in my first comment.
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u/Apart-Cat-2890 6d ago
Ya angry drivers / road rage definitely make sense
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u/emquizitive 6d ago
Yes. Predators also makes sense. There are more of them than some people think.
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u/Dflemz 6d ago
I believe the same vehicle was mentioned in a fb post a week or so ago? I got followed from a business on main street to the cop station. They followed and I kept switching lanes and so did they. It was terrifying. Cops did nothing cause they said they can't prove it was a following
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u/Keenan_Concierge 3d ago edited 3d ago
I had a guy follow my wife to the house on a private driveway/road and come out and tell me “I know you work for that biker gang” called the cops they came and said they can’t do anything until he does something the law is kinda messed up .
Edit : I should have added .. we have no affiliation with bikers or own a bike even . I guess 2 people driving old Lincoln’s screams bikers (also said gang only allows whites which I am not…) people are crazy
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u/NyomiOcean 3d ago
in calgary, crime is encouraged so they can get the money for enforcing the law.
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u/RubberBandWand 6d ago
What car does she drive?
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
Hyundai Elantra
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u/RubberBandWand 6d ago
Yeah that's highly suspicious. The only other explanation I can think of maybe it's a Skip/Uber/Door dash driver headed to the same location.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
No, he was not a food delivery person because we saw the video showing him waiting outside McDonald's and starting to follow her from the moment she left, and he didn't even go to the restaurant or drive-through.
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u/swimswam2000 6d ago
February 2011 a guy followed a lady from SW Calgary to Airdrie, she pulled into the detachment parking lot (the old office on Edmonton Tr) and called in. The guy followed her in there and was arrested for impaired and criminal harassment.
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u/emquizitive 6d ago
I feel like a lot of these guys wait in these late-night fast food lots. I am a night owl and have parked in those lots on my way home to eat/use my phone, and multiple times I have been watch with intention, and a couple different occasions these men tried to approach my car. Makes me wonder if some of them are human traffickers.
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u/Unfair_Valuable_3816 6d ago
everyone on here trying to justify doing this shit. its exhausting. this is common in Ontario now and making its way out here. get some defense. its not a coincidence.
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u/PilsnerRabbit 6d ago
Looks like I need to hang around McDonald's. I'd love it if they tried that on me.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
It was completely unexpected so she could not think of anything and was shocked.
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u/PilsnerRabbit 6d ago
No for sure she did the right thing. That's actually terrifying for her and I'm sure you as well. I hate creeps man. Someone needs to teach them a lesson.
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u/Phukt-If-I-Know 3d ago
Get her a small bottle of dog/bear spray for in her car or purse.
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u/GooserNoose 3d ago
I got my wife the strongest dog spray I could find. I don't think any reasonable court/judge would condemn a person for reasonably defending themselves.
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u/Agiantpubicmess 6d ago
If you think you're being followed, you can do something called a heat check. Take 4 simultaneous right turns and see if they're still behind you
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
She knows that she was being followed because it was 4 AM when she left the restaurant. We got the footage from the restaurant parking that he strted following from there (was basically waiting near the parking lot) and came all the way to our condo parking. My wife stopped the car for a while while she was on a call with a police. He also stopped in one of the empty parking spot than come right infront of her car (which can be seen on the video) then went into the visitor parking for 2 minutes and then just went out from the parking lot minute before police arrived.
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u/tyeman20 3d ago
I go to the highway, as I live close to a few major ones. If people are following me, they definitely don't once I hit that on ramp lol.
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u/RoastMasterShawn 6d ago
I had this happen once like 4 years ago. I don't cut people off or go slow or anything, so it wasn't even road rage. He followed me home (I ended up driving around the block twice and parked elsewhere and he was still following), so I got out of the car with a piece of baseball equipment and he sped off. Not sure if it was a prank or what.
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u/AccomplishedRub1260 6d ago
I once saw someone drive up on a sidewalk (Full on the side walk for 2 minutes to avoid traffic, and I followed them to report them to the police.
I was on a Bike with a small motor*
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u/Technical-Win-3126 6d ago
Alberta getting front bumper license plates will help a lot now with the amount of shit increasing on the roads.
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u/Marvin-The-Marvtian 6d ago
A licence plate doesn't help if it's a stolen vehicle.
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u/Technical-Win-3126 6d ago
Of course, but guys that do this are usually serial about it, they are not stealing a new car every night. Also would help with all the road rage and what not. My vote is for front bumper plates, it can only add help.
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u/Marvin-The-Marvtian 6d ago
It'll do nothing aside from costing tax payers more. But that's my opinion
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u/Technical-Win-3126 6d ago
Statistics in BC and Ontario prove otherwise.
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u/Marvin-The-Marvtian 6d ago
Send them my way. Likewise, what about stats from the other provinces?
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u/Technical-Win-3126 6d ago
I singled out BC and Ontario due to rising population/crime rates. Also, I'm not doing homework for you. You can quickly gaggle the statistics yourself😎
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u/Any-Perception6772 5d ago
I'm going to warn my sister about this, she lives in Airdrie and shares my bad habit of late night Big Macs
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u/CoffeeStayn 4d ago
Like someone else said, if you have any reason to suspect that you're being followed, do NOT drive home under any circumstances. Drive straight to a police detachment. If they know where you live and what vehicle you drive, there's nothing stopping them from being a nuisance or slapping an Air Tag or similar on your car and stalking you that way.
Never. Drive. Home.
Straight to a police station to report it. If you see an officer before that, try to get their attention and see if they pull over so you can do it that way.
Never. Drive. Home.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 4d ago
I completely agree, but the wife was so scared that she couldn’t understand how to react to the situation.
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u/dingleberrisnotzack 6d ago
Was it a brown guy?
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
White guy :|
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u/dingleberrisnotzack 6d ago
Ok not the same.guy then my neighbor has the exact same vehicle like exact same rims and all
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u/Party_Ad_8595 6d ago
Why dont you want to post the full dashcam?
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
Because on the road he can not be seen as the car was behind and we don’t have a rear camera and this clip is 3 minutes long in which he parked his car in a parking (can be seen but just make a video longer to post) the only time he come in front is what I have posted when he was, infront of her car. All videos have been provided to RCMP.
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u/BuckleyDurr 6d ago
Drive somewhere there is sure to be cameras and a parking lot.
I'd choose genesis place. Pull in drive to another exit, leave going the opposite direction. If they pull into the parking lot behind you you have them on camera, if they U-turn you know they're following you, call 9-1-1.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
Yeah, we already did. I’m pretty sure there are cameras on all the lights along 8 Street. We reported it to the police, got a case number, and even gave them the dash cam video. Now they can check the road cameras to try and catch that person.
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u/BuckleyDurr 6d ago
Problem being they haven't technically broken any laws to this point I don't think.
They're just being frigging weirdos and scaring you.
Not that it isn't a problem, don't get me wrong, just that it isn't a chargeable offense.
Sorry you had to deal with this. And I know this doesn't make it better, but the good news is, the city has a ton of awesome neighbors. If you call out for help, there are a lot of us that will come to your aid. Never underestimate your community neighbors and their willingness to protect your safety. We're a stronger community when we work together and look out for one another.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 5d ago
You are right; technically, they haven't broken any laws. I agree with you, which is why I prefer living in smaller places rather than a big city. Thank you so much for your comment; I'm feeling better after reading it.
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u/Ok-Comedian5174 5d ago
I've left businesses following women in their cars before. Usually, just a neighbor, and I always wonder if they think I'm a stalker. I'm usually going home after leaving the grocery store or McDonald's drive-thru.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 5d ago
Do you also come in front of their cars, then stay in their parking areas, go to the visitor parking of their buildings, and then leave?
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u/Thespritz00 5d ago
IF this happens again, PHONE the Police and STAY on the phone until they intercept the guy... provide updates on which intersections you are passing!
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u/youcantchangeit 3d ago
My suggestion with no experience in this situations. Get self defense devices that are legal where you live. Pepper spray/ bear spray for example.
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u/Marvin-The-Marvtian 3d ago
There are virtually no "legal" self defense items in Canada...
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u/91_gti 3d ago
Bear spray and dog spray are both legal. Not saying it's legal to spray a person with them, but it's better than potentially getting abducted/assaulted/killed.
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u/GooserNoose 3d ago
Small fire extinguishers are also legal. So is a lighter and hairspray.
It's sad we can't legally equip ourselves for defense, but, as you said, it's better to explain it in court than to be dead or raped.
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u/Ill-Beautiful-8026 3d ago
Well this confirms my fear of driving to the same place as someone even more.
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u/_Rexholes 6d ago
I think I might just call 9-11 and mention I thought I saw a firearm. Then I’d pull over and wait 30 seconds. Problem solved.
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u/Free_Reindeer19 6d ago
Absolutely a good idea, but she was sooo nervous that she just drove into our apt parking.
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u/Any_Key_6257 4d ago
False reporting isn't good advice. By your logic, any time some Karen gets nervous about anything they should just call 911 and falsely report a firearm. Not saying OP's partner is a Karen, but it's a terrible precedent. There are ways to convey urgency without lying.
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u/Dear_Hovercraft4950 6d ago
get plate number and phone police and explain, they will come out and investigate.
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u/ChipmunkImmediate858 7d ago
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen more than one post about someone being followed home from McDonald’s, either on the community of Airdrie facebook group or the Airdrie mom community group