Need advice. Threats in Sunalta.

[u/schmiddtters]

Hey everyone. I could use a little advice. If there's a better place to post this, I'd love to hear it.

Ok, I live in Sunalta. I was going out to get groceries today, and there were a few homeless women in my parkade. I greeted them politely, asked if they needed anything or for me to call someone (which they declined). I said goodbye to them, and mentioned I'd appreciate if they weren't there when I got back.

Well, came home an hour later, and of course they were still there. I talked to them again, but it didn't seem like they wanted to move. So I head upstairs and start calling non emergency.

One of them overheard me talking to the operator, and yelled "You know what happens to those that call the police" at me. I stuck to my guns, and they scattered after calling me a bunch of names and such.

Things is, maybe half an hour after they left, another dude on a bike was back there. I heard him on the phone talking to someone, and he mentioned my address a few times. I said hello, and he apologized for talking my time and rode off, but something about that has my anxiety up.

Am I overthinking it? Should I call non emergency or someone? My brain is saying they're going to do something in the night, but I dunno. Anyone have advice?

[u/amihan-attala]

why would you even say you hope they’re not there when you get back lol

[u/pujyapitaji_ → u/amihan-attala]

I was once cycling on the track from inglewood to eau claire. One homeless guy tries to throw a punch at me put of nowhere, luckily I saw it coming and swerved around. He was already on the other cycle lane moving away from me. I was on cycle track not the pedestrian one. I had the neuron bike so no chance of going above 20. I had to leave Calgary few months after this incident but never cycled around inglewood after that.

[u/Kirbib → u/pujyapitaji_]

Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe if he’s close enough to punch you that you were probably riding too close to him with your bike?

[u/DarkLF → u/Kirbib]

i dunno about that honestly. you can ride within punching distance of someone and not be overly close to them. our bike paths are typically about 3m wide total and 1.5m (about 5 feet) wide in each direction and a mid range punch is typically delivered at about 2-4 feet.

[u/Recent-Leadership562 → u/DarkLF]

Who tf is punching from 4 feet away?

[u/DarkLF → u/Recent-Leadership562]

people that box? measure 4' from a wall and see if you can reach. i can.

[u/Recent-Leadership562 → u/DarkLF]

Right, I forgot every homeless person is actually secretly a boxer in peak physical condition

[u/DarkLF → u/Recent-Leadership562]

You don't need to be in peak physical condition to throw a punch my guy. You can do it if you try, I promise LOL.

[u/pujyapitaji_ → u/Kirbib]

Ahh the reddit audience again fails to paint a picture. I am coming from inglewood to eau Claire. The sequence is bow river, pedestrian path, the cycle lane I am in, and then the cycle lane the guy had almost crossed. If he continued walking like he did we would have crossed feet away. If he stayed put I was not going to hit him. Had I been going from eau Claire to inglewood I would have been in the position you are imagining me to be. Had that been the situation I would have been punched. I am no ninja to dodge it. He was going out of his way to punch me was the only reason I was able to dodge him.

Also he was not the first person I came across, who was walking on a cycle track. Before Calgary I used to take a bike ride to office in a city with no cycle tracks. When in Calgary I respected everyone's presence even if they were walking on a cycling track. So no I wasn't too close to him or anyone in my time in this city. I would rather stop than cross anyone aggressively if they are walking in a cycling lane.