Being asked for directions

[Braggfan]

An odd thing happened to me last night while walking home, and I guess I’m posting it up here as a warning to others.

It was about 23:45 and I was walking up London road just past the Carden Avenue junction, not many people about, when a van pulled up at the side of the road. There were 3 blokes in and 1 asked where Patcham was. So I walked over and started explaining and the guy said, “I’ve got a post code on my phone do you recognise it?”, when I walked up to the window he leaned out and threw water in my face, he absolutely doused me in water and then sped off. I wasn’t really sure what was happening at first, but when I saw the bottle for a split second I actually thought he was dousing me in lighter fluid. Thankfully it was just water, but it freaked me out.

Anyway, just letting everyone know these d***heads are out there and to be careful if some asks you directions late at night.

 

[Petee]

It's just banter

 

[Randsta]

An odd thing happened to me last night while walking home, and I guess I’m posting it up here as a warning to others.

It was about 23:45 and I was walking up London road just past the Carden Avenue junction, not many people about, when a van pulled up at the side of the road. There were 3 blokes in and 1 asked where Patcham was. So I walked over and started explaining and the guy said, “I’ve got a post code on my phone do you recognise it?”, when I walked up to the window he leaned out and threw water in my face, he absolutely doused me in water and then sped off. I wasn’t really sure what was happening at first, but when I saw the bottle for a split second I actually thought he was dousing me in lighter fluid. Thankfully it was just water, but it freaked me out.

Anyway, just letting everyone know these d***heads are out there and to be careful if some asks you directions late at night.

Best just to say you don't live around here and move on....everyone has a smart phone use google maps ffs!!!!!

 

[BBassic]

There's a positive to take from all this - you are definitely smarter by at least a factor of 10000 than all three of the blokes in that van put together.

 

[Braggfan]

It's just banter

what some people call banter, other's would a c*nts trick

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

"Doing anything tonight lads?"
"Nah..."
"Fancy doing the old water/van trick again?"

 

[Icy Gull]

My experience of asking people for directions is that they are generally either village idiots or not local.

The OPs experience sounds a bit scary, I would have been thinking acid not lighter fluid.

 

[sir albion]

You obviously needed a wash....

 

[Tekanne]

Sorry about that

 

[Braggfan]

My experience of asking people for directions is that they are generally either village idiots or not local.

The OPs experience sounds a bit scary, I would have been thinking acid not lighter fluid.

That did also occur to me. I think I thought it was lighter fluid because of the bottle and the way he doused me, but I did pretty quickly think acid as well. Its not pleasent experience thinking "I'm not burning so I think I'm ok". After that thoughts also turned to could that have been piss. Thankfully it was just water.

 

[The Clamp]

I had a similar experience but it was a drive by pot of YOP. I felt genuinely humiliated.
These types will do it to the wrong person one night.
Yours sounds genuinely unsettling.

 

[Albion in the north]

An odd thing happened to me last night while walking home, and I guess I’m posting it up here as a warning to others.

It was about 23:45 and I was walking up London road just past the Carden Avenue junction, not many people about, when a van pulled up at the side of the road. There were 3 blokes in and 1 asked where Patcham was. So I walked over and started explaining and the guy said, “I’ve got a post code on my phone do you recognise it?”, when I walked up to the window he leaned out and threw water in my face, he absolutely doused me in water and then sped off. I wasn’t really sure what was happening at first, but when I saw the bottle for a split second I actually thought he was dousing me in lighter fluid. Thankfully it was just water, but it freaked me out.

Anyway, just letting everyone know these d***heads are out there and to be careful if some asks you directions late at night.

Never really sure what enjoyment people get out of doing things like this. There are some right f**ckwits in society.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I had a similar experience but it was a drive by pot of YOP. I felt genuinely humiliated.
These types will do it to the wrong person one night.
Yours sounds genuinely unsettling.

Sorry to sound naive, but what is a 'pot of YOP'?

 

[The Clamp]

Sorry to sound naive, but what is a 'pot of YOP'?

It's a runny yoghurt drink. I was standing outside what used to be a bar on Dyke Rd at the Dials (then it became a Small Batch, dunno what it is now) when a car full of Rugby looking types drove past and threw said YOP all over me as they whizzed past.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Sorry to sound naive, but what is a 'pot of YOP'?

 

[The Kid Frankie]

Twice I have had people shout abuse at me from a passing car for no reason at all in the last two weeks.

It is definitely **** season out there at the moment.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Looks like some things never change then. Looking back, I had more trouble, aggro and incidents at night walking up London Road in the 2 or so years I lived in Brighton than anywhere else. West Street, London Road in St. Leonards, Hastings town centre, Eastbourne town centre................Nothing like London Road in Brighton.

 

[The Clamp]

I have to say, I would never deliberately approach a car or van at night. I would rarely do it in the day. Especially along that stretch, which I imagine is pretty quiet past about 10pm?

 

[Braggfan]

I have to say, I would never deliberately approach a car or van at night. I would rarely do it in the day. Especially along that stretch, which I imagine is pretty quiet past about 10pm?

It was pretty stupid of me in retrospect, but I didn't really think about it, I just thought I was helping someone out. Lesson learnt.

 

[Alba Badger]

This might sound a bit daft but did you report it to the Police? You might think it is insignificant now but if some poor sod ends up with Acid in their face in a similar circumstance as what happened to you, you’ll regret not reporting it. Not saying they are gearing up for something major like that but you never knows. They might have used you as a (excuse the pun) a dry run for something more serious.

Could you describe the blokes, van any Reg number etc.? It will all be on CCTV I'd expect. Doubt the police would take notice unless it happens lots of times. Intelligence is power for the old bill. Or I might just be blowing it out of proportion because I’m bored at work….. but still i'd personally report it to the local cop shop. No harm in it.