PanicStation.org
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uk Personal safety & immediate danger feel unsafe walking to my car • someone loitering on my route • suspicious person near my car • unsafe in a car park • parking garage feels unsafe • walking to my vehicle at night • person hanging around car park • someone watching me in car park • worried i’m being followed to my car • alone walking to car • need an escort to my car • car park personal safety • uneasy about stranger nearby • loiterer blocking my path • getting to my car safely • returning to car safely • anxious walking to parked car • suspicious behaviour near parking area

What to do if…
you feel unsafe walking to your car because someone is loitering along your path

Short answer

Don’t walk past them. Go back to a staffed, well-lit place and ask for a staff/security escort if available (or arrange a different way home). If you feel in immediate danger, call 999.

Do not do these things

  • Do not “push through” just to avoid seeming rude or overreacting.
  • Do not confront the person, argue, or try to “test” what they want.
  • Do not take a quieter shortcut (between cars, stairwells, side exits) to avoid them.
  • Do not dig for keys while walking or stop to message people in the open.
  • Do not unlock your car and then pause outside it.
  • Do not get into your car and sit there with doors unlocked while you decide.

What to do now

  1. Stop and change the plan. Turn around and go back to the nearest place with people and staff (shop, reception, petrol station kiosk, venue entrance, hotel lobby).
  2. Put people and visibility around you. Stand near a counter/front desk or other footfall point (often near main entrances/pay stations where there may be cameras), rather than waiting alone outside.
  3. Ask for an escort if it’s available. Keep it simple: “I don’t feel safe walking to my car. Can someone walk with me to bay/level X?”
    If they can’t, ask if you can wait inside until a friend/relative arrives, or until the area clears.
  4. Arrange a safer alternative from inside. If you’re alone, consider calling a friend for pickup at the entrance or booking a licensed taxi/minicab from where you are, instead of walking out by yourself.
  5. If you think you’re being followed or blocked, call the police.
    • Call 999 if you feel in immediate danger, the person is approaching you, following you, or preventing you leaving.
    • Call 101 if you’re not in immediate danger but want police advice or to report concerning behaviour. Give your exact location (car park/site name, nearest entrance, level/row) and say what you’re doing now (“I’m inside by reception.”).
    • If you can’t speak on a mobile call to 999: stay on the line and follow the operator prompts; you may be asked to press 55 to confirm you need police help.
  6. When you do reach the car, keep it simple: get in and go. Get in, lock the doors immediately, start the engine, and leave the area. If you still feel followed, drive to a busy, well-lit place (e.g., a petrol station) and call 999 if you need urgent help.
  7. After you’re safe, tell the site. If this happened on private property (store/venue/workplace), consider notifying management/security so they can watch for patterns and review their safety measures.

What can wait

  • You don’t need to decide right now whether the person is “actually dangerous.”
  • You don’t need to take photos, collect proof, or confront anyone to justify leaving.
  • You don’t need to make a formal report immediately if you’re shaken—create distance and safety first.
  • You don’t need to stick to your original plan or route.

Important reassurance

Feeling unsafe is enough reason to step back and change course. Many people freeze or second-guess themselves in moments like this; choosing the safer option is a normal, sensible response.

Scope note

This is first-steps-only guidance to help you avoid being isolated and get to safety. Anything beyond that—like reporting repeated issues in a specific car park—can be handled later when you’re calmer.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice or a substitute for emergency services. If you believe you’re in immediate danger, call 999.

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