PanicStation.org
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us Personal safety & immediate danger someone blocking a doorway • stranger at building entrance • being intercepted at doors • person waiting by the exit • repeated chokepoint encounters • suspicious loitering near entrance • being followed to a doorway • uneasy in a stairwell • elevator lobby feels unsafe • narrow corridor safety • someone trying to corner me • shadowing me in public • intercepting me at turnstiles • someone positioning to block me • feeling targeted at exits • avoiding isolated doorways • worried someone is watching me • unsure if this is stalking • what to do if followed • stranger keeps appearing nearby

What to do if…
you notice a person repeatedly positioning themselves to intercept you at doors or chokepoints

Short answer

Don’t go through the next chokepoint with them. Step back into a safer, staffed/public place and call 911 if you feel in immediate danger.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t enter an elevator, stairwell, narrow hallway, parking-garage door, or doorway if they’re setting up to funnel you through it.
  • Don’t confront them in a confined space or let them get between you and an exit.
  • Don’t go straight to your home, car, or a quiet side entrance while you’re unsure what’s happening.
  • Don’t get stuck focusing on keys/phone at a door while they’re close behind you.
  • Don’t accept “help” that moves you somewhere more secluded (“come this way”, “let me show you”).
  • Don’t try to “test” them by letting them get close at the next door.

What to do now

  1. Interrupt the setup. Stop before the next door/chokepoint. Turn around, change direction, or step into the nearest open, staffed place (store, lobby, reception, café).
  2. Position for safety. Stand where you can leave easily and where other people can see you. Avoid corners and dead ends; keep a clear route back out.
  3. Bring in staff/security immediately. Say something simple and direct: “I don’t feel safe—someone keeps positioning themselves to intercept me at doors. Can you stay with me and call security / help me leave?” If you’re in an apartment building, go back to the main entrance/management office rather than using a quieter entry.
  4. Call 911 if you feel threatened or blocked. Start with your location and what’s happening (“They keep moving to doorways to intercept me”). If you can’t safely stay on the line, say that and follow the operator’s instructions as best you can.
  5. If you’re driving and think you’re being followed, don’t drive home. Keep driving legally to a well-lit public place with people (for example, a busy gas station/store) or to a police/sheriff/fire station, and call 911. Don’t speed, and don’t text while driving.
  6. Collect only the basics, safely. Note the time, exact location(s), and description. If there are cameras (store/building), ask staff whether they can note the incident and retain relevant CCTV (time/location) according to their policy.
  7. Report a repeated pattern. Even if nothing “happened” beyond intercepting behavior, repeated incidents can matter. After you’re safe, contact your local police department (911 for active danger; otherwise your local non-emergency/dispatch line) to make a report and get guidance.
  8. If this is becoming ongoing, treat it as a safety issue (not a debate). If the same person keeps showing up near entrances/exits over days or weeks, ask local police or a victim-support resource about safety planning and what protections exist in your state (processes vary).

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether it “counts as stalking” or whether you can “prove intent”.
  • You do not need to gather perfect evidence (video/photos). Don’t trade safety for documentation.
  • You do not need to negotiate, explain yourself, or “be polite” at the next doorway.

Important reassurance

This kind of repeated “positioning” around doors and chokepoints is worth taking seriously early. Choosing distance, witnesses, and help is a reasonable response.

Scope note

This is first steps only to reduce immediate risk. If it’s recurring around your home, work, or routine routes, you may need a longer-term plan and local guidance.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. If you feel unsafe or threatened, call 911.

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