A Different Ride

Something weird happened to me; more scary in a what could have been kind of way, so not on the same scale as the poor people in the comments.

I was 17 years old (male) and walking home from a night out quite drunk and stoned about 2am. I’m in a lonely part of my walk no people, few cars: just a road and some large shops: a B&Q and a carpet showroom - out of town shopping complexes that have since become ubiquitous in the UK.

Anyway, In a lay-by about 15 feet away is a silver car pulled up lights on. As I stumble past two men step out and call me over.

Something about the situation immediately sobers me up. I keep walking and one of them shouts “it’s fine we are the police: we will drive you home”

I stop for a moment and reply with some smart arse comment along the lines of how police would never do this and that they were dodgy.

Calling them dodgy always sticks in my mind.

He insists I’m too drunk and it’s not safe for a young man like me and I should let them take me home.

I say no and he then tells me to come over here and listen to the police radio in the car to prove they are real police. It’s weird the guy is almost begging me; desperation in his voice.

I repeat a firm no, tell them I’m fine and keep walking. Minute I’m out of sight, I run as fast as I can and don’t relax until the 30 minutes later I’m home.

I can only assume they didn’t man handle me into the car because there was the very occasional taxi driving past.

Im 45 now and occasionally think about how that could have ended for me. None of the scenarios seem good.

Sadly stories like this are probably more routine for women but at the time it really shook me up.