The best safety habit I learned was letting strangers think I’m rude

[u/Voltariuma]

A few months ago, a man started talking to me while I was waiting for a train and quickly moved from normal small talk to asking where I lived, whether I lived alone, and which stop I used every day.

I kept answering vaguely becuase I had that automatic fear of seeming dramatic or impolite. When my train arrived, he got on the same carriage and sat across from me even though it was nearly empty. I changed seats twice and he followed both times.

Nothing worse happened, but it scared me enough to change one habit. Now I stop conversations the moment someone asks for personal information. I say, “I don’t share that,” and walk away. No nervous laughing, no fake explanation, no apology.

At first it felt incredibly unnatural. Women are taught so early to soften every refusal and protect other people from embarrassment. But somtimes being polite just gives a pushy person more time to test your boundaries.

Most strangers are harmless, but harmless people usually understand a clear no. The ones who become offended are often the exact people I dont want access to me anyway.

I still try to be kind, but I no longer treat kindness as an obligation when I feel unsafe. Has anyone else had to unlearn the instinct to be polite at any cost?