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Following someone.

Is following someone an aggressive act?


  • Total voters
    34

Kal'Stang

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Is following someone an aggressive act?

Simple question, simple answer.

I don't believe that it is. If it was then police would not be able to legally follow people. Investigators (PI's) would not legally be able to do it. Paparazzi would not be able to do it.
 
Is following someone an aggressive act?

Simple question, simple answer.

I don't believe that it is. If it was then police would not be able to legally follow people. Investigators (PI's) would not legally be able to do it. Paparazzi would not be able to do it.

All the examples you mentioned are quite different than one person following someone else. Those are all related to someone doing their job, the first two due to enforcing the law/fulfilling their contract. A private citizen following another private citizen is wrong as it can be considered stalking and/or harassment.

EDIT: To make things clearer, I want to say that depending on the context, a private citizen following another private citizen can be wrong.
 
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Is following someone an aggressive act?

Simple question, simple answer.

I don't believe that it is. If it was then police would not be able to legally follow people. Investigators (PI's) would not legally be able to do it. Paparazzi would not be able to do it.

In and of itself, no. However, there are circumstances (I would say the Paparazzi would sometimes fall into this catagory) in which it is.
 
Stalking is following in many cases and is a crime or something can be done. The examples don't seem to fit. The paparazzo can be destructive and in a way stalk people.
 
Stalking is following in many cases and is a crime or something can be done. The examples don't seem to fit. The paparazzo can be destructive and in a way stalk people.

Agreed. Yet they are allowed to do so.
 
Stalking is following in many cases and is a crime or something can be done. The examples don't seem to fit. The paparazzo can be destructive and in a way stalk people.
Stalking is definitely wrong, but that is an intent situation. Following in itself is not aggressive without intent, for instance if I am on my property and follow strangers off of it my intent is to let them understand that they are not welcome and I want them to respect my boundaries, following a strange looking individual may simply be to remain aware of the situation. However if someone continues to follow another after it has been stated they are not welcome to do so is absolutely aggressive.

Stalking is the intent to remain in contact when unwelcome in the most simple definition. Following to cause mental anguish or discomfort is harassment, and of course following to commit an attack is assault so it really boils down to the end goal.
 
Ok if intent is what matters then is following someone because you think that they are suspicious and maybe going to commit a crime an aggressive act?
 
Ok if intent is what matters then is following someone because you think that they are suspicious and maybe going to commit a crime an aggressive act?
Could be, if someone gives you clues that they are not the threat and you are. The aggressor is the one who escalates the situation, at least legally that ends up being the difference in charges.
 
"Following someone" in what way? Walking behind them and going wherever they go? I would certainly feel threatened if someone did that to me.
 
I figured I had gathered the context of what you meant, so I responded in the affirmative.
 
"Following someone" in what way? Walking behind them and going wherever they go? I would certainly feel threatened if someone did that to me.
Possibly, but the person could be trying to return your wallet or other personal item you dropped and didn't want to shout at you. I have actually had that happen to me.
 
Possibly, but the person could be trying to return your wallet or other personal item you dropped and didn't want to shout at you. I have actually had that happen to me.

I actually had someone follow me in their car (I was driving too) to give me back my tobacco can which I had left ontop of my car until they were able to give it back to me. I drove about a mile before I stopped.
 
No context. No vote.
I kind of like the open nature of the question, too many times a situation becomes "case closed" and the initial action is focused on rather than the intent.
 
Is following someone an aggressive act?

Simple question, simple answer.

I don't believe that it is. If it was then police would not be able to legally follow people. Investigators (PI's) would not legally be able to do it. Paparazzi would not be able to do it.

I think it can reasonably be considered an aggressive act by the one being followed.

Especially if one runs and the follower continues the following.

Then the followed would percieve it as being chased.

So no, in and of itself, but yes from the perspective of the followed.
 
Is following someone an aggressive act?

Simple question, simple answer.

I don't believe that it is. If it was then police would not be able to legally follow people. Investigators (PI's) would not legally be able to do it. Paparazzi would not be able to do it.
It's not a simple yes or no, to me. If someone is following me at a walking pace, then I wouldn't consider it aggressive, but I might call the police because I would consider it suspicious, uncomfortable and potentially threatening. However, if someone is running after me, then yes, that type of following would be an aggressive act, period.
 
Stalking is definitely wrong, but that is an intent situation. Following in itself is not aggressive without intent, for instance if I am on my property and follow strangers off of it my intent is to let them understand that they are not welcome and I want them to respect my boundaries, following a strange looking individual may simply be to remain aware of the situation. However if someone continues to follow another after it has been stated they are not welcome to do so is absolutely aggressive.

Stalking is the intent to remain in contact when unwelcome in the most simple definition. Following to cause mental anguish or discomfort is harassment, and of course following to commit an attack is assault so it really boils down to the end goal.
I disagree that aggression in the case of following relies on intent. Using the definition of aggressive as "vigorously energetic, especially in the use of initiative and forcefulness," a person can be aggressive without intending to be and without devious intentions.
 
I disagree that aggression in the case of following relies on intent. Using the definition of aggressive as "vigorously energetic, especially in the use of initiative and forcefulness," a person can be aggressive without intending to be and without devious intentions.
I agree with that, I was more thinking back to CJUS behavioral classes back in college and going a little more on the legal end. Self defense starts when you feel threatened but it's limited to securing your person, but yes there are different levels of aggression and if someone is making another uncomfortable it could qualify.
 
"Following someone" in what way? Walking behind them and going wherever they go? I would certainly feel threatened if someone did that to me.

Would you feel threatened enough, say early evening, in a very public place, to attack them without discussion of what was going on?


Self defense starts when you feel threatened but it's limited to securing your person,

Robbery is a forcible felony, and can be met with lethal force under SYG in FL.
 
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Would you feel threatened enough, say early evening, in a very public place, to attack them without discussion of what was going on?

What? If it was in a public place why would I attack them? I'd rather just slip into the crowd and try to get away.
 
Following someone may or may not be an aggressive act; however it is definitely aggressive if after following them you rough them up because you wrongly thought they were guilty of some crime.
 
Is holding a loaded gun an aggressive act?

The answer is, "No, not in and of itself."

But in some circumstances, it clearly is and in some it's clearly not.

I am not sure what your poll is hoping top establish.
 
Following someone is not a forcible felony (right?) and therefore is not cause to attack someone under Florida SYG.

Sure it can be aggressive, but it doesn't justify battery without discussion.
 
Would it be safe to assume that pedophiles and rapists would enjoy this luxury, all they have to do is say "that person looked suspicious to me" so I had to follow them.

I have been followed before, once because a couple of people thought I seemed suspicious and when the police had to get involved there it got pretty weird. Strangely enough it was I who had been kicked out of the local police station and told to never visit that town again.

Following can be very dangerous activity whether justified or not.
 
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