Woman began filming for safety when a stranger got out of a car and walked toward her — but the encounter took an unexpected turn
Many women know the feeling of walking alone on an unfamiliar road and suddenly becoming aware of every passing car and every stranger nearby. In those moments, caution often becomes second nature. It was a similar feeling that travel creator Kit Birks, who goes by @kitbirks on Instagram, experienced during her solo journey across Europe. In a video shared on April 29, 2026, she noticed a car pull up nearby while she was alone, and someone began walking toward her. Unsure of who was approaching or why they had stopped, she instinctively began recording the interaction. What appeared to be an unsettling encounter on a quiet road, however, soon became something she never expected.
As the stranger approached, he introduced himself as Jerker and explained that he had been following her journey on Instagram since she began traveling through Norway. The revelation caught her completely off guard. Until that moment, she had been preparing herself for an uncomfortable interaction, only to discover that the man had spent months following her travels online. He then asked if he could take a photograph with her, expressing his excitement at finally meeting someone whose journey he had watched from afar. For Birks, the encounter also became a surprising reminder that the audience people build online can sometimes feel distant until it suddenly appears in real life.
In the caption accompanying the video, Birks explained why she immediately began recording the conversation. She said that only a week earlier, she had experienced a frightening incident that left her so panicked that she could not remember what the vehicle looked like or even recall its license plate number. Recording, she explained, serves as a form of digital memory should something leave her feeling uneasy later.
She also emphasized that she had no idea who was stepping out of the car when she began filming. The encounter also highlights that caution is not necessarily fear but a practical response to uncertainty. This is especially true considering that a survey published by Stop Street Harassment found that 75% of women reported being followed by an unknown man in public at least once.
The viewers, however, advised her to remain cautious. @pattyinidaho said, "And as a woman, big exhale of relief," while @suge_whte commented, "Be careful! Good call and getting his picture too! But still be careful; there are crazy fans out there!" @denrigtigekent wrote, "I feel bad for the world that your first thought is that this might be a bad thing." The creator has also been documenting a solo journey across Europe to raise awareness for suicide prevention, sharing her experiences with thousands of followers online. Through her videos, she speaks openly about mental health, resilience, and the importance of conversation and support.
What began as a personal mission gradually built an international community, allowing people from different countries to follow her progress and connect with the message behind her travels. The reality of being cautious and the possibility of human kindness often exist side by side. Perhaps stories like these remind us that while vigilance may shape how people move through the world, it does not always prevent them from being pleasantly surprised by it.
For more videos, you can follow @kitbirks on Instagram.