Woman ran after a stranger followed her from the train — the explanation he sent in a later DM made the encounter even more unsettling
Creepy behavior can never be justified, yet some people find the most absurd explanations that leave the victim even more uneasy than before. A Threads user and hip-hop DJ Wanja Lange, who goes by @wanillanice, shared a post on August 3, 2026, revealing one such disturbing interaction. While traveling on the S-Bahn, she noticed a man who kept staring at her and then proceeded to follow her. The encounter got more and more uncomfortable to the point where she had to literally run to escape. He sent her a DM explaining why he acted the way he did, only for the DJ to get even more frustrated.
The pair was on the same train going to Schönholz when Lange spotted the stranger. He stared at her and got off soon after her. When he started walking behind her, she stopped to let him go ahead. However, the man waited and walked even more slowly, refusing to pass her. Throughout her walk, Lange made repeated attempts to lose him, but in vain. During the entire time, he kept his eyes on her, said nothing, and followed her. The second she saw he was distracted, she ran. Later, the man texted her to say he had heard her perform and was a fan of her work. He added that she got “paranoid” when he only wanted to tell her to “keep up the good work.”
The DJ was baffled by his explanation. When he sent her that message, Lange responded by recalling the entire ordeal and how it felt from her perspective. She went on to tell him that calling her “high and paranoid” was disrespectful because he had no idea how dangerous his actions seemed to her. She even pointed out how unsafe it is for a woman to travel alone, and how many women have encountered creepy men in the past. In response to his claim that he only wanted to commend her, she noted he had several opportunities to make that one statement and get it over with. Yet, following her from the train, along the road, and to the bus stop, while still saying nothing and staring at her, was just unacceptable.
“Don’t ever do that to any woman again,” the DJ told him. She even mentioned in her caption how “oblivious” men are to the dangers women are exposed to in public. According to the BBC, the atrocities women face while traveling have pushed them to go to any length to ensure their safety. 90% of women commuters said they felt unsafe to the point where some carry items like hairspray to defend themselves if required.
One of the travelers recalled having men come close to her chest and stare right at her, making her feel uneasy. Data from Oxford Academic revealed that women feel 10% less safe than men when using metros, and it's because they witness instances like the one the DJ described. Commenters took to the comments section to share their opinions. @mctaliofficial said, “I hate the fact that we have to be on high alert from these creeps.” @heycourty added, “That’s how women get trafficked. I’m so glad you’re safe!” Meanwhile, @emahfox remarked, "He's not oblivious. He's trying to gaslight you."
You can follow @wanillanice on Threads for more stories.