We all have that little voice in the back of our head, the one that whispers when something isn’t quite right. Too many times we ignore it and reap the consequences, but this time, OP listened.

She was finishing a fairly difficult hike in a remote-ish area when she was confronted by a woman alone at the trailhead.

I (23F) am an avid hiker in Australia. Last week I encountered a middle aged woman, around 50 years old as I was coming off a trail. She was walking in my direction as I came out of the bush.

It was strange to see her, the sun was almost down and the weather was starting to turn. Also, this was an intermediate collection of trails at best, difficult even for me at worst. And she didn’t look super athletic.

Point is, my ‘weird’ radar was going off already.

The woman asked if the car in the lot belonged to OP, and when she said ‘yes,’ the woman marched over stating she needed OP to drive her home because of the storm.

She walked up to me and stopped, standing too close for my comfort, gestured toward the clearing where my car was parked, and asked whether it was my car.

No greeting or anything.

When I looked over something made me uncomfortable- there were no cars other than mine in sight.

The trail I was on isn’t crazy far from civilization but it’s not a walk away- one of those highway rest stops that’s there for the trail and a few parking spots. no way she could have got there without driving.

I let her know that, yes, it was my car, to which she responded something like “Perfect, there’s a storm coming, I can’t be caught in it and I need to get home”.

She was very matter of fact. It seemed like she had already decided what would happen. Without waiting for my response, she started striding for my car.

I am glad I always lock my doors because she would have hopped right in the passenger seat had the door opened.

OP felt uncomfortable and told the woman so, but the woman responded with yelling and anger.

As she was walking over to it, I went after her trying to explain that I wasn’t sure it was a good idea for her to hitch a ride- asking why she was out here in the first place.

I was talking to a brick wall until she realised the car was locked, at which point she turned around with this look of anger and frustration on her face.

She starts ranting- the same stuff as before “I NEED to get home” “A STORM is coming” “I CANNOT be caught in it” “Why don’t you get it?!”.

I was very confused at this point, and a little scared, as this woman was now a barrier between me and my vehicle.

I told her something like ‘I’m sorry but I don’t feel comfortable with having a stranger in my car’.

When she realized OP wasn’t going to budge she stopped yelling and walked off to sit on a log alone.

She stared me down for a few seconds, I guess trying to gauge her chances at asking again. And just like that, the anger drops from her face and she’s silent.

I was really uncomfortable. I asked if I could call someone, if there was another way to help. she starts walking- towards me (scary), but then right past me.

I’m still asking her questions, then just saying things like “hello” and “excuse me”. no response.

She walked to the other end of the rest stop and maintained eye contact with me as she sat down on a log, then just stared at nothing.

OP got into her car and called fire and rescue on the way home; they said they would go and check on her.

I didn’t follow her. I got into my car really shaken up and drove away.

As soon as I was back in cell range I called fire and rescue, they said they would send someone out.

I was scared for my safety in the moment, but she was just some woman alone in the middle of nowhere.

Am I wrong for refusing this strange woman a ride/shelter in my car?

Did she let her discomfort get the best of her? What was the woman doing? I bet Reddit has some ideas!

The top comment thinks OP did the kind thing by calling for help.

This person says this is why professionals exist.

And this commenter says those alarm bells are there for a reason.

They say anything could have happened.

This person thinks they know what was about to go down.

This gave me the creeps reading it.

I would have been shaken up, for sure.