'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20v30%20h60%20v-30%20z'%20fill='%23012169'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20L60,30%20M60,0%20L0,30'%20stroke='%23fff'%20stroke-width='6'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20L60,30%20M60,0%20L0,30'%20stroke='%23C8102E'%20stroke-width='4'%20clip-path='url(%23s)'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M30,0%20v30%20M0,15%20h60'%20stroke='%23fff'%20stroke-width='10'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M30,0%20v30%20M0,15%20h60'%20stroke='%23C8102E'%20stroke-width='6'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
UK
%20--%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='1680'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
USA
What to do if…
someone is blocking, waiting near, or watching you approach your parked car
Short answer
Do not continue towards the car. Move to a busy, staffed, or otherwise safer place and call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or you believe a crime is in progress.
Do not do these things
- Do not confront the person or approach them for an explanation.
- Do not unlock or enter the car while the person is close enough to reach you.
- Do not move into a quieter place to avoid being noticed.
- Do not stop to photograph or film the person if that could expose you or delay reaching safety.
- Do not let embarrassment or uncertainty pressure you into returning to the car.
- Do not drive home if you later believe someone is following you.
What to do now
- Turn away from the car and move towards a staffed shop, reception, station, venue, security office, or another busy place. If you are already beside the car, move away towards other people without confronting the person.
- Call 999 and ask for the police if the person follows you, blocks your safe route, threatens you, tries to reach you, or you otherwise believe someone is in immediate danger or a crime is in progress. Give your location and briefly describe what is happening.
- If you call 999 from a mobile and cannot speak, listen to the operator. Respond by whispering, coughing, or tapping if you can. If prompted, press 55 so the call can be transferred to the police.
- Tell a member of staff, security officer, car park attendant, or trusted person what is happening. Ask them to stay with you and, where possible, check the area or help arrange a safe escort.
- Wait inside the safer place. Do not return just because the person appears to have moved; check only from a protected position or ask staff or security to check.
- If there is no immediate danger but the behaviour still concerns you, call 101 or contact your local police online. Note the time, location, the person’s appearance, any vehicle details, and what happened once you are safe, but do not delay leaving danger to collect information.
- If you get into the car safely and then believe another person or vehicle is following you, do not drive home. Go to a busy, staffed place and call 999 when safely stopped if the danger is immediate.
What can wait
You do not need to decide what the person intended, confront them, retrieve the car immediately, gather proof, make a formal report, or change your routine now. Reaching a safer place and involving another person or the police where needed comes first.
Important reassurance
You are allowed to change direction, seek help, and leave your car where it is because something feels wrong. There may be an innocent explanation, but you do not need to approach the person to find out.
Scope note
This guide covers the first safe actions around the car. Repeated watching, following, waiting, or unwanted contact may require later advice from the police or a specialist stalking support service.
Important note
This is general personal-safety information, not legal or professional security advice. Circumstances vary, so follow emergency-service instructions and use the safest available option.
Additional Resources
- GOV.UK — Contact the police
- Police.uk — How to make a silent 999 call
- Police.uk — What to do if youre being stalked or harassed
- Police.uk — How to report stalking or harassment
- ProtectUK — Security away from home
- Suzy Lamplugh Trust — Personal safety advice
- Suzy Lamplugh Trust — National Stalking Helpline
About this guide
This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.