This can be anything from bombarding you with text messages (despite no reply) to strangers standing just a little too close on public transport.
Most of the time people get the message, but what happens when they just won’t take a hint?
These women contributed to a Reddit thread answering the question: “Women of Reddit, what’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve had to do to get a guy to leave you alone?”
And the answers are as creative as they are creepy.
Wear A Wedding Ring
“I used to wear a fake engagement ring when I was a bartender because of the constant sleaze from all angles. I even ended up buying one in sterling silver because the cheapy ones would start rusting from getting wet,” says Hollstero.
Call His Grandma
“It got to the point where he would come in [to my work], buy a coffee or a soda, and then hang out for hours until my shift was over so he could follow me to my car. I wasn’t allowed to kick him out of the diner because ‘hey, he’s a paying customer!’ And I didn’t think I could call the cops. I told him over and over and over again to leave me alone, but of course, nothing,” says Childerolande.
“I went home, called my great grandma and got her to pull his grandmother’s phone number out of her address book. We had a great talk and she put the beat down on him I guess, because I never saw him again after that.”
Run Away, Run Far Away
“I literally ran away from him. Just took to my heels and dashed as fast as I could. He caught up, giggling ‘man, you run fast,” says Smunchyblue.
“He thought it was hilarious and cute. Meanwhile, I was terrified.”
Pretend To Be A Lesbian
“To help out a female friend who couldn’t get a guy to leave her alone at a concert, I pretended to be her psycho butch lesbian girlfriend. She’s tiny and fem, and I’m 5’8” and athletic. Mostly worked, though asshole did ask to see us make out. I told him to fuck off. That was actually kind of fun, and we laugh about it now,” says _Franz_Kafka_.
Get The Wrong Bus
“I got off on a bus stop that wasn’t mine and walked about a mile home just so he wouldn’t talk to me any more,” says Grump.
Change Car Registration Plates
“Change my license plates. Met a guy who told me his friend follows around my car because ‘a cute blonde’ drives it. Word of advice, never get personalized license plates,” says Montana_Girl.
Quote Bob Dylan
“I acted like a crazy person and sent him the lyrics to Bob Dylan’s ‘Changing of The Guards’ and gave him an in depth analysis on how these lyrics were a sign from some great cosmic being and made up bullshit about how I found connections in the lyrics to our new relationship,” says GiraffePolka.
Be Sick
“I once told a guy at a party that his personality was so disgusting it made me want to vomit. He didn’t believe me, and continued to hit on me. So I voluntarily vomited on him just to get my point across,” says MandyLee123.
Pretend To Be Pregnant
“I told him I was pregnant (we hadn’t even had sex.) He stopped calling,” says EuphorbiaEuphoria.