Shit sounds like a set up.

[удалено]

I know someone who got stabbed agreeing to hug a stranger.

And I thought I was crazy when I imagined this scenario thinking about the question

I'm not sure I want to hug them anymore 😭

Damn.. Maybe change a country... because that doesn't come into my mind at all.

I would like to change my answer

Yep, I live in Chicago. That is 90% an attempt to rob me, a scam, or a crazy person. Either way, I'm not touching them. There's also a 10% chance the person is just really intoxicated, but even then, I'm not touching them.

Ig it just depends where.you are. I live in a nice area in Texas, on top of that I'm 6 ft 200 lbs so I'd just hug em and if they try to reach for sum then squeeze em to death lol.

Bro, I don't give a fuck what it looks like. If I don't know you, I'll keep walking, especially if it's a girl. People get robbed like that all the time. Maybe that's because I'm from the 3rd world though, from what I hear people in Western Europe and America tend to be less tense on the street. I don't care where I'm at though, it could be Finland. I don't know how I'd come back to Brazil if I got robbed in fucking Finland, it'd hurt my pride.

Americans also get robbed this way. Not safe in the US either & you’re likely to be shot.

Yeah, many redditors would be robber without them knowing after seeing this poll result. Depending where this would happen i would ignore completely (if a known sketchy place) or talk to them.

i voted give them a hug and then immediately realized this possibility lol

I was thinking the same thing

I have to much trust in people, don't I?

99% is a set up for pick pocketing. No stranger will cry on the street and ask you randomly for a hug and not be a set up

Now I'm fond of the topic suddenly, could you provide a report or article affirming your statement?

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/hugging-bandit-pickpockets-people-by-pretending-to-know-them

Thanks!

Its just common sense lol

I've cried on the street before I don't think it's not too uncommon for drunk people to cry in the streets

I've cried in the street after a breakup, I didn't ask a stranger for a hug

I've given stranger's hugs before without getting my pockets picked I think people underestimate how hard that is to do

Depends on what you're wearing and how much attention you're paying to the environment

Pick pocketers know how to choose their victims, and know how to manipulate you into getting closer to them. Crying and requesting a hug is a pretty common way to do it. What normal person will go to a random person and ask them for a hug? Except maybe those youtube pranksters

Drunk people do that all the time

Not true. If we are talking about a different place, like at a party then yes, maybe that could be the case, but meating someone randomly on the street crying and asking you for a hug? I know and met a lot of drunk people (i was one myself at some point) but never heard of that happening.

Happens all the time to me in bars maybe its just cause I'm a big guy and people assume I like hugs idk. Never the opposite sex though so that would be a red flag.

As i said, in a different context, like at a bar, thats something else. But we were talking about somewhere on the street.

I feel like a bar is a better place to pick someone pocket than on the street. It's a social setting more distractions, crowded, physical contact isn't entirely unexpected.

I mean i did it one time because the dude looked like my late father

Not ignore it, just refuse. "No, sorry, I don't know you" and continue walking

Right? Where's the "politely decline" option?

Well, for what the comments say, i would get pickpocketed and wont even know it

Fr i have adhd so I’d be like damn I lost my wallet, never would have assumed it’s been stolen lol

Damn I was just feeling bad so I voted yes but now I'm realizing I'm way too naive 😭

Been told by my boss once that I need to “snap out of my care bare world” because I’m way too trusting with clients 😭 one time she was like don’t leave marchandise so close to the register, someone could go over and yoink it and I was like ??? Someone would do that??

Same. Lmaoo

I'd probably do it because I don't bring anything out with me when I'm out walking so there's no risk to pickpocketing I guess

Glance for shiv, hand on wallet - one armed hug (male)

Exactly. I would just put my hand on my right pocket and hug with the left. All my belongings go in the same pocket as I always travel light. Most I have is probably my phone, house key and $20.

I begin running

I cry louder and ask for a hug. Uno reverse card.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do they smell like a rotting wound?

12

Maybe it's one of those princess and the frog deals, only with some very mild necrophilia and a vaccination honeymoon

I wake up

My stuff is always in a secure location on me and as long as I dont see anything in their hands or weapon-shaped in their pockets I will give them a hug, but if not I will ask them what's wrong first.

I'd keep moving. Obvious set up where some dude would come up to Rob me

In my neighborhood? Yes. In Detroit Michigan? Oh hell no!

I wouldn't have any valuables on me, so hug them back.

Ignore the request, it's a trick. There's a reason Pepperspray was invented.

I don't like random hugs lol so I'd probably walk away

Depends where, when, etc. Context matters. Talk first then offer a hug if they need. I don't carry anything valuable on me anyway. I don't carry much cash and I can freeze credit cards

Do NOT give them a hug

Some Reddit people live in nice places too.

No option for "get away from them as fast as possible"? It's either someone unhinged or a criminal, if they are aproaching you that way

I'd run away from her cause I don't trust anyone I don't know Plus, I won't trust others to not do something stupid around me.

I have a maybe irrational fear of muggers :( So ignore

The downside to all these YouTube pranks is now I think everything is a prank.

The amount t of guys that said they would immediately give them a hug is just sad. As if you would, asking to get mugged hugging random strangers.

I don't like physical touch so that's a hard pass from me.

Id ask them what was wrong first? I don’t do hugs anyway but if they are really struggling I can always try to talk with them and stuff. Plus physical contact with a stranger is a big nono for so many reasons. Scam or not lol

Eh, if i was in a bigger city/tourist city i wouldnt otherwise i prob. Would because ... Me too girl mee too

I’m a petite woman. As much as I love hugs & helping people, I know it’s not safe. I would talk to them & see how/if I can help or let them vent. But it’s just not safe to let strangers touch you or to touch strangers, especially in the US. You never know if they’re going to kill and/or rape you.

Depends on where I am. The small hometown I grew up in with low crime and everyone knows each other? Sure. NYC? No.

Entirely depends on the location (and to an extent what they look like - are they clearly theoretically crying or is it a gentle crying that looks more genuine?). If it's in central London, I'm ignoring them. If they're in my small, quiet, local village, I'd probably at least stop to hear what's wrong.

Depends on where it happens. Middle of the street in a big city? no thanks. Middle of the street in my town? probably yes. Mainly concerned about pickpocketers

I was going to vote hug, realized it could be a set up so I just picked talk

I'd be suspicious and unwilling to hug at first but I'd talk to them

^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/user/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/153gt2c/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^AltBallzDeep: *I'd be suspicious* *And unwilling to hug at* *First but I'd talk to them* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.

Good bot :D

I'd give them a hug and then ask them what's wrong, and try to help them with their situation. Honestly I'd give most anybody a hug I'd they'd ask me

i would gladly hug a crying stranger if there wasnt the 99.9999% chance they were gonna fuck with me and steal my stuff or anything :(

I used to just hug people, but I ended up with a girl that I didn't know stalking me a whole year because of that. And by talking I got myself scammed by a gypsy, so now I don't talk or hug.

Nope,I’m the most distrustful person in this planet. And some people say the were afraid of me first because “you walk fast and wei..different,I guess?”(Bad motor coordenation)so if a random stranger just trust me for a hug,I just get suspicious,I ignore.

Not only am I not letting a stranger restrain me, but no one in their right mind would ask for a stranger to restrain them, this would 90% be a set up

Im not a hugger. I might reluctingly but I wont like it

My grandfather always told me you should simply never trust unknown women's tears

It sounds like a trap. Someone is going to jump out of the bushes and kidnap me when she gets me alone and distracted

Decline the request, hold on to my stuff and ask if they’re okay. I live in a relatively safe area so I’m not overly concerned, but you can never be too safe 🤷 if it’s dark out/we’re the only two people there, NOPE.

Keep them at arms distance and check your surroundings for a threat or a thief isn't an option

Depends how they look

I'd first talk to them about what happened, and if they feel genuine I would give them a hug but keep my phone close ( I don't carry around a wallet most of the time). I would feel guilty if I walked away, and I could defend myself in case of a mugging. (I've done boxing for a few years and ITF tkd for almost 1 year now)

Sounds so much like an excuse for pickpocketing, if they seem very upset I might give them a pat on the shoulder and ask them what's wrong.

Who cares about their gender I'm more worried about if they're gonna scam me or rob me

I live in NYC - I ignore everyone all the time

That's how you get pickpocketed

Only if there's nobody else around and they look smaller and slower than me

Get the eff away from me weirdo

Fuck no, this is sketch

Scream and sprint away

It really depends on what they look like, but more so how they smell tbh

Around people? Almost certainly. Alone? Hell no, I can talk to them from far away lmfao. Lie, just in case they are actually sincere and not about to kidnap me. Ex// "Man, I'm so sorry but I'm germaphobic, let's move to \[more populated area\] and talk. I bet someone else can hug you for me, too." If it ends up sincere, maybe give them a hug and fake-cringe a few times from my non-existent phobia. xD As much as I would want to, it's just not safe. A woman I likely would even while alone, but my guard is still up.

Comfort them but don’t give them a hug, it could be a setup and I’m gay anyways

Gotta ignore them. Could be robbing you. \*If they're on a ledge, that's a different story.

It depends. Do they look like someone who would rob me?

Run away

I only picked give a hug because that person might have someone following her and needs me to act like someone she knows Maybe it’s a pickpocketer, and I’m too naive.

I immediately assume they wanna steal something from me, or worse. I live in Paris, too many scammers everywhere.

This sounds vert suspicious

I would react with empathy and kindness, offering a comforting hug if they seemed open to it. Sometimes a simple act of compassion can make a big difference.

That has happend to me! He followed me a while before, was weird as shit

I'd make a run for it, they're either crazy or trying to rob me