Using strangers to explore the city (2018)

theguardian.com

25 points·Tomte··10 comments

Interesting idea. You could also try a “keep going North” challenge which would force you to go ways you may not normally go. Or turn left into any street smaller than the current one.

I quite like the 2020’s hobby of cycling every route within the confines of whatever area you are locked down into, then blog posting your map.

Is it just me who thinks it would be relatively easy to notice someone intentionally following you at the same pace and distance on a given walking route through your home city? Stop to look at the flowers a few times and notice that they always stop at the same time as well...

Does this happen to you often??

This is harassment plus gaslighting, given the social taboo against the stalkee confronting the stalker.

I agree, this is a cruel thing to do. If somebody noticed this and told their friends/family about being followed, there's a very high chance they'll be suspected of paranoia.

Strongly recommend against trying this in Philadelphia, and it only has the 12th highest murder rate in the US in 2022.

A lot of ppl would be just going home or work where it isn’t really that interesting

Isn't that the idea? - giving yourself an excuse to see the city in a way more like an ordinary resident would, instead of spending your time in the interesting but non-representative places a visitor would normally focus on.

It reminds me a little of the Degree Confluence Project - photographs from completely arbitrary places, distributed evenly around the earth: https://www.confluence.org/

Creepy and weird. Please don't do this.

I also do this sometimes.

I’ll also randomly switch persons to avoid making someone uncomfortable, and I’ll follow from 1-2 blocks away.

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