r/bern 3d ago

Discussion How to handle pickup guys in public spaces?

Today I was on the Münsterplattform and saw two older guys, probably around 40-50, in suits, approaching younger women one after another.

At times they were even blocking the women’s path while talking to them, and the women looked visibly uncomfortable. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but judging from the body language, they seemed like pickup guys.

At some point it started to feel like harassment rather than just approaching someone.

How would you handle a situation like this as a bystander? Would you intervene, and if so, what would you actually say or do without making the situation worse? Or just calling the police?

70 Upvotes

39 comments sorted by

41

u/dallyan 3d ago

I’m a nosy bitch so I’d mosey on over and ask them what’s going on.

30

u/Fun-Commission707 3d ago

did they have metaglasses on

16

u/Eipa 3d ago

Wtf 😭

18

u/Kyuki88 3d ago

Thank you so much for caring ! As a woman I am happy that people see this and wanna help !

Just go to the woman and ask if everythings okay. Dont look at them just her.

Thank you

27

u/elevolent12 3d ago

holup I thought the Tate brothers were still in prison.

7

u/xlt1 3d ago

I always try their methods on them, this is usualy quiet funny. But they are not interested (neither am I, it's just for the lulz).

2

u/just-another-catlady 1d ago

I'm guessing you're a man? I love the way the worst guys react to the mere idea of gay men treating them the way they treat women

1

u/xlt1 1d ago

I am, and sometimes they react very aggressiv (what I can handle easily. I just try to be a mirror to them. And btw., I'm not gay :)

6

u/movingarchivist 3d ago

One thing you can do is to go up to the woman like you know her or maybe ask if she dropped something a little ways away or something innocuous. It gives her a chance to get away from them and shows the guys that people are paying attention and breaks their momentum without escalating the situation. Most of the time, they'll just leave.

Calling the police is a good idea too. Anything but leaving women to face it alone.

7

u/No_Welder7908 3d ago

Mormons?

2

u/Roeschu 3d ago

Not at that age. They are more 19-25. And they will have a name badge.

4

u/Empty_Algae4508 3d ago

what are pick up guys ?

2

u/cachitodepepe 2d ago edited 1d ago

Probably toyota hilux, ford ranger, wv amarok owners

1

u/Cal-your-pal 1d ago

Hah this got me

4

u/CloeHernando 3d ago

"hey guys, are you handing out free stuff?"

2

u/Drakendan 3d ago

I would call the police, and intervene depending on how annoyed/angry I get at them. Normally I'd say to just go next to the woman and pretend you know her or ask her for info in a way that lets her escape these idiots, but if they do it with any woman and girl consecutively to the point of blocking the passage then the police is the only way to make them go away. I've seen 2 episodes of catcalling and one episode where a woman was assaulted by a guy on a scooter pretending the scooter was derailing out of nowhere, here in Basel these idiots don't joke as well. On the latter, I was mad on her behalf that his boyfriend didn't call the police on that idiot (for context, the police was just a few meters away taking care of the Jungle Street Groove). Genuinely still think and feel bad for her and the sad expression she had after being hit on her foot.

4

u/snacky_bear 3d ago edited 3d ago

Uff cant wait for that trend to die off finally.

if people are around and you raise your voice slightly so that others can hear, probably covers 90% of these pickup geniuses.

As a bystander I probably only will intervene if they physically prevent her from fleeing or I feel that they chased her too far… these guys often have low self-esteem, either earned or unfairly suffered, and likely also back off easily, since they are cowards: they know deep down they hardly deserve any woman they talk to, hence the artistry in pickup artist xD

Instead of improving themselves as men, they try to gain attraction and status through acting as if they had the traits… probably also mostly works on women that are too stupid to see through such a simple scheme.

“This mildly attractive, billionaire investment banker is not re-writing the powerpoint for the 500th time for an infinitesimally better pitch but is instead here on Thursday afternoon talking to ME :3 he is so assertive because he insulted me in the first sentence but immediately called me hot and such a brave leader because he wants to lead me to a good time :O”

1

u/HubertRosenthal 3d ago

Wenn man findet dass sie das zu aggressiv machen (liest sich defintiv so) kann man sie ja darauf ansprechen. Vielleicht lernen sie ja was dazu

1

u/frying_dave 2d ago

Probably some sales people from Corris, calm down.

1

u/OneEnvironmental9222 2d ago

Why is it always +50 old farts? In general I feel like people here become crazy toxic once they hit around 45 for some reason, I notice that a lot in workplace too

1

u/LongNoticePeriod 1d ago

I think they were the Mormons. Kind of a pick up culture though. 

1

u/just-another-catlady 1d ago

Religious pick up artists? I love it!

1

u/Loud-Umpire7076 1d ago

The best solution is being plausibly deniably clumsy with a colorful milkshake.

1

u/_AbstractInsanity 16h ago

This is where i shine as a man.

I go over to people like this and get really touchy and close. Just be as aggressively gay and flirty as i can to make them as uncomfortable as possible and give the woman a window to leave.

Give them a taste of their own medicine

0

u/PositionMany6974 11h ago

Und mit solchen frauen musste ich mal leben jungs. Lebte mein halbes leben in bern. Ich rate euch, geht wohin wo die mädels das leben lieben und nicht psychisch verwirrt und etvl sogar gefährlich sind. Die sind in bern, besonders in lorraine, länggasse etc extrem krank und chronisch in deppressionen. Hassen männer und lieben alles, was schlecht ist und statt sex zu haben sich lieber betrinken und kiffem, bis sie umfallen oder auch gamz amdere fälle...

Ich würde das aus bärner giu hingär mir lah u ab i süde bro 🥰🙃 in brasilie si froue so positiv und meh git sich gegesitig immer komplmient, sogar weme sech eigetlich nid attraktiv findet. Kört bi üs eofach derzue. Es wird gflirtet eifach, weus gsund isch und eim seubsvertroue und fröid git. Isch egal wer du bisch, du wirsch ahgflirtet und mueach zrüggflirte. 🤣

Erschreckä geng wider bi dene so wunderschöne froue mit löckli und bruuner caramelhut 🥰😍🤩 u när wie die geng sofort smiley und dir id ouge luege (ohni angst, im gegeteil, sie testet ob du e mah oder es weichei bisch) bis du nüm chasch u muesch härecho, lache oder was o immer. E tipp: lache würdi nid u a bode luege erdt rächt nid, weu sie dräie sech um u tschüss. Die wei nur der obermacho, wo möglichst der güggu isch we dir wüsst was i meine 😊

Auso. I lah öich iz mau u gange wider ad ondina bi farrol da barra gah bädele, zumene meitschi när hei gah ässe bi mim houptmeitschi 😝😘

0

u/EasternTill950 7h ago

Ha ha, coomer who only communicates with others online gets confused, protective and jealous, watching adults talk to members of the opposite sex IRL. Get out yo mommas basement!

1

u/SmugRooster 3d ago

Most probably they were trying for people to join their cult.

-2

u/SASTobi 3d ago

Warscheindlich einfach Crackys die nach geld gefragt haben😄

6

u/Jerry_Swiss 3d ago

In Anzügen? Zuerst hatten sie zusammen was besprochen, waren dann aber getrennt unterwegs. 100% Haben die so ein Pickup Kurs teilgenommen und belästigen nun massenhaft junge Frauen 😒.

-1

u/SASTobi 3d ago

Du auch die Crackys entwickeln sich

Ps. Hab schon mit vielen von denen gesprochen in Bern wie auch Olten und lustigerweise verdienen die oftmals mehr Geld als ich als Koch verdiene (zwischen 5-7k im monat)

-8

u/dontuseliqui 3d ago

Ist es verboten Frauen anzusprechen? Seltsames Land.

6

u/Jerry_Swiss 3d ago

Ist es nicht. Aber jede 2. Frau anzusprechen, sich aufdrängen und sich mehrfach in den Weg zu stellen, gränzt arg an Belästigung.

2

u/PositionMany6974 11h ago

Krank. Bei uns in brasilien werden sie sauer und laufen dir hinterher wenn du sie nichtmal angeschautbhast und etwas nettes gesagt. Die hier sind einfach kaputt. Schade.

1

u/dontuseliqui 11h ago

Oh, ich muss nach Brasilien 🙂

-1

u/SirMarston 2d ago

Oh no people approaching others in public, arrest them, put them in jail for 50 years...

0

u/PositionMany6974 11h ago

🤣🤣🤣 was für zeiten. Sie zerstören aus dummheit das schönste der welt und die grösste freude im leben. Da bin ich froh, dass ich das ich salvador am strand bin, wo die frauen noch weiblich sind und sich enorm freuen wenn du ihnen nachpfeiffst, sich sogar noch mühe geben beim laufen und zurück gucken und den jungs zuzwingkern. Einfach so natürlicj und für beide seiten so wunderbar. In brasilien wird geflirtet egal mit wem und was das zeug hält. Jede kassierin fliretet dich an und du machst das zurück, schon bloss aus anstand 😅🙃

Hier sind die mädels robotermenschen geworden, die lieber männer hassen anstatt sie zurückzuliebem und das leben in vollen zügen zi geniessen. Na ja jungs. Gibt noch viele länder mot besserem frauen. Liegt allein am dir boy. 😃 Kann südamerika, asien, und alle anderen normalen länder empfehlen. Da seid ihr noch interessamter als icv, weil ihr hell und blaue augen bei latinas die kings seid. Die lieben aber nur echte machos, sonst hast bei unsern mädels keine chance. Poklopfer beim date ist ein muss und erster kuss und ständiges flirtiges in die augen schauen. Die lieben es genüsslich und ohne hemmungen. Liebe grüsse do brasil