Acting Strangely
She gave the man a strange look while he sipped her drink. This was the third time he had grabbed her glass throughout the evening. He seemed like a good person, but why was he doing this?
The music pounded in her ears as her vision blurred due to all the lights flashing around her. She shrugged the man's strange behavior off and thought she was just being paranoid. She scanned through the club to find her friends, but then the man did something that made her jaw drop.
Reason To Celebrate
Lily Powles, from Lincolnshire in the UK, was working the first evening shift at Gulliver’s Nite Club. She glanced at her watch as the place started to fill up.
Twenty more minutes and her friends would be arriving, she thought. Twenty more minutes and her shift at the club would officially be over. And she had reason to celebrate.
Last Shift
Working as a server and taking the late shifts hadn’t been easy, but Lily desperately needed the cash. Then finally, after countless interviews, she had been offered a position as a sales representative at a large insurance firm.
With her new job officially starting on Monday, she felt like nothing could get her down that night. Until he walked in.
Making A Beeline
With a wide smile, the well-groomed man pushed his way to the front of the bar, making a beeline for Lily. She’d seen him hanging around the bar before.
He asked for his usual rum and Coke, but took Lily aback when he skipped the routine chit-chat and came right out with a request for her phone number. Lily was lost for words.
Politely Declining
Lily was in a good mood, so she gently brushed off his aggressive advance. She was used to men in the club approaching her, but she had one golden rule that she lived by: never mix romance and work. Besides, club policy strictly forbade it.
But the man wouldn’t leave it alone. He kept asking her what was wrong with him between every other customer she served. He was starting to make her feel uncomfortable.
Persistent
The man finished his drink, but didn’t leave the bar. He hung around trying to get Lily’s attention as she kept herself busy. Everywhere she turned, he was there with that wide grin. “When do you finish your shift?” he asked her point blank.
Being excited for the end of her last ever shift, Lily blurted out that she would soon be finishing at Gulliver’s Nite Club for good. His eyes lit up. She really should have kept her mouth shut.
Just One
Realizing this would be his last chance, the man sidled up to Lily when she clocked off and insisted on buying her a drink to celebrate. “Just one…” he pleaded, flashing her that smile.
Knowing she wouldn’t ever have to see him again once she was out of there, she thought there was no harm in getting a drink out of tolerating him all night. But she was dead wrong.
Running Late
The man asked Lily what she wanted to drink. “Surprise me,” she replied, hoping getting her the drink distracted him just long enough for her friends to arrive. She sent them a message. “Running late,” they replied.
Quick as a flash, the man appeared next to her again, drinks in hand. The grin was somehow even wider now. She really should have been keeping a closer eye on him.
Strange Behavior
The first time he accidentally grabbed her drink instead of his, she didn’t think much of it. But when it happened a second and third time, she began to get annoyed.
Was he doing it on purpose? What was the point of buying her a drink if he intended to keep both for himself? With her drink barely touched, she messaged her friends again, but this time they didn’t even reply. Lily was on her own.
Just In Time
With a nervous glance at the door, Lily was relieved to see her friends finally walk in. She stood up and raised her hand so they could spot her easily in the crowd.
But when she looked back down she saw that the man had quickly moved her drink again, she was more suspicious of him than ever. What was his game?
Perfect Excuse
Lily now had the perfect excuse to walk away from the awkward situation. As all her girlfriends swarmed around her, exchanging hugs and congratulating her on her new job, the man was left awkwardly at the bar with no way to get her attention again. She saw him head off to the bathroom.
Now was her chance. If her gut feelings were correct, the man was about to regret hounding her all night.
Bold Move
In one swift movement, without even her friends noticing, Lily swapped drinks with the man before moving to a bigger table at the back of the club.
She kept an eye on the man when he returned to the bar. He seemed miffed that Lily and her friends had just up and left, but was clearly too nervous to approach her again with all her friends around her. She really thought she’d seen the last of him.
Dancing On
Whenever she got up to dance, she could feel his eyes on her, making her skin crawl. But, determined not to let the situation unsettle her and ruin her last night at the club, Lily kept dancing.
She avoided his gaze as best she could and he was soon lost behind the crowd on the dance floor. But she wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever.
Gone?
Glancing back to the bar in the corner, she suddenly realized that she couldn’t see the man anymore. Finally she could relax! Lily and her friends danced and celebrated into the small hours of the morning.
It had been a night to remember! The girls stumbled bleary-eyed out of the dark club and into the steely city sunrise. But when Lily saw who was in the street, the nervous feeling from earlier that evening came rushing back.
Karma
The creepy man from the bar was there, passed out in a puddle. Lily just stared at him, very aware that if she hadn’t had the instinct to act quickly, she could have been in serious trouble right now.
It was obvious that she had been the man’s target for the night, and she was determined not to let him do that to anyone ever again.
Twitter Warning
Rattled, Lily immediately posted about her experience on Twitter. “The same lad robbed my drink twice last night, and put something in my glass when he bought me one back,” she wrote.
“I swapped our glasses when he went to the toilet and later found him laid flat out in a wet puddle.” She added, “Thanks for taking one for the team whoever you are - rather you than me, hun.” It wasn’t long before her post exploded.
Going Viral
In a matter of hours, Lily Powles’ story had accumulated over 11,000 retweets, 175,000 likes, and hundreds of replies.
Most people who saw Lily’s tweet were horrified that a man had tried to spike her drink, expressing their shock and outrage. But, surprisingly, there were a lot of naysayers who commented as well.
Accusations
One Twitter user wrote, “Nice story. Didn’t happen though,” while others accused Lily of sharing false information of her ordeal to get attention. These comments, however, were quickly refuted by Lily's hoard of female supporters.
“So many men here who don’t believe this because they’re lucky enough not to live this as reality on a regular basis,” one commented, angrily. Many shared similar stories.
Drink Spiking
In the unlikely case that you haven’t heard of it, drink spiking is when drugs are placed into someone’s drink (usually alcoholic) without their consent or knowledge.
The intent is to make the person who has been unknowingly drugged more vulnerable or even incapacitated – which usually leads to the assault or robbery of the person whose drink has been spiked.
“Roofies”
Two common pharmaceuticals used for drink spiking are GHB and Rohypnol, also known as “roofies.” These drugs can make a person feel more inebriated than they really are even if they have only had a couple of drinks.
Both GHB and Rohypnol cause confusion and memory loss, and they can be fatal in large doses. And the frightening part?
You Won’t Notice
While the symptoms of being dosed with GHB or Rohypnol will vary depending on the person’s size, weight, and level of inebriation, the most frightening part about drink spiking is that the person will not notice a difference in taste, odor, or appearance in their drink.
The drugs take effect in just 15 minutes – so if you or someone you know starts to feel strange when you’re out partying, get help right away. Another frightening thing is just how prevalent drink spiking is.
Similar Stories
“A similar thing happened to me,” one woman wrote. “A guy “accidentally” knocked over my wine a few years back and offered to buy me another.
“I accepted as I thought he was being courteous, but then something felt off so I left it. In the next bar, I caught him standing in the corner and staring at me.” And one bartender also had a story to share.
Confessions Of A Bartender
One bartender told his own story on the app Whisper and confessed to witnessing a man tampering with a woman’s drink. The incident took place at the bar he worked while he was on a bartending shift. The woman appeared to be the man’s date.
"Last night, I saw a guy drug a girl's drink,” he wrote on Whisper. It was then that he decided to turn the tables on the man.
Turning The Tables
Realizing that he’d seen the man slip some kind of drug into the woman’s drink while she was in the bathroom, the anonymous bartender knew he had to step in and do something.
So he waited until the man wasn’t looking, and shrewdly swapped his drink for his date’s. “When he wasn't looking, I switched the drinks. Watched that guy drug himself," he confessed. And he’s not the only one who has seen spiking take place and put a stop to it.
Everyday Heroes
Three women from Santa Monica also shared their story. While a man’s date was in the bathroom, they saw him taking out “a little black vial” and dropping something into his date’s drink.
After witnessing the drink being spiked, the women decided to go to the bathroom and warn the man’s date. Of course, the unsuspecting woman was completely shocked.
Her Reaction
The woman was “shocked and kind of numb” when she learned what her date had done. The three hero women took their story to facebook, where one of them expressed their surprise.
"I was expecting to hear 'We just met,' but I got: 'He's one of my best friends'." It turned out that the woman had known the man for a year and a half, and that they worked together. Then, the four women came up with a plan.
Handling It Like A Pro
The shocked woman returned to her date after she had learned the truth in the bathroom and pretended there was nothing wrong.
She avoided the spiked drink, ordered a water, and tried to make conversation to keep the man there. Meanwhile, the three heroes were alerting the staff, finding the incident on the security surveillance footage, and calling the cops – which lead to the man’s arrest.
Staying Safe
The lesson Lily’s – and indeed every other woman’s story – brings to light is that it’s always important to be careful, especially at bars, parties, and nightclubs. Unfortunately, some people don’t always have good intentions.
Don't become a victim, always watch your drinks! But “spiking” doesn’t only happen to women. As another user pointed out, “To all the men saying 'never happened', my MALE partner has had his drink roofied at a nightclub before.”
Common Targets
56 percent of women in the U.S. have been victims of drink spiking in nightclubs, house parties, festivals, and bars. More than half of the spiking incidents occurred while the women were at college, and most happened while they were on a date.
But, shockingly, women aren’t the only victims. Among men in the U.S., 44 percent say they have unwittingly consumed spiked food or drinks.
What To Do
Although the effects of spiking can vary widely, the general symptoms are dizziness, nausea, confusion, visual problems, and unconsciousness.
If you witness someone spiking someone else’s drink or suspect spiking, the first thing to do is tell the bar manager, bouncer, or other member of staff. If their condition gets worse, call an ambulance and do not let them go home alone or with someone else. If you or someone you know has been spiked, call the police as soon as possible – spiking is illegal.
Be Careful
It’s crucial to mention that for many of the individuals who suffer these cases, the danger doesn’t usually end after their friends or any other good Samaritan save them from whoever is out to hurt them.
There have been cases where people who were out of danger get assaulted on the drive home because. A lyft driver who found himself in deep trouble shared his story online.
Meet Shane
Shane Harvey had been driving for Uber for three years when the incident occurred. He'd long loved the flexibility and freedom it gave him, but he had also experienced some challenges.
One of his more difficult experiences was when he was called to pick up a girl who wasn't feeling too well at a club. He had no clue what the night had in store for him.
A Snowy Night
It had been a snowy December night, and Shane was doing his final city run before heading home. Most companies and businesses were closing for the holidays, which meant many clubs brimmed with customers looking to blow off the year's steam.
Looking to tap into this clientele, Shane had taken the night away from his loved ones. But the night wouldn't end the way he thought it would.
3 AM Drive
Shane had just dropped off a couple of passengers when his phone beeped with a notification for a new ride request. The clock was inching toward 3 AM, which meant this would be Shane's last ride for the night.
Seeing that the request was coming from a nearby club, Shane accepted it and quickly turned the car around. But he wasn't ready for what happened next.
At The Club
The pickup location was already in one of the sketchiest parts of town, so Shane could only linger around for a short time. A burly man dressed in all black came out of the club and directed him to a back alley where he found the girl, barely conscious, and slumped against a wall.
He explained that the girl's friends had called for a ride home, fearing that she had been drugged. An uncomfortable shiver rushed up Shane's back. But knowing this was his last drive for the night, he nodded at the bouncer.
Five Stars
The man helped Shane get the girl into the car. It was then that Shane realized that he was a bouncer. He asked Shane to ensure the lady got home safely and promised to give him five stars afterward.
But he didn't know Shane's past and why giving him such responsibility wasn't the brightest thing to do.
What To Do
Shane took a few minutes to consider what he was about to do. He knew the girl needed to get to safety as soon as possible. But there was no one with her, which could spell trouble for him.
Pushing all negative thoughts out of his mind, he turned on his car and pulled into the main road. After all, what was life without a little risk?
Waking Up
With the girl fitfully sleeping in the backseat, Shane set into town. The streets were empty, covered in a thick blanket of snow.
Although the ride was quiet, the girl kept waking up before drifting back to sleep. She'd try and open her door, causing Shane to worry that she'd fall out and hurt herself. But that was the least of his worries.
Trouble
In the past, Shane found himself in the center of trouble when he accepted a ride request and ended up in handcuffs.
The incident involved a girl who, like the one in his backseat, had imbibed a spiked drink and needed help getting home. But halfway through the ride, the girl woke up and, with her, had issues that threatened to end Shane's life as a driver.
An Unfortunate Turn Of Events
The girl had woken up and started screaming for her life, not recognizing Shane or why she was in a moving car. Shane tried to explain everything, but the woman opened the door and rolled out.
Although she didn't suffer any injuries, she ended up in the hospital while Shane spent a few hours at the local police station. He hoped that night wouldn't repeat itself.
Explaining Everything
Shane spent the entire drive trying to keep the girl calm. He reassured her that he drove for Uber and was taking her home. But she was confused and still disoriented and couldn't trust him.
That alone made Shane's uneasiness shoot into the sky. Still, he kept his head above water and drove to the intended destination. He had yet to learn that was where the actual problem would present itself.
Her Home
Shane pulled into the destination's driveway, a quiet suburb he'd rarely driven to. But he realized that the girl seemed even more uneasy than him.
She shook her head with wide eyes when he asked if she recognized the place. Shane's heart began thumping in his ears. What trouble had he landed himself in now?
The Reality Of The Situation
A cocktail of fear and anxiety flooded Shane's veins. Had he just taken part in some kind of drug-induced kidnapping? He wiped the sweat beading on his forehead and looked at the girl through the rearview mirror.
He pondered the best way to handle the situation. He could ask her if she had any number they could call. He was about to do it when a better idea came to mind.
Her Address
Shane asked the girl where she lived, and through her slurrying, he was able to make out the same address they had parked. With relief washing over him, he hurried out of the car and opened the girl's door.
With her hand over his shoulder, he helped her to her house. She laid her eyes on the door and finally recognized the place. But the night wasn't over yet.
Getting Her In
Shane ensured the girl was safe inside her house. He also made sure she'd locked the door before driving away. Afterward, he posted on Facebook, pleading with people to always ensure they accompany their friends on Uber or Lyft drives.
The experience, like the first, had left him shaken. Now, he always ensures inebriated passengers are joined by people they trust before ferrying them home.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.