Now my brother's mate thinks I'm weird

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So last week I got off the bus and as I was walking along the street where I live, I saw a young man hovering about near the bushes, about 40 yards away from where I was walking. I looked, and wondered who he was and what he was doing. Lately I've become paranoid because there seems to have been an increase of random rapings and stabbings around the area and even my hometown (which always used to be such a humble and safe place to live). So I've become more alert and ready to run if I feel unsure about someone.

So anyway this young man, who I've never seen before, made me feel uneasy. Then I saw him looking at me, and I thought to myself ''he looks like he wants to say hello to me''. But I didn't know him, so I took the long way round to try and avoid him, and then I was home. Then about 10 minutes later my brother came up to me with his phone in his hand and asked, ''why did you run off from my mate?'' I was confused for a moment, then I realised that man by the bushes was apparently a friend of my brother's. I explained to him that I didn't know who he was or what he was doing, and that I didn't run, I just walked away from his direction. My brother must have shown his mate a picture of me or something, so maybe he knew who I was and wanted to say hi, but because I've never met him in my life and so had no idea who he was, I obviously didn't want to walk too close to him. But my brother said that I should have known who he was, even though I never seen him before and it didn't occur to me that it might be a friend of my brother's. I just wondered what he was doing lurking about by the bushes.

Now I feel embarrassed. I wish I hadn't let my paranoia get the better of me, and had just walked by and said hello, even though I didn't know who he was. Did I do the right thing?

You reacted in a perfectally reasonable way.

If he was lurking about near the bushes and possibly givning you and odd look or stare then it's fair you reacted that way.

He should have at least smiled, said 'Hi (your name)' or gave some other indicator that he knew who you were.

But no, he just stood there and waited for YOU to make a move and say something.

This is inappropriate in the first place - if you know someon and they don't know you yet obviously yu have to say hi to them.

It's like meeting an escort/driver at a airport - they've got to hold the sign up, or introduce themselves to you somehow.

Yeah....why didn't the guy just come up to you, and say hello--instead of being sneaky like that?

It's not a "weird" reaction by any means.

I totally agree with Outrider. Although I am a male, I would be slightly scared of men that behave a bit in a creepy way, as described by Joe. I would not be frightened if I would know him (a relative, a friend, a colleague, or whatever).