Disturbing (Likely) Aspie in Public, Out Unsupervised

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I was with a group of people and we were eating lunch in the outside area of a mall. At a table not too far from us we observed what I highly suspect was an Aspie, and someone who could be very low functioning. This person was failing his arms the entire time, and making odd repetitive noises. This went off and on for a good 15 minutes. The people I was with all agreed he was being very disturbing, scary even, and shouldn't be out in public unsupervised. They all felt bad for the man too, given his obvious issues.

I have to agree with my associates, if you are so low functioning that you can't control such bizarre and unwelcome stims in public then maybe you shouldn't be out in public unsupervised. It worries me that when people see others like this they think all of us are this dysfunctional.

He could very well been something else like schizophrenic too. Hard to say unless you really know them. I would hate to assume anything unless I knew more. And as far as what others think, how do they know that you or I or anyone else on here happens to be on the ASD? Do you wear a sign around your neck stating that? If not then how would they know you were on the spectrum? Besides unless someone is a danger to themselves or others, I don't see the problem with anyone being able to go out and enjoy the day as this fellow was. I guess I fail to see your point unless he had attacked or otherwise was directly disturbing others.

I have to disagree with you: I believe this person's freedom to be in public (as long as they are not causing harm to anyone) outweighs the uncomfortable feelings that you or others may be expressing.

Imagine telling an overweight person at the gym that they shouldn't be there because it made other people uncomfortable, even though they were not causing anyone harm. This person might be making an effort to improve their ability to control their stims in public, and probably feels bad too that their uncontrollable stims are visible to others.

Your worries are your own problem, there are some great psych professionals out there if you'd like to do something to address them.

I suggest you try reading up on disability rights a bit, as your comments come across as extremely ableist. I'm not sure that you mean them to but that's the way they came across to me. People who are more severely affected than you by their ASD or any other disability have just as much right as you and your friends to occupy public space. Public education would be a much better idea than restricting the human rights of people with disabilities further.

Obvious stimming is not a crime. It might be unsettling for people who don't know much about it but you missed a fantastic opportunity to educate your friends on the way ASDs are truly a spectrum and that stimming is how a lot of us cope with life. It's really disappointing that you chose to react the way you have.

I think he was likely an aspie because he was stiming, since he was shaking his hands and arms repetitively. I never seen people who are schitzophrenic stim.

People are so eager to exclude autistic people from all sorts of things just because they look different.

They also often see no problem with dehumanizing them, just on the reason that they look different or act different (not harmful) and that they don't understand them.


It has happened soooo so many times to me even though I don't make as much of a 'scene'.

I knew a guy with Tourette syndrome who flailed his arms an made noises in public. That didn't stop him from going out anywhere he wanted to. People liked him and didn't seem to mind at all.
intelligent, kind people don't judge others badly because they flail their arms and make repetitive noises.

Last edited by Marybird on 26 Jun 2014, 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Odd noises and repetitive movements might be Tourette's, I don't think of odd noises as an Aspie thing.

There would not be any reason someone with Tourette's would need to be supervised.

I'm sure there could be other causes, Tourette's is just relatively common.

Vocal stims are actually something many Aspies do. I occasionally have vocal stims, but never in public. I never seen a touretts flail his arm like this. I have aspies do this though. But I suppose tourettes could be a possibility.

I really don't understand why you're so sure he's an Aspie. And if he is and he was stimming that much I hope he was ok and not distressed. He is entitled to be where he chooses. And flailing ones arms---what really is wrong with that unless it's a sign of distress and no one was responding?

I don't mean he doesn't have a right to stim in public, but people would feel more at ease if a handler was with him.

You totally have to watch our for flailing arms and odd noises.

They'll kill you!

I agree. We now live in an inclusive society and that man had just as much of a right to in the restaurant as everybody else. It's the sign of the times and I feel that it's wonderful that the man got to enjoy himself in a restaurant setting.

Yeah, and f**k you too.

This construction is dehumanizing. I am pretty sure that "Who" not "What" is the correct form for human beings, even in Aspie form.
I think you observed a person who you suspect was an aspie.

This may seem like a trivial point, but I have recently been exposed to a website that promotes hatred against autistic people and the people there wield language in the same way.


This is bizarre. You don't act like this, so why would people think you do? Do you carry some special signage announcing your diagnosis? Otherwise, I am pretty sure the thing you fear is going on entirely in your mind.

Maybe that man was independent enough not to need a caregiver. Handler sounds a little harsh to me.