UK UK - Anthony Knott, 33, last seen at a pub in Lewes, Sussex, 20 Dec 2019

[Elainera]

Det Insp Gillings said: "Anthony walks on the balls of his feet which makes it looks as though he is bouncing along."

He also said he could be seen rubbing his hands in the newly-released CCTV footage.

"We can see him doing [this] within the pub itself earlier in the evening," he added.
This is taken from here BBC news https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-sussex-50948292
I know what this statement implies without saying- not sure what impact it has on his decision making. The worrying thing is, he may not ask for directions, help when needed. Purely speculation based on my job and first hand experience.

bbm

Can you elaborate please? I don't understand what the statement is saying ... is there something implied by Det. Gillings?

 

[Ruthbullock]

bbm

Can you elaborate please? I don't understand what the statement is saying ... is there something implied by Det. Gillings?

They are typical of someone with Aspergers/autism although often high functioning. Hence the comment from his friend he was suffering from anxiety in the pub.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Police have 'no indication' of where missing firefighter Anthony Knott went

Police state today still no indication at all of where he went

If the Police have checked all possible CCTV (ahem...) then that means he's either in a bush, behind a wall or left the area (by his own means or by fowl play)

 

[Officer Dibble]

They are typical of someone with Aspergers/autism although often high functioning. Hence the comment from his friend he was suffering from anxiety in the pub.

I mentioned many pages back about Autism and the link with a bouncy gait.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Just caught up on this thread and just wanted to add something

I run a bar which is slightly away from main bar/restaurant area and stands on it's own with nothing around for about 5-10.min walk.
The most common reason people leave is to go and buy cigarettes, I constantly get asked where the nearest shop is and quite often after explaining the way watch them head off in totally the wrong direction to what I have just told them.
It's very easy to get disoriented in a place you don't know.
Is there any shops near the way he is seen headed?

Thanks for sharing this insight. Really helpful.

 

[Officer Dibble]

They are typical of someone with Aspergers/autism although often high functioning. Hence the comment from his friend he was suffering from anxiety in the pub.

BBM above. Where/when was this comment please?

 

[RobinCAL]

Search for missing firefighter continues

 

[RobinCAL]

I unfortunately think that he will be found soon if he did go into the water. I'm seeing reports that the water is now receding.

 

[Bit of hope]

I mentioned many pages back about Autism and the link with a bouncy gait.

Yes you did, but you were also referring to people walking with their body's ahead, but on that video he was walking steep up....so most of us would walk with our body ahead (not sure I explained this good/used the right words for the body movement)

 

[Bit of hope]

BBM above. Where/when was this comment please?

The anxiety was mentioned by his best friend when they showed the CCTV footage. Anthony Knott: Best friend of missing firefighter says he has simply 'vanished'

See my post #478
I just can't get over the word anxious. His best friend said in the interview he looked anxious. That's very particular. Could he have had some premonition that something was wrong, health wise for instance. What if he collapsed somewhere. Or something went wrong in his mind...him feeling more or less conscious that he was starting to "loose it". Maybe even hallucinating. Pure speculation of course.

 

[Ruthbullock]

BBM above. Where/when was this comment please?

On the bbc news article today it was a statement from the police. I linked the article in my original post and copied directly from the article.
Search for missing firefighter continues
Sky news best friend commented
On him looking anxious as well
Anthony Knott: Best friend of missing firefighter says he has simply 'vanished'

 

[Ruthbullock]

On the bbc news article today it was a statement from the police. I linked the article in my original post and copied directly from the article.
Search for missing firefighter continues

I mentioned many pages back about Autism and the link with a bouncy gait.

You did and I silently agreed, however to me now there are several comments via police and friends in mainstream media, hence my posting again.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

You did and I silently agreed, however to me now there are several comments via police and friends in mainstream media, hence my posting again.

I dont have any direct experience of autism or aspergers and I am treading carefully here because I dont like to generalise or of course cause offence. But what is the possible significance to this train of thought? Certain situations might be more challenging for some maybe?

 

[Ruthbullock]

I dont have any direct experience of autism or aspergers and I am treading carefully here because I dont like to generalise or of course cause offence. But what is the possible significance to this train of thought? Certain situations might be more challenging for some maybe?

Not more challenging, they just may react differently to cope with a given situation. For example if he is anxious (he is stimming to control his anxiety the hand wringing), he may well leave for a period but then return once feeling less anxious. If lost most would ask for help, someone with autism may not. At the moment it’s not really a big player in this case, but he won’t necessarily react with emotion, often more logical, danger also often doesn’t have the same impact. So they may feel safe, when they aren’t, they may talk to people who most would avoid- it’s very hard to explain and I don’t think it’s key here. But I would hope they have people who are analysing his next steps thinking a little more out of the box than most.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I dont have any direct experience of autism or aspergers and I am treading carefully here because I dont like to generalise or of course cause offence. But what is the possible significance to this train of thought? Certain situations might be more challenging for some maybe?

What? I'm confused. We're talking about a bloke out having a few at the Pub with his mates, and now this shifts to a speculation of autism or aspergers?
The general populace that are on the spectrum represents less than 2%. While not impossible to be a Firefighter on the spectrum, I would think the chaotic environment associated with rescue situations would make this occupation prohibitive. What am I missing here?

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Wowno17]

What? I'm confused. We're talking about a bloke out having a few at the Pub with his mates, and now this shifts to a speculation of autism or aspergers?
The general populace that are on the spectrum represents less than 2%. While not impossible to be a Firefighter on the spectrum, I would think the chaotic environment associated with rescue situations would make this occupation prohibitive. What am I missing here?

Amateur opinion and speculation

I completely agree with you.

The rubbing of hands could be any number of things.

When I get anxious ( I have no other medical issues) I run my hands together.

Also he cold simply be cold.

But I think it's a bit of a leap to suggest autism/ aspergers

 

[Ruthbullock]

I completely agree with you.

The rubbing of hands could be any number of things.

When I get anxious ( I have no other medical issues) I run my hands together.

Also he cold simply be cold.

But I think it's a bit of a leap to suggest autism/ aspergers

It’s not the rubbing of hands, it’s the walking on tiptoes that has been highlighted several times by the police. You are right possibly irrelevant and probably is- but this is a discussion page.
Ps when you are cold and rubbing your hands do you also walk on tiptoes? This isn’t a natural reaction and in fact is really difficult to do intentionally for any length of time.

 

[Elainera]

The rubbing of hands could be any number of things.

When I get anxious ( I have no other medical issues) I run my hands together.

Also he cold simply be cold.

In the BBC article linked above it is said he's also rubbing his hands together while still at the pub. So probably not the cold. jmo

Leaving autism/Aspergers aside for now, since it is just speculative, when do people rub their hands, repeatedly too? What kind of emotion/frame of mind is behind that? To me it points to impatience, nervousness .... like I'm impatient to move or to start something or to leave. You say anxiety. Anybody else has any ideas/association/experience with rubbing hands?

 

[HongKongPhooey]

What? I'm confused. We're talking about a bloke out having a few at the Pub with his mates, and now this shifts to a speculation of autism or aspergers?
The general populace that are on the spectrum represents less than 2%. While not impossible to be a Firefighter on the spectrum, I would think the chaotic environment associated with rescue situations would make this occupation prohibitive. What am I missing here?

Amateur opinion and speculation

I'm certainly not shifting anything personally into any direction. I was asking a fellow poster where their speculation was taking their thoughts, which is always of interest to me as I have a v open mind.

Agree we're talking about a bloke having a few. But millions of Brits have a few every Friday night without going missing.

Big question obv is, why did Anthony?

JMO

 

[Bit of hope]

It’s not the rubbing of hands, it’s the walking on tiptoes that has been highlighted several times by the police. You are right possibly irrelevant and probably is- but this is a discussion page.

I think rosesfromangels has a point, being a firefighter asks immediate reaction when the alarm goes. You have to go from one second to the other in the action mode....not everybody is "built" for that. Especially people with autism, who cling most of the time to known patterns and would get very upset when things go out of the ordinary or under pressure, would fit in that kind of job. Of course anybody can adapt to situations to a certain level but being a firefighter with autism would be a real big challenge. They only way this could be possible if your team knows all about it and can deal with it and compensate for you....IMO