page 37 bump
 

I always carry my G26 but this thread makes me think next time I get my car washed I'm taking an AR.

As always, great thread and knowledge.

Great thread.

Lot of great after-the-OP validation.  

Anyone here follow Active Self Protection on Facebook?  A lot of the things pointed out in the OP are shown on video there.

Here's my experience today...

Just boondocked the stealth trailer tonight at one of our 'special' places, after putting on ~1300 miles in the past 60 hours. Took a sponge bath, shaved, got my short hair washed and got comfortable.

Was getting pretty rank... So had to get cleaned up before posting.


This afternoon we stopped and I was dumping the little black water tank in a kind of  of secluded location that I thought was sort of unusual for the big truck station, my SO was inside the biz and...

As I was tired and engrossed with the hose, etc, a nice looking guy, dressed well, sort of big, abt 30ish, approached  and asked me if I was familiar with the area.

The big trailer and the vehicle mostly hid us.

I immediately recognized a panhandle job, at the least, and surveyed the situation and saw my SO walking out of the biz.

He had a bunch of change in his partly open hand, forget which one.  

I told him "no I wasn't" [a mistake], tho he could see my plates, and he started telling me his father was sick, he had to buy a new car...

I called my SO's name in an aggressive voice, pointed at her and made a "gun" with my finger and pulled the imaginary hammer back and released it a few times with my thumb, then sternly pointed to her ---implying in no uncertain terms, get your gun.

Right Now.

He mumbled something and left.




Probably a mean thing to do to the hard up guy....  


She didn't even have a gun...  

You average less than 22 mph hauling a "stealth trailer?"
At 65 mph, 1300 miles is only 20 hrs. behind the wheel over 2.5 days. What's so special about those other 40 hours?

Stealthy blow-jobs...  

Yeah... but at 30 mph in the fast lane 1300 miles is 52 hours of actual driving with another 8 hours left over for stops at stripper bars and McDonald's for those tasty sirloin third pounders - limited time only, don't you know...




 

We tow at roughly 58 MPH, when safe up to 65 or so, altho relatively infrequently.

Over 12 years of towing the Stealth trailer, racking up mileage with it exceeding ~80,000 miles in all sorts of condx, from logging roads to interstate hwys and everything in between, snow, storms, bearing and axle issues, etc...

I find over the years, a reasonable average speed to figure -while actually 'traveling' and not counting comfortable long rest breaks, to be ~52 MPH.

It's so complete in design and comfort, we enjoy pulling off and boondocking, and over the years, at some 'unusual' places.

'Boondocked' now in someone's nice big garage for a couple days, with a very tall OHD, with the AC plugged in to a wall outlet. Internet conx is slow tho.

Chiplotle w/out rice and bread tonight for supper.

Now, back on topic.  

Read this story and this thread immediately came to mind

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2015/06/robbery-suspect-killed-in-shootout-outside-benihana-restaurant-in-north-dallas.html/

I like how they gave a description of the victim's car.    

There's a picture of it right there.
 

Yes and interesting they took the victim to the hospital that is further away.    Victim's buddy should have driven him to medical city Dallas.  It would of been quicker than waiting for the EMT's.  

An extra few minutes to go to the real Trauma Center beats getting to the Band-Aid station faster.

I remember that post.  I saved it on my HHD to share with others.

CMOS

The closer hospital is the one they took the perp too and it's a Level IV.  Presbyterian of Dallas (of ebola fame) is not a trauma center, at least that I'm aware of.    

Google map links


Do they usually separate victim and perp?

This has convinced me to take a self defense course.  Just a while ago I was waiting on a friend at the ATM and I noticed a man approaching my Truck, to be honest I just froze and didn't really know what to do.  Poor decision on my part, I wasn't armed with anything but a knife.  I should have immediately put car in drive and been ready to handle the situation, but hindsight 20-20.  Luckily he just asked for money and went away when I had none, but after reading this I now see how easy it would have been for him to get the jump on me.

great read. thanks alot for the post OP.

bttt

OP Is spot on.

I grew up in the NW Chicago suburbs. The Brown's Fried Chicken murders burned into my head the fact that compliance won't buy you anything. A couple of scumbags wanted to rob them at closing. After getting less than 2 grand from the receipts, they rounded the 5 employees and 2 owners into the cooler and executed them to eliminate any witnesses to the crime. Since one of the perps was a former employee and known to the owners, they knew they would be ID'ed. They walked in near closing time, bought a meal and ate it knowing they would soon be killing everyone in the place.

Violent resistance for sure. I would rather go down swinging, and die in the process than pin my hopes that the perps have a sliver of humanity and just take the cash and leave. To these two, the 2k in cash justified the murder of 7 people. People like this are animals and applying human characteristics to them is misguided and fatal. They don't operate in the same manner that we assume most humans do.

the first trauma's I ever worked were the Lee's Fried Chicken Murders. everything from is still etched in my brain.
basically the same thing, that you wrote about.

Don't ever let a criminal take you to a different location than where the crime is occurring.
Unless you have a plan for when you get there like a weapon stashed in another room of house where your headed or a plan to act on the way no good can come from that.

A self defense course to teach you situational awareness and how to react in virtually unlimited scenarios is going to be hard to find.
Most self defense courses are going to focus on some basic strikes and not having a victim mentality. You can only learn so much in a few hours.
There are some good books out there on the subject of situational awareness and mindset which may benefit you more than a 1 day course.
Not saying you shouldn't get some empty hand training. Everyone should do that. I would suggest a good martial arts school with a cirriculum based on the self defense side with weapons training included and not a school focused on the sport / competition side.
Then train regularly.

Some years back I read a reference to an FBI study that found a greater percentage of officers who were stabbed died than those shot. Many fatal wounds were quite shallow, approximately an inch.

I read this a while back and "banked" several of the standout pointers.  A couple of weeks ago I got my chl.  I pull into a 7-11 on the way to work at 0130.  I'm pumping gas and sure as shit, here he comes.

I was pumping gas and when I glanced in his direction, I saw the side to side look right before he made his move.  He got about 30-35 feet before he started with the "sir, you gotta minute sir?  I need blah blah blah"  bullshit.  I let go of the pump, fanned my shirt tail and pulled my weapon to the side of my leg.  I told him that was close enough in the sternest voice I could muster.  He stopped right there.  He kept trying to see what was in my right hand.  I was blocking it with the rear corner of my car.  He was really struggling with what to do next.  Incoherent bullshit was just dripping from his mouth while he was struggling to make a call.  Something about just buying some weed and needing some gas type garbage.  He kept moving his hands around and really looked like he couldn't make up his mind.  

"No."  I just repeated it in between his ramblings and it seemed to throw him off.

As the seconds ticked off he seemed really nervous, kept looking all around.  Finally he fucking smiled and said have a nice night and backed away.  

This shit happened the day after I got my chl.  No lie.  I'm definitely forgetting several details, but point of the encounter is that I had read some really good advice from this site and the day came when I could use it.  

Thanks to the OP.  Your post may have saved my life.  I appreciate it.

Sounds like you did great.

Time to add a story.

A couple of weeks ago I was in San Antonio staying at the Drury Plaza Riverwalk downtown.

I was standing on the corner looking around and thinking about going to find something to eat.  I noticed three urban youths approaching on the sidewalk from near the parking garage.  They were joking and smiling.  One of them was limping along like he was hurt, kind of a zombie walk.  Every so often one of the other two would grab him and mess with him.  They were speaking some guttural language I didn't understand.

I didn't like the looks of them so I walked around the corner and near the front entrance.  They got to the corner where I was, looked around, and then started shuffling toward me, still making a show of clowning around.  I stood leaning against the wall and just watched them walk by.  There was nobody else on the sidewalk on my side of the street.  They got about 15 feet past me and the shuffling zombie stopped.  He looked at me, looked at his friends, one of his friends shook his head side to side.  Zombie dude took a step back toward me, and stopped.  I just looked at him and started thinking about where to hit him first.  He started with that guttural language again and a spirited discussion of some sort broke out between them.  His friends were saying something that sort of sounded like "nawmanshitnigga!".  Zombie dude started walking away, then stopped and started coming back toward me again.  The other two dudes seemed to be getting agitated.  They were right in front of the entrance, so as they argued I started walking away toward the corner.  They stood there arguing for a bit more, then as I approached the corner I noticed that they all started toward me at an accelerated pace.  As I rounded the corner, I sprinted to the parking garage and made my way to the valet desk.  The three zombie youts appeared on the sidewalk peering into the dark garage for a couple seconds, then turned around and walked back the way they came.  Meanwhile, I was kicking myself for being out on the street level in the first place, and for not bringing my Glock.  

In the couple of days I was there I saw the cops find someone dead, watched some brothas fucking around with some white college kid with a hipster beard and glasses who was tripping the fuck out on something, flapping his arms like a bird and yelling.  That kid tried to board a city bus and shoved the driver who shoved him back but he wouldn't get off.  Three minutes and the SA Transit Police were all over his shit and the kids who had been fucking with him just slowly backed away and wandered down the street.  The day after that, I was watching some more urban yout types coming up the sidewalk and this 18-20yo black male just fell out.  I mean he was walking along and then keeled over completely limp into the street, he was OUT, never even attempted to break his fall.  Some bystanders tried to provide aid and he never moved even when EMS showed up and carted him off.

Pro-tip.  Stay the fuck off the streets in downtown San Antonio.  The Riverwalk is fine, the street level not so much.

Past due for a bump.

Tag

My experience with armed robberies after 3 decades with a large violent city PD?

You had better see it coming before it happens or you'll probably lose. The times it happened to me the offenders always tried to get around me, or one of them did. They will generally look hard at you right before trying to size you up. Or they will strike up a conversation to either size you up or distract you.

Im assuming I dont have to tell you what neighborhoods they generally happen in and/or what people generally do them. Keep your head out of your ass at bus stops, train platforms, dark streets...ect

Distance can save you. Train to shoot while moving. I drill every day with push off and draw dry fires, backing off creating distance from the BG. They are the guy wired up or fucked up on junk. Listen to your instincts, get your gun out first and blow his heart and lungs out until you hear "click". Once you see a weapon and fear for your life theres nothing more to really think about.

If you stop your car in "the hood" always allow distance between you and the car ahead. The guy about to jack you will be the guy with the big sign on his head "car jacker" in red neon. Again listen to your instincts.

Afterwards you have every right to say only "lawyer". Dont let any slick talking cop talk you out of it "and this is a cop telling you it". The world has gone insane and become a haven for scumbags and criminals. The BG could have a 8 pages of priors and still some dipshit prosecutor may want to use your hide to move up a pay grade. Be warned. Look at Ferguson and Baltimore, good cops fucked for life by this lousy system that finds guilt without evidence. Dont think it cant happen to you.

My experience has been most stick up guys arent really gang members or at most have loose associations with them. Most gangsters would much rather make money selling junk then sticking someone up, which often only gets the offenders poor paychecks. Most stick up guys, and girls, are on the junk however. Like all thieves they steal to get high. I have never met one who steals cause their kids are hungry. This is America, where the poor people are the fat asses. Stick up guys will go on a tear, 4 or 5 a night, until they get enough to party, unless they hit a big one.

Dont trust the system to protect you cause it cant and it wont. Look, in the future your going to see less and less of the pro-active Policing that allowed us to get these armed felons off the street before they could get to you or your family. Were going to have camera's pinned on our asses and every move we make will be dissected. That gets old man, and we have to many bills to worry about just like you. So good luck with your "perfect society" but I'd still be worried about the hundreds of thousands of violent criminals on our streets.

They dont wear camera's. And they dont give a shit.

Really good points.

Thank you.

And another bump.

btt

I had an incident yesterday that information from BurnedOut LEO's post helped save from from a lot of trouble.

Ever since the video came out (was it last year?) of the Cook County Sheriff's Deputy who shot the guy who was trying to rob him at a gas station, I've been very wary of anyone who approaches me while I'm at the pump. I stand behind my car, so I'm not boxed in between pump and car. My pistol is always with me. On the occasions I purse carry, my purse is on me when I'm gassing up.

Anyway, lately I must be a magnet for people, as I've been approached 4-5 times in the past month while I'm getting gas. Today was the worst of the encounters. I went to visit friends in southern WI yesterday and stopped for gas a bit into IL on my way back. It was about 6pm, still daylight. A pudgy, seedy looking white guy approached me just as I was done. I barked my usual, "No. Get away." Guy kept approaching so I held my left hand out and moved back a couple of steps to go around my car and get in. I can't run anymore due to my bum knee, but I scooted as quick as I could back into my car. Guy was yelling something about only wanting directions. My window was cracked and he was at window before I could pull away. I yelled,"What part of no don't you understand?" and took off.

I liked this. Good, thought provoking stuff.



Thanks



 

One week bump.

Bumpity bump bump

Bumpity bump bump

This thread needs to be permanent/sticky.

Forever subbed for me.

The information in this thread was useful for me earlier this evening.  For all I know it could have been some guys peddling for some change, but you just never know.  

I was out running some errands and decided to pull into the gas station to fill up my truck.  As I am driving in, I noticed 2 young guys talking with each other and I immediately had that feeling in my gut that they would try approach me.

I decide to park at the furthest possible gas pump away from them, that way they would have to walk the length of the gas station.  While I am swiping my credit card they look over at me a few times.  I deliberately made a point to make sure the hose line from the pump was between me and them.  

Low and behold once I click the pump on and walk back to the drivers door of my truck, the pair split up.  One guy walks across the forecourt towards me, the other walks behind the gas station, the opposite side just happens to come out opposite my passenger door.  Because of reading this thread this was one of the signs that made me uneasy.  

I am the only person getting gas at this time.  Due to the fact I decided to park away from them I had a chance to open my car door while he was still 10 yards away.  By the time he gets to the tailgate of my truck "Hey man do you".........

At this point I am sitting with one leg on the drivers seat and my right leg out out the truck facing him.  He can't see the the left side of my body.  

At this point I look over my left shoulder expecting to see his buddy on my 9 o'clock position.  He isn't there yet.  The fact I looked for where his buddy would come out from the back of the gas station, surprised him and caught him off guard.  

I told him politely and firmly "No, Please go away"

Then he tried to stammer again.  

I looked into my truck and back at him and then back into my truck and back at him.  That really unnerved him.  

"Hey don't worry about it man"  and then he walked away.  His buddy did not appear from the near side of the rear of the gas station.  

I lucked out, I was NOT carrying today.  I had to bluff.  

An interesting note to this is these 2 guys were maybe 5'7 and 150 pounds tops.  Like most of GD, I am actually 6'4 and 240 pounds and I work out a lot.  I am just a regular joe, but I am larger than the average guy.

As noted by previous posters, size is not a deterrent, not that I ever expected it to be.    

What is so interesting is how it was a conversation in non-verbal communication.  

Being prepared starts with situational awareness.  Listen your gut, I should have just pulled through and gone to another gas station.  

FYI this was in one of the "nice" suburbs in DFW.  

Like I said I could be wrong about the whole thing and could have been a guy down on his luck, but it just didn't feel that way.

Me too. But seriously, this needs to be stickied.
From a mindset / situational awareness / knowledge standpoint, this thread is a "must read", in my opinion.

While not exactly on the street, I always think of this scenario as being hard to defend from attack.  Paying in line, your back to all the "customers" behind you.  



http://www.ammoland.com/2015/08/concealed-carrier-robbed-of-gun-in-philadelphia/#axzz3kdgneJej



Course, the article claimed concealed carry doesn't give anyone deterrence, but I don't see how open carry would have changed anything.  Back turned, you are at risk, and I struggle on thinking how to pay and watch your back at the same time.

Don't ever use the world "please" when giving a directive for a thug to stay away from you.  It sounds weak, and criminals prey on weak people.

Also, carry your damn gun with you!