I do not know what is going on, but things are getting wierd out there.....

About a month ago a family left a very profain note on my wifes car because she parked (leagally) in a parking lot in front of a big RV (illegally parked.)  It said that they almost took off her bumper because she was a stubid B parking there, not leaving enough room for them to get out.  They just left it when she went to the car, and screamed at her that she should have not parked there and known better. She replied that she parked properly and that the RV parking is the other street, they cussed and took off.  No damage to the car, but still very upsetting for the wife. Side note, we get alot of tourists, and this was a family visiting on vactaion. What kind of role model are you being doing things like this?

I chalked it up to a stupid tourist and to remind her to keep her cell phone handy and if anything looks fishy, call 911 immediately.

2 weeks ago, I am filling up my wifes car with gas, it is about 7pm, they are faily busy, and there is this kid (early 20s) going around asking for gas money to get to the next town. (red light flashing in my head)  He was driving a fly by night meat company pickup with fridge in the back (I have heard about those types before, knock on your door, tell you they have a great deal on meat, but it is usually crap over priced stuff.)  Warning 1  He was parked next to a pump, with the truck RUNNING Warning 2    When the woman next to me said no, he then asked if she had any smoke he could bum off of her Warning 3    She said no.

Then he came over to me. Warning 4   Luckily I was working in the yard and looked like a poor guy, and told him I barely had money to put some gas in my car.  (I know a con-man when I see one) I looked the part so he moved on to an older gentleman at the next pump.  (BTW the truck is running this whole time.)

He gives the same lame a spiel about needing gas money in the used car salesman voice.  And now most of the older people around here are trusting, good people, that are willing to help others out.  So he says that he has been in bad spots before and whips out a $20 and gives it to the guy.  They are BSing as the wife and I go in to pay, but as we approach the door I hear him walking up behind us so I say to the wife "Lets go over and look at the pop, NOW!"  My wife gets the hint and we peruse the pop as the con-guy starts asking the clerk about how much smokes are and wants to buy a pack and put the rest to gas.  At the same time, the good samaritan comes in and confronts him about buying smokes with the $20 that he just gave him for gas.  Con-man says, uh, no, I wasn't, I was just trying to pre-pay for gas. And puts the whole $20 to gas, goes out and starts pumping.  The wife and I pay and GTFO of there.  Hopefully a lesson learned for the GS.

You never see stuff like that here.

Now this past Sunday evening, my wife goes to the grocery store and there is a woman with two young kids outside.  They walk up to my wife and ask for a ride home and that she had her license taken away from her so she could not drive home (Red Flag for the wife.) she says that she just got there and needed to purchase some food and suggests that they talk to the manager in the grocery store.  The lady says that they will not let her in.  Then she suggests calling the police, and the lady says that they have already been out there and won't take her home.  My wife goes in and calls the police, and they are already aware of the situation and an officer is on his way.  When she leaves, the lady and kids are gone.  thankfully....

My wife is to the point she does not want to go out, worried about what next will happen.  I thought I would share what is happening in small town SD, There are too many coincidences going on....

Like the title says, Be carefull out there...

Just another day here.   Add a naked man walking up the street , drug deal, a gun shot a block away and maybe a homeless man fighting with himself......welcome to NY.   I guess its all about what's familiar to you.

Item One, the tourists...lots of folks from the city talk that way.  Sad but true.  Smile and wave...Smile and wave.  Let them take their problems back home.





Item Two, the gas hustler...More of them show up in down times.  Hustlers are another fact of life.





Item Three, the mom and kids...More of them appear in down times.  Maybe that mom had a real need, and maybe she was playing.  I don't know I wasn't there.  I've met both.  





OP I'd say that you and your wife have some issues that need dealing with.  It appears from you OP that she may have some fear issues.  Now the adult thing to do is for the two of you to admit that there is an issue then plan a way to deal with it.





Just one example of a survivalist family I know.  She really did not like to go shopping.  He would call when he started home and ask if there was anything she would like from the grocery store.  She really thought the it was the greatest thing for him to do.
Just another thought.  Put a couple of illegally parked RVs up on blocks and make them pay to get the tires out of tire jail...word will get out.  Tourism will go down and the RVs will be parked properly.

 

Blocking in a legally/illegally parked vehicle is a good way to create a potentially big issue, depending on the parties involved.

Best to be aware of what's around you when parking and avoid creating a problem.

Interesting.  One of those meat guys showed up at my house about a year ago.  Pickup with a chest freezer in the back.  She dropped about $140 on steaks.  I facepalmed hard enough to draw blood.  



On the other hand, she'd spent forty years in the restaurant business, and can tell a bad piece of meat half a mile off in the dark.  The guy comes back every month, and every month she drops a little over a hundred.  The meat's always good, the prices are more than good.



Last month, he shows up at the door, she tells him times is tough and she can't afford to buy this month.  He says hang on, and comes back with a box of steaks.  On the house, he says, and he hopes things will be better next month.



Go figure



The rest of the stories sound pretty familiar.  I didn't used to be able to go more than twenty miles without picking up a hitcher or two.  These days, I don't let anybody I don't know in the car, and I haven't given any streeties a dime since the '90s.

I remember as a young kid staying at my grandparents' house once when someone rang the doorbell and asked for a ride.  It didn't seem right to me, but my grandfather would help anyone in need.  He gave to about 10 different charities regularly.  Well I felt something wasn't on the level so while my grandfather was going for the car keys I ran into their bedroom and snuck my grandfathers revolver out....ran and said I'm going for a ride.

Yeah, might not have been the most legal thing to do, but I sat in the back seat holding a revolver in my jacket.

It was a non-event, but ever since then I've always been weary of helping the "needy"

Tried explaining that to a coworker who was quite naive.  She figured it out when she rolled her car window down to give some money to the panhandler who stood near the highway.  Instead of taking the $5 bill, the guy reached into the car and grabbed her purse.

Lots of down and out people out there. Poverty is on a full time basis now. As public benefits get spent on drugs and liquors early on in any given calendar month and you get to the end of the month people are what in street parlance is "scrambling". It is right now around the 27th or so, about sometime next week the check comes in.  

OP you in the Rapid AO?  If you are get yourself and your wife down to the public safety building with ten dollars cash and get your carry permit. The little old lady at the desk will help you, its good for four or five years, ten dollars cash and a background check thats it. If you wife isn't a big shooter and needs other women around to be comfortable to learn shooting, have her check out the "Second Amendment Sisters".

I love SD. Badlands NP is one of my favorite places. You guys are having a natural gas boom these days I hear. The only downside to the Dakotas as I see it is winter.

The world has gone mad.  Mad, I tell you....
We live in a little slice of the planet which is normally completely detached from reality, roughly <edit:  deleted location info>.  Nothing bad ever happens here.  Ever.  Paradise it is.
Home invasions are now a huge issue, including this one and this one, both in the past 3 weeks.  The first involving a shooting very near a co-workers house, and the second a 5x-homocide.  There are several others which are not so dramatic.  All within <edit:  too close for comfort> of our adopted (small) hometown.  
OTR advice I've gotten from public officials is that their XYL's are now armed 24x7, even/especially at home, and they advise same.  Off the record of course –– official line is call 911 –– which is an average of 20+ minute response where we live.  We have a significant increase in burglaries in the past 10 months as well as a fairly bad persistent tweaker problem.
Add to the fire that <edit: one of the regional companies> outsourced last week, laying off 50+ workers.  Local/5-county unemployment now 2x national average, ...
Perhaps this is an anomaly, but based on the anecdotes I'm seeing its a
trend.  Hang on to your hats girls and boys, me thinks the frog is
beginning to boil –– at least in this pot.
Shitz getting truly weird.  The SliceStead is moving to DEFCON-3 this weekend, which is unprecedented in the past 20 years.  We are beyond situational awareness (DC4).  Panhandlers and pissed off neighbors I can handle.  Multiple shootings/murders in an area that doesn't see this in a 10-year period, not so much.  We are unprepared for DEFCON-2, which I fear is on the horizon...
I don't mean to sound alarmist as it's not my nature.  I'm sorry if I'm out of line...
-Slice
EDITS:  OPSEC.  Duh.  and removed links.
 
 
 



 

May want to consider deleting out your links also if you're concerned with opsec...... had to edit myself for the sake of you're opsec if choose to delete out the links, me having it quoted wouldn't help the situation any haha so I deleted the links out

This.

Its always better to foresee a potential problem and avoid it before it becomes a real problem than to enforce it after the fact. Just because you may be right, does not always mean you should act on it. The higher your perception is - your ability to detect these potential conflicts - the better your chances of avoiding confrontation. The OP subect, Situational Awareness, falls right into line with this. I am of the opinion that people just don't come up and talk to a stranger unless they want something. Thats the flavor I taste when a stranger begins talking to me. Oh, I am nice as buttered bread, but it does not take long before they reveal to you what they are interested in obtaining. It could be as simple as needing directions, or as sinister as conning you out of a few bucks. Everybody wants something.

Similar thing happened to me in Mitchell SD on the way back from visiting family last week (Didn't have any cash, so couldn't give anything even if I wanted to). Definatly going to be watching out more now.  Thanks for the heads up.

OP- Welcome to what many parts of America have been experiencing for some time now.  Its funny how everyone expects a SHTF scenario to be sudden.  Many people have become accustomed to the slow  reduction in quality of life around us and don't notice its slow creep further and further into society.

Welcome to Obama's new America.  Remember, he was going to fundamentally change America.  And he has.



Keep your head in the game and your gun on your side.

I have a large, "No Solicitors" sign on my front door and still get people knocking.  But having 3 full sized Rotties usually is enough to make them leave ASAP!!

Yup, I see that stuff when I go into town sometimes too.

Interesting about the "meat guys". I live in a tiny little town, up in the mtns at the end of a road in CO. A truly tiny little old mining town. It's not the kind of place solicitors would normally go. I have lived in urban areas and am very familiar with the meat sellers from previous experiences. Recently two meat guys, dressed obviously from the city and rather "gangsta" style were in town peddling their stuff. I heard the neighbors dog barking and intercepted them before they got to my porch (J-Frame in pocket of course). The conversation was going normally and I told them I'm not interested. I fibbed and told them I'm vegetarian. That probably should have been a clue that I'm not interested. So, Bla, bla bla and then the guy asks me if I hunt . I just told them I'm vegetarian. I am of the opinion they were there casing places(for firearms). Why would they ask me if I hunt after me telling them I'm a vegetarian? As they approached my neighbors house I told them there is nobody there right now and to move along - and they did. The neighbor was in fact home alone (pretty woman) and she saw them from the window and appreciated my intercept.

The meat sellers are not to be trusted.

-JC

Kudos.  Most people would have never thought to protect a potentially vulnerable neighbor.  Wish more people would look out for others.

There's a decent chance they were out there casing the area for potential burglary targets. I see some of that around here. Criminals from the Baltimore area come up here, figuring we'll be easy targets because "we're out in the country"...unfortunately they are right that there are some stupid fools around here who ARE easy targets "because nothing happens around here" and they won't take even basic precautions. Well duh, there's plenty of new scruffy looking folk moving into the low-income areas of town and crime is going up by leaps and bounds.

Heck, my neighbor STILL leaves his doors unlocked at times, even after an attempted break-in, and after I called the police to check his place out because his rear door was open and he wasn't home. Cops thought it was nice I was looking out for the 'old boy, but he didn't appreciate it. Unless I see someone carting off his stuff, he's on his own.

We've done all we can to make our place unattractive, and with careless neighbors they'll probably be hit instead of us.

Wow, I cant beleive your wife parked in front of the RV :( That is asking for trouble. always endeavor to stay OUT of trouble... dont look to prove a point to someone about their lack or wrong doing... unless of course you are willing to go all the way.

Gas station con man: If you give money expect them to use it how they will. no big deal here, these folks have been doing this since before Jesus was here. I personally dont see the emergency in this scenario. situational awareness but not panic or fear.

Get out more bro and maybe stop reading all the doom and gloom stuff. go to Disney Land or the beach. Not all folks are bad people

That being said, Keep your Powder Dry and Check Six all the time.

This........... just another day in Ohio.

SW Houston here.  Welcome to my world.  What you described is every day stuff here.  My wife let her CHL lapse (well...if the instructor we had actually knew how to score a target she would have passed but that's another story).  I finally talked her into at least having her pistol in the car with her.   She's getting a gift card to a CHL class for her birthday.  Shhhh....don't spoil the surprise.

good stuff to read here. No stranger to the con game at gas station. I've seen dozens of examples of this one since I travel on business alot. I used to make excuses and occasionally even gave when I felt the need was genuine but these days, I just answer with a simple but firm NO. Same goes for the meat salesmen which go thru our neighborhood all the time. No chatting, no excuses, just a simple but firm NO.

I think in these times, you have to take a pretty firm stance on stuff like that. Oh and we are seeing alot more door to door salesmen and women in our area also. Don't know what is up with that but it is so re-assuring to have an 80 pound male boxer who just loves to greet anyone at the front door. Our boxer has it down to an artform. Doorbell rings or knock at the door and he is bounding towards the door. No barking just heads straight for the door and stands there. Once I get to the door, I reach down for his collar and once I have it in hand, he tenses up. I open the door and he is at the door opening to see who it is. If it is a friend, he immediately relaxes and goes back to friendly dog mode. If it is a stranger,  he surges forward while letting out a low growl. I hold him back and the person at the door always steps back a step or two. Such a good dog, no doubt our boxer would gladly put his life on the line in defense of his "family".

Was walking around the auto parts section of Walmart and had a real cute 18 year old girl walk up to us and ask us if we would mind doing a survey on what we do for work...
I said sure, she's asked what work do we do?

I said we're both unemployed but I just got back from working in Iraq.

Told her she could make $85k a year passing out ping pong and pool balls at an MWR in Afghanistan. Save up money to go to college.
Told her to go home and look up www.fluor.com and apply for a job, any job. She wrote the website down on her hand.

She was happy as can be and said she would hold off pressuring us to buy a magazine subscription.

Yep, I've seen the gas scam. I tell them NO, just put the last $ in my tank.

Meat salesmen... I've had them pull in my driveway and try to hawk their wares... not buying it. They counter with "oh, your neighbor just bought some"... I counter with "I don't care WHAT my neighbor bought. I'm not buying." This is after being polite and a "No thanks" wasn't accepted. GET OFF MY LAWN FUCKER!

I can not help you ...

That's what I say to beggars.


I am the nicest guy in the world till I do not have to be.

I'm north of Dallas and things are heating up here too. Lots of vehicle crime. Texas is different.... We tend to have a back up plan.

I think as the effects of obamanomics take hold, we are gonna see a lot more of this kind of stuff.

TXL

Perhaps it is possible that your "little slice of the planet" was actually a little touch of disconnected from reality, and your town has always been that dangerous - it just never occurred to you until now.  Regardless, this stuff can happen to anyone no matter where you live.  Random violence and chaos is - well, random.

You are 100% correct.  First CCW permit I got was Brookings County Sheriff.  Make sure you get some decent trigger time and learn how to carry properly.  Practice drawing from a holster and reloading.  

It's outstanding that you and your wife recognize those red flags...many Americans just go unawares.  Now, do something about it to keep yourself safe.  Carrying a gun makes me avoid situations like that EVEN MORE.

Good luck, OP!

I've just started looking for work again after 15 years.  The local service has a thing called "virtual recruiter" that, each morning, sends me the jobs that match the criteria I've entered.



I'm IT for twenty years, and have nearly thirty years of big ticket sales and customer service.  What jobs spam my morning mail?  



Outside sales, insurance sales, merchant account sales.  You're seeing more door to door salespeople because those places will hire just about anybody, and for an increasing number of people, that's all they can get.



 

My neighbor and I headed out of town for a ECQC class for two days at the end of July. On Sunday ,The  Meat Truck guys approached my neighbors wife. This is one mile up a dirt road, and up a driveway that no sane person would enter unless they had a good reason. They went away without a sale.

That night as we were driving back, she called that someone was out at the road, trying to quietly call the dog away. Too much coincidence. She turned on all of the lights, called the dog in, and called the police (who took about 30 minutes to get there, because they couldn't find the place).

Sounds more like the "cancer" is spreading outside the city and into the suburbs and small rural towns.

Unfortunately, I can think of several spots where all of this takes place on a daily occourance not far from where I work.
You're right, however, pay attention! You never know what desperate measures they may take. I refuse to go into certain areas after being hassled so much.
Its not a risk im willing to take.
NO WAY would I ever give somone else a ride. Sorry, seen too many instances where the drivers were kidnapped, robbed, or killed. I personally knew a girl in college who had one hell of a time getting someone out of her vehicle.

But too many people, especially those like your talking about dont know about these people or they are too busy playing on their cell phones.

I started seeing things like this alot more this year, even road rage is up.



I live in a pretty nice (rural) area and I see all sorts of bullshit that i never saw before.



I never had the need to carry except when i was on a roadtrip, but now i carry alot more.

I was standing outside night before last 2330 or so, car driving down the road which borders our property, several small caliber gun shots from said car..I pull my weapon and start toward where the shots came from...car speeds away....still don't know what they were shooting at but I have a serious problem with that happening....

check roadsigns for holes. most of the signs around here have bullet holes in them.

nope, there aren't any road signs for them to be shooting at....figured it was some of the local gang bangers playing with their saturday night special....picked a bad place to play shoot em up...
I shoot back....

I don't understand what kind of "issues" that the OP and his wife "need dealing with".  He's been exposed to scammers.  He's learning to recognize them and deal with them.  What's wrong with that?

I have no use for beggars.  If you truely need help, go visit churches in the area.  I don't give money to anyone who asks.  And, I'm not polite about it either.

Maybe I have "issues" too.

I caught a guy stealing my LEAD....friggin lead, from my shop. Other guy got away but later charged after the scumbag i nabbed caughed him up. I can't understand how you commit a crime for something that they'll give .37/lb at the scap yard.  I since have buttoned up the area (they had to clinb and jump a 7' gate) by covering the front and back gates right to the roof line, all steel.
this was in broad daylight!

darn dt

Yes, it's all Obama's fault, not the spend now pay later culture.  People buying cars, and 2nd and 3rd homes that they couldn't afford.  Everybody wanting to save a few dollars on items made in china instead of the US.  I could go on.  I'm not a fan of the Change either, but blaming 1 guy for our entire culture's problems on both sides of the aisle is just wrong.

Going to town the other day and passed a guy walking along the highway in the other direction. He motions for me to stop and pick him up, only in an angry commanding way. I just looked at him as I went by and he balled up his fist and shook it. I returned the gesture and went on my way.

Some of these behavior are racial, almost as if people are stirring the pot a little.

be careful buddy.  

Simple advise that may help a bit, but even in the nicer rural areas you gotta have your "don't F with me" face on.  Meaning do NOT look friendly or inviting as small town howdy folks usual do.  You gotta have a pissed off look on your face so people won't even think to talk to you for fear of not getting a warm response.  Sounds cheesy but it works to a degree.

To reply about the parking lot.  My wife did not think she was "blocking" the RV, to demonstrate, here is a paint pic. (I admit that I am not the greatest painter)



The lot was full of cars/trucks, and she took the only spot open.   My wife thought nothing of how she parked, sense it was already packed.




Sorry, we are now East Riverers. But we have made it a point to get into the sherriffs office and pick up a couple certs.  Also need to see if we can find a pistol that she feels comfortable hauling all day. Thank God that we live in a free state.

As for those that say they encounter these day in, day out, well that does not usually happen here, and when it does, that usually means there is something really 'off' in the world.  That is why we don't live in NY, LA, ect.  Most people still have some common sense.

Welfare, SSI, SSA, EBT should kick in about a week from now, a temporary truce, your enemies will be on the crack and meth pipe, drinking 40 ouncers, smoking spliffs, shooting heroin all into a stupor that should last till abut the 15th to the 20th, when they run out of cash and have to scramble.

Here is the guy

Or maybe it was this guy

In keeping with your thread topic (situational awareness and being careful)....

Tonight on the Fox News website there was a story about the two men who raped and murdered the wife and daughters of a doctor in a brutal home invasion in Connecticut a year or two ago.

One of the killers has already been convicted.  I guess the trial for the other accused killer is going on now.

According to the one on trial now, which he admitted in an interview, he and his buddy began stalking the wife and daughter in the supermarket the day before they committed the home invasion and killed them.

I thought I had seen and heard it all and had grown jaded about this stuff, but that gave even me pause to consider.

They began stalking the wife and daughter in a supermarket the day before.

And the victims had no idea they were being stalked.

Be careful, folks.

I know FG - I'm not that niave.  that was tongue-in-cheek sarcasm
 

No offense, but reading this reminded me of some scared little rabitt cowering in the corner of my yard hoping I dont see it.  While situational awareness is always key to EVERYTHING in life... running to the other side of the store because some guy was going in to buy smokes and gas with a con'd $20... at a crowded gas station?  Being scared to death because some sea turtle yelled at you because they were too ignorant to park properly?  Being scared of a woman with two kids at the front of the grocery store?? These are reasons your wife is almost ready to not leave your place?  LMFAO!  

Not to be mean.... but she needs a dose of harden up!  Its not like some guy is approaching her in a dark parking lot, wearing a hoodie over his head with no one around.  

Some peoples kids...

This is a rather abrasive way to say it, but there is truth in there.

one thing - the woman with 2 kids at the grocery store was likely accompanied by the team observing from a car in the parking lot.  they follow you to her "home" and well you can guess what happens then. And if your wife won't speak to her but just so happens she gets targeted anyway, then they follow her to HER home.