Buggy Disaster

iTrader: (1)

I have always driven older, unique cars, that tend to stick out. So you guys know how it is, people always ask questions about the cars when your stopped. Which is fine, it's part of being a car enthusiast. I enjoy talking about it.

However, then there's the people that ask for money. Again, you know how it goes, "Can I get a dollar,", "Money for the bus", "I'm Hungry".... Even though I'm a nice guy, I normally just say no. I can honestly say, I've never felt threatened by them, until the other night.


Late friday night, around midnight, I was taking my girlfriend home from a date. I stopped to get gas. After pumping gas I got into the car. Just as I was about to start the car and leave, A rough looking man approached me out of no where. Completely caught me off guard. He quickly admired the car, bends down, and leans into the car, similar to what an officer does at a traffic stop.(Remember 2 seconds ago he wasn't there, now he's leaning into my car) Then the man asks if he can have a dollar or two for the bus. By this time he purposely leans closer to my face, attempting to intimidate me. I'm telling him no, and my girlfriend is scared out of her mind. She's tugging on my arm telling me to leave. He became agitated and started and repeatedly said "I know you got money in here somewhere" and statements similar, getting more and more agitated.

So after firmly saying I don't have money, numerous times, he very quickly pulls his hands out of both pockets, as if he was about to pull a weapon, or strike me, but lightly taps me on the shoulder, saying "that's alright. I'll find a way home." Then he just stares at my girlfriend still leaning in the window of the car. At that time I dramatically started the car, which is loud as hell, and he backs off. Exactly what I should of done from the beginning, but he was so close and caught me off guard.

So what would you guys do in similar situations?

I figured throwing this on the forum would get a wide variety of answers, and provide for a nice conversation.

midias

Move my hand towards my XDs then drive away window never goes down more than a crack

igotta355z28

iTrader: (1)

same thing but with my hand on my G21. Ive had a buddy get robbed 2 times in these situations. Always be prepared.

Base91

iTrader: (1)

It's a tough one especially as it wasn't just you. The best way to avoid a confrontation is to not be there so you should probably have kept your window up and left immediately. Then called the cops maybe. Unless you're very large or otherwise intimidating or armed or a hand to hand combat expert it's best not to tangle with people you know nothing about. He could have had a gun or knife or an accomplice waiting to come at you too. It's even tougher when you're surprised and at a dis-advantage.

Base91

iTrader: (1)

Sadly, carrying legally is not an option in some states unless you're connected.

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

True, but that is only a select few in the New England region. the grand majority it is legal w/permit.

However, pulling on a dude who's already got both hands and his head in your car is just asking for someone other than him to get the bullet.

I almost always have my windows up at night but in the case that the OP described getting the heck out of dodge is the best option. You never know who you're messing with (high, drunk, not-all-there, etc). If you have power windows then that's a really quick way to get them to listen to you, especially where the switches are located on our cars.

on the other side of the spectrum (the other 99% of people who ask for money)

I've bought people meals before if I was within walking distance of a restaurant (tell them-hey, if you walk right over there, I'll buy you a meal). Most decline, but some take you up on it and are really taken a back by the whole thing.

Jay_rich

iTrader: (4)

Last time this happened to me i was in my FRC Vette all polished up on the way to a show. The Bum was like sick car dude, man those rims are nice. Got any spare change? Nope...drove off. Nothing like your situation since the car was off and he was half inside...

90% of those people asking for money are crack heads/alcoholics. Actually I know the guy that asked me was a crack head since my friend is a local cop. Guy gets arrested a lot.

Jay

Jonesyfxr

iTrader: (2)

Around here the heroin addiction problem has sky rocketed. This is how most of the dirtbags around here become, they try to intimidate people. I'd say no just as well. If they are persistent and I was with my girl, I'd tell her to all the police as I step out of the car to confront the person. Granted I'm 6'3" tall and weigh 240, but I'd keep him talking until the police were able to get there. I'd put money on it the person has a warrant or two.

kymmee

This scam is all over the place in my area. Some ask for money outright, others stand at busy intersections with a cardboard resume', asking for money to "feed my Kids", "need money for gas to go visit my sick XXX in hospital", etc, you get the idea.

We have a crime watch chat forum on the internet here that alerts members to where this activity is going on, etc. If the cops are called, they will tell them to leave, but they just go somewhere else.

If the "in need" person is offered help, or food they will decline. I agree with Jonesyfxr, that these people are addicts and the cash is to get them drugs or booze.

I usually look straight ahead and ignore them, but some are bold and will knock on your window at a traffic light. Its getting pretty scary around here. Best advice I know is learn how to protect yourself.

keeslinger31

Wouldn't it be nice if they just got a job

Ron U.S.M.C.

A lot of the people living on the street are mentally ill and can become violent at any time.

I carry the strongest police grade pepper/tear gas spray there is.
12 , 1 second bursts out of a canister that fits in the palm of my hand. Spray him in the face and his eyes "slam" shut and he goes into convolutions gasping for air while it practically burns his skin off and marks him with ultraviolet chemicals so he can be spotted by police easily.

At that point you can do "what ever" you want to him. Or just leave.
I carry a nasty looking crowbar and a 5in. blade clip knife. The spray, knife and bar are in easy reach.

I would get in the habit of caring the spray with you when you can.

One for your girl friend on her key chain and another in the car.

I can buy them at Military Surplus stores or at Sporting Goods stores and even Auto Parts stores around here for around $12.00.
They also sell ones filled with water so you can practice spraying someone and get used to how they act.
They even have them that look like lipstick and pens.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

i have a ccp..and always have my Kimber Gold Combat on me.cross draw rig... that and im 6'4" 290lbs. and fit...
i always tell them no thank you... and they walk away...

rusty vango

colt. model 1911 45.acp. kinda gets their attention REALLY quickly.where I live .there are many "panhandlers" that do this kinda thing. I personally like to be ready for what ever may threaten my ability to have a safe trip

Blue 90 RS

+1

Ruger 1911 .45 Auto. I'm always carrying at least one gun at all times. Usually more.

RubberDucky

iTrader: (4)

I hand them the fist full of Pennies in my ash tray.


Love my Ruger P90.

AutoRoc

iTrader: (1)

Honey where's that pepper spray??

That would be the nicest way to teach someone not to stick their head in your car or even touch your car. MANNERS ****!!! If daddy didnt teach you manners I will. Last time this happened when I was hauling my dune buggy(behind my H3 Hummer). Some guy starts talking about how his dad has a similar one then he asks for gas money.... Uhhh no.... you seem to get around just fine without your truck thats down the street. Hand is already on my G36 well before he said "Hi, nice buggy"....


Also had a guy start washing a friends windows as we were downtown for a concert...she had JUST washed it before leaving.... She wasnt going to say anything but how could I not.. Keep your ****ing hands off this car...

Jonesyfxr

iTrader: (2)

Tell the president!!

keeslinger31

He won't listen! Everyone needs to tell him

Restrorob

iTrader: (7)

That's funny right there !

Their head would be exiting quicker than it entered for sure......

AutoRoc

iTrader: (1)

Tax free money is really hard to pass up when people just keep handing it to you... People on 8 mile fight over certain corners because they make a LOT of money doing this... I've seen it.

MMroc86

If I'm out that late & I absoloutly need to stop for gas, I choose a very well lit gas station & b4 I get out of the car I grab my smith & wesson 40 ready for action & hand it to my wife (lol, she loves this) & tell her to watch my back while I pump the gas! If I'm solo(rare, wifey wont allow it!) but, pre-marriage I would just get the pistol ready & lay it on my driver-seat so that I can grab it quickly if I see a potential attacker coming my direction. BTW, I'm not 6'+! I'm 5'9 130lbs, so I'm not planning on getting into a fight or struggle with anyone, I'm planning on taking YOUR A$$ out!

Anything can happen no matter what time or what part of the city your in, but after-hours & on a "party" nite there are all types of criminals out there! So you should always be extra vigilant of potential a$$holes that are out to ruin your evening.

RubberDucky

iTrader: (4)

Last time I did it the guy got mad over pennies.

Lurbie

iTrader: (3)

Had a guy walk up to me in a parking lot, not yelling, but hollering at me, "hey wait a minute, wait a minute" he said. I had my wife and 3 kids with me (driving the minivan at the time), he walks closer as I get in and slightly roll the window down. He says,
'I don't have a gun or anything" to which I replied, "No problem, I do." This caught him off guard and made him stop just long enough for me to start the van and drive off... because I don't carry right now. I don't know if I could use it when the time comes, but I don't want my family put in jeopardy either. It's a tough decision for me, but I respect those who have made the decision to carry and, for now, only hope one or more of you are around if help is ever needed.

Had a friend, who does carry, stop to get gas in a bad part of town, but it was in daytime. A guy walks around the side of his Jeep and says, "nice Jeep, what are you gonna do when I take it from you?" then stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled a knife out. My friend drew his weapon, pointed at him and said "I'm gonna shoot you first," then gave a look to the guys 2 friends and told them what order he was gonna shoot them next. They all quickly changed their tone of voice and said "weez just kiddin' weez just kiddin'" turned around and ran off.

This world is getting worse every day.

anobii

Having a firearm in the car in this situation is nothing more than peace of mind, and it shouldn't be. You being seated in the car already puts you in a tactical disadvantage. If the assailant is standing at your window, he has the upper hand by having range of movement and premeditation. He already knows what he's gonna do before he approached the car, you on the other hand have to think through a myriad of what ifs and choose an approach. In most tactical training circles they teach that it takes the average man less than 2 seconds to cover 21 feet and inflict a knife wound. the average trained police officer can't draw his side arm from a snapped holster, point and shoot in that amount of time. In this case, He has already closed this distance and is within arms reach. In less than a second, it could be lights out for you. The gun beside your seat wouldn't help you one bit. Everyone knows what they would do, but how about what you actually could do.
What you Should do, is get gas before your going to be out late. Never stop anywhere in the middle of the night unless its a busy place with a lot of people around. If you absolutly must stop, keep the windows rolled up and the doors locked until you have to get out. Park directly in front of the store in a well lit area. Most of all for gods sakes get out/stay of those parts of town stuff like this is much less likely to happen in better neighborhoods.

That's just the OP's situation. I'm not saying you shouldn't carry a gun, all i'm saying is know what you actually are ABLE to use it for.

Gsoleski

Good thinking anobii. When I lived in Milwaukee this happens frequently and sometimes even mixed with that dumb*** knockout game from someone that comes from your backside. What about us youngsters that are not allowed to carry? I was thinking about the pepper spray in this situation, now i've never used it before but let's say the guy is leaning in your car, would the pepper spray "splash" on his face and leave a mist in the car? If so that doesn't seem like the best route. I always carry a gnarly looking 3.5" spring assisted blade but still... i'm by no means intimidating, 6'3 160lbs with a mindset that i'm a 240 pound guy lol

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

the nice thing about living in the USA is never having to be scared.day or night.situational awareness.

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

well said

MadCelt

Back in 2006 I had purchased a new Ram quad cab. Stopped at a light... some scabby looking fellow with a can in his hand, complete with poorly hand written "Feed hungry children" sign, walks right up to my partly open window and starts to talk.

At which point, my previously sleeping Dobermann suddenly appears from the back seat, teeth gnashing, barking like a mad fool. Guy says in a panic "You need to control that dog!". My response was to reach down, pull the door handle enough for the audible "click", and say "You need to back the f**k up!".

Never trust anyone within arms reach of your vehicle. Firefighters with boots for collection drives excepted, LOL. My vehicle is an extension of my home, and I will protect it the same way.

Yeah I know, dogs get hair in the vehicle, blah blah blah. I, however, am perfectly comfortable dipping into the convenience store while leaving the engine running...

red rock

iTrader: (2)

All very good and interesting post, and a great subject line in this economy we have. Having a CCP (which the wife and I have) is a responsibility and a right we should all have, but for those that can't or don't want to, then your best defense is to think ahead as some have posted. Living in a rural area as i do, we don't have too many incidents of homeless or crackheads working gas stations or street corners. We do however travel to the twin cities Mn. periodically to see family, so being armed and having some gun manufacture stickers in the back window of a pickup truck from Wi. seems to deter any problems so far. Lol

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

This is why I have a Georgia Weapons License. You'll be more firm and simultaneously avoid these kinds of situations more instinctively. You just cant let strange people into your personal space like that. You just have to keep an eye on people and make sure that suspicious people approaching you know that you see them approaching. Dont stare, just make sure they know you know where they are and if they get too close tell them they need to respect your space. Best thing to do from there is to leave the scene immediately. An altercation is bad bad news, whether you're carrying or not. Once the violence has started, everyone loses. You've already lost control of the situation so whether you end up dead, injured, or in jail, or worse... is completely up to chance.

You may be too young for a GWL, and even if you're not, you may not be mature enough for one, but the Georgia process for it is very fair. If you're a law-abiding citizen it will be no problem to obtain one. It's a big responsibility. Guns are not something you wave around to intimidate people with. If a perp sees you have a gun, your gun becomes potential loot. Flashing a gun is illegal in many places, and I dont think it's technically illegal in GA, that may not be what law enforcement thinks. Even if they're wrong, you still have to pay bail and go to court over it.

No one should know you have a gun (I dont mind people suspecting Im carrying, as long as they dont KNOW) unless you're shooting to kill in a life or death situation. Now, with a GWL you can open carry if you want, and that certainly gets attention if you're okay with that. But by yourself surrounded by an unknown number of potential attackers who can catch you by surprise, you just dont want to be a target in an unfamiliar environment. Plus guns require training and time investment. If you had a gun in this case, you still dont want to be in the area any longer than necessary. The only time the gun matters is once he's threatened your life. Period. To me it just highlights to you the fact that you have deadly force available and you owe it to yourself and everyone else involved to avoid that at all costs. It forces you to be responsible. You do something stupid one time with that license and you'll never be able to get one again, if you're lucky.

So basically it all comes back down to you avoiding violence and confrontation at all costs. The minute some threatening person violates your personal space you need to firmly tell them to evacuate and leave as soon as possible.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Good points about situational awareness.
I think the main point to take from this thread, regardless of whether you are armed or not is to always be on guard in vulnerable areas.
Gas stations should always be thought of as one of the most dangerous places in any area.
It's a place where ne'er do wells can hang out unnoticed, where many people use cash, where your car is immobile, and your view is restricted.
I'm always on high alert there.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

My standard reply: "I don't carry cash, my wife won't let me keep any" Trying to diffuse it with some humor. I always pay for everything with a debit card, would be lucky to have a few bux in cash on me.

Mad Celt, good looking dogs. Nothing more intimidating than defenders that they can't reason with nor scare. Raven & Tonka, the Ferrari and the bulldozer. They're getting older now, but I have no uninvited guests.

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Lmancha96

This thread has lots of great advice.

I tend to be pretty paranoid about my car being stolen when Im not in it. But ive never put much thought about it being stolen while I am in it or anyone approaching me and attempting to harm me.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to throw in your 2 pennies.

I might get myself some of that pepper spray. I would love to have a 45 sitting under my seat, but my maturity level is just not where it needs to be yet.

MadCelt

Nice. Do you find people are more intimidated by the Dobe or the GSD? Even though GSD's tend to be larger, I find the Dobes tend to be more intimidating to people, personally. I think it's the coloration, ears, and "non-fuzzy" quality, haha. GSD's are poofy so there is a certain generic 'cuteness' there.

Ruckusz28

iTrader: (3)

I am usually confronted by these people around the holidays in mall / shopping center parking lots. Odds are the guy was on something or coming down from a high. Desperate people do desperate things. Glad you got away safe.

UNCLE TOM

iTrader: (1)

something everyone could buy/carry in their car . wasp & hornet spray , recommended by lot's of law enforcement . cheap , easy to find/buy , VERY , VERY effective . think about it , will not get you in trouble in "bleeding heart LIBERAL" states . do a "GOOGLE" on it as a personal defense method . it's in my car , good luck .

red rock

iTrader: (2)

Well i did some checking on the wasp spray for self defence and everything i read said it was illegal for one and two it didn't work. Here is just one article; http://oklahomapersonaldefense.com/waspspraymyth.html

graysmoke

If I'm by myself I have no problem deaing with people intimidating me or getting car jacked. I'll gladly hand over my keys. I conceal carry always. In TX you can use deadly force in defense of personal property. I just dont want to dirty my car.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Unfortunately, like most people we have to have something such as this occur before we realize what can happen to us and how to avoid it. I was really fool hardy when I was in high school and college and had to suffer three of those situations before finally learning. The last situation was scary, attempted car jacking and a short car chase. Like has been said, learn situational awareness and carry some sort of weapon for defense and never ever let a stranger in your bubble of five feet. You can read some of Massad Ayoob and watch lots of situational awareness videos on YouTube. Some companies put up good videos on how to protect yourself in various situations. Last line of defense is my SP101 in .357.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I'd give this guy a couple bucks:

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

+1 for creativity

gt4373

Have A Friend Like This In Your Back Seat,Just Kidding.

nosajwols

iTrader: (1)

There is no perfect answer to the situation since every situation is different.

Some points though:

-Being aware is your best bet.
-Stay away from areas this crap happens! It can happen anywhere but there are always hot spots.
-If you get physical first, expect it back so make it count.
-My opinion is that in this exact situation a CCW is all but useless as a weapon. Where it may help is in confidence and not being scared which in itself will make them back off. If you try to use it they will have the upper hand (too close, too long to get it, they can grab it) and it may just get used on you. Only works if you have it in your hand before they stick their head in the window (being aware).
-One option, stay calm and confident, say NO!, start the car, put it in gear, roll up the window and drive away (with them in or out of the window).
-Fake being deaf (point to ears, shake your head), you cannot understand them, may help diffuse the situation.
-If it gets to self defense. keys, casually put them between your fingers in prep (pointing out of your fist) and give them a shot to the forehead or a soft spot (many women's self defense courses will teach them to walk with them in the position). Distract them with the other hand before swinging.

UNCLE TOM

iTrader: (1)

O.K. ,O.K. while maybe not the best defense . it is better than nothing , does not require a permit , would not cause problems with law enforcement , etc. , etc. . sure it may be illegal , how many people have ever been charged for illegal use ??? not too many , I have several friends/family in law enforcement . it has been used against "ghetto" type thugs before with good results . being retired military & viet nam vet. i would deal with a bad situation in a different manner . if need be I would use deadly force . if not , I would not . I pray I am never put in that situation again . good luck to all .