Parking Lot Observation

H

Hardtarget

New member
Pulled into Sam'S, in Rivergate(Goodlettsville, Tn.) this evening. I noticed two guys walking toward the car...not focused on me...just seemed to be passing to their car. The second man was on the phone. Wife and I wait for them to pass and I opened the door after I saw them in my rear-view mirror.

As I go around behind the car to open wifey's door, I see they've opened the trunk...Then I see one pull a sword out and slip it from the scabbord!

To say the least,I went to condition RED. Wifey was already getting out of the car so I "rushed" her toward the front while keeping them in the corner of my eye. Then I heard the trunk close and they got into the car.

CALM...CALM DOWN...no problems.

He was just showing his buddy his sword. Two feet of shiny steel...long enough.

Nothing happened. There was NO THREAT. It just confirmed to me how fast things could go real bad.

I only posted this to remind one more time...take notice of what is going on around you. Something can happen in a blink.

Mark.
 
G

GodblessAmerica

New member
Whoa, that could have been a close one. Your situational awareness deserves kudos for this one, and luckily no harm no foul. It is unreal how fast a perceived threat can develop into a real threat. Good job from a fellow Tennessean! I try to be as situationally aware as possible with 4 kids (2 of them 2yrs old!) all the time also and accordingly park away from other vehicles at Sam's/W'Mart etc., just so I can see what's around my vehicle and to give me a couple of extra seconds of reaction time if need be. Keep it up, some day you will need it!
G
 
D

Dean C

New member
This thread strikes me a little differently than the obvious.

If we changed the sword to a hand gun and the observer from a "gun owner" to a "border line" or "anti", what would the reaction be. For instance, the hand gun in the trunk was someone (ccw holder) retrieving it after returning from a place he couldn't carry it legally. I think the reaction would be the same.

It's all a matter of perspective.

dean
 
H

Hardtarget

New member
Dean C...I agree with you...perspective...and the other guys intent.

They intended no harm and I saw that after a very few seconds. Just a guy showing his friend a new toy. I'm very glad thats how it was.

My wife has spotted two men with guns in parking lots at times as we were going into stores. They appeared to be no threat and everything proved that to be true.

I'm almost 57 now and have never been involved in a mugging/robbery...hope it stays that way. I'd much rather use my guns to punch holes in paper. :D
Still need to watch whats happening in the parking lots!

Mark.
 
T

tshadow6

New member
parking lot

I'm glad things worked out. Here in Florida, three guys engaged in a shootout in a Wa-M parking lot. The guy who started it was shot and then arrested for felon in possession of firearm. I believe the other two guys were considered defending themselves. My wife stopped wondering why I always carry a gun.
 
B

Beckerich

Moderator
i doubt they would attack you with a sword... a knife would be better and its the US so i think they would have a gun, I've only seen people get attacked by swords on that ogrish site showing saudi arabia
 
S

stephen426

New member
Good job on being alert and I'm glad nothing bad happened.

You should always be alert in parking lots, and even more so in parking garages. Most parking garages have plenty of places for bad guys to ambush you. Most shopping malls have a policy that security will escort you to your car if you request it. If the garage is pretty desolate, I usually carry my knife pocket knife in my hand (blade closed). I can use it as a kubaton if someone tries anything or I cen flick it open if the poop hits the fan. I can't pcoket carry with my hand on the gun most of the year since it is too stinking hot in Miami (mid 70's F right now :D ).

It amazes my how oblivious some people can be sometimes. I see moms dragging 20 bags while trying to wrangle a couple of kids to the car. Its hard to be situationally aware when you have your hands full like that though. :confused:
 
G

G-Cym

Moderator
Dean C, if the situation were reversed as you say, there's a good chance the observer would be on the phone with the police telling them about a criminal with a gun about to commit a crime.

Hardtarget watched, and when nothing happened, he just went on his way and the 2 guys went on theirs.
 
G

GodblessAmerica

New member
"It amazes my how oblivious some people can be sometimes. I see moms dragging 20 bags while trying to wrangle a couple of kids to the car. Its hard to be situationally aware when you have your hands full like that though."
Amen to that!. My wife frequently looks at the ground while she carries Wmart/grocery bags (her neck still hurts badly from our collision with a drunk driver 9 yrs. ago. Won the lawsuit of course but the pain doesn't go away for her.) Still, I have noticed many people like her that have little awareness most of the time. I wore the green uniforms of this great nation long enough and trained with some of the world's best operations people to be almost paranoid and over-prepared, and still it is a real challenge for me to make sure we are covered when I have all 4 kids with me. That's why I park way out at the box stores and switch rows/sides when going back to the vehicle, etc. Gives me whatever edge I can get while trying to care for/protect my children. NCHornet can call us wannabe Ninjas but more accurately it's "are Fathers/Husbands" who care for their own and know the real world.
 
2

2400

New member
...I noticed two guys walking toward the car...not focused on me...just seemed to be passing to their car. The second man was on the phone. Wife and I wait for them to pass and I opened the door after I saw them in my rear-view mirror.

As I go around behind the car to open wifey's door, I see they've opened the trunk...Then I see one pull a sword out and slip it from the scabbord!

To say the least,I went to condition RED. Wifey was already getting out of the car so I "rushed" her toward the front while keeping them in the corner of my eye. Then I heard the trunk close and they got into the car.
Click to expand...

Why didn't you have your wife get back in the car when you were at Condition RED instead of rushing her across an open parking lot? With her safely in the car and the car between you and them, you would be able to call for help or defend yourself if needed.

In the middle of an open parking lot with your wife you are in a different position. As you mentioned ("I heard the trunk close and they got in the car") you were unable to watch them while you rushed across the parking lot.
 
P

Pointer

New member
I think the reaction would be the same.

It's all a matter of perspective.
Click to expand...
Except the "Anti" would've called the police on the celphone... :(

I heard a local, here in Salt Lake City, say on the radio...

"There is no such thing as a person who doesn't believe in guns..."

"...The moment they are threatened, the first thing they do... is call 911 for someone with a gun to come and save them..." :D
 
W

WeedWacker

New member
Noticed somone mentioned a knife in the hand. Smith and wesson makes a knife (Homeland Security Edition) that is VERY solid and works as extra weight to the hand wityh a point at the base of the grip which is actually pretty sharp and can leave puncture wounds in skin and can be opened with one hand. I loosened some screws so I can pull it out of my pocket and snap my wrist and have it out almost as fast as a switchblade but without the springs.
 
M

Maser

New member
Hardtarget said:
It just confirmed to me how fast things could go real bad.

I only posted this to remind one more time...take notice of what is going on around you. Something can happen in a blink.
Click to expand...

Exactly!! Hope I don't get flamed here for telling my two seperate experiences when I actually did get stabbed all because I wasn't paying attention to what was going on around me. In my jr. high school days I used to hang around with the seriously wrong crowd. One day I was with these people and some others came up and they were saying stuff to us and we were saying stuff back. Next thing I know we all are in a fight and one guy pulls out a knife and starts randomly trying to stab anyone. I got stuck in the thigh. Thing of it was that it didn't even hurt at first. not saying I enjoyed it. The next time it happend was about a month later I was walking by myself and some guy was walking towards me who I didn't even know, but he knew me and he stopped and was talking to me in spanish. I speak it good, but can't understand the hardcore spanish speakers who speak it very fast. I could tell he was mad and I took my eyes off him for a second and he got me in the side near my gut. I had to go to the hospital that time because of the pain. Everything ended up fine obviously because i'm sitting here typing this.

Hardtarget was vey smart in not taking his eyes off the possible threat. Things can really go bad very fast. The thing is that if I was in the same situation and it was a gun instead of a sword, I think I would have been more calm than seeing a sword or knife. Around here it's very common for people to show off their guns all the time. For Cali, this is a very gun friendly area. The few thugs around here don't carry guns. They carry cheap looking butter knives that they steal from their mommy's kitchen and then grind a sharp edge on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top