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Did I get scoped out?

davestradamus

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
32
Location
Lynchburg, VA
While OCing at Goodwill in Madison Heights, VA I noticed something strange. While looking at a suitcase, a hardcase Samsonite in great shape mind you :) I noticed a sort of sketchy looking man approach on my strong side looking at my strong hip. He looked at a piece of nearby furniture and was entering my bubble (2 yards). Yellow to orange...

I turned my weak side to him and moved back a little. I wheeled the suitcase away from him and continued shopping. While looking at CDs he approached my area again on the strong side at the same side of the CD rack. Most people will politely wait for me to finish before looking at CDs on the same side armed or otherwise. I looked him in the face for a good few seconds and moved away from the CDs. When he left I picked up a few discs and went to check out. During my checkout process he walked by my strong side once again this time at 3 yards or so.

Not saying that this guy could have had bad intentions, but usually people that are wondering what I am carrying will look once or just ask.

After this I will no longer OC in a holster without a thumb break or other kind of active retention. (I was wearing a Crossbreed Supertuck)



Be aware and stay safe everyone!!
 

Tanner

Regular Member
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
474
Location
Chesterfield, Virginia, United States
I would guess just curious. I met some folks the other day that have never seen a gun in "REAL LIFE".. lol.. they asked a million questions.


Got a good giggle out of the "REAL LIFE" comment. Have they not invented cops around that area yet? Or do they not carry guns like the bobbies? I think every one has seen a cop at least once in their life.
 

BlueRidgeTrapper

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
71
Location
Stuarts Draft, Va
Speaking of OC'ing in Goodwill it reminds me of one of the few times I've encountered someone carrying besides myself...it was a tall slender gentleman with his wife in the Charlottesville location on Pantops. I never mentioned it to him because I wanted to watch the reactions of folks around him. It was rather refreshing to see folks either ignore it completely or notice it and go about their business.

Ok...don't wanna hijack the post...carry on!
 
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lockman

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 19, 2006
Messages
1,193
Location
Elgin, Illinois, USA
3 yards? How do you venture in public places and avoid people coming within 9 feet of your strong side?

I guess in public you will always be in condition orange. At what range do you go to condition red?
 

half_life1052

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
270
Location
Austin, TX
3 yards? How do you venture in public places and avoid people coming within 9 feet of your strong side?

I guess in public you will always be in condition orange. At what range do you go to condition red?

I think he probably mean't feet. 3 feet is close to piercing the man bubble. I would grow uncomfortable if someone were to keep crowding my weapon side. While my holster of choice doesn't have any gizmos to keep someone from pulling my weapon, it is very hard to pull unless you are the one wearing it (Fobus paddle). Someone would be quickly disabused of the notion that crowding my weapon would reduce me to using harsh language if you get my meaning.
 

davestradamus

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
32
Location
Lynchburg, VA
I think he probably mean't feet. 3 feet is close to piercing the man bubble. I would grow uncomfortable if someone were to keep crowding my weapon side. While my holster of choice doesn't have any gizmos to keep someone from pulling my weapon, it is very hard to pull unless you are the one wearing it (Fobus paddle). Someone would be quickly disabused of the notion that crowding my weapon would reduce me to using harsh language if you get my meaning.

Wow. Thank you half_life. I meant feet instead of yards. 21 feet = 3 yards.... thats way more distance than I need to feel comfortable.

Keel calm and carry on!
 

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
That's cause it ain't. 21 feet is equal to 7 yards. 3 yards is equal to 9 feet.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
 

user

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
2,516
Location
Northern Piedmont
I generally use the Galco "Cop 3-slot", because it's got a strap and a snap - anything more complicated than that is more than I need, though ease of use does cut two ways. I try to keep my wits about me and my arm on top of the gun.

But as to the original topic, I'm guessing that guy was, well, not what you'd call fabulously well-to-do, and had probably lived the sort of life that subjected him to depersonalization. Maybe he had whacky parents, maybe it was bullying at school, maybe it was life as a POW, or prison experiences. Who knows? Point is, that such people do things to get a reaction out of other people in order to reinforce something inside themselves, as if to say, "I really AM a person!"; they use others as mirrors, and try to "poke" people to get a reaction. I'd bet that was what was going on here - OP was likely to be one who could be made uncomfortable by excessive attention to the gun, and thus a person who could be manipulated into a reaction.

I wonder what would have happened, just out of curiosity, if OP had, instead of moving away, moved in a lot closer, as if inviting a confrontation? I've known people to do that as well, as if to say, "give me a reason to kick your arse." I used to work with a couple of guys, one a midget, the other a dwarf, both of whom were experts in Okinawan Karate. They used to think it was fun to go over to Georgetown on weekend evenings and goad some big, overconfident, muscle-bound jerk into trying to hit them. I wonder if our ne'er do well would have backed off if OP had seemed like he was trying to inspire a physical confrontation?
 

jdholmes

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
488
Location
Henderson, Nevada
I generally use the Galco "Cop 3-slot", because it's got a strap and a snap - anything more complicated than that is more than I need, though ease of use does cut two ways. I try to keep my wits about me and my arm on top of the gun.

But as to the original topic, I'm guessing that guy was, well, not what you'd call fabulously well-to-do, and had probably lived the sort of life that subjected him to depersonalization. Maybe he had whacky parents, maybe it was bullying at school, maybe it was life as a POW, or prison experiences. Who knows? Point is, that such people do things to get a reaction out of other people in order to reinforce something inside themselves, as if to say, "I really AM a person!"; they use others as mirrors, and try to "poke" people to get a reaction. I'd bet that was what was going on here - OP was likely to be one who could be made uncomfortable by excessive attention to the gun, and thus a person who could be manipulated into a reaction.

I wonder what would have happened, just out of curiosity, if OP had, instead of moving away, moved in a lot closer, as if inviting a confrontation? I've known people to do that as well, as if to say, "give me a reason to kick your arse." I used to work with a couple of guys, one a midget, the other a dwarf, both of whom were experts in Okinawan Karate. They used to think it was fun to go over to Georgetown on weekend evenings and goad some big, overconfident, muscle-bound jerk into trying to hit them. I wonder if our ne'er do well would have backed off if OP had seemed like he was trying to inspire a physical confrontation?

That is a lot of assumption, given that we actually know nothing about this individual. He also could have been a relatively normal individual who had just never seen a "regular Joe" carrying a firearm in public.
 

Tanner

Regular Member
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
474
Location
Chesterfield, Virginia, United States
That is a lot of assumption, given that we actually know nothing about this individual. He also could have been a relatively normal individual who had just never seen a "regular Joe" carrying a firearm in public.

While there is nothing wrong with pointing out there is alot of assumption in his post, I would like to point out that this was probably just him joining the convorsation. And there seems to be alot of attitude directed at people who simply wish to talk and share their thoughts. This is a general statement and is not directed to you personaly jdholmes.
 

jdholmes

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
488
Location
Henderson, Nevada
While there is nothing wrong with pointing out there is alot of assumption in his post, I would like to point out that this was probably just him joining the convorsation. And there seems to be alot of attitude directed at people who simply wish to talk and share their thoughts. This is a general statement and is not directed to you personaly jdholmes.

No worries...I wasn't giving him attitude. It was just my way of joining the conversation as well.

A lot of folks tend to 'jump the gun' so to speak. While I do understand and agree with being on alert when someone is in your 'bubble', when we go so far as speculating on their past, their upbringing and even what their intentions MAY have been, we are trying to draw conclusions that may just not exist at all. Most times we go on alert it turns out to be nothing...trying to speculate deeper than that is futile as we will never know.

Did the OP get scoped out...maybe. But so what if he did? There are innumerable reasons why that may have happened - many of which are innocent. Bottom line - always be on the ready, maintain situational awareness and carry on with your day.

I don't think that this experience in itself is a reason to get uptight, overly concerned or start rethinking your retention strategy. There are lots of other reasons to do that. ;). I think most folks would agree a retention 2 holster is a good move.
 
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