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Back off me

TylerEMT

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
40
Location
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
imported post

I went to Walmart toreturn an item yesterday. As I walk into the store there is a native american male sitting in the subway by the door. He immediatly notices my gun and his eyes do not leave it as I go to stand in line at customer service. He gets up and decides to get in line behind me. I turn to the side a little so that my right hip is facing away from him. He moves around me so that he is still standing to my back. I put my arm on my gun to lock it in tight and give the guy a dirty look. He's now standing less than a foot behind me. I ended up turning around and asking him to take a step away from me. He gives me a funny look and gets out of line. All in all it was a very strange experiance. I'm not sure if he was planning on trying to take my gun or what. I feel that when I wear my gun I always have a better since of my suroundings. I tend to watch my own back more, and this guy just didn't feel right to me.
 

r6-rider

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
684
Location
az, ,
imported post

could of been another wanna-be hero thinking hes going to stop that madman with a gun
 

bobmek51

New member
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
1
Location
, ,
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TylerEMT; It sounds as ifyou handled the situation well. I just started to carry open in the Prescott area, and so far so good. Stay safe.
 

protector84

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
624
Location
Arizona, U.S.
imported post

It sounds like you handled it well. I vaguely recall something somewhat similar but to a lesser degree happening as well. The person wasn't creepy or anything but I do remember one time vaguely having to ask someone to step back or step aside a bit when they always seemed to be six inches away from my gun. There are a lot of weirdos out there. Had that guy not stepped back out of the line and continued to try to get behind you, my recommendation would have been to abruptly turn around and ask "What are you doing?"
 

rolexbenz190e

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
131
Location
Northern Arizona, Arizona, USA
imported post

TylerEMT wrote:
I went to Walmart toreturn an item yesterday. As I walk into the store there is a native american male sitting in the subway by the door. He immediatly notices my gun and his eyes do not leave it as I go to stand in line at customer service. He gets up and decides to get in line behind me. I turn to the side a little so that my right hip is facing away from him. He moves around me so that he is still standing to my back. I put my arm on my gun to lock it in tight and give the guy a dirty look. He's now standing less than a foot behind me. I ended up turning around and asking him to take a step away from me. He gives me a funny look and gets out of line. All in all it was a very strange experiance. I'm not sure if he was planning on trying to take my gun or what. I feel that when I wear my gun I always have a better since of my suroundings. I tend to watch my own back more, and this guy just didn't feel right to me.
No worries, I had your back. I saw the whole thing and was ready to pounce if he did something stupid to you. I was CC'ing (dont ask why lol).
 

GoldCoaster

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
646
Location
Stratford, Connecticut, USA
imported post

TheMrMitch wrote:
He just wanted a hug.:shock:

You did good.:dude:
Haha.. +1 for that answer.

Sounds odd, could he have been a bit intoxicated? The only time I ever had an American Indian get close to me he was a bit drunk and tried to sell me a Gideons bible.

Good SA though, best when you aren't surprised and can deal with things before they become issues.
 

jeremy05

Regular Member
Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
426
Location
Arizona, ,
imported post

I think you handled that really well. They say for females if they feel they are being followed to turn around and confront the subject head on. most criminals dont like someone with confidence and would rather have a scared little target.
 

david.ross

Regular Member
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
1,241
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
imported post

I'm relieved you're safe. I must say though when you notice a suspicious person, don't allow them to get so close. You don't know who is willing to grab you on the shoulder and pull you back on to a knife.

Create distance between you and the threat. Examine the situation, and go from there. Personally, I would've created distance while releasing the many safety devices on my holster except for the ALS lock.
 

Dragonflydf

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
51
Location
Phoenix, ,
imported post

I would have turned around and said if you are going to crawl up my ass, you really ought to introduce yourself..........
 

chevy350

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
5
Location
, ,
imported post

I had kind of the same deal only i was in an ACE Hardware and this guy in line behind me kept getting closer and closer now i like to have like 10 feet between me and the other person behind me that i don't know and i had the same feeling like he was getting ready to make a move to take the gun or something so i just turned around at him and told him to back off a bit and that was it but i hear how the heightened sense of awareness is.
 

Nutczak

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
2,165
Location
The Northwoods, lakeland area, Wisconsin, USA
imported post

Some people have no comprehension of respecting others "Personal Space" or percieved proximities that make people very uncomfortable by invading it.
It bugs the crap out of me when I have someone breathing down my neck when i'm in aline.

My GF & I frequent a local casino (On the Rez) and while I am standing in line at the cashier window, I have, and will continue to confront people hanging a little too close to me. Especially when I am dealing with cash. The casino floor is carpeted, and the area's in front of the casier windows are tiled about 5' out from the counter. I consider that a visual clue to the distance for people to stay back from the counter if you are not the one being served.

Enough of the cashiers know me now that if someone is invading my personal space, they will not lay my money out on the counter until I ask the person behind me to back off and give them a little lecture on personal space when monetary transactions are taking place. Someone stated "I just wanted to see how much money you won" and I quickly stated "it is none of your business, back off!, it is very rude to crowd someone when dealing with money. I see you as a threat right now".
Only one 60-something woman got crappy with me and was actually pressing against me while I was at the cashier window to be obnoxious. She was quickly dealt with by the security officers nearby.

Always confront someone who is invading your personal space. You have no idea what their intentions are and it is best to make your displeasure known to draw attention to a possible situation. Or to simply educate them to proper ettiquette.
 

dreamcro

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
204
Location
Maricopa, Arizona, USA
imported post

+2 on the invasion of personal space. I've told a guy 2 times to stop putting his hand on my side in a line we were standing in. 3rd time he hit the floor.
 

protector84

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
624
Location
Arizona, U.S.
imported post

I've never understood this either but it is really annoying. It applies both to general proximity as well as to parking in parking lots. Just like the other day at Fry's (and I was OCing) when I'm in the produce section and there are about 5-7 people evenly distributed throughout that section that suddenly when I am looking at some particular cantalopes and pineapples, suddenly all 5-7 of them are all interested in the produce I'm looking at to the point where I'mbeing crowded by these people. Or in a parking lot where there are 20 open spacestogether but the second you try to get out of your car, someone has to park directly next to you and you can barely get by them.

I try to be courteous but I also have little tolerance to poor (and often deliberate) social/culture habits. More than once I have asked people to "please step back" or "can I have some space, please" or "I'm sorry. Do you need something?" when someone is too close to either my pistol or my wallet during a monetary transaction. I know someone who lost $20 because some idiot was babbling away at him when he was trying to pay for something and he dropped it and someone took it in the confusion. This event also caused me to raise my voice at someone who was doing the same thing. I said, "Excuse me! I'm trying to make a transaction here. Talk to me when I'm done." There are a lot of real idiots out there. People are so brain dead that it literally appears that they can't even shop by themselves. They have to look at and buy whatever it is your buying because they are too insecure with themselves to make up their own minds what they want. I don't think my gun is that interesting and likewise it is hard to believe that suddenly (virtually instantly) 5-7 people nolonger need lettuce, bananas, tomatos, etc. but now all need pineapples and cantelope. Maybe we need some pyschological researchers to start looking into what is causing such an increase in the "vacuum heads" we call "people."
 

Decoligny

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
1,865
Location
Rosamond, California, USA
imported post

protector84 wrote:
It sounds like you handled it well. I vaguely recall something somewhat similar but to a lesser degree happening as well. The person wasn't creepy or anything but I do remember one time vaguely having to ask someone to step back or step aside a bit when they always seemed to be six inches away from my gun. There are a lot of weirdos out there. Had that guy not stepped back out of the line and continued to try to get behind you, my recommendation would have been to abruptly turn around and ask "What are you doing?"
I think a good loud "This guy just grabbed my ass!" :what:would probably get him to back away, probably embarrass the crap out of him. At least get everyone around you aware of him and thwart any ill concieved plans he may have had.
 
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