• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Is This Breaking Some Kind Of Rule?

HankT

State Researcher
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
6,215
Location
Invisible Mode
imported post

Recently I went to an outdoor live music venue. The place was filled with people, attracted by the band, the food, and the alcoholic beverages. I was CCing my model 37 in a Kramer pocket holsterin a front jeanspocket. I greeted and chatted with various people I knew and was enjoying the music, same as everyone else.

During the break between sets I ambled over to the left of the stage and watched them change over for the next band. As the next set began, I decided to stay right at the railing in front of the stage so I could get a close look at the lead guitarist's playing. I was about 15 feet from him and fell into a state focused on his playing, trying to pick up some playing tips. As soon as the set had started, other attendees had also gathered up to the front of the stage. They stood alongside me to my right and several gathered behind me. I ignored them all as they kind of crowded in as I was comfortable where I was at, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

The music was pretty good and about 30 minutespassed by before I realized that.....Hey, I'm totally in Condition White! I could have been a dead man! :what:

Lately, I have been thinking generally about places and events in daily life where SD situational awareness as a concept is negligible and ignoring Cooper's mindsetadvice was perfectly justified.

And this concert, for me, was one of those times.


Do you have any times or places where you are in Condition White, even if you happen to be armed? I mean, apologetically in Condition White...
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Hank broke a rule! Hank broke a rule! [/ singsong kid's voice]

Have you ever tried to remain in Condition Yellow for a full day? The looney bins are full of folks like that.

There are places and situations where you have to trust to $diety-of-choice, or to others to watch your back, flanks and front. And don't forget about sleeping with both eyes closed.

The question you probably should be asking is - was there anything that should have made you stay in DEFCON 3 or higher? If the bestthat was called forwas DEFCON 2, then you were OK. If it called for DEFCON 4 then we should not be hearing from you 'cause you're supposed to be dead.:uhoh:

stay safe.

skidmark
 

AWDstylez

Banned
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
2,785
Location
, Connecticut, USA
imported post

HankT wrote:
The music was pretty good and about 30 minutespassed by before I realized that.....Hey, I'm totally in Condition White! I could have been a dead man! :what:

I lol'd.

Hank, I thought you were above those mall ninja terms. :p

As skid said, it's impossible to remain 100% situationally aware all day, every day. The people that do manage to do it are either mentally unstable or on their way there.
 

PrayingForWar

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
1,701
Location
The Real World.
imported post

Mike_Hawke wrote:
HankT wrote:
The music was pretty good and about 30 minutespassed by before I realized that.....Hey, I'm totally in Condition White! I could have been a dead man! :what:

I lol'd.

Hank, I thought you were above those mall ninja terms. :p

As skid said, it's impossible to remain 100% situationally aware all day, every day. The people that do manage to do it are either mentally unstable or on their way there.

As skid said, it's impossible to remain 100% situationally aware all day, every day. The people that do manage to do it are either mentally unstable or on their way there.

Indeed, big ditto on that point. Situational awareness is exactly that. Watching a band play should be a peaceful situation. If there was any reason to think "awareness level yellow" was appropriate in the crowd, why go in the first place? Of course if something hairy took place, it's natural to assume "DEFCON 3", and act accordingly.
 

compmanio365

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
2,013
Location
Pierce County, Washington, USA
imported post

Sounds like you were in condition yellow; you had a general understanding of the surroundings and knew the mood of the crowd, where people were generally at, etc. Condition white would have been completely unaware, so intense on the stage that you didn't notice someone stealing your wallet, etc. And I totally agree with those that say trying to be 100%, all the time will lead to madness.


I think there are a few people that have this:

http://www.help4trauma.org/hypervigilance.html
 

wrightme

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
5,574
Location
Fallon, Nevada, USA
imported post

compmanio365 wrote:
Sounds like you were in condition yellow; you had a general understanding of the surroundings and knew the mood of the crowd, where people were generally at, etc. Condition white would have been completely unaware, so intense on the stage that you didn't notice someone stealing your wallet, etc. And I totally agree with those that say trying to be 100%, all the time will lead to madness.


I think there are a few people that have this:

http://www.help4trauma.org/hypervigilance.html
I understood his post to describe exactly that. He self-reported and 'woke up' to his surroundings.
Given an intent to be aware or protected at all times, such an event can focus your attention. If that focus is desired, along with SA, take a like-minded friend to watch your back while you use the "white-out."
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Tomahawk wrote:
LOL on the first post, and BS on the second.

Care to explain your call of BS? On what basis? Whyfor? How come?

It's always nice if the opposition presents some rationale, even if it is not rational.

stay safe.

skidmark
 

longwatch

Founder's Club Member - Moderator
Joined
May 14, 2006
Messages
4,327
Location
Virginia, USA
imported post

That was a lovely story and he told it so well.

However to entertain HankT perhaps the music venue was the place to have a heighten level of awareness. Sure nothing happened, but then nothing happened on most days at transition center at Ft. Hood too.

Is it possible to attain 100% condition yellow, no we are human beings. I view the codes as a mental conditioning tool with the point to be in condition white as little as possible. Happened to me when I was bear hunting this weekend, while I was in the woods waiting it occurred to me I had not planned what to do if my muzzleloader failed to stop a bear and it charged me. So I figured on how to employ my .44 in that contingency. Funny how with a loaded rifle in my hand, I realized "hey I could get killed".
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Tomahawk wrote:
skidmark wrote:
It's always nice if the opposition presents some rationale, even if it is not rational.
HankT says he carried a gun to a rock concert. HankT. Think about that.

Ah, so! Perchance you got your "former" and "latter" reversed?

As for thinking about HankT - thanks, but no thanks.:)

stay safe.

skidmark
 

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
imported post

for the first time since I got my NC CHP in July, I finally decided that last weekend i was going to leave my Para off my hip for the evening, pour myself a nice glass of Scotch, and fire up my stereo. (Among my MANY hobbies is high-end audio gear--I'm pretty much one of those "audiophile nuts" who can hear the difference between different brands of speaker cables...)

Anyway, I enjoyed my glass of Dahlwinnie, put on some of my favorite CDs and vinyl, and enjoyed an evening of musical reverie...

See, here in NC, if you are carrying in ANY form--OC or CC--you can't have ANY measurable alcohol in your system. So it's been a while since I allowed myself to relax with an adult beverage.

But since the wife and daughter were out of town visiting the other daughter in MD, I figured this is one of the few chances I'd get to be in a situation where the only person in the house I was responsible for was myself, so I locked the doors, poured a drink, an fired up the amplifiers. I figured any BG would think that anyone listening to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at "performance level" volumes at 2 in the morning was probably crazier and more dangerous than thy are, and would just "move on down the road"... :uhoh:

It was fun, relaxing, and after a few hours, I retired and slept like a baby...

Living in "condition yellow" on a 24/7 basis is unhealthy for your mind and body. We need to "recharge" our souls every now and then with some good old fashioned R&R.

Sometimes, boys, you just gotta let go for a few hours. It's VERY rejuvinating.
 
Top