imported post
Was travelling in Charlotte, NC off Morehead St - not a particularly bad neighborhood but not great. As I came up to a three way intersection there was a dude in a hoodie wandering up to each car stopped at the light and tapping on the drivers side window. He was going from car to car and obviously getting rebuffed.
As I pulled up to the end of the line in the intersection I left about 30 feet between the next car and mine to give me options, and reached over to the glovebox where I keep a Smith M&P 9. I clipped the holster onto the passenger seatbelt and waited.
The dude came up to my window, both hands visible but holding something small in the fingers of his left hand, that I couldnt see. As he approached the car I held up my hand in a "no" sign, he kept approaching, wanting me to roll down the window
As he got to the window he started talking at me but it was unintelligible. I just kept my head facing forward but watched him closely behind my sunglasses. He made no bad moves but after his third attempt without leaving I dropped my right hand towards the M&P. He said something loudly and left
Not a big deal but if he had drawn a weapon I had mentally prepared to fire through my closed drivers side window.
______
Edited to add the following detail after a number of questions laterin this thread:
1.)When I dropped myhand to the M&P I never touched it or motioned to it, but just dropped my handto a position next to it on the passenger seat bolster.
2.) I posted this not because I had to defend myself, but because its an instance where legal, open carry in a car in North Carolina was a deterrent. I thought that it would be of interest to the forum.
3.) I never feared for my life but wason a high alert. You'll have to trust my perception that this wasn't a normal beggar. Newer clothing, very nice sneakers, a young dude with attitude intentionally talking some gibberish so I would open the window maybe to hear him better.
In retrospect do I think he wasjust wanting help, or maybe half crazy? Maybe.Maybe50-60% Theres also a percentage chance that the object in his left hand was a razor blade and if I opened the window he'd have slashed at my arms or face. Or grabbedmy head and tried to tear me out of the car. Or pulled a gun and said "get the F___ outta your car MoF----".
Either way,it became a non incident. I had options open, and theOCed handgun was a definate deterrent from whatever he was selling.
Was travelling in Charlotte, NC off Morehead St - not a particularly bad neighborhood but not great. As I came up to a three way intersection there was a dude in a hoodie wandering up to each car stopped at the light and tapping on the drivers side window. He was going from car to car and obviously getting rebuffed.
As I pulled up to the end of the line in the intersection I left about 30 feet between the next car and mine to give me options, and reached over to the glovebox where I keep a Smith M&P 9. I clipped the holster onto the passenger seatbelt and waited.
The dude came up to my window, both hands visible but holding something small in the fingers of his left hand, that I couldnt see. As he approached the car I held up my hand in a "no" sign, he kept approaching, wanting me to roll down the window
As he got to the window he started talking at me but it was unintelligible. I just kept my head facing forward but watched him closely behind my sunglasses. He made no bad moves but after his third attempt without leaving I dropped my right hand towards the M&P. He said something loudly and left
Not a big deal but if he had drawn a weapon I had mentally prepared to fire through my closed drivers side window.
______
Edited to add the following detail after a number of questions laterin this thread:
1.)When I dropped myhand to the M&P I never touched it or motioned to it, but just dropped my handto a position next to it on the passenger seat bolster.
2.) I posted this not because I had to defend myself, but because its an instance where legal, open carry in a car in North Carolina was a deterrent. I thought that it would be of interest to the forum.
3.) I never feared for my life but wason a high alert. You'll have to trust my perception that this wasn't a normal beggar. Newer clothing, very nice sneakers, a young dude with attitude intentionally talking some gibberish so I would open the window maybe to hear him better.
In retrospect do I think he wasjust wanting help, or maybe half crazy? Maybe.Maybe50-60% Theres also a percentage chance that the object in his left hand was a razor blade and if I opened the window he'd have slashed at my arms or face. Or grabbedmy head and tried to tear me out of the car. Or pulled a gun and said "get the F___ outta your car MoF----".
Either way,it became a non incident. I had options open, and theOCed handgun was a definate deterrent from whatever he was selling.