good strategy doesn't always include a gun

G

GPossenti

New member
I work downtown, and I'm still waiting on my concealed permit. I carry a large laptop satchel across my torso.

This morning I walked from my usual drop-off point, and a guy in the usual thug apparel crossed my path. There's an alley around the back end of the library where thug-boy walked as I walked around the front. I began to slow my pace as we were on opposite side of the building, anticipating our paths meeting at the other end of the library.

He saw me coming at a much slower pace than he anticipated, so his pace slowed. I made eye contact and stared him down. He had no choice but to step in front of me. I let him, there was no way I would let him behind me. About 20 ft later was the coffee shop I visit every morning. The coffee shop entrance is in a bank building, but the entrance is separated by a brick wall.

Thug-boy dove behind the brick wall past the coffee shop. I took my time and waited outside until thug-boy gave up and moved on. When he stepped out, he took a look and noticed me behind him. He crossed the street, but slowed his pace and kept an eye on me. He hid behind a pillar across the street from me. I took my sweet time and stood on the street corner and stared him down.

He eventually moved on, but kept looking over his shoulder at me and slowed his pace, but eventually realized I had him beat.

I don't have my gun as I don't have my license yet, but I do carry a knife but mine opens as I pull it out of my pocket. I also flipped the lid loose on my coffee cup so thug-boy would get a face full of scalding java and a blade.

I felt rather good about beating this guy at a very large chess game. I just kept him in front of me and took my time.
 
I would say great job on your part. This guy was looking for a victim & you weren't it & he knew it. Just being aware prevents another problem.
 
Good S.A.
Most semi-intelligent thugs will avoid a wary/confident victim. There are simply easier pickings.

"Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
Sun Tzu
 
Congratulations on avoiding what seems to have been a dangerous situation.

Tactics may not always include the use of a gun, but the best strategy (imho) will include the availability of one (for those who have the temperament and ability to use it). Good for you for working on getting your permit.

The only thing that I would say is that "staring down" a potential culprit may not be the most advisable tactic. Situational awareness is a necessity. Confidence and letting the potential thug know that you are well aware of him is a good thing. However, staring someone down may well be taken as a challenge that must be answered, even by someone who appears to be a direct threat, but otherwise, is not.
 
Situational Awareness should always be your first line of defense. Amazingly it can solve the vast majority of problems before they happen. Good Work!

I might suggest getting a defensive spray. There are situations in my jurisdiction at least where physical force is legal but deadly is not. Sprays fill that niche nicely. You are also able to employ a spray from a distance while a knife fight is normally much closer, complete with the possibility of being physically overpowered and having the knife turned on you (easier to do than it is with a gun). They also work well on animals. I carry one in addition to my SOG assisted opener and concealed firearm.
 
+1 to GPossenti for having the stones to sustain eye contact with the idiot. I generally look through people anymore, because the staring gets old, and in southern CA where I live it's literally bred into a lot of these people. Someone once referred to it as "the glare of the predator".

Too many times, I think, some people here lose sight of the fact that a firearm is to be used in "the gravest extreme", and deadly force should be avoided if possible.

As far as the knife is concerned, I think it bears mentioning that use of one is deadly force as well...
 
Of course, a knife is deadly force. He was simply listing his resources. He didn't even have to use the coffee!

Good job!

Bob
 
Good job on the situational awareness. I'm glad you are safe, but I also wish you had a chance to use your coffee. I'm sure he will just move on to an easier target. A face full of hot joe might have woke him up in more ways than one. I might have also called the cops to see if they had any units in the area. I'm not sure what they could have done if he hadn't commited a crime yet. At least the chances that he would commit a crime with the police around would drop dramatically.
 
Good job on avoiding a bad situation. I also work in a downtown area (Detroit), and keeping your eyes open is definitely priority no. 1. I carry pepper spray, a flashlight, and a pocket knife. No firearms on the job (I work in a pistol free zone), but I heard a great saying on one of these forums.

"When you're really into hammers, all your problems start to look like nails." :D
 
I've never really been in a fight or mugged or anything, so I try to make a plan before I get into that situation. The coffee would have been first, then knock him down and run away. I've read too many posts where the coffee wasn't enough on its own.

There are cops at the coffee shop most mornings (two or three of them taught my CHL class).

Heck, I'm on the verge of just open carrying since it's legal here without a license.
 
As I said before, I don't have my license yet. I took the class in September, but it takes up to 90 days to receive the license.

So my options in terms of firearms are break the law and conceal carry without a license, or open carry.
 
GPossenti,

Thanks for sharing that story.

The great way you handled that would have defeated this scumbag just the same, gun or not, and most importantly, because of your smarts, you would not have even needed your gun. Of course a gun would have just been there, just in case, just in case your life suddenly became threatened despite your best efforts.

And even if you had a gun, the same great situational awareness and sharp tactics that you used would have had the same exact utility. To say it another way, you were much better suited by great SA, scalding coffee and a knife, than had you had a gun and been clueless :).
 
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