I was getting gas at a station between Riverdale, Ga and the airport one day when a lowlife type started circling the pumps on foot, coming closer and closer each time around. When he came around the third time I had my coat off, arms crossed and positioned so that there was no way he was not going to see my weapon now OC'd. Sure enough, he saw it and his eyes got big, he spun on his heels and headed in the other direction. Was he up to something? If he was he changed his mind.
Has Situational Awareness Ever Saved You?
- Thread starter G1R2
- Start date
Steviewonder1
New member
A couple of months ago I went to have lunch in one of my most favorite restaurants that I have been to all over the US and over the world (last name rings with Bock), came out the front door with a purchase of goodies that I always get and did a 360 degree scan, noticed a couple of "Boys" on the other side of the street at this major intersection in Atlanta, Ga., and started down the sidewalk to my car which was parked a block and half away. One of the boys started across the street not in the ped lane, and approached me. I put up the Fence and said "I don't have the time of day". That froze him as he did not expect a response like that. I continued toward my car with my coat now unbuttoned for access to my G-19 I was CCW in the city. I do not go downtown in Atlanta without being armed. This was also not a stupid place to do stupid things at stupid times. I did the 360 degree scan, found the BG and handled it right into him and froze him. He did not follow as I did check twice on the way down the block. You just do not know what will come up to you when you least expect it. BE AWARE of your Surroundings. If you don't feel comfortable, there is a reason.
Didnt save my life, but probably that of my wife and daughters. We were out for dinner, as we were going out of town the next morning for a dance competition, and didnt want to have to mess with dishes. My wife realized that she forgot something and needed to stop on the way home. The store in the nice new well lit strip mall didnt have it, but we knew a store in the not so great mall on the way home did. I parked by an entrance near a vacated anchor store, under a light. Wife took off with daughter in tow, I grab little man out of his seat. I come around the corner of the car and try to catch up with them. They are 30-40 yards ahead of me. I see an older pick up, driver turns off his lights, rolls down his window and start creeping up on them at barely more than an idle. He didnt notice my son and I, the parking lot was pretty much empty other than that. I hollered at my wife to wait up. The truck tore out of the parking lot. I caught up to my wife and asked if she was worried about the truck. She said "What truck?"
With 40 years of working in hazardous environments, EOD, Explosive Manufacturing, and Acid Plants, I believe in the hair on the back of my neck. When it stands up I listen.
While a Part time Deputy in South Ar I had an incident which illustrates this.
My Partner came to work in a Bad Mood. He wanted to get into a fight.
A guy in a 440 road runner showed out in front of us and the chase was on.
We finally caught him at a bar. My neck hair was standing up and I was on full alert. I new my partner would instigate a fight. My goal was to prevent an encounter with a subject that would end badly.
I jumped out of the cruiser walked up to the guy, maintaing a safe seperation, threw my hat on the ground an loudly said "you dummy you know we can't allow you to get away with that"
I then asked him about the car. I switched back and forth from talking about the car and interviewing him to find out about his situation.
I determined that he had just been released from Cummings Prison after serving a 5 yr sentece for battery of a Police Officer. He was an expert at hand to hand combat and a very real threat to us.
When My partner finally came up he was laughing so hard that he put his hands out to be cuffed.
We let him go.
When we got the printout on the guy we learned that he had killed a least 2 men in fights and had over 20 charges and / or convictions for assualt.
I honestly believe that my situational awareness saved one or more of us from severe injury or death.
While a Part time Deputy in South Ar I had an incident which illustrates this.
My Partner came to work in a Bad Mood. He wanted to get into a fight.
A guy in a 440 road runner showed out in front of us and the chase was on.
We finally caught him at a bar. My neck hair was standing up and I was on full alert. I new my partner would instigate a fight. My goal was to prevent an encounter with a subject that would end badly.
I jumped out of the cruiser walked up to the guy, maintaing a safe seperation, threw my hat on the ground an loudly said "you dummy you know we can't allow you to get away with that"
I then asked him about the car. I switched back and forth from talking about the car and interviewing him to find out about his situation.
I determined that he had just been released from Cummings Prison after serving a 5 yr sentece for battery of a Police Officer. He was an expert at hand to hand combat and a very real threat to us.
When My partner finally came up he was laughing so hard that he put his hands out to be cuffed.
We let him go.
When we got the printout on the guy we learned that he had killed a least 2 men in fights and had over 20 charges and / or convictions for assualt.
I honestly believe that my situational awareness saved one or more of us from severe injury or death.
The poster who has mentioned Omaha a few times, I know exactly where you are coming from. My mom grew up in Bellevue and whenever we go to Omaha she refuses to even drive through North O.
On topic... Went out for a late night jog on a path that runs through the middle of the city last year or freshmen year of college. There is a very sketchy/dark part that has 15 foot hills on each side of the path and one side has lots of trees lining it. After running to where my halfway point is and turning to come back I had to reenter the area where I could easily see someone getting jumped. Neighborhoods around it are lower income, many apartments, and a trailer park. Saw 2 figures about 150 yards ahead of me that appeared to be males about my age (19 at the time) and didn't appear to be in workout attire. So when I got an odd feeling something wasn't right I quick got off the path into the trees and waited a few seconds. Then looked back down the path and the 2 guys were gone. I was suspecting they hid off in the trees to ambush me if I got back on the path. Since I wasn't 21 (and still not 21) and not able to get CCW, I only had a stun gun with me and had it ready to use but didn't even want the opportunity to use it. So I went up through the trees and found a neighborhood with some street lights and hauled a** back to the fraternity. Who knows what would have happened, but better to avoid a confrontation that is controllable.
On topic... Went out for a late night jog on a path that runs through the middle of the city last year or freshmen year of college. There is a very sketchy/dark part that has 15 foot hills on each side of the path and one side has lots of trees lining it. After running to where my halfway point is and turning to come back I had to reenter the area where I could easily see someone getting jumped. Neighborhoods around it are lower income, many apartments, and a trailer park. Saw 2 figures about 150 yards ahead of me that appeared to be males about my age (19 at the time) and didn't appear to be in workout attire. So when I got an odd feeling something wasn't right I quick got off the path into the trees and waited a few seconds. Then looked back down the path and the 2 guys were gone. I was suspecting they hid off in the trees to ambush me if I got back on the path. Since I wasn't 21 (and still not 21) and not able to get CCW, I only had a stun gun with me and had it ready to use but didn't even want the opportunity to use it. So I went up through the trees and found a neighborhood with some street lights and hauled a** back to the fraternity. Who knows what would have happened, but better to avoid a confrontation that is controllable.
(Sorry, couldn't resist taking a jab)