Interesting encounter - advice, please.

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

bob.a

New member
I had to get gas last night on the way home from work (2230). Pulled up to pump, started gassing up. A young Hispanic-lloking guy started hanging around, about 10 feet away. Black leather, stomping boots, shoulder-length hair. Never came closer than maybe 8 feet, but never went away. I was at passenger side rear, he controlled access to driver's side door.

I'm 63, out of shape, and on blood thinners, so a violent encounter was going to leave me in a very bad way, and I'm in no shape to run for it.

No cell phone, unarmed except for 3" folding knife; the person manning the gas station was locked into his office for the night; by the time he'd have become aware of the situation, it would have been over.

Options: Douse the guy with gas. But he never got close enough.
Try to ease past him, get in driver's seat: not going to work if he wanted to push the point. And the way he was hanginhg around, just out of reach, made me certain that he had plans involving me, and maybe my vehicle.
Get in passenger side, try to lock car and crawl into driver's seat. Awkward, and if I couldn't lock him out I'd be trapped in the car with him.
Lock car with keys and walk away. Possibly work, but not if he was determined. Also hate turning my back on a threat.
Pull the knife and look tough. fine unless he decides to shoot me. No sense precipitating an attack.

I live in Maryland, which means no carry, and work in DC, which means keeping a weapon in the car is likely to make me a ward of the state for a few years. So I'm essentially defenseless. As things worked out, a patrol car happened to drive into the strip mall on the next block as I finished pumping. My young friend, who had been hanging around, pulled a fade.

Had this not happened, I'm uncertain how the situation would have gone down.

Anyone out there have comments or suggestions? I don't like trusting to luck to save my butt.
 
I'm not at all familiar with the laws in your area, but isn't this situation exactly what a trunk gun is for? Have a small 9mm in a dark, out of the way corner in your trunk? You're at the rear passenger, so at the trunk, with the body between you and him for cover and concealment for what you are doing. You get your defense weapon after you pump your gas, head to your door, if nothing happens then you drive away and put the gun away on down the road.

INAL but if the trunk is locked, they can't make you open it without just cause and if it's tucked away very well they might not even see it any way. If you drive a truck then I guess it's a moot point, but maybe the locked glove compartment?
 
I would have said in a loud voice, "Hows it going?" This lets him know that you are aware of his presence, as if it wasn't already obvious, and his response will also give you a better idea of his intentions, which didn't seem good anyways. Eight feet is way too close for that situation in my opinion. I also would have already had the knife drawn and concealed, ready for an attack.

There are a couple of options that I think you missed.

One, you could have opened up the door closest to you, then locked the car with the key fob. This would have given you a good entry point and held him up.

Second, usually there is a button on the pump for handicapped assistance. This would have drawn the attention of the attendant. That may or may not have helped, but usually an attacker wants as little attention as possible.

The best thing would be to stall for time. When the pump clicks off, and if he didn't notice, continue to hold it in the pumping position. Hopefully someone else comes along, like what happened. If not, gas in the face would be a good attack deterrent, and draw some attention also.

First and foremost though, move to a state that lets you carry a gun. If not, avoid being alone at night like that. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
 
That's a difficult spot to be in. As far as what happened and your options, if you have tinted windows, I'd get in the car on passenger side and wait to see what he does. I wouldn't even crawl in to the front seat. I could still have a way to escape if he goes nuts and if the windows are tinted, he wouldn't even realise I'm not still pumping. If he walks around to the other side to see if I'm still there, then I climb in front and take off. Where is the gas station located? If there is a place I can walk to and keep an eye on the car and use a phone, I'd do that. As for in the future, never go anywhere without a cell phone. I'd be lost without mine. If you can't carry and you have no phone, you are far too vulnerable.
 
Before Ohio finally opened up and gave us CCW, . . . I cannot tell you the number of times I had an open knife in one hand or the other for a similar scenario.

No, . . . I sure don't want to get into a knife fight with anyone, . . . but I'm not taking empty paws to a violent encounter if I have a knife, . . . which is just about all the time.

You don't have to show it, . . . but you do have to be prepared to use it, . . . and the whole thing isn't at all pretty, . . . and you will probably get cut up yourself, . . .

But if you live through it, . . . well, . . . you survived, . . . that is what it is all about.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Any advice given without a firearm option would instantly be trumped by your opponent pulling a firearm. So I say move to a pro good guy State. When all the good guys leave they can kill each other and do society a favor.
 
What defense options are available in your State? If I could not arm myself for defense purposes, I would cetainly alter the "when, where and what time" I pumped gas.
 
Since I'm LE, I am always armed, so I can't truly put myself in your shoes. Given your situation, living in the republic of Maryland, I would give serious thought to an equalizer of some kind; unless you are skilled with one, I wouldn't make a knife my first choice. I would rather obtain, and learn how to use an expandable baton. Under MD law, as I read it, an expandable baton does not fall into the prohibited weapon category, unless it's intent is to be used offensively. As a defensive tool, it is legal to have, and carry, subject to law (court houses, schools, etc), and is a menacing object when brandished with competence. Get one that opens and locks easily and securely, such as the Manadnock Auto-Lock. Then practice, practice, practice...
 
Thanks for the advice so far.

Car does not have tinted windows, guy had me under constant observation. No key fob lock; I was thinking of getting in and trying a lockout, but I've never checked to see if I could lock all the doors at once except from the driver's position. Trunk weapon is a possibility, but I'd be going to jail if I had to use it, not a pleasant prospect. A nice club or tire iron would have some effect, but bringing a club to a gunfight is tactically weak: if the guy drew on me then, he'd surely shoot me. (I don't know if he was armed, but we have a fair number of gangbangers hereabouts, and they like to shoot each other).

It might come down to illegal carry, unless the courts come across with restoring our rights. I don't like to put myself in jeopardy, but it beats a pine box.

As to timing, I was thinking about gassing up Friday night, but figures Sat was safer. (I work 16 hrs Fri, 14 on Sat, leaves me little time. Next time I'll get up 15 minutes early and do the deed in tha morning; not too many folks getting robbed at 0800).

Moving is also an option I'm considering. Virginia is ten miles away, and I could carry there.
 
Speaking as a long-haired, Republican, Protestant, clean & sober minority with two college degrees, I find this post to be very disturbing. Some of you people sound like you're itching to pull a gun on a guy for being hispanic. We have no other information, other than that the OP was scared of him for standing 10' away.

I am ticked off. My advice for the situation? Talk to the guy. For all we know, he was shy about asking for a smoke, or he was waiting for a ride to show up and was wondering why a 63 y/o man kept giving him weird looks. Since moving to the big city I've had to interact with people of many different backgrounds, and at first I was nervous about talking to any of them. I got over it. And not one of the whites, blacks, arabs, or filipinos I've talked to turned out to have plans on mugging me.

I'll try not to be offended, and pretend that the OP actually was in pending danger. The best course of action is to prevent the situation from developing in the first place: avoid questionable neighborhoods and have a look around before climbing out of the car to tank up or get cash. Prepare yourself by carrying strong pepper spray, if that's legal, and a really strong flashlight that you can shine in their eyes. A big dog can help, but not so much if he's in the back seat.

Bob.a, I mean no offense, but your words have offended me, and I've given my best 2 cents despite it. I respectfully ask that you close this thread.

Good luck to you.
 
We all have our life experiences to rely on when it comes to detecting "danger". Some may even be so subconscious that you cant describe it in words. I guess to put it plainly, I trust the OP ability to judge correctly if something bad or dangerous was afoot. I do not base this belief on how he described the event but rather on the fact that he just expressed a sense of danger. I didnt notice anyone saying that he should take some kind of action against the fellow. I only noticed people suggesting a way to be prepared.
 
Last edited:
Speaking as a long-haired, Republican, Protestant, clean & sober minority with two college degrees, I find this post to be very disturbing. Some of you people sound like you're itching to pull a gun on a guy for being hispanic. We have no other information, other than that the OP was scared of him for standing 10' away.
Click to expand...

Wolfeye, Please do yourself a favor and get a thicker skin. I'm hispanic and found nothing wrong with the description given. Reality proves profiling to be a valuable tool. Perhaps latinos commit the most crimes in his area.

Itching to pull a gun on a guy for being hispanic or preparing to defend myself from a man who looks intent on ill will?

Get real and grow up. Save the race card for the real deal.
 
I have had similar experiences recently -- leading to one hand on the knife. I am also good sized, and close attention to the "crowder" caused him to back off and look elsewhere a couple times.

wolfeye -- sorry you are offended, but I doubt you often stand, late at night, in a position that makes others fear assault. That's more about posture and position than it is about grooming or ethnicity. I have short hair and am lily white but I know how to appear threatening.
 
you could just get a car with the filler on the drivers side.

and talking to the guy gives him a reason to move closer, I go for just keeping an eye on him and not making any kind of contact.

I used to gas up late at night out of convenience but I can carry and I'm kinda big.
 
I don't think Hispanic had a thing to do with the encounter, or anyone's response. "Hispanic" was simply an observation of the guy. I didn't take it as anything else. Kudos for being aware enough to get a good description.

Unless I missed it, no one has mentioned OC as an option for self defense considering the location of travel and work.
 
Actually you probably could have doused him with gas at that distance. Most pumps put out a pretty healthy stream. Gas in the eyes hurts. I suppose tossing him a lit zippo after soaking him would have definitely ended it if just the gas didn't, but you might have turned the whole place into a funeral pyre, yourself included. :eek:

Bad situation any way you look at it.
 
"Wolfeye," you are funny. Listen to three gun.

For 26 years I was married into a Muslim family (great people). I teach in Detroit and am quite comfortable being the only one of my race (I don't have an ethnicity) in the room. I have Hispanic in-laws (great people as well). If some one who doesn't look like me -- or does -- appears to be threatening, they will be treated as a threat. I couldn't care less if their feelings are hurt.

Being too PC could get either of us killed.
 
I don't really see it as "itching" to pull a gun when you feel threatened and slightly helpless in the face of what you perceive to be danger. OP didn't sound like he wanted to put the barrel to the guys nose, just have something on hand should he attempt to get back to his drivers side and things escalated.

As for his reference to the man's ethnic appearance, do you really feel that strongly insulted? He described the man exactly like I would hope someone would had the man ended up being a danger and harmed the op and ran off.
I just can't see the police report of a "tan skinned fellow" working very well personally.
 
I've pumped gas a few times at night with one hand on the pump,

and one hand on the gun in my pocket.

Move to a shall-issue state. Don't spend any money where you can't have a

gun.
 
I am ticked off. My advice for the situation? Talk to the guy. For all we know, he was shy about asking for a smoke, or he was waiting for a ride to show up and was wondering why a 63 y/o man kept giving him weird looks. Since moving to the big city I've had to interact with people of many different backgrounds, and at first I was nervous about talking to any of them. I got over it. And not one of the whites, blacks, arabs, or filipinos I've talked to turned out to have plans on mugging me.
Click to expand...
Why not go back and read the original post again. Because of your apparent playing the race card, it appears you missed an awful lot of what made the guy appear to be an apparent threat which was then quite likely upheld because he slithered away when a police car came into sight.

Pepper spray might be a good non-gun self defense weapon to carry for the person who started the thread. It may beat knife fighting if you are not trained in it. A collpaisible baton might be a good 2nd weapon. Of course, I mean only if both are legal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top