Interesting encounter - advice, please.

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A "You doin' alright?" will get you alot further than acting like someone just broke out of the state pen. Virtually every time.
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Perhaps nice works better when you are 6 ft 5 and 400lbs. Nice from a small frame does denote weakness in my expeirience.............5ft 7in under 200.
 
These people many times are criminals of opportunity. If you appear like an easy target, unaware, or unable to protect yourself you can find yourself in trouble. By simply being aware, making eye contact, asserting yourself, you can easily make these people think twice.
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I agree.
 
Everyone seems to be missing that the OP's focus is on the guy standing around and not looking fo a 2nd person.

I'd still inform the police of the situation, at some point this guy is likely to strike.
 
There are big differences between "nice," "polite," and "jerk." When sizing up someone's intentions, I'd for for "polite" in an authoritative but non-threatening way. AKA, I mean business, but I'm not looking for a fight.
 
generally, I would be carrying and would do what I could do to not provoke or retreat. Just protect my life if called for.

I also keep a small piece of metal pipe (about 20 in long) on the floor behind the passenger's seat (side where I fill gas). It looks like a cross between a tire iron / tool.

Times prior when someone is 8-10 foot away seemingly minding their own
but not moving away or towards, I've grabbed the pipe (held parallel to pants leg) and acted like I was looking at the rear wheel (lug nut issue) while the tank was filling. But I was in condition orange and acutely focused on the
person and or the permiter.

Now if they move on, okay or stay static, okay.

If they attack, it's pipe to head/face until attack stops. Preceded by "no, please don't hurt me..."
 
Sure, a single post ( 36 ) and just a passing mention.
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Thanks for the correction. It wasn't a passing mention any more than the other 7 plus things sirsloop would have done were.

Frankly in this scenario the MAIN threat should be the MAIN focus. Scanning for additional threats while important takes a back seat to the MAIN threat.
 
What I meant by courteous is be polite. You don't have to ask how the old folks and all the cousins are. The look in your eyes will tell most people all they need to know. Look scared and people will know you are scared.

Threegun, I'll concede that "nice" might work better for someone my size that yours. But I didn't mean nice...
 
Best defense tool you have is your brain, you recognized the surroundings and you need to distance yourself from the situation. You should have hung up the pump walked to the clerk behind the glass. And said excuse me I seem to be having problems with the pump can you help me.

Dwight55 Ohio Does Not Have A CCW! Ohio has a chl big differense. We as ohioans threw in the towel quickly. If you dont believe me look at your license from the sheriffs office and read the top. It will say concealed handgun license. This is one law that ohio should reapeal and fight for a true CCW. If you conceal a knife by ohio law you can be charged with concealing a weapon. Even if you have a CHL license. This happened to a gentlemen by I believe the last name Barker up in cleveland a little over a year back. The cops wanted to harass him.
 
Threegun, I'll concede that "nice" might work better for someone my size that yours. But I didn't mean nice...
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Gotcha.

Short story. I'm standing in my lawn trailer replacing string on my trimmer when a man walks up and asks if he could help me mow the grass. I explained to him (very nicely) that although I earn a living mowing grass this yard was in fact my own (it really was my yard) and I wasn't earning any money by mowing it. He continues to talk and I continue to string my weed whacker. I finish and listen for several minutes while baking in the hot Florida sun. Finally I said (again very nicely) sir I have to get to work now. He now begins to perform windmills and jumping jacks after removing his shirt. I open the rear compartment on my fanny pack exposing my Glock 20 but only to me (he has no idea I have a gun). I say I enjoyed the chat but gotta go now. He proceeds to spout racial slurs and explain how he was gonna harm me. At this point I'm ticked off and hollar for my wife. She pops her head out the door and I tell her in a very stern voice to call police before I end up having to shoot this idiot. The man walked away cussing.

I felt like my good nature made him sense weakness. Since then I am stern but not mean.
 
Anyone out there have comments or suggestions? I don't like trusting to luck to save my butt.
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Pump gas at High Noon, take a buddy, and only stop where there are at least 5 cars also getting gas. Wear a life alert hand on the button, or get your neighbor to pump gas for you....
 
What I found interesting is the OP was unwilling to put a gun in his trunk because he could go to jail, but said he thought he needed to carry, even if it ment going to jail. I'm thinking the gun in the trunk is less noticable. Why fear having one hidden in the trunk when carrying one illegally would be ok ? I think filling your tank at lunch hour, or day off, beats this night fillup option. However if one wants to rationalize illegally carrying, then this script is as good as any.
 
Yell or loudly say Stop! Stop! I am having a heart attack!

Yell! Call the Police! Call 911!.
If the situation was a coincidence he would probably call the Police, and most likely apologize for making you feel threatened. If not some witness might hear him or you might alert the attendant.

Worst comes to worst call 911 yourself and tell the officer you felt threatened by his presence. Staring at people can be considered stalking.

Even if you had a gun at that point you might be charged with "brandishig" and that can cause problems.

I am 57 and could use the threat of deadly force since I had a faulty heart valve. The law usually sides against the perp who is assumed to understand the risk of causing a crime against another. You would be exempt from lawsuits or such should you have.... "alarmed him or caused some, mental duress". I can't help laughing as I type that. A normal person would apologize to you. Someone meaning you harm will not.
 
3gun.....

I know you have alot of post and are very cognizant of gun issues. I do want to point out where you messed up. If you shouted..."before I shoot this guy". You removed yourselve from the legal protection of being a reluctant participant.

It might have been all another witness heard. And you know how reliable witnesses are NOT reliable.
 
Do some of you really think the guy deserved to be drenched with gasoline or pepper sprayed just because he was standing there? Do we know why he was standing where he was? Maybe he was trying to get into the light of the station's canopy because he was fearful of something as well. Maybe he felt more secure being around someone else.

We should be aware of what's going on around us, but we're not supposed to become the aggressor.
 
he was sizing you up for whatever reason (in my opinion). do what you got to do while keeping a close eye on him(not an engaging stare). leave after pumping gas. that is literally what I would do. you felt uncomfortable, so something was up(probably your intuition knew he was sizing you up for unknown reasons). guys do things like this on the subway. they want to bum change or whatever. the problem is that the perp is undecided on his sizing up. Engagement - good or bad - can lead to more, unwanted issues.

Now obviously he might just be a regular guy too. maybe he did break down and he was getting the courage to ask you to use your cellphone. I had to do that one time(not fun at all). mine died and I needed to call family. It was a unique, necessary situation. two people said no and the business owner allowed me to use the phone. I probably would've said no too. This was mid-day//sorry to go off subject partially. people understandably have issues not believing you completely when you want to use their phone.

I am not going to be rude or engage in other ways in the OP scenario. It is at a standstill and in my opinion you should just work thru it leaving it at that level. If he comes at you quick yes the game has changed. If he speaks to you then take it from there: just getting in car anyways so leave, answer and use your best judgement as its not at a standstill anymore. I know stories of girls disappearing forever in parking lots or mainly the ND college girl comes to mind. Her body was found in MN or ND one winter. You'd be surprised how the dark can collect in gas lots, parking lots, etc. the light accumulates in one spot and things happen quick(I heard the physics on it but am not good with science). this guy possibly wasn't alone. I had a girl try to sell me meat for 50bucks one time in a gas lot! no joke!!obvious drug addict but looked normal and said she needed money for her kids. ps-I live in the country and grew up in the suburbs!
 
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Don't say anything rude to anyone trying difuse a situation. You may create a problem. You may light someones short fuse or make criminal decide he doesn't like you and make him more likely to attack or to attack more ferociously than he would have.

It appears that you were either in a bad situation or there was absolutely no problem at all. I'm not so sure the guy was about to attack, but I wasn't there.

Anyway, you have described youself as basically defenseless. If that is the case you should make changing your routine your top priority. If you are indeed small out-of-shape and consider yourself old, I wouldn't recommend trying to thwart an attack with a baton, flashlight or knife. Give him what he wants and get out of the way.

Pump you gas during the daylight, buy pepperspray and buy a cell phone.
 
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