Scary incident and a test of my reactions

P

plinkz

Inactive
I was driving home on a busy major street two nights ago. I was unarmed because of where I had been earlier. I heard a woman screaming as if she were being assaulted. Stopped my vehicle in the left turn lane, turned on the flashers, ran across the street toward the sound of the screaming. A few other people were moving toward the sound as well. It turned out to be the repossession of a vehicle, rather than an assault in progress. I earned a black belt about 20 years ago, but I'm old and slight of build, and I'm out of shape for physical combat. I was scared, but I knew I could not go on my way as if I had not heard the woman screaming. As I was crossing the street to return to my vehicle, I momentarily lost some control of my legs, though I did not fall. All in all, an ugly experience, though useful in that I was tested and learned a bit about how I might react in the future. I did remember that I was unarmed, and I feel that my thinking was relatively clear and was quick enough. I had the presence of mind to 'get out of Dodge' upon hearing one of the people involved say something like, "Go ahead, reach for it."
 
May not be the case for you, but about 15 yrs ago I briefly lost the use of my legs. Was standing on a flat grassy patch talking to a friend and I just fell down, for no reason. Turned out I had an as-yet undiagnosed heart problem that later required surgery.

Are you seeing your doctor anytime soon? I'd imagine that stress can cause temporary lightheadedness, but so can much more serious issues that might show up only after exertion. It was problems after exertion that caused me to see my doc and find out I needed surgery immediately.
 
I was driving home on a busy major street two nights ago. I was unarmed because of where I had been earlier. I heard a woman screaming as if she were being assaulted. Stopped my vehicle in the left turn lane, turned on the flashers, ran across the street toward the sound of the screaming. A few other people were moving toward the sound as well. It turned out to be the repossession of a vehicle, rather than an assault in progress. I earned a black belt about 20 years ago, but I'm old and slight of build, and I'm out of shape for physical combat. I was scared, but I knew I could not go on my way as if I had not heard the woman screaming. As I was crossing the street to return to my vehicle, I momentarily lost some control of my legs, though I did not fall. All in all, an ugly experience, though useful in that I was tested and learned a bit about how I might react in the future. I did remember that I was unarmed, and I feel that my thinking was relatively clear and was quick enough. I had the presence of mind to 'get out of Dodge' upon hearing one of the people involved say something like, "Go ahead, reach for it."
Click to expand...

Time to work on that. 30 min a day in exercise should help...:)
 
While I applaud your willingness to help someone in distress, your story is a good illustration of the fact that situations are not always what they initially appear to be. The screams could have been because of an assault, but they could also have been because of a domestic situation, and they turned out to be a protest of a legal action.

Domestic disputes are difficult even for LEOs. If an assault, domestic or otherwise, had been in progress, what would you have done arriving on the scene unarmed and "out of shape for physical combat?"

The situation you described sounds like an ideal time to call 911 and be a good witness. Inserting yourself into a situation you know nothing about is a practice that has multiple ways of blowing up in your face.
 
Great point Tailgator. There is a fine line between being a responsible citizen with CCW and a self proclaimed member of the jutice league...which could get you into bigtime trouble.
 
There is a fine line between being a responsible citizen with CCW and a self proclaimed member of the jutice league...which could get you into bigtime trouble.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. A screaming match between two people is NOT a place to go rushing in playing Batman. Get the heck out of there, calling 911 on your way.
 
Hard to know what to do in the situation you describe. At least you had the courage to go unarmed and see what was happening. Some on the forum won't go the the toilet unarmed.
 
Op as others have said, you should've called 911 first. Things are not always what they appear to be.

I do admire your desire to help.
 
Agreed, this is not your topic, but depending on what you mean, I would go to the doctor immediately. It could be nothing, but it could be something serious.
 
Inserting yourself into a situation you know nothing about is a practice that has multiple ways of blowing up in your face.
Click to expand...

This. Don't do it. As someone already said, use your phone to dial 911 and then be a good witness.

And the advice to go see a doctor is also sound.
 
OP, good job for having the heart to take a look at the situation. Too many people would not involve themselves and though many people would say to not get involved, your moral compass tells you to aid those in trouble.

Anyway, self-diagnose just a little... weak legs from a sudden adrenaline dump? I have seen it with traffic accident victims who virtually collapse after the the situation starts settling down. This was a high-stress situation and your reaction doesn't seem out of the ordinary.
 
I could easily see myself in this situation. With the exception that I am still in decent shape, and young compared to many on this site. Yes some times I go without my carry weapon due to the place I am going to.

That said I would have had my cell phone in my hand with 911 dialed, and ready to call with hitting the send button before I approached the situation. If I had had my carry weapon with me then my fingers would have been on the grip of my pocket gun ready to draw.

The part about the near falling with the weak knees. I have bad knees from multiple injuries to both. Also after a huge dump of adrenaline it not uncommon after the fact to be weak at the knees. Though I agree you should see a doctor for a cardiac stress test, and to find out if you are healthy enough to start doing some type of exercises it helps to keep the mind and body ready.

Glad to hear that it was a false alarm as well. I hope this turns out to be a wake up call for you as well. I am glad to see that there are still people in this world that are willing to be of help if they can.
 
From the OP: I left out some details for the sake of brevity, so I'll clarify a bit. The area where the incident was happening is partially enclosed by a six foot chain link fence with some tall bushes along the fence. I was hidden from the view of everyone but the tow truck guys. The first thing I saw was their truck with its overhead lights flashing, then I saw the guys in their uniforms and at least one flashlight. By then, I knew what was up, and I left as soon as I heard the remark that sounded as if someone might pull a gun soon. As for the weakness in the legs immediately afterward, I'm positive that it was the adrenalin. I don't have any heart problems. I was careful to stay out of view until I could assess the situation. If there had been an assault going on, I would have not made my presence known until I had a good idea of what I was up against. I still have a lot of my martial arts skills, some of which don't require much strength or conditioning. All that being said, I appreciate the feedback and the support from the group.

------------------------------------------------
Plinkz
S&W Model 66, 2 1/2 inch
S&W Model 6904, 9MM compact, EDC
Stevens .22 bolt action rifle
Maverick 88 12 gauge
 
OP, . . . please do me a favor, . . . if not for yourself or your family, . . . go see your doctor.

I went for years not being able to find out answers to questions like your falling down.

Turned out I had a serious heart problem that has been since corrected. I stand a good chance of seeing the next 15 or 20 years now, . . . in Jan of '08, . . . I didn't.

Please, . . . don't take the chance, . . . take it from one who has been on that other side, . . . it ain't pretty.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
The adrenalin while giving a weak feeling is preparing you for flight and is not truly weakness. IMHO, it is good to experience the feeling and know that your body is ready for action. Do a little internet search on it and you'll find some good info.
 
I had one of those last week, appeared to be domestic. I just called 911 and stayed out of sight and observed. It blew over before PD arrived.
 
While I applaud your willingness to help someone in distress, your story is a good illustration of the fact that situations are not always what they initially appear to be.
Click to expand...
Bingo. This point was emphasized in each of my CHL classes--initial and refresher.

LEOs often consider DV scenarios among the most hazardous they encounter.

As much as we all want to believe that we are "the good guy", the people directly involved in the situation may have an entirely different perspective, or, more likely, have zero objectivity.

To clarify: I'm not saying that you shouldn't get involved. That is a decision only you can make. IMHO, this world needs all the "good guys" it can get.

Unfortunately, you will likely have to make that decision in an instant, under difficult circumstances.

Just as making the decision to carry involves some introspection, I am asking you to reflect on this before you are "in the moment". Make up your own mind up under what parameters you will insert yourself into the situation.

I understand that the variables are almost infinite, and as a result, setting up an "if: then" logic tree is impossible.

So what you really need to consider is the macro scale.

Yeah, easier said than done, I know. If it were easy, anyone could do it. The problem is, most of us never even think about it until it happens to them...and it's hard to be objective when tensions are high.
 
I can admire the willingness of others to run full on into danger but as I have said many times.. I am not a security force and will not get between two fighting men, chase purse snatchers or investigate odd happenings in dark alleys. To those who are willing, I say go with an extraordinary measure of caution.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top