Scenario: Unarmed BG refuses to move

Panhandlers and homeless people are far more dangerous than they are given credit for-just had to fight an old homeless guy who felt that being diabetic gave him the right to steal, trespass and otherwise foul up another person's property.

And nearly ALL homeless people have something they intend to use as a weapon-steak knife, stick, whatever-since they live and sleep on the streets.


Larry
 
If he's like this one panhandler I saw once, I'd give him $5... Then again, he had a sign reading "Why lie? I need beer."
Click to expand...

LOL I ussualy reward honesty as well. That happened the other night in down town SAC (like always... Santa Cruz seems to be the worst though). Guy came up and asked for beer money... I always have a dollar or two for honesty like that.
 
I would pull my coat aside and show him I was carring a gun

The reasion I would say that is that your story is impossible. I would never live in a state like CA or any state that did not allow carry permits.
 
If I were unarmed, as the scenario dictates, and I was able to see it wasn't a person that knows me playing a joke, after he asked me for cash, and I felt that he was following me, I'd head back to the store. I would go in, and have the counter person call the authorities. I would ask the attendant if that person was known around that store,and is always panhandling there.
 
If I did not feel threatened, as in if he kept a social distance, I would ask why he needed the money. Heck, he could be a hard working Joe who ran out of gas and had no money, or in his frustration left his wallet in his truck 5 miles back, and just needed to get home. I try not to judge by looks alone. A lot of working stiffs at the end of the day asking for cash would look like they lived under a bridge.

If he did not answer my question appropriately, then the situation changes. I would reenter the store, and call to have him picked up. Trust me, the store owner does not want him there. Then I would get to my car and leave as he was harrassing another patron.

I live in small town America, not LA. I tip waitresses, give money to those in need, but I do not encourage people to harrass others by rewarding their behavior.
 
LOL I ussualy reward honesty as well.
Click to expand...
I reward honesty, too. But the one time I gave significant ($20) to a panhandler, it was for a really good lie.

Husband and I were walking in downtown San Jose, near the courthouse, at lunchtime. Lots of people around doing whatever businesspeople do at lunchtime.

Panhandler was standing next to a Porche that had the meter expired, looked my husband in the eye, and said, "Oh man! My meter just expired, and look, the meter maid's coming! My car's going to get towed away ..."

The meter maid was, in fact, working her way up the street. But the guy was an obvious denizen of the streets, with hygiene to match. He was laughing, too, because he knew it was ludicrous.

I thought about it, handed him a quarter.

He said, "thanks!" and then he fed the parking meter.

Husband and I looked at each other, and without a word, Bob pulled out his wallet and I pulled a $20 out to hand the guy.

:D

pax
 
Isn't all of that a little agressive? It happens to me daily and depending on the look of the guy, I'll either give it to him if I have it, or respond politely "I'm really sorry man, I don't have it on me" Even if it's a bum, who'sto know he ain't a vet?

Now, if he continues to follow, I'd turn around and tell him firlmly, "I told you I don't have anything. Please stop following me." Since I live in california, and I can't carry my Ruger P90, I usually have an 8 inch Buck on me. That's usually pretty persuasive. Multi tool and car keyes and cell? Take out the cell, pretend to dial 911 "Yes, Sheriff? I have a man here..." If he's a vagrant, he'll be gone by the time you say "Sheriff." If he continues to persue, yell for help, something like "I told you NO, now back the f*** off!" In a loud voice usually attracts attention, without sounding like a pansy. Then, at least he has eyes on him, and you can defend yourself if need be.
 
Assault on begger

BG reaches your car but does not follow you--rather he stands at the driver's side door and holds. He is showing no aggression, but it IS public so you can't just hit the guy. You are unarmed except for a multi-tool, cell phone and pen (you are stuck in California).
Click to expand...

Whether or not you can punch the guy is not relevant to the fact that you are in a public place, unless of course you needed a more secluded location so that there will be no witnesses around to see you commit a crime by assaulting the begger.

I am really surprised by those of you who said you would assault the begger.
So I kick him in the nuts and run away screaming like a little girrl....
Click to expand...
A little can of pepper spray is great dog and bum repellant. Hose him down if he gets too close after being politely asked to beat it.
Click to expand...

Of course, there is also the brandishing aspect. If the guy is not threatening you, displaying your gun to him isn't going to be a legal action.
I would pull my coat aside and show him I was carring a gun
Click to expand...

I am also surprised that one remedy would be to call 911, give a false statement stating that the guy is threatening you and the false statement that he is precluding you from getting in your car. As noted in the scenario, the guy was not threatening you. He was just being persistent in his begging.

So if you can't enter the car safely, go back into the store and call 911. Tell 'em you've got a panhandler threatening you and preventing you from getting into your vehicle.
Click to expand...

So what is the emergency that necessitates calling 911 from inside the store where the begger is no longer pursuing you? Even if you felt you are in danger while out by your car, at the time of the call, you are not in danger - being safe in the store.
 
Just hold your ground, and my preference is that if im carrying a gun, im carrying a less lethal option too........extendable baton (legal in FL). If you know what your doing with one of them, they will take down pretty much anyone. But it looks innocuous while holding onto it while someone is talking to you that you don't like (as it looks like a black stick about 7-8 in long with foam around it.

Calling 911.....panhandling is illegal in many areas, and you wouldn't be filing a false report if you told them you have a panhandler hassling you, and you wanted officer assistance. A reasonable person would feel threatened by this persons actions, because the panhandler could be crazy, or working himself to robbing/assulting you.....(I would not mind helping a citizen in this way....as long as the situation was described PROPERLY to the dispatcher). (am not LEO, but am heading in that direction). Just because a crime is not being committed (if panhandling is not illegal in your area), does not mean you can't request police assistance so that you do not get hit with an assult (or worse) charge.
 
I agree with Archie because he stated that he would not take his eyes off the guy...that is a key point. I have learned this the hard way. Do not divert your eyes from him in hopes he will go away. Also, what I do might change with the time of day...darkness etc. I would watch his hands in my periphial vision...also for his buddies...if he would not back away from my car when asked politely, I would have a decision to make. Probably use the cell phone and call the police...if possible. But if he reached for something...both of our lives would change forever at that moment for the worse I am afraid.
 
You all are forgetting that you have an advantage here....the convienance store. Just tell the guy in no uncertian terms that you are going inside to call the cops, and go inside, go up to the register and talk to the clerk some, and keep your eye on the guy, and call them.....so what, your pride hurts, but a hurt ego is better than a throbbing head, right? Best to try to play by the rules, so if something does happen, and it ends up in court, you can say you exhausted all means that you reasonably had.
 
Call the cops. I once asked my neighbor to turn down his music. The next day, after he smashed his own car with a hammer, he called the cops who questioned me at length about my threats to him. LEO told me "call us we will handle these types of relations with all your neighbors". The neighbor then confessed to hitting his own car about a week later and also told LEO to let me off the hook.

Chris
 
Last edited:
Even if i were armed or not armed id probably go back into the store stand in an area were i can see the car and if he staid by my car are folowed me back into the store i would call the cops. After thinking about it if he was following me i probably would not have even made it to the car before i turned around and went back in. with 911 diled into the phone with my finger on the send button.


I rember a couple of years ago aroung x-mass time me and my wife were going to target and i may have stole someons parking spot i did not see that they wanted to turn in so i did. But any way the guy cused at me a bit i said "im sorry budy you just sat there and did not have your blinker on" so he fliped me of and speed of. A little while later we were walking around in the store and he came up behind me yelling like crazy, and i camly said "buddy if you want me to call the cops i will but if you dont want to go to jail for x-mass i would sugest you leav me alone". He looked at me kinda funy and said "youd do that" i showed him i had 911 on my phone and said all i gota go is hit send. Buy that time the manager and some male employes came over saw that the guy was irate and said they were going to excorte him out of the building and if he did not comply they would call the cops as well. I was armed with my Makarov in my coat pocket and no one ever new.
 
something like that actually happened to me about a year ago, was sitting in my truck in a whataburger parking lot eating a late nite burger, i was alone and armed. a street person whom appeared to be not quite right upstairs, approached me on the drivers side and got right up against the door, i had the window up. i told him to go away, he didnt. i repeatedly told him i wasnt going to give him anything and to get away from me. with each time my tone of voice got angrier and angrier, finally i told to to get the f@*k away from me and he finally left. it definately unnerved me and i was tempted to reach for my gun, but he wasnt threatening me, so i didnt. i dont think it would be appropriate in the situation you proposed either.
 
Agreed - that is brandishing and is not a wise move.

Situations like this are what convinced me to get pepper spray. I go over to my side of the car (leaving space) and say, "Sir, you followed me to the parking lot and you're now blocking access to my car. Please move or I will be forced to call the police." At this point he's either going to move, do something and get sprayed (I have the spray ready to go), or wait for me to call the cops.

I say this because on my car if you unlock the passenger side you unlock them all - something I'm definitely not doing.

I will say this - I've talked with a few women I know about defending themselves in situations like this. One thing I always stress is BE LOUD!!! If people are around, you have to scream out - somebody help me this guy won't let me into my car! If you make a scene and look like the victim, things are only going to go badly for him.
 
Like everything....the devil is in the details...the picture is open to interpetation

But in general...it is a bad idea to let anyone get that close to you. Your options become severely limited.

Handing them an money puts you too close for comfort

At some point I would likely assume the "interview stance" and tell him not to come any closer.

If he aproached after that you would be safe in assuming hostile intent or mental illness. Either would make calling the police justifiable and defendable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top