Strange car outside

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call the cops, give them the vehicle description and ask for more patrols in your area. Bad guys will be less likely to show up if they know cops are cruising the area on a regular basis.

If its legal in your area I would walk outside and let them know I am armed, I have the description of the vehicle and people inside
 
Thats the kind of antagonistic behavior which should not be promoted or encouraged. I know you are probably kidding around, but this tbread is for the promotion of a more subtle approach to these strange situations.
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Open carry of a firearm on one's own property isn't antagonistic. It's your right to do so, as long as you don't do so in a threatening manner.
 
Go out with a video recorder or a camera. Then they will know you have recorded of them and their license plate.

It could be many things, a few "strange cars" I have seen turned out to be undercover LE, gotta be careful who you make subtle threats to.

I have also heard of cases where property owners went out into yards with guns and people reported exaggerated accounts that turned into felony charges for the property owners.
 
Some of these opinions should be embarrassing, frankly. :rolleyes:

This is a DIFFERENT car, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, over the course of YEARS.

Anyone can seriously tell me that they've never stopped their car on a unknown street for a few minutes? You've never had someone turn on their lights in their house when you've stopped on a street? What do you do? Most of us drive away because we don't want to bother someone and or have them come out and ask us what's up when NOTHING is up, we just had to stop for a minute for any of 10,000 reasons.

Go outside and take pictures? What will they do? They'll leave! How suspicious! No... they'll leave because there's some guy taking pictures of them for no damn reason! They'll be weirded out!

Go out side and wander around with a gun?

Go TELL THEM you have a gun? You've got to be kidding! If I pulled my car over and you came out and told me you had a gun, I'd be calling the cops ON YOU! I would absolutely consider that a threat.:rolleyes:
 
Brian -

We didn't learn it was a different car, over the period of years, till later in the thread.

In my state at least, it's perfectly legal and common for people to walk around openly carrying, not only on their own property but at Wally World, Grocery store, restaurants etc.

If you were parked in front of my house, and I came out with a holstered pistol while I washed my car (which I do all the time), and you then called the cops, that would have ended in a good resolution. The cops would verify that I'm ok and that you're ok. And that is the desired outcome here isn't it? To verify that the stranger is ok?

The original question was posted to a gun forum. Then the OP, and apparently you, feel it's not appropriate to suggest a perfectly legal gun related resolve to the problem. I'm not exactly sure what the OP is hoping to hear. Sounds to me like he's talked himself into thinking "it's probably ok". In which case, I'm not sure why the post in the first place.


Sgt Lumpy
 
Several issues:

1)I do consider the OP to be a non-issue and can't imagine why, absent some additional circumstance, it merits any particular action or concern, frankly.

2)I said I'd call the cops on the guy who CAME OVER and TOLD ME he has a gun. That's not "normal", that's a threat. It's something a mugger or carjacker might do. He shouldn't be surprised if the person in the car produces THEIR OWN gun in response. I would absolutely consider that action to be a direct, credible threat.

3)Open carrying on your property IS a "normal" activity. While the folks in the car can't know the difference, what you describe is different. You are INTENTIONALLY going outside to SHOW THEM your gun and COVERING that activity by PRETENDING your car needs to be washed, or whatever you pick to do. You even suggest leaving something outside so you can have the ILLUSION of doing something "normal" but your intent is NOT normal. You intend to make a show of your gun. You're specifically going outside to show them your gun. The "activity" is an excuse.
 
I had this happen to me once in my old apartment complex when I still lived in CA, there was a 300M parked on the road directly outside my building for about 3 hours with someone inside. I walked up and blatantly took a picture of the license plate, at which point a guy reclining in the passenger seat flashed a badge. Having no idea what the Orange County PD badge looks like, I called up the non-emergency line to confirm that there was indeed a cop parked in a 300M outside of my building. Apparently a Taco Bell down the road had been robbed in the early morning hours and he was watching the entrance to a hiking trail.
 
I said I'd call the cops on the guy who CAME OVER and TOLD ME he has a gun.
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I didn't see anyone suggest that.

As for "pretending" to need to go outside. That was my offer to the OP who seemed afraid to do anything. I have absolutely no problem with being in my own front yard. No secondary reasons necessary.

As I understand your take on the situation, your answer is to "not worry about it". That's not how I would view it but that's what everyone has to decide for themselves.

I'm not sure why you feel "embarassed" by people here suggesting that they have the right to be in their own front yard, looking at a vehicle that appears to them suspicious.


Sgt Lumpy
 
This is different in different places, but where I live the officers would ask you to call 911 & advise what is going on descriptions etc to the best of your ability. Depending I may or may not do that. But what I would do is get times, best possible description, tag number, num. of occupants etc & email this info. to my buddy who is a police officer who works my response & is our community coordinator.
 
Well, Brian is showing some good sense. A different, strange car from time to time over a long period is most likely innocuous.

The same strange car multiple times, frequently over a short period is also innocuous. But there's a slim possibility it is not. So that's when you start making a record and perhaps report it to the police. Still the chances are that nothing will come of it.
 
SgtLumpy said:
I didn't see anyone suggest that.
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In post #21,

Grizz12 said:
If its legal in your area I would walk outside and let them know I am armed, I have the description of the vehicle and people inside
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They could "know" you are armed (if you're open carrying, most don't) just by going outside but letting them know that "I have the description of the vehicle" requires interaction. No one is going to think "Oh, he's coming outside to get a description of our vehicle!" unless you tell them.

Here's the funny thing... open carrying is "normal" behavior, yes? Is stopping a car on a street NOT normal behavior? I mean, seriously, we need a "tactical" reaction to someone stopping a car on our street?

Geez, they're probably going to the birthday party two houses up and forgot to sign the card! How many millions of possibilities are there that are completely and totally innocuous?

Absent some SERIOUSLY disturbing exigent circumstances, a "strange car" stopped on the road should elicit no more of a reaction than leaves falling off trees.

It embarrassing because of WHY you're suggesting it. How do you suppose that kind of reaction to NOTHING looks and sounds to those in the middle? It's practically the "Wild West" reactions that the antis warn about. It's ridiculous.
 
I had my "strange car" reported once, when I was in my teens.

I was visiting my lady friend, and she didn't want the neighbors to comment to her parents on the car in the driveway, so I parked a block away....
 
Either I am naive or some of you all are paranoid.

Why not just walk over and say "hello, how are you? Do you require some assistance?". I have visitors at my house, sometimes my neighbors do as well. Sometimes they even return more then once, a time or two they may have even sat in their cars sending a text message or looking up an address or checking facebook or whatever. Honestly, I doubt I would feel the need to approach them or to change my behavior at all. Though, being the odd ball I am, I might wave at them if I happen to be outside.
 
sgtlumpy said:
If you were parked in front of my house, and I came out with a holstered pistol while I washed my car (which I do all the time), and you then called the cops, that would have ended in a good resolution. The cops would verify that I'm ok and that you're ok. And that is the desired outcome here isn't it? To verify that the stranger is ok?
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Do you have a crystal ball? How do you know what I told the cops when I called them?

If I get a call from someone saying a guy is carrying a gun in his yard that's one thing.

The same call saying that the guy threatened them with his gun (your word against theirs - whatever they feel like claiming you did with the gun) could very easily end up in court.
 
My gut instinct would be to call your local non emergency number and give them a description, license plate, frequency of occurnace, so forth. I dont mess around with strange happenings. There was an instance where a car showed up with an occupant inside at the same time every morning and parked in front of my house for 3 days straight. I called the non emergency number on the 3rd day and had an officer ride by and talk to him. After the squad car left, the gentleman waited about 15 minutes and got out of his car and approached my house. I had been watching him the entire time so I met him at the door as he was making his way up my driveway. He came to apologize for making me weary and explained that he was a private investigator watching a house a few houses down for a suspected cheating spouse. Showed me his credentials and offered to move locations if it made me uncomfortable. I directed him to a less conspicous spot on the side of our house that was semi concealed by a tree but still allowed a view. He gladly obliged. There was also a time where a strange car parked in a church parking lot at the end of my street right around the same time the middle school buss dropped off. 2 days in a row and he never picked up a child. Called non emergency and they investigated. They ended up taking him away in hand cuffs...he was a convicted child molester. Be vigilant but be smart.
 
Your first action should be to report it to the police. It's considered suspicious activity. Make it clear to the police dispatcher no laws are being violated, so far as you know. A routine check is part of their job.

I've had a couple of times where similar instances happened and called the police. One time, an older teen-aged black girl, a stranger to the neighborhood, knocked on my door, wanting to use my telephone. I declined and she continued to go to several housed. I phoned the police and they responded in short order.

Come to find out, she was just moving into the neighborhood. But the police were unable to get any response from the house she indicated she was moving into. The police had the courtesy to report back to me the circumstances, and assured me everything was O.K.

Bob Wright
 
Bob Wright said:
One time, an older teen-aged black girl, a stranger to the neighborhood, knocked on my door, wanting to use my telephone. I declined and she continued to go to several housed. I phoned the police and they responded in short order.
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Good example right there of why no one can say what's best in a particular situation.

I have a very difficult time imagining ANY scenario in which I would deny a lone teen-age girl the use of a telephone.

Obviously Bob Wright thinks differently.
 
They could "know" you are armed (if you're open carrying, most don't) just by going outside but letting them know that "I have the description of the vehicle" requires interaction.
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Oh for crying out loud. Jotting down the LPN doesn't require interaction.


No one is going to think "Oh, he's coming outside to get a description of our vehicle!" unless you tell them.
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I'm not at all sure what that means but it makes little or no sense to me.


You do whatever you feel appropriate doing. I will continue to feel free to occupy my front yard, and to record descriptions of anyone or anything that seems suspicious. Other parts of the country, other personal mind sets may have a different approach. I am not fearful of occupying my own front yard, nor fearful of jotting down LPNs of cars that I think are out of place.


Now I'm curious of the original poster. Since you posted this on a gun forum, but didn't like the gun related responses...have you come to a decision on what you think you should do, if anything?


Sgt Lumpy
 
Well, Brian is showing some good sense. A different, strange car from time to time over a long period is most likely innocuous.

The same strange car multiple times, frequently over a short period is also innocuous. But there's a slim possibility it is not. So that's when you start making a record and perhaps report it to the police. Still the chances are that nothing will come of it.
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That's pretty much my opinion of the situation.

There have been a couple of burglaries and maybe half a dozen thefts among my closest neighbors over the last 20 years or so I have lived in this neighborhood. I rarely report anything to the police, but I do write down a tag number from time to time. If I see a suspicious car prowling through the neighborhood, I'll ask where they're going. 9 times out of 10, it's someone looking for a house to buy or rent, or someone needing directions.

There was a renter a couple doors down, who I am concinced was selling drugs out of her house. They had a visitor once a week who always backed in, right up to the bumper of the renter's SUV, where it was impossible to see the tag. One night he showed up, and the people didn't have the SUV pulled up far enough and he was parked on the street. I walked over with a flashlight and wrote durn the tag. I could hear him yelling at the tenants about parking. I went back in the house. He never showed up again, and they went broke and moved out about a month later.
 
SgtLumpy said:
I'm not at all sure what that means but it makes little or no sense to me.
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Well, there's a good chance that my comments won't make much sense if you continue to remove them from the clear context in which they were written and apply them to your own comments, to which they were never directed.

The comment you quoted is directed at the idea that someone is going to "let them know I am armed and have a description of their vehicle", which is entirely different from "writing down the LP". Writing down the plate is an action which will not necessarily draw anyone's attention. Particularly since they are probably busy signing a birthday card or entering an address in their GPS. They aren't likely to be watching the every move of some dude who walked out of his house. Even if they ARE up to no good and they DO notice that you're watching them, it is not an active response on your part, it is not the same as "letting them know".

"Letting them know..." is an ACTIVE response to their presence. It is not passive. It is not a few moments of looking at their car and getting the plate number. If I parked my car and somebody MADE A POINT to "let me know they've got a gun", (note that this is entirely different behavior than washing your car with a gun on your hip) I would consider it an aggressive action and I would contact the police. It wouldn't be a "call the police and let them sort it out" situation either. I would be actively looking for charges to be pressed.

You keep making reference to this being a gun forum, as if it just makes obvious sense that being a gun forum means that every situation requires a response with a firearm. This is the "Tactics and Training" subforum. "Tactics" do not always require (in fact almost never require) a firearm. Something being posted here is not automatically begging for a response of how a firearm could be justified just because the forum is a "gun forum". Just because you've got a hammer doesn't mean that everything you see is a nail.
 
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