Gas Pump Strategy

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mhuard

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So, I’m filling the gas tank of my 4Runner the other night and a 20 something guy comes up to me and asks for some gas money as he was broke and needed to get home. He had on a hooded sweatshirt and looked somewhat menacing. Around 10ft away, another 20 something was standing next to a little Honda in front of a gas pump. He watched closely...

I had my 4 year old daughter, 1 year old son, and wife in the 4Runner. I thought about it for about ½ second, reached in my pocket and gave him a $5 and a $1. He proceeded to look at the cash and then back up to me. Even though the tank was not full, after I gave the money I quickly replaced the pump and jumped in the 4Runner and took off. Thankfully, I paid by credit card…

Shall I state the obvious...my family means more than anything to me.

I had my S&W .38 snub at 2 o’clock in my uncle Mikes and my SOG folder in pocket.

So, I guess I’m wondering if I did the right thing. If I said no, he could have just walked away or he could have tried to jump me… I guess my biggest mistake was letting him get close to me to begin with…

Any thoughts or recommendations? I'm out $6 and really don't care. I just notice that when I finished filling up the tank today, I was, well, a bit preoccupied with who or what might jump out of the shadows...:eek:

I have always wondered what it would be like to shoot a stream of lit gas out of a pump like they do in movies! Hehe :evil:

mhuard
 
Gas Pump Strategy: Pump gas, be nice to folks (just like you were), relax (I've found that not everyone is out to kill me... most are, but not everyone:rolleyes: )
 
Or, if you want to be stingy, a "sorry, I don't have any cash" would A) make him leave you alone, probably, and B) give him doubts as to the reward for mugging you (or lack thereof) and therefore leave you alone.
 
Sounds like it turned out pretty good for you, and it also sounds like you learned to be a bit more observant in the process, which is always good.

Glad all went well.
 
I accidently squirt them with the hose , then light a cigarette while saying come here i cant hear you well . They tend to leave .
 
Keep your eyes open next time. You have your car and the pumps to use as barriers between you and them, don't let anyone get close to you.

I have extended my arm out and ordered people to "Stay Back" when dealing with oncoming panhandlers. They get the idea.

If anyone ignores your barrier positioning and vocal commands, you pretty much know that you are in a SD situation.
 
Gas him, then fire up the Zippo...OK, guarenteed to make you a guest of the state for a long, long, time in today's courtrooms, sorry.
No physical confrontation, you survived, all good for now. How well will it go next time?
 
Thanks for the replys. My situational awareness was lacking and I'll work at that going forward.

With gas pumps so close, how do you determine (before you can really see other people filling and who could be in their car) if you should fill up your own tank?

Personally, I think I'll be frequenting the brighter stations and only from dawn to dusk...I'll leave the after hours to someone else whenever I can.

mhuard
 
Watch your muzzle flash!

I have a bit of bad news, and good news. The good news is that you didn't have to use that 2-inch.

The bad news is that if you had, with all those gas fumes coming back up from pumping, your muzzle flash may have given you ignition and lift-off and blown you sky high.

The slightest spark or flash around a gas pump can sometimes --- not always, of course --- have a nasty chain reaction. Some authorities advise against even talking on a cell phone while you're standing there pumping gas.

Not sure whether one should believe all of that, but as they say..."Don't be a test case."

It is quite likely you took the prudent course.
 
I usually never refuse a bum, but I can afford it as I don't purposely go to places they usually frequent. But all I give is anywhere from a few quarters to a Washington. I do so smiling, somehow, the smile does more to make them say thanks and get lost then anything else.....maybe I need to get those wolf teeth filed down again:evil:
 
Look guys I will take time to set down and eat a meal , or have a glass of tea with that male / female / kids , my treat . I will not tho under any circumstances hand over cash . The post i made was only half in just since i have done exacly that when they would not stay back as asked . No one needs to go hungry , but by the same token no one needs booz or dope . Ill go to good will my treat , Ill enjoy a meal my treat , but i wont be extorted . my life allows this since the boss is my wife and kids , if yours dont i understand .
 
"Some authorities advise against even talking on a cell phone while you're standing there pumping gas." Think there's a convoluted reason for that, ending up with static electricity causing a nice boom. You're s'posed to touch one of those metal poles, I think, when you get out of your car to eliminate the chance of that happening.

As for shots causing an explosion - newer nozzles have a little rubber hood around em, and lock semi-airtight in your gas port. Lesser chance of explosions thataway.

Gasoline works great as OC spray, BTW.
 
Get some Velcro strips with the adhesive on the back (Wal-Mart sewing section)... cut equal lengths of the 'male' and 'female' strips ... glue them back to back. Make it long enough to wrap it around the handle of the gas pump - it will stow away right next to the gas cap if you have a cover for the filler compartment.

Frees up your hands/mind to observe your surroundings and even reduces fatigue during loooong drives (trust me).
 
Please don't use makeshift devices to hold the gas-pump handle, as I think is being suggested above. A big puddle of gas on the ground is no good.

To panhandlers, just say "No." No need to make excuses. No need to explain yourself. And don't pay them off.

And don't feel bad.

A friend of mine deals with panhandlers by trying to give them what it is they say they want the cash for. "I just need $5 for gas" "Ok, let's go to the gas station, I'll get you some gas." "I just need $10 for baby food." "Ok, the store's right there, let's go get you some." He gets very, very few takers.

There's a clue there.

If you get the heebie jeebies, then leaving is a great idea.

(Edited to add): Oh, and cel phones around gas pumps being dangerous? Zero documented cases. No plausible mechanism. Sheer, utter nonsense.
 
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You were perfect in your actions.

For six bucks you avoided potientally a bad situation. You could have had a real mess if you mix gunfire and gasoline. I nthink you did great. Your family was in the vehicle and everyone is safe. You do not even need the laywer you may have had to hire if you had reacted differently. Great Job.
 
I imagine that if you shove the muzzle of that 2" into a semi-liquid substance before pulling the trigger, you'd mitigate the excessive muzzle flash and avert a big boom. :evil: But maybe not - I'm just guessing.

You did well, mate. Good job.
 
Hmmm..... $6.00.

Hell, I tip more than that for a decent meal with the wife at a restaurant.

What do you suppose that $6.00 bought you? You could think of it as an investment, maybe.

You could have said "get lost" couched in whatever degree of nice or nasty you'd choose to display and:

a.) nothing would have happened.

Or:

b.) things might have gone really, really sideways really quick.

But for your $6.00 investment, you don't have to wonder whether the result would have been a or b. You get to sit in the comfort of your home with your family and share your experience with others on the internet.

Sounds to me like you wound up with a pretty good return on your money.

:)
 
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$6.00! Good job, You and your family safe, you did not kill anyone and get arrested no matter right or wrong.

That $6.00 saved you over $20,000.00 on the low side. But best of of all your family went home safe and whole.

I congratulate you WELL DONE!!!!
 
You assessed the situation and made a prudent choice. Nobody got hurt. Pumping gas is a hard place to be situation aware. Not only are you concentrating on using your card, pumping gas, checking oil etc, but the pumps are big and conceal a huge angle of vision, and cars are coming and going, and it's noisy. . I try to lock the pump handle and stand back away from the pumps to improve visibility, and aid in movement- I hate being trapped against an object with no room to move.
 
Somebody once told me to say, "I don't have any money FOR YOU."

emphasizing "For you"

I'm not sure that's really appropriate though.

Usually I just say, "Sorry." and smile and they walk away.

Twice I've been approached by prostitutes at the gas pump. That was the time I got creeped out.

I mean, geez... I know I'm not exactly Brad Pitt, but seriously, I'm not going down THAT route!

Anyways, sounds like you got away, nothing bad came of it... so a thumbs up here.

I did have a homeless guy come up to me yesterday and ask if I could give him a cigarette. I was just feeling friendly (and I wasn't nervous because I was packing more heat than I'd ever need) - so I just said, "You know what my friend, you're in luck. I'm quitting today. Here's my pack, and the lighter. Enjoy." I smiled... and walked away.... the guy sat down and started smoking and he seemed happy.

Not all who beg are potentially dangerous. I judge it on a case to case basis. I usually don't give out money, but I'm happy to give out food (handed out a big Mac to a guy one time when I was driving and he had a sign that said, "Hungry, will work for food."
 
Hosing him with gas is "assault" and you'd get jailed for it. Lighting anything around a gas pump -- in some instances even using an electronic device like a cell phone is a FEDERAL prohibition, US DOT. Besides which, gas fumes collect on the ground and gas stations are full of them. If they ignite you're in big trouble. Shooting a gun might set them off.

The station needs to be advised about panhandlers. It's "loitering" and probably a violation of city ordinance at the very least.

Tell them you don't have any cash. That's getting pretty common these days. If he continues to panhandle you need to tell him to leave you alone. That's two warnings. If he continues you're unable to "de-escalate" because you're pumping gas in your car and your family is in the vehicle.

About the third request, I'd have the hand on the firearm and get into the vehicle. That's a tough call because you need to stop pumping gas and get in the vehicle.

As noted above, I'd be defining "boundaries" from the outset. Pan-handlers need to stay away while you're occupied with gassing up. If they don't, and especially when they're working in pairs like this crew, I'd be lettng them know they've stepped WAY over the line.

Panhandlers look for "captive audiences" -- waiting for a bus, talking at a payphone, gassing up. Strangers approaching me -- and family -- within about ten feet get a clear warning that they're over the line.

If they move in much closer after they've been warned, it's a clear threat.
 
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