Mom, *PLEASE* be more situationally aware next time...

[George P]

Not really; plenty of friendly places where folks leave keys in their vehicles, criminals don't rob you coming out of the grocery store, etc. - and I mean here in the US, let alone in a lot of other countries.

 

[alfsauve]

Want to see situational awareness? Want to see someone observe, evaluate, plan and take action?

Lady in metro Atlanta saw a slider attempting to get in her car. She's on the other side pumping gas and dives through the window to beat the slider into the car.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Wow, she is so fast and so agile!

Personally I actually lock my car while I'm gassing up.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I just drive a 3 speed on the column. Very very few could steal mine if they wanted to these days. Of the 4 I actually drive all are manual transmission. Most cant drive a stick at all. I could show you 60s and 70s vehicles around here that have never had the key removed.

I usually leave my keys in the switch and drink a drink in the store while the vehicle sets at the pump though, lives are different in different places thankfully

 

[.308 Norma]

Not really; plenty of friendly places where folks leave keys in their vehicles, criminals don't rob you coming out of the grocery store, etc. - and I mean here in the US, let alone in a lot of other countries.

My wife is spending the week with our daughter and grandson in Missoula. Before she left yesterday, she checked to make sure Montana honors her Idaho CCW License – it does.

When I called my wife on her cell phone yesterday evening, she was in Albertson’s picking up a few things for making a spaghetti dinner. I’ll be driving into town (McCammon) myself a little later on today to pick up some orange juice at the “Quik Stop” grocery store and gas station. I’ll be carrying of course, I always am when I’m not at home, and inside. But I’ll bet the odds of my wife getting her purse snatched in the Albertson’s parking lot in Missoula, Montana yesterday evening were considerably higher than the odds of me getting mugged in the Quik Stop parking lot in McCammon, Idaho this afternoon. And that’s even figuring in the fact that my wife was undoubtedly “situationally aware” yesterday evening.

When I go to the grocery store in McCammon this afternoon, I'll be "situationally aware" too. I try to be "situationally aware" all the time - even at home. But there's not as much chance of me being mugged while I'm sitting here at this computer, behind locked doors, with a noisy and nervous dog by my side, as there will be when I'm in McCammon this afternoon. Even at that, there's still less chance of me being mugged at the grocery store in McCammon than there would be if I was going to a grocery store in Missoula.

Oh, and this might not have much to do with it (or maybe it does) but from what I understand, Missoula, Montana is probably the most liberal filled city within 400 miles of here. I’ve heard Missoula referred to as “Montana’s San Francisco” – no offence meant to any Montana folks here.

 

[.308 Norma]

I just drive a 3 speed on the column. Very very few could steal mine if they wanted to these days

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! My wife learned to drive with an automatic. We celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary last week, but we almost didn't make it to our 1st wedding anniversary because I had to teach my wife how to drive our only vehicle - a Chevy truck with a manual transmission - before I went overseas. It's a lot harder to learn a manual after you have first learned an automatic.
BTW, my wife's retirement gift to herself was a Jeep Wrangler. She searched for a long time to find one with a manual transmission - because to her, a Jeep with an automatic is "sacrilege."
Just to keep this gun related - my retirement gift to myself was my .308 Norma Magnum.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Not really; plenty of friendly places where folks leave keys in their vehicles, criminals don't rob you coming out of the grocery store, etc. - and I mean here in the US, let alone in a lot of other countries.

There are none so blind as those who will not see

 

[old lady new shooter]

I just drive a 3 speed on the column. Very very few could steal mine if they wanted to these days. Of the 4 I actually drive all are manual transmission. Most cant drive a stick at all. I could show you 60s and 70s vehicles around here that have never had the key removed.

I usually leave my keys in the switch and drink a drink in the store while the vehicle sets at the pump though, lives are different in different places thankfully

I learned to drive stick on a '54 Chevy with no syncromesh. Not to mention no power steering and no turn signals. Turning a corner actually required 4 hands (one to signal, one to shift, two on the wheel) but somehow I always managed with 2, LOL.

 

[George P]

There are none so blind as those who will not see

And some folks aren't paranoid, they really are to get them, the voices in their head tell them so...................
I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks

 

[old lady new shooter]

And some folks aren't paranoid, they really are to get them, the voices in their head tell them so...................
I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks

What are the crime statistics within a one-mile radius of your house? In my L.A. one there were on average one rape and six each robberies and assaults per month (never mind burglaries and auto-related theft), and that was about two or three years before I finally got out of there. Just checked my current area in AZ and found no incidents at all the past six months.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks

I think you should reread this

If my life has taught me nothing else it's taught me that the world is not a benign place. I never walk out my front door unarmed, people think I'm paranoid. Then one night I walked out my front door and two dirtbags tried to rob me. Guess I wasn't as paranoid as people thought.

Bottom line, no place is immune. There are no safe places, there are no good neighborhoods. Street Rats can show up anywhere and you should be prepared for that. Better to have and not need and all that

That was the only time(to date) in my life I've ever needed a gun in my driveway but guess what, that night I needed a gun in my driveway.

Doesn't sound too paranoid now does it.

 

[40-82]

I think you should reread this



That was the only time(to date) in my life I've ever needed a gun in my driveway but guess what, that night I needed a gun in my driveway.

Doesn't sound too paranoid now does it.

It's really a matter of the mathematics. There may well be a few times in my future when I would be glad to have a gun--or there may not be--but I can say with absolute confidence there will be only one time when I absolutely had to have a gun and didn't.

We have the many thousands of times that are certain balanced against the one possibility whose occurrence is uncertain.

Let a person balance these possibilities as they choose. Their decisions will surprise some of us. It's not that unusual to run into people who've been in war zones and didn't consider a gun worth the trouble to carry.

 

[old lady new shooter]

My wife carries. I don't always accompany her shopping (I always go with her after dark) but when I do, I. Don't. Leave. Her. Alone.

If no one has told you this, grocery stores are watering holes. Thugs literally go there looking for little old ladies with purses full of money to rob.

In my thankfully former neighborhood in L.A. the Hispanic grocery stores and Costco have uniformed armed guards. The Russian, Armenian and Israeli grocery stores have armed owners onsite and the BG's are scared @#$%less of them. I have no idea what the white-bread stores do, I never shopped at any of them.

 

[lemaymiami]

Each of us has to walk our own path (and live our own lives...). The day I retired out of police work (almost 24 years ago now...) I quit carrying a sidearm - and haven't carried one - not even once, since then -although a concealed carry permit was part of my retirement package... If I've made a mistake - I'll be the first one to find out... I have renewed that permit every five years (that's the deal here in Florida...) even though I don't carry a gun on my person since I could never be sure whether I might have to take a job that required me to carry again...

Note that I didn't say whether I had weapon(s) within my ready reach... that sort of stuff I won't talk about on a public forum - not ever.

By the way - on the street... the guy I never wanted to run into - was someone with skills that never carried a gun since he (or she) was planning on taking yours.... There are folks like that around - fortunately not many of them that also have the skills needed.

 

[P5 Guy]

What are the crime statistics within a one-mile radius of your house? In my L.A. one there were on average one rape and six each robberies and assaults per month (never mind burglaries and auto-related theft), and that was about two or three years before I finally got out of there. Just checked my current area in AZ and found no incidents at all the past six months.

St Petersberg FL last year's crime rate is down 9% while rape and murder are up slightly.
This is according to the chief Halloway. I think there may be some sand bagging going on to make St Pete FL more tourist friendly.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Not really; plenty of friendly places where folks leave keys in their vehicles, criminals don't rob you coming out of the grocery store, etc. - and I mean here in the US, let alone in a lot of other countries.

There are NO safe Places. Decades in the Electronic Alarm Industry taught me that. As far as safe places to park a car? Sorry, we had a beautiful young lady home from College during Christmas. Was going to her car from a high end shopping retail area, in one of the best parts of this town. Gun downed for her purse.
The Monster can raise his head anywhere. I mean anywhere. Do not leave home without fully realizing this. Situtional awareness should go with you as soon as you walk out a door. And for God sake carry protection. I would much rather die defending myself than just standing there while some dirt bag blows me away.

And yes senior citizens are EASY PREY. And they will be Preyed on by the Lowest of the Low. They need to be constantly aware. The Beast is every where. Never forget that.

Thank you Mac for posting this.

 

[George P]

What are the crime statistics within a one-mile radius of your house? In my L.A. one there were on average one rape and six each robberies and assaults per month (never mind burglaries and auto-related theft), and that was about two or three years before I finally got out of there. Just checked my current area in AZ and found no incidents at all the past six months.

Crime stats in my COUNTY, let alone my town, are not that bad, and when things do get bad, they tend to be confined to areas of the county that are "culturally exclusive"

 

[George P]

In my thankfully former neighborhood in L.A. the Hispanic grocery stores and Costco have uniformed armed guards. The Russian, Armenian and Israeli grocery stores have armed owners onsite and the BG's are scared @#$%less of them. I have no idea what the white-bread stores do, I never shopped at any of them.

And the Costco where I am has someone with a smile greet you at the door and thank you as you leave. - Not an armed guard in sight.

 

[Kleanbore]

And some folks aren't paranoid, they really are to get them, the voices in their head tell them so...................
I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks

I contend that the great majority of victims of violent criminal action are in no way paranoid.

I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks.

No one needs to carry a gun, anywhere. But people do sometimes end up having the need to use force to defend themselves. It is a matter of risk management.

Not having the means can have tragic consequences.

You have absolutely no way of knowing in advance whether that need will materialize in your house or on the way to the mailbox.

Crime stats in my COUNTY, let alone my town, are not that bad, and when things do get bad, they tend to be confined to areas of the county that are "culturally exclusive"

That will be of little consequence when the unwanted event unfolds.

 

[George P]

I think you should reread this



That was the only time(to date) in my life I've ever needed a gun in my driveway but guess what, that night I needed a gun in my driveway.

Doesn't sound too paranoid now does it.

Sounds like you live in a crappy part of Colorado. When I lived on the Western Slope, we had no such instances at all. Aptly named town was Rifle. But, if you live on the front range, I agree, there are no safe places

I contend that the great majority of victims of violent criminal action are in no way paranoid.
No one needs to carry a gun, anywhere. But people do sometimes end up having the need to use force to defend themselves. It is a matter of risk management.

Not having the means can have tragic consequences.

You have absolutely no way of knowing in advance whether that need will materialize in your house or on the way to the mailbox.

That will be of little consequence when the unwanted event unfolds.

And living life always worrying and looking over your shoulder will decrease your life span due to all of the stress. Most folks need to chill out a little, stop and smell the roses and start enjoying life instead of being afraid every morning when they wake up.

 

[crestoncowboy]

It's a gun forum. I'd say a majority here, myself included, carry concealed. Nearly all of us are all for self defense. But the OP being called a "dummy" for letting his mother walk without him as an armed guard from the small grocery store counter to the car (her car which she drives to tai chi btw, which suggests she isnt the elderly helpless granny type) ......seems a bit harsh.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Sounds like you live in a crappy part of Colorado. When I lived on the Western Slope, we had no such instances at all. Aptly named town was Rifle.

You're wrong. Have you ever heard of the Shooter's Grill in Rifle? The lady that owns it didn't decide to just open an open carry restaurant. She started carrying a gun at work because some guy got beat to death in the alley behind the restaurant.

And living life always worrying and looking over your shoulder will decrease your life span due to all of the stress.

What do you think would shorten my life spend more paying attention to my surroundings or not paying attention to my surroundings and running into the wrong tweaker on the wrong night?

I mean I'm really not sure what part of this you don't understand? I don't carry a gun everywhere I go because I'm paranoid I carry a gun everywhere I go because I might need a gun. Again, in my case it paid off you're not paranoid when the Tweakers really do try to rob you right outside your house.

Now run along and go stick your head in the sand

 

[Trunk Monkey]

And the Costco where I am has someone with a smile greet you at the door and thank you as you leave. - Not an armed guard in sight.

But armed robberies happen where you are right?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

It's a gun forum. I'd say a majority here, myself included, carry concealed. Nearly all of us are all for self defense. But the OP being called a "dummy" for letting his mother walk without him as an armed guard from the small grocery store counter to the car (her car which she drives to tai chi btw, which suggests she isnt the elderly helpless granny type) ......seems a bit harsh.

If you're going to talk about me talk to me.

I didn't call him a dummy I said it was a dumb thing to do.

And let's not forget that the reason we're having this discussion is because while he was leaving her alone some Dirtbag almost mugged her.

Now THAT would have been a bit harsh.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I make it a habit to carry gun anytime I'm dressed. I'm in pretty good company when I do so. Tamara Keel Carries a Gun everywhere she goes so does Massad Ayoob. So do about half the people on this forum.

Here's the thing though I really don't care what they do, I carry because I think it's a good idea.

I carry a gun everywhere I go and I'm damn lucky that I do because I turned out to be one of the people that needed it.

Call me paranoid all you want