What to do / not to do in this incident?

[GunGoBoom]

My buddy has an acqaintance to whom this happened last week:

He is driving home from the casino and sees a car pulled over on the roadside, with the hood up, and a lady standing there looking forlorn. He stops to help. He goes and stands beside the woman looking under the hood, and a man jumps out of the car's backseat with a gun. The rob him of the $4,000.00 in cash he had won that night. Unknown whether the robbers had been watching him win at the casino, and drove ahead of him to establish their ploy, but certainly possible.

How would you prevent and/or handle this, if one is a samaritan who is determined to stop and help people who seem to be stranded and in need of help? Obviously, have a gun. But it makes me think about the need for a super fast draw time (and the lack thereof with "smartcarry" that I use often). He said the guy with a gun was on him almost instantly, pointing it at his head.

 

[pwolfman]

Sounds like your friend was in condition white. Always check the surroundings when you stop for any reason. It is admirable that he stopped and helped a young lady. I would have done the same, but I am leary of anyone on the roadside that doesn't have a phone already.

I would have pulled along side and rolled down the window a bit and asked if she needed me to call someone for her. Would not have gotten out of the vehicle at first until I got a feel of the situation.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I don't like to be surprised either...

Pwolfman

 

[HighVelocity]

Stopping to help a stranger on the side of the road at night is just asking for trouble.
My gut reaction to this sight would probably be the same, pull over and help, but I know in today's reality, it's more likely a scam then somebody really needing help.
I would roll on by and stop a few hundred yards ahead and call the hwy patrol to report the location of the motorist in distress. I would not approach the vehicle at all.

 

[Sinsaba]

Either...

1) Don't stop
2) Don't carry large amounts of cash on your person
3) Be more observant (i.e. have a good look around before you put your head under the hood)

4) If you carry DON'T even THINK of drawing if there is a gun pointed at you (unless the other person is for sure going to pull the trigger, then what do you have to lose)

Of course a) I am in no way trained to have an opinion, b) I've never been in even a remotely similar situation. However, those answers make the most sense to me.

Just my $.02

 

[Adept]

I would have pulled along side and rolled down the window a bit and asked if she needed me to call someone for her. Would not have gotten out of the vehicle at first until I got a feel of the situation.

Pwolfman

This is exactly the right course of action to take.

 

[Zundfolge]

If you carry DON'T even THINK of drawing if there is a gun pointed at you (unless the other person is for sure going to pull the trigger, then what do you have to lose)

Of course you don't find out that the other person is "for sure going to pull the trigger" until after they do.

I've been robbed before ... I was unarmed then (and its one reason why I'm NEVER unarmed now). I draw to retention and start shooting (of course I don't have any kids or anything to leave fatherless if I'm unsuccessful so you have to make such decisions yourself ... but make that decision NOW instead of at the side of the road).

 

[walking arsenal]

I stop.

But i stop ahead of the vehicle.

Then i step out of my car and ask FROM the door what the problem is.

If i get "the feeling" i scram, if someone is in the car i ask the person outside to ask the person inside to get out and help me with (insert your favorite car fixing lingo here) if it's a guy i'm gone. He's guy, he cand deal with it. It also blows their scam plan a bit.

Two people arent usually in trouble. one is, especially if she's a she, not being sexist, thats just the facts jack.

 

[wmenorr67]

One thing to keep in mind also is if you win a large sum of money at a casino ask for a check. Better than losing your cash.

 

[RiverwinoIA]

thats ****** sick people exploit the kindness of others like that. both of those scumbags deserve to die of thirst on the side of some desert highway, hopelessly watching car after car cruise past 'cause they ruined peoples trust.

note to self:
never get out the car to help, only offer to make a phonecall from inside my car.

 

[Michael Courtney]

One thing to keep in mind also is if you win a large sum of money at a casino ask for a check. Better than losing your cash.

I think that most of the larger casinos would not only give you a check, but if you asked, they might also be willing to wire the money into an account. This would save the hassle of carrying any kind of negotiable instrument.

As for the stop itself, in many areas, the police will assist a stranded motorist, so I wouldn't even stop, I'd just call the police to check out the situation.

Michael Courtney

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

I would have rolled down my window slightly and asked if she needed help. Then if she said yes, check her car and the surroundings from either inside my car, or on the other side of my car. Once I made sure it was clear, I would help. Or to avoid the situation all together, call the police non emergency line for her and leave. You cant be too careful.

And other important piece of info. Stick your casino earnings in your sock, shoe, underwear or something not on your person that is easily hideable. I feel for your friend, its not his fault. I am usualy the nicest guy, I always help and sometimes i let my guard down. Its important to keep it up at all costs. You can still be cautious and nice.

 

[Havegunjoe]

I call 911.

I never stop anymore just because of this type of thing happening. I would especially not stop if I had $4,000 in cash in my pocket. Sorry, but that was not very bright of your friend. If he insists on stopping I would park far enough ahead of their car so as not to be easily attacked, have my gun in hand but out of sight, and only exit my vehicle enough to ask if she wanted me to call for help. I'm not a mechanic, I don't carry tools with me, so what good am I going to do by looking at her engine?

 

[bcochran]

geez

You gave a supposition that your friend is a good samaritan - and would do it in the future. This is IMPLIED by the questions about super fast draw.

Now for reality.

All of these people are known to me.

Case No. 1. Black belt martial artist. With plainclothes policemen when a gang decides to initiate a member by killing the GG. BGs get the drop. BGs lose. Everyone was TRAINED.

Case No. 2. Lawyer trained by trainer in No. 1. Stickup at gas station. BG has the drop. Lawyer draws and kills BG.

Case No. 3. BG gets the drop. My friend, GG, kills with one shot at 3 feet.

Class last year. Best time from concealed on a whistle draw to shooting dead center in the class .3 second. I was running at 5. - .65 second.

If you want to train to be at that level - great. The reality is that your condition white guy is never going to be saved by anything. Dig this logic. He gets a "fast draw holster". He still stops late at night for a woman in distress. He still gets jumped by a concealed BG. NO. My special Tucker holster selection will never save this guy. $125 is not going to save his tail. Only a change in attitude and awareness - or he won't be in a position to influence the future gene pool.

 

[Biker]

I'm afraid that I have to go against the grain here. Guess I'd have to stop. Would I be as cautious as a as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs? Yup, but stop I would, and have. Ya can't let fear contol your life, and what is right and wrong. Subjective, I know, but the concept is one I adhere to.
Biker

 

[wizard of oz]

Huge murder trial here in oz at the moment about a similar ambush in the Northern Territory a few years ago. http://www.ntnews.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,16953643%5E13569,00.html
My grandfather also told me that this kind of thing was common on the lonely roads of Queensland in the past. He always drove with a shotgun in the car especially in the bush. If you see a broken down car in the desert on a lonely road, it is normal to stop and help though. (but carefully)

 

[EddieCoyle]

Call me untrusting but if I'd just won $4000 cash at a casino and then saw a car stopped on the highway, I'd keep right on going and call the state police on my cell. Even if Heidi Klum was bending over the open hood in a thong. I wouldn't stop and ask what was wrong, I wouldn't even slow down. Help would be there soon enough.

 

[TMM]

"ok, here's my wallet, it's in my inside pocket here..."
*pulls 1911 from shoulder holster, plugs BG*
(or a IWB 5-o-clock holster works equally well, and you can shoot from retention...)

asking the woman if she needed help if kind of dumb. what do you think she's going to say? "yes"... then you come over, then BG gets you.

~TMM

 

[TexasRifleman]

Yeah, stopping with $4000 cash on you, even if armed, is not a very good idea.

 

[jamz]

Before I had a family, I'd stop all the time. Helped a lot of people out, too. Now that a couple of young kids are counting on me to come home, I don't stop. Plus, I'm never on really rural roads, so as I see someone stopped about a hundred other people see them too.

I do call 911 to report if it seems like the person is in trouble at the side of the road though. Usually dispatch says that someone else already reported it.

It would be different if I drove across long lonely wastes of land though.

-James

 

[ACP230]

Better to use a cell phone than the brake pedal in this situation IMO.

 

[Shootcraps]

I would especially not stop if I had $4,000 in cash in my pocket.

+4000.

Keep driving and call 1-800-PEP-BOYS. They tow you for free if they repair your car.

 

[HI express]

Hope your friend is single

If he wants to help, that is up to him because he will suffer the consequences of his choices. If he has a SO and/or children, then he should not endanger them by putting them in a dangerous position.

Otherwise, call for help. Professional help. He should have a cell phone and call from a safe distance where he can keep an eye on the car. Wait until the help arrives, then he can leave and he did his good deed while staying safe.

 

[Shweboner]

A few things to think about, well to cover your ass.

You cant tell whats wrong with a car by staring at the engine compartment.

1. Id not stop unless armed, a good way to scope out what/whos in the car is to take a look first without turning your back on who ever is inside.

2. So once you see that the car is clear ( a surefire works great ), you get her keys and try to start it. Only then will you know what might be wrong.

But also dont turn your back on her either. even if she is alone. She can still kill you.

 

[entropy]

Don't gamble. Karma in action here. TANSTAAFL. I'd drive by and call WHP non-emergency and give a description of disabled vehicle, etc. I have done so on several occasions. I sure as heck would not stop with $4000 cash from whatever source on me, even if armed.

 

[kage genin]

I'm just wondering (I have absolutely no experience with these types of situations), *if* you would stop your car, why stop in FRONT of the other car? Wouldn't it make more sense to pull up behind them so you can have your headlights on them? Then call out your window "do you want me to call for help?" etc.

When police pull over another driver for speeding or whatnot, don't they also pull up behind the car rather than in front? I would just think that behind would be a safer place to be.