What would you do?

[bk42261]

I was in Portland (ME) for a meeting, and had to catch the bus. As I was walking up the sidewalk, I had to stop for a second to light a smoke. There was a guy right behind me, so I moved over to let him by. I was carrying my lunch bag in my hand at the time. As he passed me, he reached into his back pocket and slid a baton out of his pocket, and slid the rest out from under his jacket. There were only the two of us around at the time, and although we never made eye contact, it was kind of obvious that he thought I had let him pass so I could mug him.
I had to continue in the same direction to catch my bus, and had to speed up a little to make the street crossing while he was still ahead of me.
Nothing came of this, and he replaced the baton by sliding it back under his jacket, with the handle in his rear pocket. No big deal except batons are illegal to carry in Maine.
Would you have called the cops,and missed your bus, or, like I did, assume that sooner or later this clown will get busted on his own?

 

[mashaffer]

Doesn't sound like he did anything to you and may have just been afraid that you were up to something. Sounds like no harm no foul to me. In many places it is illegal to arm yourself at all but that doesn't make the law right. I don't worry too much about what other people carry for protection as long as they don't try to use it on me.

mike

 

[robMaine]

I would have let it be, no harm no foul.

Just curious, What part of town were you in? I grew up there and still am in town often and I can't imagine someone being that worried about mugging in most parts of Portland. I routinely walk around all areas downtown late at night and usually I am not carrying.

 

[HoboCoastie]

Agreed mashaffer. I don't agree with calling the guy a clown for wanting to defend himself. Unfortunately for him, if it were me, he'd have brought a baton to a gun fight.

I'll bet it's legal to carry around a baseball bat if you also have a ball right? That's such a bs law you've got there. Sounds like England. You're not permitted to have anything on your person that could be construed as a weapon. A guy got arrested, charged and convicted for carrying a pepper grinder.

 

[Dmitri Popov]

I would have started running about in a circle, pointing at him, screaming "BANANAS!!!"

But seriously, I would have honestly cared less what he wants to carry. I personally feel it is a man's right to defend himself, and if a baton is what this gentlman chooses to use, thats his business. Not mine.

When I was in high school, a good friend of mine wouldn't go into town without his 8-10" fixed blade. Trust me, if you knew the town I'm speaking of, you wouldn't either. Certain parts are like stepping through a portal into Detroit. Bad thing is, It's spreading throughout our region.

Point being, I see no reason to blow the whistle on someone who wants to protect theirself, so long as they don't pose any undue threat to you or others.

 

[RNB65]

My dad's been carrying illegally for 60 years. I haven't called the cops. Yet.

 

[HoboCoastie]

I would have let it be, no harm no foul.

Just curious, What part of town were you in? I grew up there and still am in town often and I can't imagine someone being that worried about mugging in most parts of Portland. I routinely walk around all areas downtown late at night and usually I am not carrying.

Is that to say that there's no violent crime in Portland? I don't carry my firearm because I anticipate having to use it.

According to the following data, you're likelihood of becoming a victim in Portland is 1 in 161. I'd be carrying also...everywhere I went.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/or/portland/crime/

 

[robMaine]

Is that to say that there's no violent crime in Portland? I don't carry my firearm because I anticipate having to use it.

According to the following data, you're likelihood of becoming a victim in Portland is 1 in 161. I'd be carrying also...everywhere I went.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/or/portland/crime/

I have very rarely felt unsafe in Portland, there are some "rougher areas" but nothing horrible. I am also 5'11, close to 200# and been boxing and fighting MMA for years, so that helps me feel at ease, but still not a horribly rough town.

 

[Birch Knoll]

According to the following data, you're likelihood of becoming a victim in Portland is 1 in 161. I'd be carrying also...everywhere I went.

Wrong Portland. Maine, not Oregon.

 

[EddieNFL]

Mind my business.

 

[Birch Knoll]

I certainly wouldn't call the cops on a guy carrying a baton, simply because there is a foolish law against carrying batons. If he wasn't already spooked, I'd probably suggest he consider a CCW permit, though.

 

[danez71]

I personally feel it is a man's right to defend himself, and if a baton is what this gentlman chooses to use, thats his business. Not mine.

Ditto


In OP:

No big deal except batons are illegal to carry in Maine.

Outlawing 'sticks'.... sheesh.

 

[gym]

Either you carry or you don't. We have sidetracked into these conversations before. You have absolutelly no way of knowing where and when you will encounter a serial killer, rapist, crime of oppertunity, and on and on. To have a permit and think that you are a barometer for deciding when you are, and are not in danger is a very pious attitude.
I just hope that your luck continues keeping you safe in your decisions of where and when one should carry their weapon. I am sure there are a lot of people that could have used your mastery of the art of predicting the future, who have passed on due to their inability to gauge this unique talent.
There is no part time carry, either you do or you don't.There are no people who left the house and knew that they would end up being killed that day, for the lack of leaving their firearm at home because they would not need it. Pardon my candor, but this type of logic cannot be left without a response. web site statistics- www.florida-backroads-travel.com/vero-beach-florida.html
Vero Beach is reportedly home to more retired Fortune 500 CEO's than any other location in the world and has the fourth highest concentration of wealthy, etc,etc.
Two months ago we had 39 home invasions in the county, last month 3 murders in 1 week,two weeks ago and 11 Home invasions, my point is , forget about what once was, it's different that what you remember and are being told.. There are no "safe places" anymore. They don't print this stuf, you have to dig for it, otherwise no one would come to places like, sunny Fl., places like Miami , are much worse. I ran an ATM business for my ex partner down there, and it got too dangerous for me, knowing what I know, it was just a matter of time. You need to have a weapon with you these days. One wrong turn and you can be in big trouble.

 

[JRH6856]

"Sticks" (clubs) are prohibited in Texas, also.

 

[JRH6856]

If you are going somewhere where you think you need a gun, don't go there.

 

[HoboCoastie]

Wrong Portland. Maine, not Oregon.

:banghead: LMAO. Whoops! Much safer in Maine it seems. Still have a 1 in 252 chance of becoming a victim, but you're well below the national average for crime. I'd still carry. Hell, I'd carry at Church if I went! Lol.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/me/portland/crime/

 

[HoboCoastie]

If you are going somewhere where you think you need a gun, don't go there.

Now wait a minute...Crime happens EVERYWHERE. So how could I ever possibly go/be NOWHERE? Barring a tear in the space/time continuum, I'm always going to be SOMEWHERE...where inevitably someone will eventually make someone else a victim. So that's out. I'll just keep carrying EVERYWHERE and hope I never need it. It's worked so far.

 

[JRH6856]

I'll just keep carrying EVERYWHERE and hope I never need it.

Exactly. The point is, you can't anticipate when you will need a gun. (If I could, I would take a rifle or shotgun and a lot of backup or better still, not go at all.) Actually, if you could anticipate the need, and then arm yourself and go and then have to use the gun, Some DA might construe that as premeditation and not self-defense. OTOH,, if you carry whenever and where ever you have the right to do so, there is no anticipation or premeditation, just the exercise of a right.

 

[guyfromohio]

It would be hypocritical to be pro-2nd but rat out a guy wanting to defend himself with a stick. Good for him.

 

[Loosedhorse]

This guy (perhaps politely, perhaps tactically, perhaps ineptly) telegraphed to you that he considered you a threat. I'll go with ineptly, both because you weren't a threat and because he "showed you his cards" before there was any reason to.

What am I going to do about an inept guy with a lethal weapon who considers me a threat? I'm going to keep my distance. If I have to pass him to catch a bus, I'm going to tell him, "Sir, excuse me, I'm running for my bus" before I get to him, and pass widely.

Otherwise, the next way he telegraphs his threat-assessment to you might be by striking you. Glad things worked out.

(I will assume that your threat assessment is correct, and this was not a guy who was about to mug you, but then changed his mind.)

 

[JRH6856]

(I will assume that your threat assessment is correct, and this was not a guy who was about to mug you, but then changed his mind.)

Hmmm... that was my first thought....

 

[glock36]

Sounds like he was in condition yellow while exhibiting good situational awareness, can't fault him for wanting to make it home in one piece. Live and let live.

Merry Christmas
Good luck
God speed

 

[bigfatdave]

I personally feel it is a man's right to defend himself, and if a baton is what this gentlman chooses to use, thats his business. Not mine.

A bonkin' stick is an "arm" too.

"The right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED"

Dude has a bonkin' stick ... none of your business, except that you did something to make his danger meter twitch and got to see his chosen armament ... or the one he chose to show you. A collapsing baton is a fairly good weapon at close range, and if all you want to do is be a harder target, it will likely make any casual predator turn tail and run.

he'd have brought a baton to a gun fight

So? That sounds pretty tough, but a baton already in hand has a fighting chance against a holstered gun. It isn't about being invincible, you just have to be more trouble than the unaware sheep the mugger is really looking for.

I grew up there and still am in town often and I can't imagine someone being that worried about mugging in most parts of Portland. I routinely walk around all areas downtown late at night and usually I am not carrying.

I'm torn between two sarcastic responses, so I'll post both:
1- can I borrow your crystal ball?
2- that's just adorable, you thinking that you can predict the habits of oppurtunistic predators!

 

[bigfatdave]

(I will assume that your threat assessment is correct, and this was not a guy who was about to mug you, but then changed his mind.)

That occured to me as well, but then wouldn't the bonkin' stick have been crashing down on the OP's skull before he got passed?

 

[Bobson]

A bonkin' stick is an "arm" too.

"The right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED"

I've actually never considered this. Would you say that any fighting tool would be considered an "arm," including a knife or sword? What about other types of weapons, like a dagger, garrote, or flail?

I wonder what The Supreme Court would say about that. I've only ever thought of firearms as "arms," at least in regards to the 2nd Amendment.