Why Do Weird Things Like This Happen To Me?

[The Night Rider]

I'm not sure how to categorize this, so I'm just going to tell you what happened.

At the end my hike today I passed through a (man-made?) wetlands. I stopped to take a photo. A couple (30sish) passed me on the trail. Both were clean and well dressed (for hiking). The woman said "hi" as they passed.

I took my picture and turned around and the guy was slipping some kind of "Tactical" knife into his pocket. I got the distinct impression he'd pulled out as they were passing me in case I attacked them?

The guy had a very military bearing. PTSD maybe?

Any way my point is you never know what people are thinking.

In closing, I considered asking the guy why he had the knife out but it didn't think that was going to end well I just kept my mouth shut and let them go on by.

 

[Buzznrose]

I think you answered your own question….

“ Any way my point is you never know what people are thinking.”

Who’s to say he didn’t want to have an edge in case you ended up being a bad actor. It’s a scary world and no 911 in the boondocks…

 

[The Night Rider]

I think you answered your own question….

“ Any way my point is you never know what people are thinking.”

Who’s to say he didn’t want to have an edge in case you ended up being a bad actor. It’s a scary world and no 911 in the boondocks…

I don't disagree with you but this wasn't in The Boondocks this park is in the middle of town

 

[theotherwaldo]

By my experience, more folks are jumped in town than in the countryside.
Goblins expect folks to be armed in the countryside... .

 

[kje54]

I'm not sure how to categorize this, so I'm just going to tell you what happened.

At the end my hike today I passed through a (man-made?) wetlands. I stopped to take a photo. A couple (30sish) passed me on the trail. Both were clean and well dressed (for hiking). The woman said "hi" as they passed.

I took my picture and turned around and the guy was slipping some kind of "Tactical" knife into his pocket. I got the distinct impression he'd pulled out as they were passing me in case I attacked them?

The guy had a very military bearing. PTSD maybe?

Any way my point is you never know what people are thinking.

In closing, I considered asking the guy why he had the knife out but it didn't think that was going to end well I just kept my mouth shut and let them go on by.

Like you, me and everyone else (I hope) I doubt he can read your mind to see if you're a potential threat or not and is simply taking precautions. As far as he knew you could have stopped to actually take a picture or was trying to put them off guard for a potential attack.

 

[conan32120]

As you were displaying a relatively expensive camera I'm somewhat surprised you did not "fill your hand " as well

 

[JeffG]

Watch your six. No idea what the deal was...

 

[Old Dog]

In closing, I considered asking the guy why he had the knife out but it didn't think that was going to end well I just kept my mouth shut and let them go on by.

Yeah, things that make you go, "Hmm?"

Presuming you were presenting yourself as a normal citizen (not homeless, EDP, thug life) it was probably about him, not you.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I don't blame him, condition yellow is a good plan for unpredictable encounters. Most victims of abductions and muggings are probably in condition white. He had no assurance you weren't a bad actor.

 

[The Night Rider]

Yeah, things that make you go, "Hmm?"

Presuming you were presenting yourself as a normal citizen (not homeless, EDP, thug life) it was probably about him, not you.

So, you being a cop would something like that have made your Spidey Senses go off a little?

I personally believe that it was more to do with his military background then how I was presenting myself.

I was clean, my clothes were ironed, his woman even stopped and said hello to me and I responded politely.

This is just me thinking but if it was me and my wife and that guy tripped my trigger enough for me to go for a weapon I would not have let my wife get between me and him

 

[The Night Rider]

I don't blame him, condition yellow is a good plan for unpredictable encounters. Most victims of abductions and muggings are probably in condition white. He had no assurance you weren't a bad actor.

So you think it was okay for him to draw a weapon?

Do you see how that could have gone really wrong really quickly?

Him doing that put me into condition red.

According to Cooper condition yellow is a general awareness of the world is not a safe place and that you may have to defend yourself today.

Condition red is a specific cause for concern and you're thinking "I may have to defend myself against that specific person today."

He was slipping the knife back into his pocket when I saw him but he had he turned around with a knife in his hands things might have got a little bit ugly real quick.

 

[The Night Rider]

As you were displaying a relatively expensive camera I'm somewhat surprised you did not "fill your hand " as well

You completely extrapolated that really expensive camera into the situation I take all my pictures with my cell phone which is a Walmart Family Mobile

 

[Kleanbore]

I don't blame him, condition yellow is a good plan for unpredictable encounters.

Having a knife in hand when passing someone?

Had he not put it away timely, he might have been shot in lawful self defense.

 

[Old Dog]

So, you being a cop would something like that have made your Spidey Senses go off a little?

Absolutely.

 

[Hugger-4641]

All that Op saw was putting knife back in pocket. Different story if he'd actually been threatened with it, but he wasn't, so I doubt he'd have a solid self defense argument.

 

[The Night Rider]

Having a knife in hand when passing someone?

Had he not put it away timely, he might have been shot in lawful self defense.

I can say three things for sure.

1. He was behaving calmly and moving away from me.

2. The knife appeared to be closed.

3. He was putting it away.

There was nothing in that that would have Justified really any kind of response.

I also want to point out that they came up to me. I didn't come to them. They passed me and I turned off to the side to take a picture of the wetlands.

When they passed me on the trail my attention was taken up with his wife turning around and saying hi to me.

She was between me and him. I really couldn't see him.

This is pure speculation but he may well have had the knife in his hand and ready to open as they passed me.

That carries its own lesson.

These people were wearing upscale athletic type clothing. They got into a late model car. They looked clean. They looked to be in good shape. They appeared to be well groomed. These people did not blip my radar in the least until I saw that knife.

I'm going to say it again, the guy looked military. I'm assuming deployments. Maybe he has bad enough PTSD that he prepares to fight every stranger he encounters.

If I'm right I thoroughly suspect that he's going to do that at the wrong time in the wrong place one of these days

 

[The Night Rider]

All that Op saw was putting knife back in pocket. Different story if he'd actually been threatened with it, but he wasn't, so I doubt he'd have a solid self defense argument.

I never did anything that rose to the level of self-defense anyway. I let them walk by me and then I walked to my car and drove home

 

[Hugger-4641]

I never did anything that rose to the level of self-defense anyway. I let them walk by me and then I walked to my car and drove home

Agreed. I was actually replying to Kleanbore but it didn't quote him for some reason

 

[herrwalther]

I have caught myself with my hand on a knife, or spray, or near my firearm when passing someone I didn't have a good feeling about. So far it has been all my own paranoia as I haven't had to use them. You were aware and so was he but you both walked away. Situational awareness is paramount when carrying for self defense. More people need to be more aware, not less.

 

[film495]

weird situations happen. body language and reading someone means more to me than an unopened pocket knife someone might be holding. Did they act like a couple? Maybe she was his prisoner and you failed to notice she was trying to get you to help her.

 

[The Night Rider]

weird situations happen. body language and reading someone means more to me than an unopened pocket knife someone might be holding. Did they act like a couple? Maybe she was his prisoner and you failed to notice she was trying to get you to help her.

They were at least 10 feet apart at one point. She didn't seem the least bit distressed.

PTSD response is a much more reasonable explanation than a kidnapping

 

[film495]

They were at least 10 feet apart at one point. She didn't seem the least bit distressed.

PTSD response is a much more reasonable explanation than a kidnapping

just having some fun with you speculating. Occam's Razor is usually right for the most part. most obvious simplest answer. still odd though.

 

[The Night Rider]

just having some fun with you speculating. Occam's Razor is usually right for the most part. most obvious simplest answer. still odd though.

ST&T isn't really the place for "having fun".

 

[Atavar]

I think he just paid $250 for a knife and likes to play with it.

 

[lemaymiami]

Over the years I've found myself with varying mindsets about self defense and the various possibilities life might bring my way - from very paranoid and alert on the job - to much more relaxed and comfortable in various situations- than I should have been... That super aware, prepped to respond mindset - isn't particularly good for anyone - and I doubt that most can (or should...) maintain it for long periods of time.. I remember my Dad who did 28 years in the Army from just after Pearl Harbor to around 1970 (including two tours in Vietnam towards the end of his service years) remarking that you could only stay scared for so long...

Looking back down my own history I find myself wishing I'd been sharp enough to realize when I was being overly defensive (and a few times when I should have been hyper alert...) and guess that over all I was fairly lucky... down here in paradise.. If I was asked by a young'un just coming into police work I'd suggest that periodically they do a personal inventory of their situation and how they responded to various threats (from a possible threat - all the way to as bad as things can get... when you're not sure you'll be surviving whatever situation you've ended up in... ). To live in the real world and not over react, to one thing or another, you need to be on an even keel and try to live your life that way. One indicator of the stress you carry (and being always alert for trouble does add to your daily stress level...) is that when I retired out of police work some years ago - within six months in retirement - I felt five years younger... Much of this does not say anything about what armed citizens experience in their daily lives - but even a small amount of it is well worth considering - along with that sidearm you're carrying...

By the way - congratulations on being observant enough to note the possible threat that individual presented... That sort of mindset - is well worth having on board always...