Becareful at Gas Stations

Boma · Post by **Boma** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:56 am

I'm 24 and am less experienced than most people here, but I've been approached by so many people at gas stations.

People wanting to sell me 20 dollar fake cologne, Rap CDs (guy ended up being ok), or to ask me to me to donate my money to some charity or something.

I've even had a guy who tried to sell me cologne reach into my car and grab and use my cell phone (this was about 4 years ago and I was really foolish and left the windows half down.) I told him to give me my cell phone and he had the nerve to tell me to wait. I wanted to knock him out, but I didn't have the nerve back then. I also didn't have any means of protection besides my fists.

Just becareful at the gas stations, because they like to act inconspicuous and come up on you when your back is turned.

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:05 am

Yeah, I've seen the same characters at gas stations around the country.

I always put my back to the van and keep my head on a swivel, and it helps me to at least keep people from coming up behind me while I've got my head turned.

Good reminder, Boma.

anygunanywhere · Post by **anygunanywhere** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:59 am

Not just gas stations, unfortunately. Everywhere.

I was at a car wash in Beaumont post hurricane Rita and had a very agressive individual try to sell me a camera. I thought I was being careful but he managed to enter my personal space and surprised me. I managed to convince him he needed to find easier pickings. 'Nuff said.

Gas stations are always suspect.

Ditto for fast food joints.

While purchasing vittles for my night shift crew at a Wendy's in Northern Kalifornia a few years back a snotty nosed druggie in withdrawal approached me at the drive through. The manager called the Contra Costa Co. SO. She let me inside the restaurant to wait since it was a large order. 10-15 minutes passed and when I was carrying the drinks to the car the individual came from around the building and approached me. I dropped the drinks and moved behind the car to keep it between him and me as I pulled my blade (I kept it hidden behind my back). I had heard the electronic door lock click when the door closed. He tried to work his way around the car. I told him to stop and told him to gather whatever clear thinking he had left in his fried brain together and think whether he really wanted to face what was coming because he surely would not survive the outcome. He paused and then walked away just a the Deputy Sheriff arrived. He was arrested and taken to the slammer.

I am currently in Long Beach Ka. I was accosted by one of the local homeless at Mickey D's this morning and only a stern "Get the "blank" away from me!!" worked. All I had with me was my very sharp blade for defense if I needed anything. Kalifornia is an awful place for packers to have to work.

The upscale eateries in lots of places are no better.

Be careful and stay aware. Be prepared to do whatever you have to do to survive.

Anygunanywhere except when in Kalifornia.

Boma · Post by **Boma** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:54 am

Man that sucks! I've visited relatives at Long Beach and it sucks there. The sunset was nice though.

HankB · Post by **HankB** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:32 am

. . . the guy who tried to sell me cologne reach into my car and grab and use my cell phone . . . I told him to give me my cell phone and he had the nerve to tell me to wait.

THAT"s really brazen.

I was accosted by one of the local homeless at Mickey D's this morning and only a stern "Get the "blank" away from me!!" worked.

I've had encounters with aggressive panhandlers, too, and have found that courtesy does NOT work - "Get the "blank" away from me!!!" usually does, but once in my pre-CHL days when I was walking in downtown Austin with my mother, it took a shot of pepper spray to dissuade one particularly aggressive individual.

longtooth · Post by **longtooth** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:41 am

Nothing to add to above. Gas station is one of the most probably places you will be approached. Yep. Back to vehicle. I intentionally try to stop so that w/ my door open there is not enough room for someone to comfortably walk between it & the pump. Only approach is very watchable. Gas hose between me & any panhandler.

Mithras61 · Post by **Mithras61** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:03 am

I can't get comfortable between my vehicle & the gas pump at most stations. The pumps are tall enough that I can't see what's coming at me over them. I generally stand so that I'm beside the pump near the front of my vehicle so that I can see better.

I'm okay between my vehicle & <whatever> if I can SEE what's coming towards me, but I don't like situations where half my vision is blocked if I can avoid them.

Panhandling has become a real problem as far as I can tell. I don't recall bums being as agressive or as pervasive when I was younger. Has our society degenerated to the point that simply being down on your luck is seen as a valid reason for accosting & assaulting strangers, or has our economy simply gotten so bad that there is no hope left?

nitrogen · Post by **nitrogen** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:53 pm

Another great scam i've seen with my own eyes:

Some women will leave their purse on the passenger seat, with the passenger door unlocked. People will drive up, get out, open the passenger door, grab the purse, and run out. Total crime time, about 5 seconds.

Remind your ladies to keep their passenger doors locked at gas stations. (us guys should do it, too!)

fm2 · Post by **fm2** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 12:53 pm

Mithras61 wrote: Panhandling has become a real problem as far as I can tell. I don't recall bums being as agressive or as pervasive when I was younger. Has our society degenerated to the point that simply being down on your luck is seen as a valid reason for accosting & assaulting strangers, or has our economy simply gotten so bad that there is no hope left?

I view panhandling as a bother. The problem is discerning when the approach is used as a "meat test" to close the distance. This is something most folks here probably know.

I don't think it has anything to do with the economy and only a little to do with folks down on their luck. The societal push to be nice to everyone has different meanings to different folks. To some it means giving out money. Some folks are so averse to any confrontation, panhandling may qualify, that they buy their way out.

Boma · Post by **Boma** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:35 pm

I don't think it has anything to do with the economy and only a little to do with folks down on their luck. The societal push to be nice to everyone has different meanings to different folks. To some it means giving out money. Some folks are so averse to any confrontation, panhandling may qualify, that they buy their way out.[/quote]

Yup that used to be me. I reluctantly admit that I gave out money every once in a while from when I was ages 18-22. I finally got the nerve to stand up to them at age 23. The last time I was approached I was in my car, and I gave him a mean look and waved him away and he left. It also helps to know you have protection, just in case they want to get really belligerent. I believe me knowing I had the means to protect myself allowed me to carry myself in a way where I was less susceptible as a target to begin with.

HankB · Post by **HankB** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:11 pm

nitrogen wrote: . . . Some women will leave their purse on the passenger seat, with the passenger door unlocked. People will drive up, get out, open the passenger door, grab the purse, and run out. Total crime time, about 5 seconds. . . .

It's not just at the gas station, either.

My father told me about what happened to a woman at work, some decades ago. She was coming in to work quite early, and stopped for a red light. Guy walks up to the passenger side, reaches in for her purse. She closed the power window on his arm, and hit the gas. (Fortunately, no cross traffic.)

The bad guy yelled a lot, so she lowered the window, at which point he fell off the car.

In her rear view mirror, she saw him bouncing along the street like a rag doll until he hit a parked car or something . . . she'd been going at least 60 or 70 MPH by then.

fm2 · Post by **fm2** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:14 pm

Change is good, my friend.

I have done the same.

The ability to be assertive and project authority are some mighty good skills to have.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:19 pm

i have rearview mirrors in my car, so once my gas has started pumping, i get back in the car. from there, i can see front, rear, and on both sides. something hokey goes down, you're not far from a loud horn, and you could almost have your hand on a gun and no one would notice.

if someone does approach me, i stare at them starting the second i notice them. they usually move on, or they get the hint real quick that i'm not someone that's going to be cooperative in the respect that they want me to be. panhandlers are the same way. as soon as i see one, i stare at them until they see me watching. i've never once been asked for money. i think they get the picture. i've busted several of them on city ordinance violations. i've never met one that didn't have a car parked across the street in a parking lot close by.

Commander · Post by **Commander** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:17 am

This is a little off topic, but very current. Last Monday morning (the 29th) around 6am I was loading my suitcases into my truck at a La Quinta in Austin (Highland Mall location). I went back to my room (just a few steps away) to get my briefcase. I left the door to the room open. I grabbed the briefcase and turned around....to face some homeless guy holding a small boombox standing at the door. "Hey man, you want to buy my radio?" I responded with a firm "No! and at the same time freed my right hand of the briefcase so I could draw my 9mm if things went south on me. "How about some money for breakfast?" No!. He looked at me and then turned and walked away. I quickly closed the door and gave myself a lecture for leaving it open. This guy seemed to appear out of no where as I did not see him in the parking lot when walking the 10 ft to my room.

Its surprising how fast the unexpected can happen.
I won't do that again.

Boma · Post by **Boma** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:13 am

i wonder how the homeless treat each other. Do they give each other money or more likely horde it for themselves?