hand gestures

[jimlongley]

Call the police for a hand gesture? Maybe up in Yankeestan but I thought Texans were made of sterner stuff.

Recently a couple of miscreants were caught in Allen TX changing price tags in a store. They were removed from the store, but because they hadn't actually fully committed their fraudulent transaction, they were merely ticketed for trespass and warned not to return. As one of them walked away he turned and made a rude hand gesture at the loss prevention person who had detained him. Said loss prevention person was suitably incensed and informed the police (still standing there) of same, and they in turn escorted the miscreants to jail.

Sterner stuff, to be sure, but sometimes it's good tactics to report them anyway.

[Oldgringo]

Back in the mid-60's, there was a movie, "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" Speaking of hand gestures it was a ROFLMbO.

Of course, that was before 'hand gestures' were free, tattoos and body piercings, etc. People even got married way back before the 'days of enlightenment'. Kids ran with scissors and drank from the garden hose back then, too.

[CC Italian]

I got the finger the other day for putting my hands up after I was cut off by a car full of late teenagers. They even slowed down and went back into the other lane and all flicked me off again laughing the whole time. All this for raising my hands like what the heck when they cut me off. You know what I did, nothing. I just kept looking forward in rush hour traffic minding my business. I just let that stuff roll off my back. Sure you get upset but I am not going to call the cops because a car full of teenagers gave me the bird.

I defiantly would have not used those words when the teenager approached you. Then again I deal with kids all day long and have been cursed out and grabbed by them for just telling them to be quiet or taking up a cell phone during class. Most have what I call puffy chest syndrome. I would have just told him that I didn't realize it was their spot in a calm voice and that I would be gone in just a minute or two. When people do things like this they are looking for a fight or a response. Then he can walk off feeling like he is a tuff guy and that's the end of it.
I had a situation about 2 years ago and I posted it on here where a guy started yelling at my fiancee for apparently taking his parking spot. Yep, parking spot and I was as kind as could be and he was still nasty. People just get to worked up over nothing. Just try to let it roll off your back next time and use your words carefully in the future.


Speak softly and carry a big stick.

[ffemt300]

I think you made the right decision by leaving. You've demonstrated that you can be the bigger person and that is an essential skill to master for us folks that choose to carry weapons daily.

[kjolly]

I left a gas station several weeks ago after pumping only a half tank because someone was acting strange.

[Pawpaw]

I left a gas station several weeks ago after pumping only a half tank because someone was acting strange.

What makes you think they were ACTING?

[RPBrown]

Her son decided to walk up to me wanting to talk to me and i told him his life was in danger if he came any closer. I dont even think he was out of high school yet. Would you call the police on someone like that or just try to leave?

I can tell you this. My son had a similar situation a couple of years ago. He was pumping gas and had a guy start toward him wanting money. My son told him no but he kept coming. My son told him that he should stop if he valued his life. Never said how or reached for his weapon, just those words. The guy stopped and walked back toward the store and pulled out his cell phone. My son left. My son was stopped by police about a mile away, pulled out of the car, handcuffed and detained. The officer was going to arrest him for "terroristic threat" a class A misdemeaner. Fortunatly I was with him and was able to tell the officer what had actually happened and he released my son (guess it was my old age that convinced him). I can only think about what would have happened had I not been with him that day or if the officer would not have allowed me to tell him what actually happened. He did tel me that Terroristic Threat charges can be as low as a class C misdemeaner to a felony depending how the DA wants to charge him.

[Diesel42]

What happened to you and your son is disturbing.
I'm not sure what I could do if a person accused me and I didn't have a witness.

I can tell you this. My son had a similar situation a couple of years ago. He was pumping gas and had a guy start toward him wanting money. My son told him no but he kept coming. My son told him that he should stop if he valued his life. Never said how or reached for his weapon, just those words. The guy stopped and walked back toward the store and pulled out his cell phone. My son left. My son was stopped by police about a mile away, pulled out of the car, handcuffed and detained. The officer was going to arrest him for "terroristic threat" a class A misdemeaner. Fortunatly I was with him and was able to tell the officer what had actually happened and he released my son (guess it was my old age that convinced him). I can only think about what would have happened had I not been with him that day or if the officer would not have allowed me to tell him what actually happened. He did tel me that Terroristic Threat charges can be as low as a class C misdemeaner to a felony depending how the DA wants to charge him.

[gringop]

If the situation is bad enough for you to threaten another person's life, then it's bad enough to immediately call the cops.

If it doesn't warrant calling the cops then don't use language like that. Because some folks won't be bluffed and will escalate when presented with that kind of situation.

If you are not willing to devote 3 or 4 hours to explain to the cops exactly why you said what you said and did what you did, then do the adult thing and manage the situation with an intelligent attitude, body language and speech.

"Your life is in danger"????? You need a better default opening line. How about, "Sorry, I didn't see ya'll till I was parked, it won't happen again."

Responsible adults and CHL holders need to have the situational awareness to see the possible issues before they start and defuse them. Manage yourself, manage others and manage the area around you. Otherwise, you will be swept around by the current and may end up going down the drain.

Gringop

[cubbyjg]

If the situation is bad enough for you to threaten another person's life, then it's bad enough to immediately call the cops.

If it doesn't warrant calling the cops then don't use language like that. Because some folks won't be bluffed and will escalate when presented with that kind of situation.

If you are not willing to devote 3 or 4 hours to explain to the cops exactly why you said what you said and did what you did, then do the adult thing and manage the situation with an intelligent attitude, body language and speech.

"Your life is in danger"????? You need a better default opening line. How about, "Sorry, I didn't see ya'll till I was parked, it won't happen again."

Responsible adults and CHL holders need to have the situational awareness to see the possible issues before they start and defuse them. Manage yourself, manage others and manage the area around you. Otherwise, you will be swept around by the current and may end up going down the drain.

Gringop

I left a gas station several weeks ago after pumping only a half tank because someone was acting strange.

I almost did the same thing a few days ago. While i was filling, i was doing my normal 360 scan and noticed this one car that wasnt filling up. The car then proceed to drive in my direction and pulled up in front of a truck that was in the pump ahead of me. A guy gets out and looks into the truck to see whats in there. After looking, he gets back into his car and drives to a pump a row or two to my right. I go back into my car, get my phone out in case i need to call the cops. I was ready to leave even though my tank was only filled half way because it didnt feel right. The only reason i stayed was because that truck belonged to an older woman and no one was with her. She was inside paying for gas and didnt see any of this happen.

I continued filling gas, watching the car and its occupants. I then notice the driver of the car is trying to position the car so the pump blocks my view of him. At this point, i know he knows im watching him. I had my phone in the left hand and my right hand was on my backup pocket gun. They made another round towards me and the truck and then left. By the time my tank was filled, the lady just started to fill her tank. I sat in my car waiting for a few minutes keeping an eye out for that car because i was worried about that lady. The one mistake i made was not memorizing the vehicles license plate number.

[karder]

I never cease to be amazed by how rude people are. About 6 weeks ago I pulled into a gas station. I was driving my work truck which is a long bed and because of the radius and limited space I could not pull directly to the pump. I pulled as far as I could and put it into reverse so I could back up and correct my angle. I check my mirrors and see a dumpy low rider going way too fast that appears to be about to dart behind me, so I sit and wait for him to pass.

I guess he sees my reverse lights on so he lays on his horn for a long blast as he goes behind me. What a jerk, but who care right? He tears up to the pump and a heavily tattooed guy about half my age and twice my weight gets out. I straighten up my truck and pull up to the pump behind him. He apparently thinks I am coming after him, because as I step out of the truck he starts to backpeddle with both his hands in the air saying "whoa whoa man. We're cool, we're cool".

I proceed to swipe my credit card and start to pump. When he sees I am just getting gas he kinda of mumbles "Oh. Ok. Cool." I look at him and ask "Rough day?" He gets really embarrassed, and goes, "Huh? Yeah. No. It's cool", then gets in his car and drives away without even fueling up.

I had a young fellow helping me that day so when the low rider guy drove off I tell my partner "he seemed a little high strung". My partner goes "I don't know. I thought you were going to go tell him something too. You had a look." I explained to my young friend that my "look" was annoyance from being honked at, but reasonable adults have control over their emotions. It seemed like a foreign concept to the young lad.

There are a lot of crazy people and gas stations are a great place to meet them. Personally, I don't want to engage any of them. Let 'em flip you off and cuss and honk. It is not worth your time to respond to them. If they attack you, you have to defend yourself, but otherwise I would just let the crazies pass on by.

[WildBill]

Karder, you just about said it all. Sticks and stones.

[ffemt300]

Speaking of gas stations, has anyone ever come up to you at a gas station and offered to sell you an "extra" stereo system their boss bought on accident? Then they say my boss doesn't realize he bought "too many stereos" and will sell this one too you for a good price. I've had at least three people do this to me at three different gas stations. I recognize them for what they are right away but I wonder how lucrative selling "extra" stereos is. Anyone else?

[WildBill]

Speaking of gas stations, has anyone ever come up to you at a gas station and offered to sell you an "extra" stereo system their boss bought on accident? Then they say my boss doesn't realize he bought "too many stereos" and will sell this one too you for a good price. I've had at least three people do this to me at three different gas stations. I recognize them for what they are right away but I wonder how lucrative selling "extra" stereos is. Anyone else?

That is a very old scam. Back in the 80s I bought some speakers from a guy in a gas station. His boss was installing a sound system in a night club and had some "left-overs". I lucked out. They were actually pretty good sounding speakers rather than bricks.

Looking back, the sad part is that I had a great stereo system and I didn't need any speakers. I bought them because they were such a "good deal". They sat in their boxes in my apartment and I never did use them.

The good part is that a few years later I sold them to a friend who wanted some bigger speakers for his home. Last year I reconnected with my old friend and he told me that he still is using them.

Since then I have been approached a few time by people selling stereos, speakers and other electronics. Now, I just smile and say "No Thanks".

[Birdie]

I never cease to be amazed by how rude people are. About 6 weeks ago I pulled into a gas station. I was driving my work truck which is a long bed and because of the radius and limited space I could not pull directly to the pump. I pulled as far as I could and put it into reverse so I could back up and correct my angle. I check my mirrors and see a dumpy low rider going way too fast that appears to be about to dart behind me, so I sit and wait for him to pass.

I guess he sees my reverse lights on so he lays on his horn for a long blast as he goes behind me. What a jerk, but who care right? He tears up to the pump and a heavily tattooed guy about half my age and twice my weight gets out. I straighten up my truck and pull up to the pump behind him. He apparently thinks I am coming after him, because as I step out of the truck he starts to backpeddle with both his hands in the air saying "whoa whoa man. We're cool, we're cool".

I proceed to swipe my credit card and start to pump. When he sees I am just getting gas he kinda of mumbles "Oh. Ok. Cool." I look at him and ask "Rough day?" He gets really embarrassed, and goes, "Huh? Yeah. No. It's cool", then gets in his car and drives away without even fueling up.

I had a young fellow helping me that day so when the low rider guy drove off I tell my partner "he seemed a little high strung". My partner goes "I don't know. I thought you were going to go tell him something too. You had a look." I explained to my young friend that my "look" was annoyance from being honked at, but reasonable adults have control over their emotions. It seemed like a foreign concept to the young lad.

There are a lot of crazy people and gas stations are a great place to meet them. Personally, I don't want to engage any of them. Let 'em flip you off and cuss and honk. It is not worth your time to respond to them. If they attack you, you have to defend yourself, but otherwise I would just let the crazies pass on by.

IME, it's the people who can control their emotions that are the most dangerous. When they have to be.