TexasCHLforum.com

Shortly before noon today I was at Academy Sports at 183 & I-35 in Austin. (I was taking my mother shopping today, and decided to make a stop for me. )

I parked in the lot and as I was getting out of my car, a guy comes roaring up in a white pickup and starts saying something . . . what the heck, I don't know him?!?!

It was something along the lines of "Sir, I live at (mumble) and Anderson Mill, and I just dropped my (mumble) off at the Greyhound station down the street over (mumble) and I (mumble) don't have my wallet, I wonder if you could give me some . . . "

With that I shook my head and backed away, opposite the direction his truck was facing; this guy was giving off shifty vibes that could have lit up the whole parking lot - and put my vehicle between him and me.

By then my mother was out of the car, and the guy pulls around to the back and is still panhandling. I said "NO" clearly and again put a vehicle between him and us.

He then s-l-o-w-l-y drove down the line of cars (next aisle,not the one we were in), keeping even with us, watching us all the time, and apparently decided not to follow us. But before going into the store, we stopped at the entrance and saw he was still parked in the lot. When he saw us looking at him, he left the lot, seemingly in a hurry.

Sadly, I didn't get his plate number. But I did "check six" and saw nobody else near enough to be a potential threat.

At no time did I see a weapon, so I did not repeat not draw or brandish mine . . . but this was unsettling enough that rather than go into the store, we got back in my vehicle and left.

The 183 & I-35 intersection is full of panhandlers, and I've encountered aggressive panhandlers before (needed to pepper spray one) so I'm wondering if this guy was just a "vehicular panhandler" or something else.

Ever heard of this sort of thing before?

All the time. Sob stories along the lines of visiting my mother in the hospital, ran out of gas, yadda yadda.

- Jim

Funny you guys mention this. I was on a field trip with my little boy's 2nd grade class to Majik theathers in San Antonio last Friday. Well, as luck would have it, all the meter parking was taken up by other parents and so forth. I decided to ask a Goodyear Tire shop manager if I could park in his parking lot. He said yes, but only in the back away from the entrance. I had no problem with this since his shop was only 2 blocks from where I needed to be. Well, I park my truck and cross the street when all of a sudden, a two guys in a chevy truck slow down. The passeger waves me down and gets off the truck with his buddy still there in the middle of the street. He procedes to tell me he was just picked up by this stranger in the truck and needed money for gas to get back to San Marcos. Well, to make a long story short, I told him I didn't have cash(I really didn't). I started to walk away, but ever turning my back to him, when he made an advancing move toward me. My instinct told me reach for my gun, which he saw me doing. The moment he saw me reaching under my untucked shirt, he hightaled it with his buddy in the truck. Before I get raked over the coals, no, I wasn't packing, since I was with a school function. However, fun how instincts told me to reach for it even though I didn't have it with me. Para P12.45 is my friend for life. Be safe guys and gals. Watch your 6.

HankB wrote: Ever heard of this sort of thing before?

It seems like I remember a purse snatching like this back around Christmas.

I had a similar situation at a Randall's parking lot in Houston. I had some groceries with me and was walking back to my truck. I told the beggar that I had just spent all my money on steaks and beer! He cussed me and drove off.

I had this happen to me at a gas station once and then two weeks later at a different gas station the exact same guy pulled the same thing on my and I called him on it and he screamed outta there.

I have seen it at a fast food drive through, can't really get away.

nedmoore wrote:I had a similar situation at a Randall's parking lot in Houston. I had some groceries with me and was walking back to my truck. I told the beggar that I had just spent all my money on steaks and beer! He cussed me and drove off.

Beggars can't be drivers!

Or very convincing at it...

"I'm outta gas!" (said from a moving vehicle?)

All of these situations just prove one thing...Keep it on a swivle!

One day while driving to College Station from Houston I saw this guy on Hiway 6 walking with a gas can. I pulled over asked him if he needed a lift. He got in my truck and I proceeded to drive him to the nearest gas station. He then told me he did not need gas! "The gas container just makes people pull over and offer him a ride", I fell for it.

nedmoore wrote:One day while driving to College Station from Houston I saw this guy on Hiway 6 walking with a gas can. I pulled over asked him if he needed a lift. He got in my truck and I proceeded to drive him to the nearest gas station. He then told me he did not need gas! "The gas container just makes people pull over and offer him a ride", I fell for it.

Clever.

I would have fallen for it too.

Because that is what we do.

Years ago, long yrs ago when I was young I had a radiator hose rupture between Carlsbad, New Mexico & El Paso. About 80 miles apart if I remember & I was about half way. I carried it & instead of thumbing I held it up. Did not have to walk far.
Thank you Lord for providing those who have a ministry of helps.

Good results all around (some better than others).

It is a real shame that we place ourselves at great risk when helping those who we happen upon who may be truly down on their luck, because of imposters who try to take advantage of others' charity. Charitable organizations like churches, food banks, volunteer "Good Samaritan" vehicles, etc, help screen out some opportunistic predators, or at least act an a go-between between givers and the needy.

What I like to do/have been taught for these unknown contacts:
* two-handed, eye-level "fence"
* 90-degree step-off from unknown contacts' vector
* pre-rehearsed verbal loops ("Sorry, I don't have anything for you" or "hold up, buddy-->hey, back up!--->BACK!!! UP!!!")
* watch the hands and the waistband
* ignore their prattle, do not get drawn into conversation with them
* keep moving quickly if possible

In John Farnam's defensive handgun courses, he covers some tactics to use in the situations described above.
The tactics have two strategic goals:
1) Separate yourself from/get rid of the panhandler/possible mugger as quickly as possible.
2) "Shape the battlespace" in case the panhandler/mugger escalates things with verbal "tape loops". (A tape-loop is a phrase you have memorized in advance to use in certain situations, so you don't have to think it up on the spot, and it comes across loud, clear, commanding, and polite, not mumbled, weak, or obnoxious (e.g. profanity)).

The panhandler/possible mugger is accosting you at a certain point because that location gives him and advantage and makes you vulnerable. The tactics basically involve moving out of the danger zone as quickly as possible, using bold movement, feints, your tactical light if at night; and using tape loops: "PLEASE GO AWAY! I CAN"T HELP YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Over and over. The tape loops are used for two purposes - one, to verbally disrupt and command the panhandler/mugger, and two, to draw witnesses attention to the scene and show them you are the victim, not the aggressor. That way, if the situation escalates, and you have to pepperspray or shoot, witnesses will tell the cops about the escalating confrontation and that you were trying to get away; not that they didn't notice anything until you yanked out a gun and shot some homeless guy.