This happened to me...scenario.

[billfromtx]

While pumping Gas in my truck in Corpus at 11:00 PM i was scanning the area and see 2 gangstsa wanna-be types standing against the station smoking and being loud and obnoxious. I keep a peripheal on them and they both start walking directly at my truck faster than a normal person would walk. They were only 40 feet or so from me to start with. This gets my attention and they are closing the distance quick. The truck was not between us and I almost drew and confronted them.
I think the only thing that kept me from actually drawing was the fact they were still talking to each other and one of them was not staring at me, the other one was... The turned and walked behind my truck at the last minute. My hand was on my XD and I was a second from drawing when they walked by my truck and between the pumps and crossed the road. The entire ordeal only took a few seconds to go down...After the fact I went through possible outcomes. I really felt initially like I was going to be robbed or worst. They were close enough to me I probably could have drawn and been justified. I was releived and thankful it didn't have a violent end.

[Rough_Ashlar]

were you in the "cut"?

oh wait, i don't think there are any gas stations in that area anymore.

what part of town were you in?

i grew up in CRP and used to work at a 7-11 across from Hamlin shopping center.

[shootthesheet]

They did nothing to give you any reason to pull on them. If you are going to become that concerned, get into your car and lock the doors or walk to the other side of the car while watching them. Inside a locked car is a good place. You can draw inside the car and hide your gun until they start trying to get to you. And unless they are just intent on shooting someone, they will have to get thru a window before you "stop" them. If they want to shoot they are going to anyway and the car will help slow the bullet at least. What I hope all CHL holders do is look for a way out first. Avoid the problem before it becomes a problem. Then when/if the justification occurs, pull and shoot without hesitation.

Thanks for the post and I hope you continue to remain safe and learn all you can about CHL as we all must.

[Briankey]

That fact they were talking to each other while walking towards you is also a tactic used by criminals, inorder to make you feel as though everything is innocent, they talk to one another, close the distance, and then strike, that whole incident could have been a dry run for a real robbery in the future, test a persons reaction.




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While pumping Gas in my truck in Corpus at 11:00 PM i was scanning the area and see 2 gangstsa wanna-be types standing against the station smoking and being loud and obnoxious. I keep a peripheal on them and they both start walking directly at my truck faster than a normal person would walk. They were only 40 feet or so from me to start with. This gets my attention and they are closing the distance quick. The truck was not between us and I almost drew and confronted them.
I think the only thing that kept me from actually drawing was the fact they were still talking to each other and one of them was not staring at me, the other one was... The turned and walked behind my truck at the last minute. My hand was on my XD and I was a second from drawing when they walked by my truck and between the pumps and crossed the road. The entire ordeal only took a few seconds to go down...After the fact I went through possible outcomes. I really felt initially like I was going to be robbed or worst. They were close enough to me I probably could have drawn and been justified. I was releived and thankful it didn't have a violent end.

[billfromtx]

I guess I did not explain the situaition in-depth enough.
I spent a long time in the USMC and have been carrying for awhile. I don't really get spooked easy and there WAS something amiss, I just don't know what it was....
The one vato and I did make eye contact as the other was yelling crap in his ear, walking directly at me...FAST! If I had not have been able to see their hands I would have drawn. My spider senses were that alert! I guess you would have had to have been there. Thanks for the input.

[tboesche]

Bill,
It is possible that the read your hand on the gun and chose to leave you alone!

Semper Fi!

[billfromtx]

Bill,
It is possible that the read your hand on the gun and chose to leave you alone!

Semper Fi!

I was pumping with my Left (Strong) hand until the hair on my neck stood up and I swapped the nozzle to my right. It didn't have the automatic lever to pump hands free. They may have seen me put my hand under my shirt and on my gun. They would not have actually seen my gun as it was away from them and under my shirt (button down un-tucked).

I am 6' 1" and 235...I do not usually present what I would call an easy mark for BG's armed or not. So I do not get concerned about this sort of thing too much. I was most definalty at full alert combat mode.
In spite of what some people say about judging folks by the way they are dressed, If 2 dudes in a suit and tie carrying briefcases had of walked up, I would have been way less on alert than 2 punks wearing saggy britches, wife beaters, tattoo's on their face, neck, arms everywhere! ...and generally looking like they were/wanted trouble.
Right or wrong thats the way it is. Don't kid yourselves!

[HankB]

I was pumping with my Left (Strong) hand until the hair on my neck stood up and I swapped the nozzle to my right. It didn't have the automatic lever to pump hands free.

I generally dislike this type of pump for that very reason - your hands aren't free. So what I normally do when I run into one is wedge the gas cap under the lever - PRESTO, hands-free nozzle.

This is one of those scenarios where pocket carry works - on a couple of occasions I've picked up bad vibes from someone, so I simply reached into my pocket and grasped my S&W 340Sc. Once my hand is actually holding the gun, I'm capable of drawing and firing in a half second or less . . . but if things DON'T take a bad turn, I'm not brandishing or threatening . . . all anyone sees is a quiet guy with one hand in his pocket; could be holding a cell phone, pager, keys, whatever.

It's quite possible the guys you ran into WERE bad guys, and picked up a bad vibe from you which convinced them to move on.

[Keith B]

If 2 dudes in a suit and tie carrying briefcases had of walked up, I would have been way less on alert ......

No me, I would have been concerned they were from the IRS, or even worse, process servers delivering a subpoena!

I think you did fine. Being prepared and ready is good. You didn't draw, or even expose your weapon. You kept your composure, watched the situation and it didn't materialize. Even if they did read your intentions, maybe they will think next time before approaching like that.

[Lodge2004]

That fact they were talking to each other while walking towards you is also a tactic used by criminals, inorder to make you feel as though everything is innocent, they talk to one another, close the distance, and then strike, that whole incident could have been a dry run for a real robbery in the future, test a persons reaction.

I've seen teams in shopping malls who were really good at this tactic. They carry on a conversation and appear to be totally distracted until they run into their target and grab a purse, wallet, inappropriately touch them or just get a good laugh. They quickly switch to "apologize and escape" mode and blend back into the crowd to start another "run".

I managed a retail store in a mall for 5 years and did a lot of people watching. Although you may get bumped or have collisions with people on a busy shopping day its not always an accident.

[billfromtx]

were you in the "cut"?

oh wait, i don't think there are any gas stations in that area anymore.

what part of town were you in?

i grew up in CRP and used to work at a 7-11 across from Hamlin shopping center.

I live in Bishop but was taking care of some business downtown off Airline

Thank for the replies guys... I can see where the talking to each other distracion would/did work on me.
Again I was eye-balling the one guy who was looking at me and watching their hands...Their bull'ing and the fact I could see their paws kept me from drawing. The pace at which they walked directly at me is what put me on high alert. It was a weird situation. Certainly a learning experience that turned out well...Thank the Lord.

Semper Fi.

[dukesean]

There's no harm in trusting your gut instinct and being prepared for anything. Glad you didn't have to draw. My guess is that they realized they were going to bite off more than they could chew, and decided to move on. Reminds me of that movie American Gangster, when Russell Crowe's character always feigned having a pistol tucked in his pants like he was ready to draw, and sometimes that is enough to scare people into minding their own business.

[Briankey]

I thought about your scenario over supper tonight, I think you did the right thing in believing these thugs were a Potential threat.

With the Economic conditions as they are nowdays, people are angry about it, Angry at High Gas Prices, nobody can know if the other person is having a bad day, or has Mental Issues.
I don't care if People think Stereotyping is bad, but if I saw some trashy looking dudes eyeballing me, and then start walking my way, I'd be ready to.

Bill, Nobody but you was at the Pump when this happened, but you perceived a Possible threat and you acted on it by getting ready, People nowdays are very Complacent, weak, Timid, and Naïve, they dont believe something can happen to them, its just another day in the Neighborhood, but when they do become a victim, they can't understand why it happened to them.

Tell you this Bill, its so much better to be aware, and ready, than unaware and caught completely off Guard and become a victim.

I treat everybody as a Potential threat, I'm always aware of my surroundings, and I keep my distance.