Weird situation WWYD?

[OldCurlyWolf]

The only thing you didn't do which IMHO you should have done is call and report the pair to HPD. They would have sent a unit out to check out the pair. They might have ended up spending some time in jail or being transported to a shelter, whichever was appropriate.

[texanron]

The only thing you didn't do which IMHO you should have done is call and report the pair to HPD. They would have sent a unit out to check out the pair. They might have ended up spending some time in jail or being transported to a shelter, whichever was appropriate.

I'm pretty sure in the two hours it would take HPD to respond, if they repsonded at all, the pair would've been long gone. Don't get me wonrg, I'm not trashing on HPD, its not their fault that the decisions makers keep making the worng decisions which has led to department cuts across the board.
Back to the topic at hand. I think the OP handled the situation flawlessly.

[Keith B]

The only thing you didn't do which IMHO you should have done is call and report the pair to HPD. They would have sent a unit out to check out the pair. They might have ended up spending some time in jail or being transported to a shelter, whichever was appropriate.

I'm pretty sure in the two hours it would take HPD to respond, if they repsonded at all, the pair would've been long gone. Don't get me wonrg, I'm not trashing on HPD, its not their fault that the decisions makers keep making the worng decisions which has led to department cuts across the board.
Back to the topic at hand. I think the OP handled the situation flawlessly.

There is a piece of this that is frequently being missed when people say it would not do any good to call the police. That is there is now a record of you calling and making a report. It is just like unsecured rummaging through cars and minor loss of change or items. If there is no report made, then the police don't know it happened, and in turn can't see that there may be a trend going on in a particular area. It is up to the citizens to call and report suspicious activity and even minor crimes so the police can tell there is something going on in the area and add extra patrols if they feel it is needed. And, you probably don't have to stick around, just let them know there is something suspicious, what happened and then let the police take it from there. If you provide your cell number and they have questions or need additional information, they will call you.

[Excaliber]

The only thing you didn't do which IMHO you should have done is call and report the pair to HPD. They would have sent a unit out to check out the pair. They might have ended up spending some time in jail or being transported to a shelter, whichever was appropriate.

I'm pretty sure in the two hours it would take HPD to respond, if they repsonded at all, the pair would've been long gone. Don't get me wonrg, I'm not trashing on HPD, its not their fault that the decisions makers keep making the worng decisions which has led to department cuts across the board.
Back to the topic at hand. I think the OP handled the situation flawlessly.

There is a piece of this that is frequently being missed when people say it would not do any good to call the police. That is there is now a record of you calling and making a report. It is just like unsecured rummaging through cars and minor loss of change or items. If there is no report made, then the police don't know it happened, and in turn can't see that there may be a trend going on in a particular area. It is up to the citizens to call and report suspicious activity and even minor crimes so the police can tell there is something going on in the area and add extra patrols if they feel it is needed. And, you probably don't have to stick around, just let them know there is something suspicious, what happened and then let the police take it from there. If you provide your cell number and they have questions or need additional information, they will call you.

[Medic624]

The only thing you didn't do which IMHO you should have done is call and report the pair to HPD. They would have sent a unit out to check out the pair. They might have ended up spending some time in jail or being transported to a shelter, whichever was appropriate.

I'm pretty sure in the two hours it would take HPD to respond, if they repsonded at all, the pair would've been long gone. Don't get me wonrg, I'm not trashing on HPD, its not their fault that the decisions makers keep making the worng decisions which has led to department cuts across the board.
Back to the topic at hand. I think the OP handled the situation flawlessly.

There is a piece of this that is frequently being missed when people say it would not do any good to call the police. That is there is now a record of you calling and making a report. It is just like unsecured rummaging through cars and minor loss of change or items. If there is no report made, then the police don't know it happened, and in turn can't see that there may be a trend going on in a particular area. It is up to the citizens to call and report suspicious activity and even minor crimes so the police can tell there is something going on in the area and add extra patrols if they feel it is needed. And, you probably don't have to stick around, just let them know there is something suspicious, what happened and then let the police take it from there. If you provide your cell number and they have questions or need additional information, they will call you.

Huh...I had NO idea...either way good to know!

[HonorGuard]

Just posted this as a response in the thread... "That feeling you get..."

Just curious if (given the info in the post) u would've handled the situation differently...


The other night (about 2330) I got called in to work ... And had a weird experience as I was pulling up to a red light near the Medical Center in downtown Houston. (the area is notorious for many homeless and substance abusing upstanding individuals) Approaching the red light I noted a disheveled man and a very skinny woman on the sidewalk to my left. She was nervously looking around and he was standing there intently watching me pull up in my wife's Saab convertible. As I slowed and came to a stop at the light I realized (at this point) I was the only car stopped at that intersection. I then watched him in my side mirror look around multiple times and then step out into the street at my 7 o'clock. He then continued to act erratic (looking around and walking back and forth in the street about 25yds behind my car) as he looked around he then quickly started to close the distance to the rear of the car. He then took a few more steps toward me then walked away back toward the woman... they talked about something and then he then turned back toward me and walked straight toward my car. By this time I had already unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled up my shirt to allow easier access to my weapon should his erratic behavior not be just that erratic... As he neared my 8 o'clock and about 50' to the left I rolled the window down about 3" and yelled "Get the heck away from my car!" This stopped him in his tracks and startled him enough that by this time the light had turned green and I went on my merry way.

I don't think he had any idea how close he came to having a very bad day if he had chose to make a very bad decision. The only bonus was he was within walking distance the Ben Taub ER should he decide to approach another driver who was also armed.

As someone who lived in that exact area for the last 14 months, I can say without pause that there are ALOT of shady characters wandering those streets...at ALL times of day and night. Second, I would also say you handled the situation perfectly: you were aware, you were ready, and you even gave a verbal command to avoid any unecessary issues. If there's anything I would add is that I might have considered just bugging out (and eat the $75 fine for the red-light ticket ). That whole area, up and down Main, Kirby, OST, etc, and even right down the street by the Rice running track I always see the same characters, and although they never have presented a threat or a problem to me personally, I always make it a point to watch out for them. I always say, you never know how despearte people are going to act. Again, good job on handling the situation!

[Ameer]

As someone who lived in that exact area for the last 14 months, I can say without pause that there are ALOT of shady characters wandering those streets...at ALL times of day and night. Second, I would also say you handled the situation perfectly: you were aware, you were ready, and you even gave a verbal command to avoid any unecessary issues. If there's anything I would add is that I might have considered just bugging out (and eat the $75 fine for the red-light ticket ). That whole area, up and down Main, Kirby, OST, etc, and even right down the street by the Rice running track I always see the same characters, and although they never have presented a threat or a problem to me personally, I always make it a point to watch out for them. I always say, you never know how despearte people are going to act. Again, good job on handling the situation!

The panhandlers and other street people have even spread beyond the loop in Houston but it seems to me they're less common in the small cities like Memorial Villages.

[OldCurlyWolf]

Has HPD gotten that bad? When I used to patrol for PPD, our avg response time to all calls was less than 4 minutes and we only had 10 units on the streets plus a couple of motor officers and 55 square miles to cover.

[speedsix]

...we used to respond real fast, too...no cellphone cams and far less folks out to complain when the po-po came by 'em going fast...we did what it took and the general public understood...them days is gone...now the responding officer's gotta run the gauntlet of public opinion to get to us...

[kjolly]

Sounds really hinky and I too would suspect ill intent. The situation looks to me like he was planning something, maybe only asking you for a ride but didn't have the courage to approach your car so the actual threat level was pretty low. If he didn't have anything in his hands rolled windows and the locked door would protect you. Your response was appropiate.
Also most likely don't need to say this as most people on this board are paranoid but never give rides to strangers.

One time I admit to being lost in my own thoughts at a red light and had a panhandler approach from blind spot. Scared me so bad I almost reached for the gun.

[Excaliber]

Sounds really hinky and I too would suspect ill intent. The situation looks to me like he was planning something, maybe only asking you for a ride but didn't have the courage to approach your car so the actual threat level was pretty low. If he didn't have anything in his hands rolled windows and the locked door would protect you. Your response was appropiate.
Also most likely don't need to say this as most people on this board are paranoid but never give rides to strangers.

One time I admit to being lost in my own thoughts at a red light and had a panhandler approach from blind spot. Scared me so bad I almost reached for the gun.

Unfortunately the only way to find out for sure is to let him get so close that if he does have something that locked doors and closed windows won't stop, it would be way too late to do much about it.

Distance is your friend.

Safety lies in acting early and decisively .

[Wfahey]

... As he neared my 8 o'clock and about 50' to the left I rolled the window down about 3" and yelled "Get the heck away from my car!" This stopped him in his tracks and startled him enough that by this time the light had turned green and I went on my merry way.

Why'd you roll down the window? You were in a covertable!

[Excaliber]

... As he neared my 8 o'clock and about 50' to the left I rolled the window down about 3" and yelled "Get the heck away from my car!" This stopped him in his tracks and startled him enough that by this time the light had turned green and I went on my merry way.

Why'd you roll down the window? You were in a covertable!

Consider that the top may have been up and the windows closed.

[Medic624]

... As he neared my 8 o'clock and about 50' to the left I rolled the window down about 3" and yelled "Get the heck away from my car!" This stopped him in his tracks and startled him enough that by this time the light had turned green and I went on my merry way.

Why'd you roll down the window? You were in a covertable!

Consider that the top may have been up and the windows closed.

BINGO!!

[TexasAggie09]

A similar thing happened to me once in Atlanta, pre-CHL. I simply chose to make a right on red from the middle lane. Not *too* illegal (if there are varying degrees) and it got me out without a word said!