What would you have done?

[tacticool]

How did anyone know it was a homeless man? Obviously it was impossible to know whether he had a fixed residence. "Homeless" has become a synonym for disheveled, unkempt, and dirty—in other words, a bum. (In fact, there are homeless people that you would never know are homeless. Some have jobs.)

A school friend was homeless his last semester. Scholarships and loans paid his tuition, and work-study covered food, but there was nothing left over for rent. He crashed with us sometimes, but usually camped in a classroom and showered at the college gym. Only a few of us knew.

[seamusTX]

Most homeless people who are keeping their lives together live in their cars.

When I was in college the library was open 24 hours a day, and I suspect some people lived there.

But getting back to the subject, when people say "homeless" they usually mean a bum.

- Jim

[johnson0317]

My 16 and 17 year old daughters call homeless people, "Hobos". I can not seem to them to understand the difference between garden variety bums, and those gentlemen who road the rails. I guess there is not that many of them left anymore.

[Tug Boat]

My purpose in posting this was to see what you guys would do. I only carry in my truck when either going to the range after work, or leaving a pre-established radius around my house (which is larger than I'd like, but I have to deal with my wife). However, I regularly go shooting after work, so this could have just as easily have happened when I was pulling in the parking garage with my 1911 under my seat. I don't carry pepper spray, but I have the 6-D cell mag light under my seat, as well. Hadn't considered using it. My thought was to lower the window, open the door and, from behind the opened door, draw and tell the guy to stop. Definitely would keep my distance and keep him covered until the lady's life became immediately endangered or the police showed. Interesting to hear others' ideas.

TB

[seamusTX]

The problems I see with using a firearm are (a) the guy may be too brain-damaged to make a rational decision about that, and (2) if you had to shoot, in downtown Houston, knowing what your backstop was.

- Jim

[Keith B]

The problems I see with using a firearm are (a) the guy may be too brain-damaged to make a rational decision about that, and (2) if you had to shoot, in downtown Houston, knowing what your backstop was.

- Jim

The other issue is trying to just shoot one person during a on-on-one struggle is not a wise choice. Too much room for error and the innocent person will end up getting hit either from a poorly placed shot or a shoot-through on the BG. Best if you can get them to stop by using a nightstick or baton of some type, or get others to assist in separating them and detaining the BG.

[barres]

...the police did not arrive until slightly after 7:00 ...

When seconds count, police are just minutes away

Note my sig line.

[speedsix]

The problems I see with using a firearm are (a) the guy may be too brain-damaged to make a rational decision about that, and (2) if you had to shoot, in downtown Houston, knowing what your backstop was.

- Jim

The other issue is trying to just shoot one person during a on-on-one struggle is not a wise choice. Too much room for error and the innocent person will end up getting hit either from a poorly placed shot or a shoot-through on the BG. Best if you can get them to stop by using a nightstick or baton of some type, or get others to assist in separating them and detaining the BG.

...I'm for letting citizens keep clubs, nightsticks, expanding batons...after they take a training class...the Prosecutor and Asp are awesome weapons if you're educated on how to use them...they'd be great truck/car defensive weapons...and would be MUCH better on a guy like this than a gun...one swat on the upper calf muscle and he'd've been struggling to hold his water, much less her neck...with no risk to bystanders...oh, that we could get the law changed here...some states allow CHL holders to carry other weapons, too, that are forbidden the general public...

[chasfm11]

...I'm for letting citizens keep clubs, nightsticks, expanding batons...after they take a training class...the Prosecutor and Asp are awesome weapons if you're educated on how to use them...they'd be great truck/car defensive weapons...and would be MUCH better on a guy like this than a gun...one swat on the upper calf muscle and he'd've been struggling to hold his water, much less her neck...with no risk to bystanders...oh, that we could get the law changed here...some states allow CHL holders to carry other weapons, too, that are forbidden the general public...

Although many claim they are ineffective at finding real problems, many truckers and some RV drivers (including me) carry small aluminum bats to bang on tires. I used to wack all of mine at every road side rest, to see if I could hear a difference in the tone. The idea is to find a tire that might be going low on air. All of the RV tires are inflated to near 100lbs so there is definitely supposed to be a lot of pressure and if you fine one that has a lower pitch when you hit it, you can break out the gauge and check it. I just bought an infrared thermometer that I hope to use the same way. Again, a slightly higher temperature on a tire versus the rest is supposed to indicate a loss of air pressure.

I keep the bat under the driver's seat of the RV and figured that it might double as a defensive weapon if I ever needed it. I've been curious if I could get myself in trouble by just having it but figured that it was something that I could easily explain (or try to) if I ever had to. I have no training in using it as a weapon so I'd be left to improvise on the spot.

[speedsix]

...depending on the officer's attitude and how you'd used it...it could go either way...I've heard stories of someone being charged for having a broken axe handle or hammer handle in the car...which I've done in the old days(leaving the axe head lying by it)...I gave away an oak tire whacker recently...just beggin' to go in the truck...so I got rid of it...I keep a golf club with the head sawn off just past the turn behind the truckseat...a walking stick/cane...that will dance a tune if needed...I left enough of the head on the tip to give it a knob...and it's light...I've made/given away dozens of these lightweight canes in the past 10 years...folks seem to like 'em...

[OldCurlyWolf]

...depending on the officer's attitude and how you'd used it...it could go either way...I've heard stories of someone being charged for having a broken axe handle or hammer handle in the car...which I've done in the old days(leaving the axe head lying by it)...I gave away an oak tire whacker recently...just beggin' to go in the truck...so I got rid of it...I keep a golf club with the head sawn off just past the turn behind the truckseat...a walking stick/cane...that will dance a tune if needed...I left enough of the head on the tip to give it a knob...and it's light...I've made/given away dozens of these lightweight canes in the past 10 years...folks seem to like 'em...

My favorite for years has been a heartwood of cedar walking stick.

[AustinMRH]

I park in the same garage, lots of visibility on the first floor, dark and scetchy above that. I'm not going to wait to call the police before attempting to de-esculate the situation. I'll let Tug call 911 (since the only time I park there is when we commute together).

Regardless of my level of armament I am going to engage in the situation. Very quickly I am going to assess the situation and what level of response is appropriate and engage at that level. If I drive I have multiple weapons availble, if Tug drove I might get to use my tacticool pen (or a baby bottle). No unarmed crazy is assuting a woman on my watch.

[Bob in Big D]

If you are in your car you can just lay on the horn for as long as it takes to attract others to whats going on. If the bg gets mad and comes after you at least he has let go of the woman and opened himself up to possible action by you.

[Oldgringo]

The problems I see with using a firearm are (a) the guy may be too brain-damaged to make a rational decision about that, and (2) if you had to shoot, in downtown Houston, knowing what your backstop was.

- Jim

The other issue is trying to just shoot one person during a on-on-one struggle is not a wise choice. Too much room for error and the innocent person will end up getting hit either from a poorly placed shot or a shoot-through on the BG. Best if you can get them to stop by using a nightstick or baton of some type, or get others to assist in separating them and detaining the BG.

...I'm for letting citizens keep clubs, nightsticks, expanding batons...after they take a training class...the Prosecutor and Asp are awesome weapons if you're educated on how to use them...they'd be great truck/car defensive weapons...and would be MUCH better on a guy like this than a gun...one swat on the upper calf muscle and he'd've been struggling to hold his water, much less her neck...with no risk to bystanders...oh, that we could get the law changed here...some states allow CHL holders to carry other weapons, too, that are forbidden the general public...

Without a cape or a badge or some other identifying device, how do you propose to distinguish one club swinger from another? Do clubs, etc. come in different colors?

[boba]

Without a cape or a badge or some other identifying device, how do you propose to distinguish one club swinger from another? Do clubs, etc. come in different colors?

Replace "club swinger" with "gun shooter" and you just made the argument for a CHL badge.