Spooked in a WM parking lot

[SewTexas]

My mother-in-law hasn't been doing so well, so I haven't been able to get out of the house for almost two weeks, yesterday I slipped out for about an hour and ran a bunch of quick errands, and today I got out and did a couple of things.

I hate to admit it, but I didn't have my gun on me
I was putting groceries in the passenger side of the car at WM and as I closed the door I realized that a guy had walked up close behind me!
He was going to the car next to me, but you DON'T do that!!! Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared! He did take a step back, but geez! He hadn't made a sound!
I don't think my heart hit normal rate until I got out of the parking lot!

Stay safe guys! <3

[Abraham]

SewTexas,

I do my dead level best to never spook a woman in a parking lot or anywhere else for that matter, but especially in a parking lot.

No doubt the man was simply oblivious, but your experience while not fun, work well at re-cranking up ones situational awareness.

[Keith B]

Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared!

Glad you weren't carrying. Just getting close to you in a parking lot, especially since he was going to the car beside you and it was daylight, would not have justified drawing on him. I would possibly have put my hand in a purse or on the handgun, but kept it hidden until there was evidence you were being threatened.

[RicoTX]

I usually say hello before I get too close in that situation, even more so if it's a woman. I will also wait until they get in their car or whatever...unless they are taking forever...then I just say hi and get in my truck lol.

[pbwalker]

Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared!

Glad you weren't carrying. Just getting close to you in a parking lot, especially since he was going to the car beside you and it was daylight, would not have justified drawing on him. I would possibly have put my hand in a purse or on the handgun, but kept it hidden until there was evidence you were being threatened.

That being said, I do generally try to drag my feet or cough if I know the other person is oblivious to my presence / condition white .

[SewTexas]

Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared!

Glad you weren't carrying. Just getting close to you in a parking lot, especially since he was going to the car beside you and it was daylight, would not have justified drawing on him. I would possibly have put my hand in a purse or on the handgun, but kept it hidden until there was evidence you were being threatened.

I'm not sure if it would have been justified or not, but if he had meant harm, even if I'd been carrying, I probably wouldn't be here to have posted. The guy was as quiet as Bat Man. And he had no business being inches away from a strange woman in a parking lot. For a few seconds, I was terrified.

[Jay2121]

You would not have been justified. Glad no weapon near by. Let’s all be aware but at the same time take a breath.

[pbwalker]

Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared!

Glad you weren't carrying. Just getting close to you in a parking lot, especially since he was going to the car beside you and it was daylight, would not have justified drawing on him. I would possibly have put my hand in a purse or on the handgun, but kept it hidden until there was evidence you were being threatened.

I'm not sure if it would have been justified or not, but if he had meant harm, even if I'd been carrying, I probably wouldn't be here to have posted. The guy was as quiet as Bat Man. And he had no business being inches away from a strange woman in a parking lot. For a few seconds, I was terrified.

This is why I live in a perpetual state of Condition Yellow, leaning toward Condition Orange. I'm to the point where people will ask me "What are you looking at?" and my reply is usually "Everything".

[SewTexas]

I admit, my situational awareness skills have taken a hit, I'm not getting out of the house near enough.

[Liberty]

I admit, my situational awareness skills have taken a hit, I'm not getting out of the house near enough.

The silent stepper was probably guilty of the same thing. We all fall into condition white at some time or other. Wally world parking lots probably not the best place to let it happen.

[Keith B]

I admit, my situational awareness skills have taken a hit, I'm not getting out of the house near enough.

The silent stepper was probably guilty of the same thing. We all fall into condition white at some time or other. Wally world parking lots probably not the best place to let it happen.

I think many people, men and women both, just don't think about personal space and that you may frighten someone by being too close. The reason is they are not a threat in the least, and they know they are not up to no good, so they believe you can close in on someone and it's OK. Those that have been in crowded cities (NY, Tokyo, Paris), ridden subways, buses, etc where you get up-close and personal don't see the error in not giving more room to someone when they are in remote locations. It also stems from the 'everyone is in a hurry' mode where they don't think they have the time to stop and wait for someone to finish loading their kid(s) and groceries into the vehicle before getting in theirs in the next space and exiting the parking lot.

Bottom line, as stated above, keep yourself in condition yellow in those situations and you should at least be aware of someone moving into your 'safe zone'.

[flechero]

When approaching my truck and the person in the vehicle next to mine is loading groceries/kids/etc. I always stop with a car between us or go the the other side of my truck and wait... it does 2 things- it gives them room and time without feeling threatened in any way but also gives me a pause to scan the area for an unsavory character who might be lurking for an opportunity at me or them.

[karder]

I try not to surprise folks if at all possible. If I have someone parked near me and they don't seem to be aware I'm coming, I will generally start whistling a tune. It alerts them to my presence and makes me seem non-threatening. That being said, so many young folks have earbuds in and are glued to their phones, they are completely tuned out. I have startled young men in parking lots a few times recently who were completely caught up in their electronics and tuned out of the physical world. The youngsters today are at a whole new level of unobservant.

[cedarparkdad987]

My mother-in-law hasn't been doing so well, so I haven't been able to get out of the house for almost two weeks, yesterday I slipped out for about an hour and ran a bunch of quick errands, and today I got out and did a couple of things.

I hate to admit it, but I didn't have my gun on me
I was putting groceries in the passenger side of the car at WM and as I closed the door I realized that a guy had walked up close behind me!
He was going to the car next to me, but you DON'T do that!!! Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared! He did take a step back, but geez! He hadn't made a sound!
I don't think my heart hit normal rate until I got out of the parking lot!

Stay safe guys! <3

Are you saying you would have drawn your firearm on him? An LTC doesn't protect you from conviction for a felony nor the follow on lawsuit.

[WildRose]

Had I been carrying, he would have been the one scared!

Glad you weren't carrying. Just getting close to you in a parking lot, especially since he was going to the car beside you and it was daylight, would not have justified drawing on him. I would possibly have put my hand in a purse or on the handgun, but kept it hidden until there was evidence you were being threatened.

I'm not sure if it would have been justified or not, but if he had meant harm, even if I'd been carrying, I probably wouldn't be here to have posted. The guy was as quiet as Bat Man. And he had no business being inches away from a strange woman in a parking lot. For a few seconds, I was terrified.

It's a good thing you were not carrying because had you even flashed your weapon much less drawn it you'd be in serious trouble.

There was no immediate threat of grave bodily harm or death in that situation, he was acting lawfully in a place you both were lawfully.

Parking lots are crowded, they've intentionally designed them to get the maximum number of vehicles on the lot thus leaving minimal space between them.

Your only choice here is to have better situational awareness in the future when you are in parking lots. At a minimum take a look around you ever few seconds rather than getting fixated on the task at hand.