My first condition yellow/orange

I picked up my daughter from work this evening at 10:30 pm. We needed 3 items at the grocery store so we stop in. $100 later we pack up the car and head home. When I get into the driveway, we start unpacking the car and bringing the groceries in.

On the second trip out, I notice a guy walking his dog. It is late at night (about 11 pm) and it is low light. I do not recognize the guy nor do I recognize the dog. It is not my style to be suspicious, but I did notch up my awareness a bit. As he walks by, he makes a friendly comment and continues walking. OK.

Now, the street I live on is not one that you would walk on unless you lived in the block. This seemed a bit strange, but nothing happened and he walked up the block. I looked around and nothing else seems out of the ordinary.

My daughter and I take another load of groceries in. On the next trip to the car I see 4 rather large men walking up the street. I do not recognize them. In the low light, it is really hard to see much. I am a lot more aware of what is going on. I am thinking of what I would do if something happens. I have my daughter with me and she is complete oblivious to what is happening. The men are talking and laughing and having a good time. As they get closer I notice all of them are armed carrying OWB. Great.

At this point, I will admit I did not handle the situation well. I actually froze. I was thinking this could very likely not end well. What I should have done was get my daughter and me behind my car and asked these guys who they were and what they are doing. I normally do not carry a flashlight, but that would have been helpful.

As they get even closer, I notice that they are all wearing some type of uniform. They start up a friendly conversation with me as they are passing by and I can now see that they are county sheriff. Turns out they are K-9 cops training the dog. What they are doing walking through low lit neighborhoods at 11 pm at night I have no idea, but I sure was relieved.

This was actually a good experience for me. I realized that I should have been a lot more aware of what was happening and have a much better plan. I could think of a million things I could have done much better. One thing for sure, I am glad I didn't draw or confront these guys.

Live and learn!! The best cover you had was inside your home with the door locked and a phone in your hand. It is times like these where that what if's can be a good training tool.
NCH

Thanks for sharing that experience. That would be a difficult situation to deal with.
You certainly would have been wrong to even show you firearm.
I think you are right though, a good flashlight would have made all the difference. You would have the advantave at more distance, they would have to look into the light. You cold have apologised later and been friendly thanking them for being in the area.
This is a good lesson for me.

Id bet the next years pay checks they were practicing tracking... they do it a 11 at night because its dark, there is hardly nobody out to mess up the scent trail, or want to pet the working dog and they do it in neighborhoods because thats where they do it for real after somebody broke into your house or car etc.

Glad you didn't jump the gun on them or shine a light in their eyes if you had a flashlight. They might have not been very friendly with you. Don't want to anger a group of police officers with a K9. Like others have said, scoop your daughter up and hustle inside.

Way to be alert though and notice things going on in your environment. Most of the sheep would have never noticed.

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What I should have done was get my daughter and me behind my car and asked these guys who they were and what they are doing. I normally do not carry a flashlight, but that would have been helpful.

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I'll disagree with part of that. I agee you should have removed your daughter from the situtation by having her go inside the house. Where I disagree is people have the right to walk down your street 24 hours a day. If you see 4 men armed or not, walking down the street minding their own business, you start questioning them, you are inserting yourself into their business for no reason which will probably be view to them as starting crap. That could lead to a situtation that wouldn't have happened other wise and one you don't want. Just because someone is walking down the street at 11:00PM doesn't make them a B.G. I'm not saying don't stay aware and alert. If they are hanging around and you know they don't belong, then I would get suspicious.
Personally, If I was walking on a public street and someone said hey, who are you and what are you doing? I'd probably tell them to mind their own business and where they could go. Just my 2 cents.

4 to 1? Run away!

yes, the more times you experience "that feeling" the better you get at reacting to it. Very good job, dude. I remember the urge to poop my pants (after the fact) the first time I went into high alert mode years ago.

Gotta agree with Ragin Cajun. There's plenty of folks who simply do their best thinking at night, and even in winter, a walk at night is a great way to clear the mind. Add a few compadres for company, it can be downright enjoyable.

As long as they stay on the street. And as long as their behavior doesn't indicate ulterior motives.

Personally, I think it's a good idea to say hello to folks walking by. For one thing, it's the friendly thing to do. (Hey, I grew up in the country ...) For another thing, it gently informs them that they're not alone and not unobserved. And for a third, it gives you a further opportunity to gauge their motives when they react to the greeting of someone who's legit. (Even BGs have a hard time stifling consciences. They know they're doing something inappropriate, and that often shows in how they answer.)

So next time, try just saying hello. Be aware, and be safe -- but give 'em a friendly hello, and see what happens. Who knows, you might even meet a new neighbor with a helpful habit of keeping an eye on the neighborhood!

I do a lot of late night, after 10 p.m. or early morning walking, after 4 a.m. up here in the boonies. You never see anyone and if not totally overcast, visability is acceptable even out on the 2 tracks.

I was a K-9 Officer for almost 20 years. You would be surprised all the places we trained. Abandoned bldgs, neighborhoods, businesses, car lots, churches, restaurants, golf courses and club houses, courts. All training was done at night because that is when the K9's senses are most useful...anyone can see in the light. I think the best course would have been to close the car and go in the house.

edited to add: if you are going to carry you should be in at least condition yellow or high yellow...if you carry you should seldom be surprised.

Driveways seem to be the vulnerable area between your car and your home.
As I have found out myself with driveways.

Thanks for your post – I like to put myself into situations like yours and learn from them.

Live and Learn. Four strangers i don't know walking down my street? I live in a nice area and i'd be inside w/ the door locked. But you did fine, no harm no foul.

Should have retreated to your house. Four against one your not gonna come out on top. No I don't think you fine at all, but you were lucky.

Your title of the thread says wonders. I live in condition yellow. It's a good place to be. If you allow yourself to slip into condition white, it'll be over before you know it's even there.