I saw him, I watched him walk away...

My company has me shipped out of town for work to Pueblo CO.

I finished my shift, pull into the motel parking lot and there is some guy walking along the side of the building. I was backing up to park straight, the guy stopped (understandable, backup alarm and he may have thought I did not see him, or was going to keep backing up). I finished parking, and watched him continue down the side of the building...no big deal, nothing "odd" about him.

So, I turn off the truck, (window is down) finish logging my time on my laptop, and I hear "Hey buddy, can I get a cigarette from ya?" The guy is standing at my window. :blink: Alarms and red flags are going nuts. I was not smoking then or when I pulled in, he has now seen my computer, and he managed to come up on me without my noticing. I am not real happy with myself at this point.

I carry tucked IWB at 3:30 - 4:00 and my seatbelt is on. I knew from the start that my gun is useless to me while in a vehicle. My brain is quickly running through possible scenarios of what monkey I am going to pull out of my butt if this gets ugly, and all of them involve pseudo compliance until I can get the seat belt off, and at least turned somewhat sideways if not getting the door open and my feet out.

Banking on intimidation, I look at him with an annoyed look, and tell him that I am on my last pack and no he may not have one, sorry. During this time I am undoing my seatbelt with my right hand and have my left on the door handle ready to slam it open if needed.

He looks at me for a second, says no problem and turns to walk away. This time I watch him get a good 40 yards away before I continue my previous activities.

It was probably nothing, but I still :rant: at myself for letting this happen.

"Bad Sticks, no biscut!"

Alright bad attempt at being funny........
All ended up good, but you got a reminder about going 'white' while still in public.

I catch myself doing it every once and awhile, but it's the 'slap'of enbarrsment and anger at myself I feel when being 'caught' in condition white by someone else that keeps me alert

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Originally Posted by Sticks

So, I turn off the truck, (window is down) finish logging my time on my laptop, and I hear "Hey buddy, can I get a cigarette from ya?" The guy is standing at my window.

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Our old nemesis..."task fixation" (to borrow SouthNarc's terminology).

Glad it ended the way it did. If he had ill intent, you sitting there with the window down and absorbed with your work was a perfect opportunity for a sucker-punch (or worse).

I always have a pistol I can get to while in the car except at work.

For those of us who work out of a company vehicle with laptops, it's darn hard to concentrate on what your doing AND keep an eye on everything around you.

I can't be armed at work so I would have been even less prepared than you were Sticks! :blink:

Maybe I'm getting paranoid but I find myself looking around a lot more than I use to. Glad it turned out ok for ya.

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I knew from the start that my gun is useless to me while in a vehicle.

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Not true, unless you think so and thus make it true.
Fighting from within and about a vehicle is very much possible and real world doable as well as effective. Don't sell yourself short.

- Janq

+1 on what Jang said. If i am in a vehicle and I can't use it as a weapon, then I will most assuredly use my gun.

I agree that it would still be possible to use your weapon. I have practiced drawing from the same carry position you use inside a vehicle. It is somewhat awkward to draw from that position but it is possible.

If I am stopping, or thinking I might be in a place where I will be parked for a while, I either take a BUG that stays between the seats or under my thigh.
Without my BUG, my holstered weapon comes out and is placed in an easy to grasp position. Even just stopping and immediately taking off the seatbelt can help a lot.

Stay armed...be able to get at it...stay safe!

I'm really amazed that even after this guy walked up on you after he left you went back to your previous activities instead of going into your room where it is safer to finish your task,coulda been a really bad guy watching you and sneak up rob you at gun point or worse.You admiy you're vulnerability by having you're attention distracted and yet continue as if there may be no other threats

chalk it up to a friendly reminder from the Man upstairs.
This is one topic included in almost all women's defense classes, regardless of the physical means of defense being taught. They hammer it into our heads that sitting in a parked car is always a bad idea, no matter where you are. Perhaps it doesn't get brought up to men as much, though... I guess men don't constantly get ushered to self defense and safety courses like women do (not that I mind, you can always learn something new!). Other vehicle tidbits that have found their way into daily life are to not be stopped with the window down or doors unlocked, and not to pull up right behind a car in line- always leave room to pull out if need be. Glad it worked out for the best. I love travelling on business and staying in motels/hotels- such a welcome time of freedom and semi-anonymity!

I, like Airworthy, find myself looking around ALOT more than I used to, but still probably space off more than i realize, so thanks for the reminder Sticks! I also learned that being a larger person, getting J-frame out of my front pocket while seated in my car is nearly impossible (at least without looking like large dork trying to wrestle out of a straight jacket). This too happened when the situation seemed a bit suspect so now I make sure I have the S&W out of my front pocket before I head on down the road.

Everyone needs a good reminder once in a while. You just got yours.

If you spend a lot of time in the vehicle, I would suggest a better method of carrying, where you could get to your weapon. Maybe a cross draw holster, shove gun/holster between seats, mount a cheapie Fobus paddle holster out of sight on the underside of the dash (boss may not like that one).

A very vivid wake up call to all of us who have sat in "White" knowing full well we teach and preach that the only time we are in "White" is when we are in our recliner watching Future Weapons with our cat on our lap ... and I'm not to sure about the cat. Remember live in "Yellow" ... literely.