I was watching the news the other night and there was a story about attempted armed robberies in our area. I noticed on the screen was a picture of the ATM that I frequent. I have recently changed positions at work and no longer go by this particular ATM everyday but I still go there occasionally. The story was about two BGs who have attempted to rob people stopped at the ATM on three different occasions in the past two weeks. They also are believed to have attempted to rob two convenience stores within a mile of the ATM.
My question, do you carry on business as usual knowing you carry a weapon and should be able to defend yourself if need be or do you avoid the ATM and the next time you need cash and are in the area choose to go a few miles out of your way to meet your needs?
I haven't had to answer the question yet but I believe I will go to a different ATM till they catch the guys or I feel like enough time has passed and it is "safe" to go back there.
If you KNOW that ATM...or any other site...is a confirmed trouble area, why risk going there?
If you have the chance to avoid a bad confrontation by knowing to avoid the place, then avoid it.
Best way to win a fight is to not be there. Yes, there are times when we don't get to pick or choose the location of the fight, because chance places us in the thick of it, but on those rare occasions where you DO get to choose, why choose to risk it?
Just because I carry doesn't mean I choose to go where I think there may be trouble. If at all possible I avoid going to the "bad areas" but I'm ready if I have to go there.
Of course, even in the "good areas" I try to be fully aware of my situatiuon.
The ATM I use most is not closed in but is on the corner of the bank building (walk up) and has a good field of view so I can see anyone approaching for quite some distance. I don't like using the drive up ATM, it's to restricting.
A couple times I have avoided stopping because things just didn't look right. If it's late and I must get cash, I'll use an ATM located inside a grocery store, they're are several that are open 24 hours here.
I agree we are not LEO or vigilantes as some anti's may paint us to be,we carry for self defense,we are more aware of our surroundings because of our heightened sense of alert,we do not go into bad parts of town hoping somebody will mess with us so we can teach them a lesson,and I believe we are smart enough to know that when an ATM or that area has been targeed we go to another ATM,
I had a similar situation present itself to me. I live in a small, very rural town with only a couple of convenience stores. The closest one to me, which is also the largest, has been robbed at gunpoint a few times. Which you'd think wouldn't happen in small town Vermont.
I questioned where I should do my local shopping after the last time it was robbed. Should I travel the extra mile to the other store? I finally decided I wasn't going to let a thug decide where I'd do my shopping. There were three reasons for this decision.
First, if enough people stopped shopping at the store, it would go out of business, yet another tragedy brought about by crime.
The second reason is that the other store is only a mile down the road. There is nothing stopping the criminals from hitting that store too.
The third reason is that if enough people changed their shopping habits and the smaller store became the busier one, it would become the new "prime" target.
None of this has anything to do with your situation with the ATM. It's not like you're going to put the bank out of business by going to a different branch. But it was similar enough I wanted to comment.
I normally leave for work between 5:00 - 5:30 AM. The only ATM available at that time of the morning to me is a drive up at the bank. If there is another car there when I arrive, I wait at the rear of the drive for it to leave. As I pull up to the ATM I unholster my weapon, keeping it in my lap at ready. Once I have my cash in hand I proceed to an open area of the parking lot before putting my money away and reholstering my gun. Do I consider that paranoid action? No. Just being very pro active.
The ATM we use is outside the bank in a very well lighted strip mall, but even so I avoid going there at night. Even though I am armed, why look for potential problems, if they can be fairly easily avoided.
As Archer said, it isn't being paranoic, it's being safe, cautious and avoiding trouble, which is always the best plan. But just as avoidance is the best plan ... preparation and training to anticipate, recognize and stop the threat. If that means driving away all the better, if it means "stopping" the threat so be it. But as we all know there is an attorney behind every round we fire!!! AVOID if possible.
Well, when you keep in mind that ANY confrontation can go terribly wrong - no matter if you're armed or not then it's wise to avoid known troublesome areas and situations that pose a greater likelihood of danger.
My question, do you carry on business as usual knowing you carry a weapon and should be able to defend yourself if need be or do you avoid the ATM and the next time you need cash and are in the area choose to go a few miles out of your way to meet your needs?
Yes, I absolutely make minor alterations to destination/schedule based on known facts, based on the "little hairs" rising on the back of my neck, based on not knowing an environment well enough. I think I would be stupid to not do that.
Be careful, though, about inferring the wrong conclusion about cause/effect.
Who's to say what the actual factors were in each confirmed assault or robbery at that location? Was the victim a sheep in condition white? Was the victim otherwise tuned "out" while using an iPod, cell phone or something else? Was the victim taking any precautions to avoid attack, such as using a car to head to the drive-up ATM, heading to a branch where the drive-up ATM has a stout concrete wall as a backdrop along with an easy exit? Keeping the doors locked and (most) windows rolled up, while using the ATM? Did the victim have a lookout sitting in the car to monitor any suspicious inbound characters?
The reality is: SHTF anywhere, anytime. Though, my guess is that each of these victims added their own little something, which was all that the criminal needed to gain the upper hand.
Don't use ATM's...everything is direct deposit and the local bank has a drive-thru that I use during the daylight hours with other cars around...much safer.
Why would I want to use an ATM, at night, alone? Should I also wear a please rob me sign?
Great replies. I was in no way implying we should "go looking for trouble". Heaven knows we have enough without looking. And, if we know for a fact there could be a confrontation we should avoid it at all costs. In this situation we don't really know there will be a confrontation; I guess we just know the odds are a little higher at this point in time.
What made me think of the scenario was my wife called the other day on her way home and needed some cash, she asked if I thought she should stop. I said no way, wait till in the morning and use a different teller. I thought it would make for an interesting conversation.
If it were me, I would change my pattern and find a different ATM that I felt semi-safe using. I don't feel safe at any ATM, which is why I don't use them, but if you have to I would find a different one. :hand10:
Due to issues like this I basically never go to ATMs anymore. I just hop into a local supermarket, two of which are 24/7 places, and buy a pack of gum to get some cash with my purchase.
yeah while it's good to avoid an atm in a bad local, who"s to say the
next atm would really be any safer. we all know, anyplace,anytime,
anywhere. major thing is keep radar up and be as safe as possible.
Do BGs stake out places to take you down? Absolutely.
I worked in NYC, off and on, between 1967& 1992, before Rudy cleaned it up. My office was in Mid Town Manhattan. I commuted in from NJ to either Port Authority Bus Terminal or Penn Station. If it was raining, I would usually take the subway but on nice days I walked.
Even though the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, I always varied my routes to & from the office by a block or two each time. I always picked up my coffee & bagle, but not from the same place. People who didn't were more likely to get mugged.
NY's Finest always had vulnerable looking decoys pretending to be commuters, walking across town from Penn Station or PA Bus Terminal. They got many more arrests after a decoy used the same route at the same time over a period of weeks.
This is a good point and not the usual knee jerk reaction. The ATM is located in a place where it is known to have been hit several times and the BG's are still on the loose probably waiting to rob again. In this case it would be prudent to avoid putting yourself in such a situation and realistically determine if it is worth making changes to your routine. Just because you are carrying a gun doesn't mean you will be safe and without problems. Until the BG's are caught I would avoid it.
As I said this is different from the normal situation that people panic over where they have been blissfully going along totally ignorant of danger until something happens and then panic when something does. Much like people in New Orleans running out after Katrina to buy flood insurance. Didn't they think about flooding before then?
I can't remember the movie with Robin Williams where he was looking at a house to buy and while contemplating it a plane crashes into the house. He says to his wife we'll take it because I know we will be safe here. What are the odds of anything like this ever happening again?
I can't remember the movie with Robin Williams where he was looking at a house to buy and while contemplating it a plane crashes into the house. He says to his wife we'll take it because I know we will be safe here. What are the odds of anything like this ever happening again?
Just because you’re armed, does not mean your bullet proof.
Avoid the area, and since THUGs in your area are targeting ATMs, I would make a point to go to the bank during normal business hours, or as others have said, if you must use an ATM after-hours, use one at a grocery store, or other populated place.
But what if you own a convenience store in a not so great part of town? Then you may not be actually looking for trouble, but if you think trouble is not going to come to you, you are being an idiot.
dis-cre-tion (di skresh'en) n. 1. the freedom to make decisions 2. the quality of being prudent
If you have this quality in your personality...you are a fool not to exercise it in EVERY situation, at EVERY opportunity. Yes, change your behavior, your habits, your inclinations, your bank, even your lucky underwear. Use EVERY advantage at your disposal out-wit, out-maneuver or out-run the Bad Guys...before your option is limited only to out-shooting them.
But what if you own a convenience store in a not so great part of town? Then you may not be actually looking for trouble, but if you think trouble is not going to come to you, you are being an idiot.
I totally agree. Sometimes, it is really hard to maintain good SA when you are running the register and are backed up with customers. Which is one reason at night we always close with 2 of us there (not that the other person is armed, so far just ME; but I am working on that). Although it's nice to be armed and ready, 99.9% of the time (or more) I find we have to watch for shoplifters, scammers, and counterfeiters. I guess it overall is a good way to practice your SA. But it is really tough keeping one eye on the register (when giving change) and the other on the person(s) in front of you (who sometimes wait till you aren't looking at them to filch stuff). You just can't turn your back on these people.
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