Encounter with a rabid Neighborhood Patrol

[suntzu]

I went for my run last night at 10PM. Was wearing running shorts and shirt with reflective tape, hydration belt, and of course had my earphones in. There is only one description that would be applicable : runner. Around mile 8 this van pulls in front of me blocking the road. I start to run around it when two guys get out and demand what I am doing there. Evidently they tried to yell at me earlier and I did not hear them. The were the local neighborhood watch according to them. They did have this cheesy magnetic shield that said xxxxxx Neighborhood watch so I knew that they were authentic. I yelled "I am running". One guy tried to block my path ans I ran through him. They then followed me.

A mile later a LEO pulls me over. The dudes in the van called them. He asked why I did not stop for the guys. I said I am on a 13 mile run and I have no requirement to stop for them and they are obviously idiots to not be able to determine if I am a BG up to no good or somebody out for a run.

The LEO was mostly cool. He said maybe the next time to just introduce myself to avoid any problems. I replied that maybe they should not stop folks who are out for a run and think they have the authority to detain that person. I said they are lucky that someone doesn't pepper spray or shoot them. My wife runs with pepper spray and she said if she saw guys cut her off and get out of a van they would have had a face of pepper spray.

The LEO laughed and said he is doing the same marathon I am and then I went on my way totally ticked off from this encoounter. He went over to talk to them and said they should only report and not to stop folks. Messed up training run big time. Just becasue folks can't use critical thinking and MYOB it affected my personal time. I swear, folks have no brains left.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ppkheat]

I'm glad you have a neighborhood watch program, and it must have been a boring night for the guys in the van to stop an obvious runner.

I agree with what you wrote, and would have been ticked off if my run had been interrupted like that.

You weren't running with a flat-screen TV on your back were you?

[miller_man]

Yeah thats pretty silly. I would've probably had to give them a peice of my mind when they "detained" me. Don't people know neighborhood watch is about WATCHING and then reporting suspicious activity?

[ericb327]

You should have pressed charges on them if possible.

[ksholder]

Glad they were who they said they were. Those cheesy magnets are not all that hard to get. Too bad they did not try their routine on your wife. I would live to see that AAR. Buffoons would have gotten what they asked for.

[Brad426]

You should have pressed charges on them if possible.

Meh, they might very well be idiots but let's not lose sight of the fact that what they are doing is trying to prevent crime in their area. I would go more for educating than deterring people from forming or joining neighborhood watch programs.

[ericb327]

Meh, they might very well be idiots but let's not lose sight of the fact that what they are doing is trying to prevent crime in their area. I would go more for educating than deterring people from forming or joining neighborhood watch programs.

Actions like this got a guy in Florida charged with murder not so long ago!

[bigmacque]

Don't you just hate it when the cheesy magnetic shield goes on the car and common sense goes out the door?

[Brad426]

Actions like this got a guy in Florida charged with murder not so long ago!

Agreed, so let's educate folks on what their actions should be rather than make people say "No way will I join the watch! Remember that guy that got charged with murder in Florida and those two guys that got arrested in Texas when they asked the jogger what he was doing? No way man, let someone else take that risk."

Because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want them on that wall. You NEED them on that wall.

[suntzu]

You should have pressed charges on them if possible.

I couldn't get hold of Barstoolguru for advice LOL. I ain't that type of person. Problem is the world is just getting plain dumber. They both would have had a face full of pepper spray if it was my wife. She just happend to have run earlier.

[Mike1956]

The encounter with the local representatives of the Wannabe tribe sucks, to be sure. One lesson to be taken away (which I learned in 1988, preparing for the Columbus Marathon) is that earbuds take one's situational awareness waaaaaaaaay done.

[suntzu]

The encounter with the local representatives of the Wannabe tribe sucks, to be sure. One lesson to be taken away (which I learned in 1988, preparing for the Columbus Marathon) is that earbuds take one's situational awareness waaaaaaaaay done.

I know, so does a hard 13 mile run by it self LOL. Personal choice. I like running with music, I am not going to be afraid to do what I want to do because of the almost nil chance a BG will target a fit male runner.....never anticipated a rabid neighborhood watch though!

[mb1900]

Was wearing running shorts and shirt with reflective tape, hydration belt, and of course had my earphones in. There is only one description that would be applicable : runner... They did have this cheesy magnetic shield that said xxxxxx Neighborhood watch so I knew that they were authentic.

I think I've spotted the problem: you forgot your CCW badge. Next time wear it on your chest for greater visibility, or on the belt for hip factor. The badge will cancel out the magnetic shield. It's the law of the universe.

[Mike1956]

I know, so does a hard 13 mile run by it self LOL. Personal choice. I like running with music, I am not going to be afraid to do what I want to do because of the almost nil chance a BG will target a fit male runner.....never anticipated a rabid neighborhood watch though!

When I was running a lot, I was targeted by carloads of teens looking for a game twice, and motorists trying to scare me several times. It all ended without incident. Bicycling is a slightly different phenomena. I have had objects tossed at me twice (both misses), and deliberately forced off the road once.

[Spidey2011]

In MT that's unlawful restraint. The simple "I'm out for a run," is all they'd have gotten from me either.