[GoodSamaritan]

Yesterday I dropped by a customers location to help a coworker with a particularly tricky problem. When we walked in, nobody was around, which was strange. My coworker set off to find someone while I went to use the restroom. :tongue:

My thoughts were interrupted mid stream, when I sensed someone slipping up on my 6 o’clock. I half whirled before remembering my current situation. Fortunately it was just my coworker, who is a SHAMELESS prankster, (one of these days I will tell y’all about him putting fake midget porn links on the bosses computer, that couldn’t be deleted) standing there with a startled expression on his face. I don't think he had figured out quite what he was going to do yet, but I don't think me nearly flashing him was part of the plan. (Johnnie, if you are reading this, PLEASE remember never to do this to an armed man again! Trust me on this, OK?)

We both turned beet red :redface: and laughed it off, but it bothered me. Not only do I have to be afraid of going to the bathroom with this guy around, but I have to admit, he caught me absolutely in condition white. If he had been a BG I would have been all wet (sorry couldn't resist). Not only did I get caught off guard, but due to the nature of the business I was conducting, my garments, and thus my weapon were in disarray. The best thing I could hope for would be to distract a BG by finishing that whirl and shooting from... uh... the hip so to speak (sorry still couldn't resist) while fishing for my weapon with my other hand. LOL


After I thought about it I thought that it would be an unusually vulnerable situation to be in, even if you are armed. Ok so now that I have had a wee bit of fun with this (last one I promise!) lets open it up for discussion.

Please lets keep it clean though you don’t want to tick anyone off. (See I kept my promise :biggrin: )

 

[Fjolnirsson]

I've actually given this a bit of thought. As a result, I only use the public facilities in the most dire of circumstances. I'll hold on for hours, if need be. However, watching me attempt to close a stall door is humorous at best, and downright pathetic as well. I simply don't fit. So, if I must use the urinal, I try to be alone, and maintain a high state of awareness. I keep one eye on my "business", and the other eye on the rest of the room. Garments don't give me much trouble, as I am not so well endowed that I must loosen my belt to whiz. I imagine that, if a situation arose where I needed to defend myself, I'd let loose on the bad guy with both "guns". :biggrin:

 

[Team American]

This is my weapon, this is my gun.... :biggrin:

 

[Bud White]

That coworker needs to be slapped up side the head with a 2x4 .. If this happened as said above i would just let loose with both guns

 

[Scott]

I was actually robbed while in this position. There were several people in the facility so I didn't think much of it. Everyone seemed to be going about their business. What I didn't know was that they were all together.

So ever since I use a stall with a door when using public facilities. Unfortunately in my line of work I have to use public facilities a couple times a day, so avoidance isn't an option. Stalls have their own drawbacks, but I figure the door buys me a little time as opposed to being pressed into the urinal with a knife in my kidney with no warning at all.

-Scott-

 

[ccm-tim]

Nice M14's

 

[GoodSamaritan]

Avoidance isn't an option for me either. I do usually look to see if anyone is in the restroom when I go in, but this time I didn't notice anyone and I didn't hear the door open. Also I hadn't really given much thought to being attacked in a restroom. I guess it just goes to show you, no matter how much you think you are prepared, you almost always have a blind spot somewhere.

I won't clock my coworker upside the head with anything, because he is a genuinely good guy, most of the time I get a kick out of his little pranks, but rest assured he will get pranked in return on this one. :diablotin

 

[standles]

As a related note.....

Be careful standing at urinals as well.

I always go into a stall and sit to pee (yeah I know guys) when in a divy place. But.. I am facing the door, my CCW weapon is in a position to be brought to bear (usually on the toilet paper dispenser) and my back is covered. I also never drop the trou below knee level this way I can yank them up one handed and still be mobile.

Why this freaky ritual you might ask... I had an aquaintance once that was using the urinal at a truck stop. All he remembers is his head being smashed forward into the concrete block wall and being rolled over and his wallet taken. Easy to do since your hand(s) are probably occupied and reactintion time issues. Didn't get any look at the perp due to disorientation and blood all over his face. Somce urinals now have a mirror in front for this reason.

Oh well just thought I would share (maybe to much) LOL!

Steven

 

[Tangle]

Living in condition yellow is a desireable goal, but I've found it's not as easy as it may sound. I explained the color code to a colleague and she got into testing me. And, while she took the situations a bit too far, like if she caught me walking out of my office door, but it helped me see how many times I drift into white. Just walking around corners of a building to tightly, to me is a condition white motion.

Then there are other times where condition yellow is no problem for me to maintain. I'm pretty yellow in public rest rooms - wait that didn't come our right.

We have to keep trying and making mental adjustments that will help us maintain that condition yellow awareness state.

 

[armoredman]

Like I used to tell newbies - use locking bathrooms if possible. Use private customer restrooms if you can. If you absolutely MUST use a public facility, use the stall, keep your weapon out of under-stall snatch distance, and don't sit with you head down.
Last, if, there is no way on this earth you can wait for a stall, and HAVE TO use a urinal, DON'T look DOWN! If your tool worked last time, it will work this time. The shiney metal fitting on the urinal infront of you makes a half arsed mirror for behind you. If that's not there, well, keep your head moving for peripheral vision to work. Hold the item in your non gun hand.
I got a lot of laughter with those comments, until people tried them....

 

[P95Carry]

Great pic TA LOL!

Stimulating thread - and I too find that on the (rare) occasion I have to use public rest rooms, I am probably in cond' orange. Might seem paranoid but - these are places where victims can be found and BG's know this. Catch em unawares and - poof - they (BG's) are gone in a flash.

Put it this way - and again it may seem awful paranoid to some - but I actually expect attack - by being in this mode I am mentally tuned to gain fast access to piece as priority - the rest of the excercize has to be done best I can :smile:

Worst places, well for me, are the rest stops on freeway - a motly assortment of folks everywhere - and a need to be ultra vigilant.

GS - another very good scenario topic - and I think we are all pretty much of a mind as to how we deal with this. Good tho to remind everyone to watch six and avoid that brief complacency of white - just when it might matter.

 

[RatBastard]

Hold the item in your non gun hand.

That would be like a stranger helping and I'd get stage fright.... :ugh2:

I spent a couple of years moonlighting on the Navy as a armed guard for GSA contracts where we had seperate gun belts. They stressed putting your belt across your chest. People used to just hang them on the stall door hook. BGs would just reach over the door, grab it, and be long gone before you could get your pants up.

 

[LPguy]

The shiney metal fitting on the urinal infront of you makes a half arsed mirror for behind you. If that's not there, well, keep your head moving for peripheral vision to work.

He is absolutely right!

I have found that bathrooms like this contain reflective surfaces, (like the pipes right in front of you attached to the urinal). I have used this little trick many times. Rather than be polite and stare at the wall, ceiling or floor, use these reflective surfaces to your advantage to see what else is going on behind you.

It isn't a perfect mirror image, but it certainly works to help you detect movement behind you.

Hold the item in your non gun hand. I got a lot of laughter with those comments, until people tried them....

I always hold my item in my left. Never hold ANYTHING in your gun hand if you're carrying!

Mike