[TheMadScientist]

Last night my girlfriend woke up to a loud knock on the door. As there was a lot of break ins recently she grabbed the Shield and had it by her side as she looked through the peephole. It was a guy with a clip board who had a tow truck and was gonna ask her to move her car so he can get the vehicle in her driveway. He noticed the gun at her side and understood her reaction to him knocking. Nothing else happened. The rest of the night was not an issue.

I honestly thought it was strange for him to knock on the door like that to wake her up. She did put it away so she could move the car and I think she should have had it bolstered on her waistband.

How do you think she did?

 

[marcclarke]

Whose car was being repossessed?

 

[TheMadScientist]

Whose car was being repossessed?

I don't know. Some random moron who left their car sitting halfway in her driveway and halfway in her yard.

 

[marcclarke]

I don't know. Some random moron who left their car sitting halfway in her driveway and halfway in her yard.

Oh, ouch. Thanks for the info. Glad your girlfriend came through it OK.

 

[gasmitty]

A repo guy knocking on my door at 1 am is not going to get a lot of cooperation from me. Come back at a civilized hour, and maybe we can have a polite conversation.

 

[Cippee]

A repo guy knocking on my door at 1 am is not going to get a lot of cooperation me. Come back at a civilized hour, and maybe we can have a polite conversation.

The guy has balls knocking at 1am

 

[bmcgilvray]

In Texas, peaceful, self-help repossession is a remedy available for creditors. Deliberately waking folks up at 1AM would be construed as a breach of the peace. "Steal" the vehicle quietly or come back during 'smitty's civilized hour for discussion.

 

[Techer40]

I think she did well except make sure she keeps the gun with her til she is back inside with the door locked. You never know what can happen.

 

[luckydog]

I don't know. Some random moron who left their car sitting halfway in her driveway and halfway in her yard.

If some idiot I don't know, left their car halfway in my driveway and half in my yard, I would have called the cops and have it towed myself before I went to bed. I have no mercy for morons anywhere, especially at my home.

 

[Poppy42]

Ya he would not of gotten a lot of cooperation out of Me at 1:00 in the morning. I don't know if I would've gone out to move the car as it could've been some kind of scam to get her outside. She probably should call the cops when she saw her strange guy through to peep hole. How did she know was legit ? What kind of verification did the guy have ? I guess I am kind a hoping you left a few specific details out. If not and it happened exactly the way you said if I was her I would consider myself very lucky. You hear all kinds of stories about a stranger knocking on the door asking for assistance, asking use the phone, claiming to be a delivery person, etc.. More often than not it doesn't turn out very well for the homeowner. Especially a woman alone . I think she took way too much for granted.

 

[alabamaguy]

No friggen way would I have answered the door at 1:30 am for anybody. (Even if they were in police uniform, I would first call 911 to make sure it is legit.)

A lot of home intrusions start out with "there was a knock on the door at xx am in the morning....."

 

[Fizban]

Unless there is a marked police car or firetruck outside, there is no way I am answering the door at 01:30..no way.

 

[BadgerJ]

Last night my girlfriend woke up to a loud knock on the door. As there was a lot of break ins recently she grabbed the Shield and had it by her side as she looked through the peephole. It was a guy with a clip board who had a tow truck and was gonna ask her to move her car so he can get the vehicle in her driveway. He noticed the gun at her side and understood her reaction to him knocking. Nothing else happened. The rest of the night was not an issue.

I honestly thought it was strange for him to knock on the door like that to wake her up. She did put it away so she could move the car and I think she should have had it bolstered on her waistband.

How do you think she did?

You live near her? You should do a followup. See if you can identify the towing company, ask why they have people pounding on doors at 1am.

Tell her never to do that again. She did NOT listen to her fear and let what could be a common disguise (perp steals a tow truck, finds a clipboard inside, bam! he's legit). She should have said 'I'll call 911 and inform them, wait in your truck.'

She should not be looking through the peep hole if she can see in another manner. That's a common way that home invasions happen, wait for the hole to darken, fire a shot (even with a .22).

Of course it depends on the totality of the circumstances, if she lives alone, if the area is high or low crime, etc.

You might ask her why she went to bed with a strange car in her yard/driveway. That would have been the time to resolve it, rather than let it go pear-shaped resulting in a possibly dangerous encounter at 1am.

 

[wsquared]

In Texas, peaceful, self-help repossession is a remedy available for creditors. Deliberately waking folks up at 1AM would be construed as a breach of the peace. "Steal" the vehicle quietly or come back during 'smitty's civilized hour for discussion.

Very true. One interesting facet of Texas law is that once the sun has gone down, lethal force may legally be used against a person attempting forcible entry into a dwelling - without any need to identify that person. (it's a hold-over from the days when there was very little formal law enforcement to go around a very large state) Smart folks are fairly careful about how vigorously they knock on doors late at night.

 

[jmf552]

No way I would open the door for that. The "tow truck guy" could be a BG just as easily as anyone else, credentials or not. I would have called the cops and let them sort it out. If the cops asked me to move my car, I would have.

If he was a BG intent on mayhem, just saying "come back later" might send him in search of another victim. I would not want to wake up to headlines the next day that someone fell for the same scam an hour later and I could have headed it off.

Even if he is legit, the fact that my car is inconveniencing a repo guy is not my problem.

 

[Kennydale]

No way I would open the door for that. The "tow truck guy" could be a BG just as easily as anyone else, credentials or not. I would have called the cops and let them sort it out. If the cops asked me to move my car, I would have.

If he was a BG intent on mayhem, just saying "come back later" might send him in search of another victim. I would not want to wake up to headlines the next day that someone fell for the same scam an hour later and I could have headed it off.

Even if he is legit, the fact that my car is inconveniencing a repo guy is not my problem.

DITTO ! Come back in daylight HOURS with some sort of COURT PAPERS

 

[Rock and Glock]

You might ask her why she went to bed with a strange car in her yard/driveway. That would have been the time to resolve it, rather than let it go pear-shaped resulting in a possibly dangerous encounter at 1am.

Who called it in? In her driveway, on her lawn? I don't think I am following the chain of events here.

Do tow trucks just appear in the night and tow cars off for being parked oddly, unless by a fire hydrant or the like? It's not like North End Boston.

Based on what has been explained, I rate her behavior a "D-" at best, since she was initially armed. She lost points when she put the gun away and went outside unarmed. She could have

1) Called the police to come observe said tow

2) Stayed armed

 

[Cannibal]

If you hadn't asked for opinions, I wouldn't offer my critique. But, you asked. :biggrin2:

I don't trust peepholes, or most peoples, for that matter. Tactics are basically just a matter of doing something effectively, but not necessarily predicable. So I don't stand behind a door, when a questionable activity has brought me to the area. Talk through a window, if you must communicate with someone.

Then, don't trust people you don't know. Your girlfriend was disarmed by conversation and empathy: "He noticed the gun at her side and understood her reaction to him knocking." This ignores the fact that he never should have seen the gun in the first place. By giving him the visuals, you've given him a few advantages. Not the least of which, is knowing you're prepared to fight, if needed.

Then, the worst thing she did, she went outside. I might talk to someone through a window because it might be a legit situation where someone needs help. But I'm not going outside my home for someone I don't know. I lose all my advantages by doing so. The person is welcome to call me paranoid, if they want, but it isn't going to be of any help getting assistance from me. If they need help, I'll happily call emergency services for them.

She made assumptions, without any means of confirming anything. Doesn't matter if we're talking gunfights or accounting, assumptions lead to all kinds of trouble.

And I say this as a fairly large guy, with years of training and more experience than I'd prefer to have under my belt. Doesn't matter! Tactics are tactics. Man or woman or 'other', you don't give up the high ground without a really damn good reason. A tow truck driver with a him-issue...not even a sorta OK reason for me.

What I tell people is simple and usually hits home: What would you have told your child to do?

That isn't a statement of somebody acting like a child, or being weak. No insult intended at all. It's simply a way of checking oneself. If you think it would be OK for your 8 year old to answer the door for a stranger at 1:30am and go outside with said stranger, then, alright. I doubt most people would think it's OK. If they can answer the question of why it isn't OK, then they should have all the reasons they need to heed their own advice.

It's a good learning experience, so long as she learns.

 

[packnrat]

should have called the police, first.
then tell the guy to wait for them to get here.
then after the police arrive move the car.
then in the am file a complaint about this breach to the tow company, the police, and the bb company. others?


.

 

[BigJon10125]

A repo guy knocking on my door at 1 am is not going to get a lot of cooperation me. Come back at a civilized hour, and maybe we can have a polite conversation.

If he was removing the idiot blocking my driveway, he would get a little cooperation. All while I stand by, armed.