Buying Fuel in Orlando

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Sheldon J

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
989
Location
Cereal City, Michigan
OK I've been traveling around a bit and my Mi CCW is recognized in quite a few states, which is great and have been carrying the whole trip.

While in the Orlando area (yes I carried in Disney, Universal, and a few more places as well) but this one day I happened to topping off the tank of the PU, the wife was inside spitting in the face of adversity and buying a lottery ticket.

Already in condition orange I spot a 5'10" 18-20 year old black male that looks like trouble and he is making a very direct line toward my truck from the 1:00. The truck is between me and him so I am in a good position I immediately clear my shirt from the HK and go to the hand at ready position, eyes locked on possible adversary.

He is only about 3' from the passenger door when he happens to look right at me and I give him a very strong go ahead and make my day stare, at which he notices my stance and makes a very quick course adjustment away from the truck. New Fl castle law and CCW has made a difference in the attitude of the PERP and they are more cautious about their target.
 
See, the Brady Campaign is right after all. Those Florida laws (concealed carry and expanded castle doctrine) enable you and other snowbirds to thwart the entrepreneurial efforts of disadvantaged youth. You've probably made it more difficult for that young man to get his medication. Sarah Brady, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Michael Bloomberg, and others with elevated consciousness hate you.
 
Luckily Texas now finally has similar rights. The castle doctrine (you don't have to attempt to flee before you fight) and concealed carry in a vehicle without a CHL (the "traveler assumption"). Texans can't open carry however; apparently it is a disturbance of the peace (understandable; not all Americans are gun fans)
 
New Fl castle law and CCW has made a difference in the attitude of the PERP and they are more cautious about their target.
Click to expand...

Only, you don't know the guy you scared off was a PERP. The law hasn't made a difference in the attitudes of PERPS such that they are more cautious about their targets, if you are basing this on your example. More than likely, it was your behavior that scared him off, whether he was a PERP or not.
 
What exactly was he perpetrating besides being young and black and walking toward the truck?
 
Let sheep be sheep. Just don't pass laws that expect me to grow wool.
Click to expand...
Good one.

Yes, please elaborate on the "I spot a 5'10" 18-20 year old black male that looks like trouble" angle. By stating it the way you did, you stereotype the black man, not the criminal element you picked up on. Convey the criminal or suspicious mannerisms you encountered, not the stereotype you inappropriately chose to perpetuate.

These type of attitudes do not reflect well on our culture.

We could easily call you a trigger happy gun toting so and so from your post. Especially with your boldness of packing in areas you technically you're not supposed to. Keep that stuff to yourself, it erodes your position as a law abiding CCW permit holder. Disney has surveillance that is probably only surpassed by Vegas casinos, if that.

This is The High Road, act appropriately.
 
Traveling has been an exemption in Texas law for a long, long time.
It wasn't defined, but it was recognized.
 
What exactly was he perpetrating besides being young and black and walking toward the truck?
Click to expand...
The young and black has nothing to do with it. If a stranger walks towards you at a gas station and doesn't say a word and gets
only about 3' from the passenger door
Click to expand...
I would be all over the situation. I almost drew on a scraggly looking old white guy for doing the same thing. Turns out he "decided" that he only wanted to ask for money and then move away quickly. I hope the cops picked him up later.
 
No slam intended but Jeepmor you are really too trusting, in todays world one needs to be aware of their surroundings and what is going on. :uhoh:

Orlando has turned into a high crime area, with tourists being on the no 1 hit parade. Every night as I watched the late evening news it was filled with stories of armed robberies, knifing, murders, drive by's, assaults, and other drug related events.:what:

There was no "Stereo type" only a statement and description of a individual that was making a very obvious and suspicious line of travel in a direction that would indicate they were not just passing by.

Human nature is that People tend to be lazy and take the shortest distance to a destination. A appropriate and direct direction of travel would have been parallel to the truck and toward the street, toward the mini mart, or toward the sidewalk, not a direct line to my passenger door.

But then I do not have to justify my line of reasoning, but I do well admit I am far from a prolific writer and my stories lack pizazz but are just what they are a short rendition of what happened for those of us who hate a long and tedious tomb to wade through to get to the point. If I ever could improve I have do have several SCIFI stories in draft form that could make me enough to buy some real good toys.

Over the years I have been around enough and have seen a great many individuals that warranted close attention an sufficient number of times to recognize the stance, walk, mannerism of someone that does not have your best interest at heart.

Were someone were to head toward you from the corner of a lot and you did not react my only hope is that you can run better than thess old knees of mine would let me.
 
Personal Remarks

Keep it clean, boys.

Let us not be making assumptions about the other guy's assumptions.

Never tell another man what he thinks or feels.

The topic is a good one.

Let's keep it that way.
 
Guys,

Body language of anyone, regardless of color, making a beeline towards a vehicle not owned by them leads one to believe that a potential harassment of some sort is about to happen. It could be solicitation, it could be a religious zealot, it could be a viable threat. I was trained by USMC for 10 years, then LE, and also worked in a max security prison. I learned a great deal about body language and non-vocal intentions. The description of the "perps" body language leads me to believe that it was a potential threat. My only responsive change would have been a shift in my body language and eye-to-eye contact with the perp, not allowing him to know (just yet) all by cards. Being a FL resident myself, and a security consultant; I have had the privilege to go "behind the scenes" with a friend high up the Disney security totem pole. With all of the high end security gadgetry available, the last thing they would be looking for is a licensed, responsible, CCW carrying adult protecting himself/herself if a threat arises. My only hope is that in the visit to the theme parks he left the firearm secured in the vehicle!
 
I immediately clear my shirt from the HK and go to the hand at ready position, eyes locked on possible adversary.
Click to expand...

Did you check 360 for other people who might have been accomplices?

Watch your six.
 
What does age and race matter?
Click to expand...

Because some 80 year old is less likely to harm you or rob you.

And the OP said that he walked directly toward his truck, and around here that doesn't normally happen.
 
What does age and race matter?
Click to expand...

Because unlike the "feel good" talking heads in the media, I will profile, racially and otherwise, people around me depending on what I know about a certain area.

If I'm in an area where 90% of crimes are committed by 90 year old women with blue hair then I'm watching blue haired old ladies a little closer than everyone else.

Don't try to be so politically correct that you disregard the reality of the world around you.
 
Sheldon, were you still in the tourist area when you were getting fuel?

If so then two adjustments need to be made.
1. Never, Never buy fuel in a tourist area. If you go outside the area prices are significantly lower.
2. Tourist areas are a hot zone. Convenience stores are a hot zone within a hot zone. In the house the mouse built the tourist area is surrounded on three sides with high crime neighborhoods.

Situational awareness is enhanced by doing research before going there. We recently took a trip to GA. Had to go through Hotlanta because the totally hot chick I am married to (she was watching over my shoulder) didn't want to go on the two lanes. I did some research as to what the neighborhood make up was around the route we took. Planned out the gas stops roughly. No need to be anal about this stuff.

I have lived in the Orlando area since 82. And have seen the most dramatic change in demographics. This place went from orange growers to dope dealers in a minute.
 
I have lived in the Orlando area since 82. And have seen the most dramatic change in demographics. This place went from orange growers to dope dealers in a minute.
Click to expand...
I hear ya. Orlando has become a cesspool.
 
Maybe I'm reading too much into the situation.....

I can picture the potential BG seeing the out of town driver pumping gas, watching the spouse walking into the building (maybe sans purse).....passenger door is most likely unlocked or window open, driver on the other side of the vehicle at the rear concentrating on fueling up, BG hoping to yank the passenger door open, or reach through the window, snatch anything of value, and run like a gazelle while the driver is trying to figure out what happened.

No weapon was displayed, only a change in stance, a "Yeah I see you" stare.

Looks to me like a great case of situational awareness.
I don't see a problem.
 
Sheldon J, I'll repeat my question:

Did you check around for possible accomplices?
 
I travel a lot. In fact I am traveling right now. I have been approached by bums at many gas stations over the years and you can spot the difference quickly.

Nothing wrong with walking up to a man's car. Nothing wrong with staring a man down who looks like trouble either. Sounds like a good way to avoid trouble.
 
Looks Like Trouble

. . . I spot a 5'10" 18-20 year old black male that looks like trouble . . .
Click to expand...
Yes, I've had people that looked like trouble approach me in parking lots. Some were black, some white, some Italian. You can't tell me they weren't Italian. They had dark olive skin and black hair. Well, they might have been Greek. Or even Portuguese.

So a young black guy walks by your truck? Why did you get ready to draw down and shoot him?

What does age and race matter? Why even mention it if it is not important?
Yesterday 09:53 PM
Click to expand...
. . . looks like trouble . . .

The other stuff is called "details." When someone tells me a story, I'm always glad of the details. I would want to know what the "looks like trouble" guy looks like.

Is he old? Young? Fat? Skinny? Black? Brown? Alaskan? Male? Female? Tall? Short? How is he dressed? Sweats? Jogging suit? Jeans & t-shirt? Leather jacket?

I always prefer as much detail as I can get. Helps me paint the picture.

. . . looks like trouble . . .
Click to expand...

That right there is the hardest part to describe. Frown on his face? The way he walked? Swaggering? Chin stuck out? Shifty-eyed?

The most relevant piece of data happens to be the hardest to explain. So, okay, I'll take what detail I can get.

How about
. . . a person that looked bad and potentially dangerous strode toward me . . .
Click to expand...
Well, no. There's not nearly enough descriptive detail. Can't mention that he's male, 'cuz that's sexist profiling. Can't mention that he's young, 'cuz that's age-ism. And that leather jacket? You're from PETA, right?

I would be more interested in an attempt to describe the
. . . looks like trouble . . .​
thing, because that's the hard part.

If you're trying to assess a threat, that's the part you need. Color may play a role in context, but that's not the threat. Approaching your vehicle . . . okay, now we have something. Other body language clues?

I'd kinda like to see that stuff. Helps me get the image.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top