My train ride to work.

[kd7nqb]

As I have mentioned in prior posts I work in the world of unarmed security. Well most of the sites I work are the usual stuff. But this week I am covering for another officers vacation at a strip mall/ shopping center. Long story short it means that I am working graveyard about 30 miles from home instead of my usual swing-shift. Due to the added commute distance I have decided to enjoy the luxuries of public transportation to get to and from work. As far as work goes I have little worries about my public safety other than the usual awareness.

On the other hand the light rail train here in Portland leaves something to be desired. On a regular basis there are assaults and other incidents on the train or at a stop. Tonight I had a pretty interesting encounter. Let me preface this by saying that I have chosen not to take my CCW with me for a variety of reason but the largest of which if it were discovered that I brought a firearm on to property it would likely mean the end of my job and I spent 6 months laid off earlier this year so I don't need to go through that again. I am reconsidering tossing my M&P in my backpack but for now firearms are not in my lineup however other defensive tools are, including OC.

I was on the train and originally grabbed a seat near the front facing the wall really for no other reason than it was a comfortable spot and had an open adjacent seat so I could toss my backpack there, again this decision was more comfort than personal security. My train ride in is about 90 minutes so I didn't need to be smashed. After about 10 min of riding I hear this same man speak up again and again mostly just the usual ramblings of a homeless man but I figured it was worth paying attention to. In addition the guy behind me on the train seemed to have fallen asleep so he kept slumping forward into me.

At this point I grabbed my stuff and moved to a different seat now making it a point to be in a spot where I can see the man that I kept hearing. He was sitting about 20 yds away in a seat facing my seat. He was not wearing a shirt and only some tattered jeans and a leather "bomber" jacket. He apparently saw me sit down because as soon as I took my seat he seemed to have keyed in on me. Not what I wanted. I had my IPOD on and left it on but paused the sound so I could hear what he was saying, again he seemed to be singing along to a song, he was not wearing headphones but was most definitely singing a variety of hair band classics. Not even 8 or 9 minutes after I took my new seat he moved and sat across the aisle from me. He tried to talk to me, first just by asking the time I told him the time was 10:38 (or something like that don't remember the exact time). He went back to singing and I went back to listening to my IPOD. A few moments later he asked for the time again, I told him "5 min after you last asked" He gave me a disgruntled look while the guy down the aisle a little farther, smiled as if he understood my frustration. However this time when he turned towards me I defiantly smelled booze on his breath.

We then entered about 20min where there was no interaction between us at all.

However during this time he just kept ranting (mind you, he was not talking to anybody just kind of speaking without an audience) most of these rants were about how he could not believe that his girl friend was beautiful and he does not understand why she would be with him. He rationalized that it was because he was so good in bed and that if that's the only reason she loved him he would need to leave. During these rants he said "it just doesn't make sense, I have no job, I am old and ugly but she must love me for my (appendage)".
Finally when he was done he asked me for the time again. This time I ignored him. He got up from his seat and kind of waved his hand away from me he asked again. I simply replied "Sir, I heard you" He then got up and walked farther down the aisle and asked somebody else for the time. As far I was concerned I just wanted to get to work He got off a stop or two later and I had no further interaction with him.

I fully understand that really at no point was he a major threat to my safety but I certainly felt he warranted a little extra attention. However I really feel that I probably spent too much attention on him making my overall situation awareness lack.

1. Was I justified in focusing my attention on him or should I have just moved seats and forgotten about him.

2. What did I do right?

3. What did I do wrong?

4. This is the question I really have been thinking about, is it more likely that a threat develops from a situation where a person starts out acting outside the social norm or is it more likely that a "cold" person acts out.

 

[MisterMike]

You should have notified a conductor. On my commuter rail system theguy would have been kicked off or handed over to the police. You shouldn't have put up with it.

 

[James T Thomas]

Come on baby take a free ride.

#4:

It has been my experience that an aggressor will; start out acting outside the social norm, in order to make a reconnaisance of his victim.
If he percieves that he is able to, he will then rapidly progress on to an assault.
Please notice that I said -percieve. It is all in what impression he comes to that will make his decision.
Unless you are Academy Award level, I would not recommend bluffing or posturing.
If you make your mind up, in advance, just how far you will put yourself at risk, then most thugs will recognize your mindset and adjust their behavior to suit. But, it must be absolute.

A "cold" person acting out is just the same as the first, but with out a preliminary warm up approach.

Now, you said "act out."

I read that as -not an assault out of the blue, which, if that should happen; you have already been observed, stalked, and are being ambushed.
Good luck in that event.

To have you review the worth of your health and life in comparison to the diffculty of unemployment, I would recommend you research the Collin Ferguson shooting which occured on the Long Island Railroad, NY. I believe.

 

[DHJenkins]

To answer question 4 - In my vast 6 weeks experience doing an FLS retrofit at a county psych facility, crazy starts out crazy and just get crazier. The ones that sit quietly will probably continue to do so - they just want to be left alone. The ones that 'act out' are the ones you have to worry about.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

 

[psyopspec]

"Do you have the time/a smoke/a light/some change?"

"NO!"

Most derelict folks who either want something, or want to recon you for other purposes don't expect that kind of curt resistance. It throws them off, and gives them incentive to find an easier target.

 

[Toml]

Down here we say, No, Sir!

Sit in the first car as close to the conductor as possible. The handicapped/elderly seating that faces the aisle will give you a better view of what's going on than sitting forward or backward.

 

[Owen Meany]

Always be polite. A response made with more assertiveness, "curtness" or "resolve" than the overture requires does not signal strength or preparedness on your part - it telegraphs fear, loud and clear. I've seen people employ this kind of preemptive verbal strike, and it never sends the kind of message that they seem to think it does.

Courtesy is not a sign of weakness, and almost no potential adversary with any experience will mistake it for such.

 

[psyopspec]

The terse response works; that's why I use it in certain circumstances. If I have any doubts about someone's intentions, or if I'm not in the mood to give out freebies to drunks, I've never had one follow me or be an aggressive panhandler after using the NO response. This is as opposed to "Sorry, I can't spare a smoke since this is my last one." Responses like that open a door for conversation and casing with someone I want neither with, and usually result in them asking for something else.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Some people are just weird. I think if he was going to to something, he would have just done it without much ado. Criminals have minds, too, and understand that people don't want to get robbed/stabbed/whatever. There's people who talk and then act, but for the most part if someone wants to do something to you you're not going to know about it until it happens.


Keep your cool, man. Treat everyone like a suspect, but only in your mind. If you're noticeably uneased by a situation may just get you into a worse one.
One thing to keep in mind is that you gotta be polite, but stern. If someone asks you the time, tell them. If you get annoyed with them, let them know. Don't use your inside voice, use your serious voice so they get the idea. Don't ever let anyone get their way over you The minute you let someone walk all over you, they will.

 

[cowart]

In your situation I think I would have moved to a different car instead of just changing seats, if possible.

I am reconsidering tossing my M&P in my backpack

Not a good idea: TSA regulations consider it a "significant security concern" if there is a "Discharge, discovery, or seizure of a firearm or other deadly weapon on a train, in a station, terminal, facility, or storage yard, or other location used in the operation of the railroad, rail hazardous materials shipper, or rail hazardous materials receiver". Source - http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=a055006efd129616d18dd840795e53d8&rgn=div6&view=text&node=49:9.1.3.6.20.2&idno=49

 

[Rockwell1]

I defiantly smelled booze on his breath.

Maybe if you weren't so defiant he wouldn't have escalated

 

[Mp7]

Consider your "strategy".

Oc at hand. a fist in the other.

Observe ... then choose between: stay calm, attack, flee.


It´s good to be aware. And if you feel uncomfy
either: leave, call "insert authority" or first speak up
to involve other normal people.

If things go really aggressive: Warn, attack ... or maybe
in a slightly different order.

Aware. Not alert. Public Transport is not the UFC.



(But hey... that´s just a thread impression
and my thoughts. I wasn´t on that train.)

 

[sacp81170a]

You have experienced first hand an extended interview. The guy keyed in on you for whatever reason, maybe because you looked like you might have something he would want or might be vulnerable. During the extended interview process, you did or said something or were simply aware enough that he decided that you were not a profitable victim at that time. He was probably probing you at first to determine if you were going to exhibit fear or send prey signals. This kind of predator looks for targets of opportunity and if you don't send out those prey signals they are likely to back off.

Good work. You were aware enough of your surroundings to recognize the threat (condition yellow), focus on it (condition orange) and take the necessary steps to avoid it before you had to take direct action (condition red).

It was a "cold" interview to see how you were going to react. You didn't react like a victim, so you didn't become one.

 

[MisterMike]

I'll elaborate a little more on my earlier response . . . I was actually on a train and responding on my iPhone. Hence, my short response.

I have taken a train every workday for the past 21 years. Stuff like this is very uncommon, but it does happen on rare occasions.

Frankly, I don't trust these characters. Generally they have mental health and/or substance abuse issues, and I feel that they're somewhat unpredictable. I think you handled things well. You need to be assertive with them, while not being confrontational (a hard balance, I know). If you're in a physically vulnerable position, move now, before they decide to do something stupid. And definitely--most definitely--summon a trainman, conductor, or security officer and let them know that the guy is bothering people. My son once remarked to me that the conductors on our Metra line have a "cop mentality," in the sense that they dear very firmly with individuals who are threatening to make trouble. Unless they've already gone over the line, they will put them off the train in a heartbeat. If the guy's belligerent, the cops will be waiting at the next stop.

So, my advice would be this: Firmly tell the guy to leave you alone. Make sure you're situated in a defensible position if you sense danger. And, if the guy doesn't immediately cease and desist, get the train personnel to intervene.