Phoenix C-Store at night.

[AZ Lawman]

I drove from my home near Payson AZ to downtown Phoenix last night. A good friend had blown a radiator hose, and was stranded in the parking lot of a Circle K at the corner of 3rd Ave and Osborn. Not a great neighborhood by any stretch of the imagination, but not a war zone as much of central Phoenix can be. It was after 11:00pm, and the closest 24-hour Auto Zone I knew of was almost 7 miles from where he was.

On the way, I hit the Auto Zone and picked up an upper and lower radiator hose, coolant, and new hose clamps to save time so we could get headed home.

I got to the parking lot, and got myself a cup of coffee. We broke out my travel toolbox and started working on the hoses. Dave's truck was parked close to, but not blocking the air pump, under one of the big parking lot lights. There was a liberal amount of cussing as one of the screw heads on one of the old clamps broke, and I had to ferdingle it off with needle nose pliers. It wasn't a huge problem, but it was aggravating. While I was working on the upper hose, Dave was under the truck pulling and replacing the lower hose, so he wasn't easily visible.

While we were engaged in our parking lot auto repair, a busted up looking, primer covered, 1982 or 83 Olds Cutlass with about $6,000 worth of tires and rims, and Lord only knows how much the stereo cost, came bumping into the parking lot. There were three men in it. It was playing very loud, very filthy rap garbage. It pulled over near the air hose, and the driver started cussing me to "Move your <deleted> truck white boy."

"It'll just be a couple more minutes...can't start it right now. It's almost done."

"Den push da <deleted> white boy."

I just ignored him, and moved around to the side of the truck where the fender, and wheel were between me and the Cutlass. It made the work a bit more awkward, but I liked having the cinder block wall to my back.

"Ain't you heard me? I said push the <deleted> truck cracker!"

I continued to ignore him. We had less than five minutes worth of work to do and we'd be on our way, and I wasn't going to buy into his showing out BS. I just kept working and told Dave to do the same thing.

Finally after a couple more minutes, I had the top hose on, and Dave was tightening the bottom hose. I started filling the radiator with coolant.

The driver of the Cutlass and his two pals got out of the Cutlass, all seriously puffed up and running their mouths.

"<deleted> why you disrespectin' me? You want some?" and so on and so on.

Dave slid out from under the truck and popped up on my side. I finished pouring in the coolant, and topped it off with water.

Apparently three to two was pushing the l

 

[towboat_er]

Good thing you had your guns. Probably would have been a fight.

 

[Uteridge]

Been there. Tough situation with a stranded vehicle in a gas station parking lot with some gangsta wanna-be's trying to cow you. Mine happened in California with a truck full of youth from my church that I had taken to a camp for the day to fix some fence. Fortuity it had the same ending...spineless cowards running away once they realized they didn't have the upper hand. I guess with a bunch of Hispanic high school kids around my truck we looked like a rival gang. Glad to hear that your situation ended up well.

 

[BleysAhrens]

younger people don't know what respect is... I love Phoenix, but I really would not be able to handle that crap.

 

[AZ Lawman]

Hell fire...if it would have been simple fisticuffs...Dave and I would have been picking our teeth with their bones. I'm a retired cop...Dave is a retired Army Master Sergeant (E8) Airborne Ranger with Panama in 89, Desert Storm, Somalia, an Afghanistan tour and two Iraq tours under his belt. He and I went to high school together. He went career Army, I went to community college and the police academy. I retired last year after 25 years, he retired a few months ago. We are a little long in the tooth, but we aren't that old.

But I know what you mean. Young punks with big mouths aren't used to old guys who stand their ground and have probably forgot more about scraps than they will ever learn.

I was totally sincere when I said I didn't want trouble. No trouble, no paperwork, no long explanations to local PD about why there are three punks in the trauma unit.

It worked out for the best, but dang, I thought all this mess was behind me! I try to explain to younger fellows that it is a mistake to confuse good manners for weakness.

And towboat er......I ALWAYS have my gun.

 

[WardenWolf]

Phoenix isn't that bad. Lived here all my life. But that's definitely the wrong part of town. Probably one of the worst areas, truth be told. I worked a job a couple of summers back, and one of our IT customers was a government contractor that worked in the welfare office. Well, they don't put the welfare office in good areas of town, and those areas of town quickly become worse after they've moved in. One of the offices was right in that area. I couldn't carry in my job, but I had my Ruger P90 in my car. Damned if I'm going down somewhere that attracts desperate people while transporting several thousand dollars worth of computer equipment, and not be armed. Fortunately, I didn't work in that job long.

 

[armoredman]

Some of your post got deleted - what happened after

Apparently three to two was pushing the l

, if you don't mind? I stay out of the Phoenix area if I can, inlcuding all suburbs. As for respect, watching the kids in prison, they believe "respect" is "you do what I say and bow while doing it", not what it REALLY is. They learn, sometimes very painfully.

 

[AZ Lawman]

I guess you'd have to ask Sam 1911...I used no offensive language, and -------'d out any expletives and didn't use #@%&$ for any "net cuss". But apparently I got a warning because of offensive, and creative language. So I re-edited it here:

I drove from my home near Payson AZ to downtown Phoenix last night. A good friend had blown a radiator hose, and was stranded in the parking lot of a Circle K at the corner of 3rd Ave and Osborn. Not a great neighborhood by any stretch of the imagination, but not a war zone as much of central Phoenix can be. It was after 11:00pm, and the closest 24-hour Auto Zone I knew of was almost 7 miles from where he was.

On the way, I hit the Auto Zone and picked up an upper and lower radiator hose, coolant, and new hose clamps to save time so we could get headed home.

I got to the parking lot, and got myself a cup of coffee. We broke out my travel toolbox and started working on the hoses. Dave's truck was parked close to, but not blocking the air pump, under one of the big parking lot lights. There was a liberal amount of cussing as one of the screw heads on one of the old clamps broke, and I had to ferdingle it off with needle nose pliers. It wasn't a huge problem, but it was aggravating. While I was working on the upper hose, Dave was under the truck pulling and replacing the lower hose, so he wasn't easily visible.

While we were engaged in our parking lot auto repair, a busted up looking, primer covered, 1982 or 83 Olds Cutlass with about $6,000 worth of tires and rims, and Lord only knows how much the stereo cost, came bumping into the parking lot. There were three men in it. It was playing very loud, very filthy rap garbage. It pulled over near the air hose, and the driver started cussing me to "Move your NICE truck white boy."

"It'll just be a couple more minutes...can't start it right now. It's almost done."

"Den push da NICE truck white boy."

I just ignored him, and moved around to the side of the truck where the fender, and wheel were between me and the Cutlass. It made the work a bit more awkward, but I liked having the cinder block wall to my back.

"Ain't you heard me? I said push the NICE truck cracker!"

I continued to ignore him. We had less than five minutes worth of work to do and we'd be on our way, and I wasn't going to buy into his "showing out" behavior of the type one would expect from a common hood rat. I just kept working and told Dave to do the same thing.

Finally after a couple more minutes, I had the top hose on, and Dave was tightening the bottom hose. I started filling the radiator with coolant.

The driver of the Cutlass and his two pals got out of the Cutlass, all seriously puffed up and running their mouths.

"NICE MAN why you disrespectin' me? You want some?" and so on and so on.

Dave slid out from under the truck and popped up on my side. I finished pouring in the coolant, and topped it off with water.

Apparently three to two was pushing the limits of what they thought was going to be a fair fight.

"We're done here." My friend Dave said.

"We ain'ts done until I says we is. Yo patnah disrespected me."

"No, what I did was try to be polite. It ends right here, right now. We're done, we're leaving."

"You wanna get smoked? You wants a beat down? I can go gets my gat."

I lifted my shirt, and put my hand on the Glock 21 I was carrying IWB.

Dave stepped out from beside me and they saw the Glock 27 he open-carries.

"It's not gonna happen. Take off NOW!."

"Oh GOOD HEAVENS! Day bofe got a pistol!" One of the others said.

The two ride-alongs got back in the LESS THAN PRISTINE Cutlass. The loud mouth driver stood for a second trying to save face, and probably figure out how to get himself out of there without looking like the tool he was to his friends.

"Y'all been told, and I ain't telling you again, it's done. I wouldn't need to tell a smart man that following us is a really bad idea, but I figure you need to hear it. Now git."

He got back into his Gutlass and tried to smoke the tires as he pulled out. All he managed to smoke was his oil guzzling knocking engine and stall his car. LOL!

Anyway...no one had to get hurt, but it made me remember ALL the reasons why we left the valley and bought a house and land in the country.

 

[armoredman]

I'm sorry, I lost it trying to imagine a banger saying "good heavens", love the edit.
Good move, well done, and under out defensive display law, legal as church on Sunday,

 

[AZ Lawman]

Amen armor.....I can't imagine them using it in the same sentence for sure.

What part of the sunshine state do you hail from?

 

[sonick808]

Phoenix, gotta love it. I've had 3 similar incidents in a span of 6 years; all of which I did NOTHING but be nice (without being smarmy or smart alec). That doesn't count road rage incidents which I think is also another 3. How dare I turn right on green into my closest lane and interfere with someone across the intersection coming across 3 lanes against the light!

Sorry you had to go through this, but glad you got out without a real incident.

 

[AZ Lawman]

Meh...it's Phoenix. There's a lot to like about most of the valley. But the fact is, no matter where you go you will find jerks.

I am more than willing to bet, that had they seen Dave before he popped up from under the truck, not a word would have been said. All they saw was one guy in his mid-forties sporting glasses and a head of mostly gray hair.

What's even funnier is that even if I had been alone...I had a whole toolbox full of things that could do nasty things to a trio of thugs. Right by my hand, I had a six-cell Mag Lite. Inches from that was a 14" steel bar used for prying stubborn items. A long Estwing framing hammer in the bottom of the toolbox, not to mention long screwdrivers and utility knives...forget the gun for just a second...how much hurt could they have walked into with just what was at hand in my toolbox? Stupid attracts stupid, and this bunch was full up.

If the guy had approached me differently, I would have offered to pay for the air he needed for waiting. I really would have. Not because I was scared of him but because, you know, it might just be the square thing to do.

"Hey man, sorry about that. Let me get the air for you. I appreciate you being patient."

I know what you mean about being nice. I prefer nice. Being a jerk just makes your day longer. When I was still working, I always tried to be nice, always fair, never went hard until I had to. It made life much, much easier.

 

[Ledgehammer]

I hate to say it, but I would not have worked on my vehicle in front of the air machine. I would try to find an out of the way spot. Maybe thats just me. Now no doubt the delinquents in this scenario need a lesson or two in manners, they were kind of justified in their request to use the equipment you were essentialy blocking with out regard to the general public.

As in many confrontations this too could have been avoided by using a little bit of foresight.

 

[SWAT1911]

Were they their for air? Unless I misread it doesn't say they wanted air, simply that they were pulled up by the air. IMO they were just there to harass them because they could and they figured there would be no resistance. Glad y'all got through it without use of force. Stay safe guys

 

[Ledgehammer]

Yes they claimed to need air. Thats why they told him to move his truck. Whether they really needed it or not - who knows?

 

[AZ Lawman]

As it stated in the OP....Dave had his truck parked under one of the big lights CLOSE TO BUT NOT BLOCKING the air. I could have easily pulled my 3/4 ton truck up to the air hose...so fitting the Cutlass in there would have been like tossing a hotdog into a hallway....more than enough room.

The only other decent light at that location would have been under the canopy at the gasoline island...for many other reasons, including blocking the stores gasoline customers...I don't want to work on a vehicle near a gas pump. Similarly, the front of the store, though it had adequate light, would block parking spots used by customers.

Sure...Dave could have had the foresight to not have a hose blow in Phoenix at an inconvenient moment. Darn that Dave for not having jedi skills or finely tunes esp.

My choice for working on his truck would have been in my pole barn under the florescent lights with a creeper, and all my tools conveniently to hand. Darn me for not towing his truck the 90 miles to my house to do a ten minute repair job.

So...I am missing your point about foresight avoiding the confrontation.

 

[scaatylobo]

Sounds like a hoot to me

You have a LEO way of wording stuff,I had 26 years on.

Glad you didnt have ta 'smoke dem boys'.

Guess ya larned him a lesson ?.

 

[GLShooter]

It is a shame what can transpire here in Phoenix. I've been here 13 years and not had any scrapes to speak of other than the kid waving a gun out the rear passenger side window as the car he was in he came up from behind me on a service road on the freeway one day. The wife about peed her pants when I pulled out the Star PD I carry and got ready to "interact"

The car pulled up along side and I was able to see it was a water pistol. I pointed out to the wife what happened and all was well. There had been a rash of road rage shootings that month and I didn't want to play.

They drove on down the road and I went about my business.

Greg

 

[Ledgehammer]

If you weren't blocking the pump I would have told them to go ahead and use it. Otherwise I'm not sure what strategy or tactic we can glean from this experience?

 

[AZ Lawman]

I think several things might have come to light here:

1. Regardless of how young and tough you might think you are: Old guys didn't get to be old by not being prepared like a boy scout.

2. Don't be a reciprocal jerk. Don't buy into the nonsense of the young punk, and show how tough you are by starting to bandy words with a moron. Ignore vigiliantly....(go about your bidnezz while keeping an eye on them).

3. Be polite. What can it hurt? Extend that politeness until it is no longer a tenable position.

4. Make sure you have your gun when you need it. Don't have to..."Go gets my gat."

And oh yeah....stay out of central Phoenix after 10:00pm. I much prefer coyotes howling and crickiets...cricketing...to loud rap music and traffic.

 

[Ledgehammer]

Az lawman blocked the air pump with utter disregard for the public

I find it strange he was asked to move if it wasn't blocked, also the fact that he said I'll be done in a few minutes instead of saying there's plenty of room go ahead, if it wasn't blocked. Sorry - don't pass the smell test.

 

[AZ Lawman]

Really? I mean really? That I told him I couldn't start the truck right then, and that it would just be a couple of minutes in a polite manner, rather than as you suggest, telling him in what would be considered a more terse and confrontational manner to go ahead and use it? THAT is the straw you are holding onto?

That is the tiny little straw you are grasping? Let's pick this apart then iffin' y'onto....

Numero uno: DAVE'S truck...not mine. I parked MY truck behind Dave's, which was further yet from the air pump...let's say a 2008 Dodge Extended Cab length PLUS a few feet. I had nothing to do with either the breaking, parking, positioning or general disposition of the truck....I was merely the pal he called to come help him out. My job was bringing parts and helping repair. As an aside...Dave's truck was most certainly parked far enough away from the air pump that a mostly blind granny with crappy depth perception, night blindness, AND a 1972 Buick 225 could have sailed in there with no problem. The guy in the Cutlass was just a jerk showing off to his pals at the expense of a middle aged guy who he thought was alone and could be intimidated by a tough guy hood rat.

As posted...Dave's truck was parked CLOSE TO BUT NOT BLOCKING the air pump. Did you not read that in the original post? Have you simply chosen to ignore it to start a flame thread? I am sure Dave, being the decorated soldier and man of great integrity that I know him to be hatched an evil plan to inconvenience someone that night by having his truck go down. That dastardly Dave strikes again! As mentioned I could have very easily pulled my 3/4 ton quad cab LONG BED right up to the air pump and had plenty of room....either before or after the half blind granny in her Buick did her air pump business. The jerk in the Cutlass had room to spare.

Had he, at any time, ASKED me to move even though he had PLENTY of room, I probably would have stopped work, had Dave crawl out from under the truck where he was dealing with coolant that was probably still warm to hot, and pushed the truck back just avoid the nonsense. I probably would have even dumped a buck in quarters into the machine just to avoid more nonsense or his imagined sense of being "dissed". This guy was no more or no less than a jerk LOOKING to start something with whomever, where nothing existed. If it hadn't been me, he would have found someone else that night to show his butt to. I know the type well enough to know that no matter what I did, it would have been taken the wrong way or as weakness to be further exploited in his quest to feel like a tough guy so he and his friends could add a notch to their tough guy belts.

So I really don't understand what your problem is. You smell a rat or something fishy? Really? Maybe you need air freshener by your computer or something. I hear Air Wick makes a nice piney scent.

 

[lemaymiami]

That incident could be repeated in any big town these days. On the street, folks like the ones you encountered are basically cowards - but if they think they have the advantage they'll act like the young wolves they are. Just like wolves, though, they'll back down if the odds don't look in their favor and particularly if you look like you'll be a lot more trouble than they want. The real problem is that usually, somewhere, they've got at least one gun (it might be the cheapest piece of junk going but will probably shoot..).

I worked in and out of uniform here in south Florida in a city department just north of Miami for 22 years (1973 - 1995) and dealt with a variety of racist types. Very few of them were rednecks or skinheads....

 

[gyvel]

I worked in and out of uniform here in south Florida in a city department just north of Miami for 22 years (1973 - 1995) and dealt with a variety of racist types. Very few of them were rednecks or skinheads....

Did you work the Shores?

 

[06]

Our daughter/SIL recently moved out of Phoenix to Scotsdale. They both now carry and are taking some form of the arts. When they first moved to Ariz. there was a serial killer on the loose and I worried about my SILs pacifist manner. Glad he finally saw the light--he wanted a 9mm for a wedding present---yep, he got one and 300 rds of ammo. Last year for Christmas they got more ammo for both their handguns and some 39 for their SKS. Hope they want a shotgun for a Christmas present this year because that is what they are going to get-lol.