Unsettling encounter - am I being paranoid? (Long)

[ClickClickD'oh]

"vehicle to attack you"?
"secondary threats"?
Where the heck do you see any evidence of any of this?

I don't see any evidence of those in this case, but then again, I don't see evidence of any actual criminal intent or activity. I'm citing reasons why you shouldn't go from a known to an unkown where there is a potential threat.

Some people seem to need to fantasize about drastic, over the top scenario's just like this in order to justify the paranoia that they feel about other people who are nonthreatening but "tickle" the hairs on the back of their neck for whatever reason.
Vigilance is one thing.
Inventing incredibly unlikely scenario's in one's mind in order to justify your paranoia is another
This thread has had some pretty antisocial tin-hat moments in which people feel the need to invent various situations in their mind in which the OP's nervousness would have been justified.

If you care to read what I'm writing you would realize that what I'm saying is that when you have the luxury of identifying a potential attacker ahead of time you should call the police and let them deal with it because you are unlikely to control the variables of the attack if it does happen, such as the number of attackers or method of attack.

It has nothing to do with justifying paranoia or fantasizing about drastic over the top scenarios.

FYI: I've handled cases with multiple attackers and vehicles used as weapons ... so.. I've also handled cases where people intentionally flatten a tire on you car so they can mug you while you are busy changing it. There's a difference between paranoid BTDT.

If the "suspect" was potentially "stalking" the op by observing him as was suggested, then the OP was committing exactly the same acts to the "suspect". That was my point.

The suggestion that the potential attacker in this case was "stalking" is just as laughably ludicrous and should be given no credence.

 

[TarDevil]

It wasn't important enough to call the police... but you've got your gun out.

Have you ever tried drawing your gun from an IWB holster at 4 o'clock while seated in a car?

Dude, c'mon! Just a precaution.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

I said I'd call the assistant DA to clarify the pros and cons of reporting a stalker.

Not

A

Stalker

 

[silicosys4]

I don't see any evidence of those in this case, but then again, I don't see evidence of any actual criminal intent or activity. I'm citing reasons why you shouldn't go from a known to an unkown where there is a potential threat.




If you care to read what I'm writing you would realize that what I'm saying is that when you have the luxury of identifying a potential attacker ahead of time you should call the police and let them deal with it because you are unlikely to control the variables of the attack if it does happen, such as the number of attackers or method of attack.

It has nothing to do with justifying paranoia or fantasizing about drastic over the top scenarios.

FYI: I've handled cases with multiple attackers and vehicles used as weapons ... so.. I've also handled cases where people intentionally flatten a tire on you car so they can mug you while you are busy changing it. There's a difference between paranoid BTDT.



The suggestion that the potential attacker in this case was "stalking" is just as laughably ludicrous and should be given no credence.

I must have misinterpreted your post,
My apologies.
I agree with you on the lack of basis for a stalking scenario.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

Have you ever tried drawing your gun from an IWB holster at 4 o'clock while seated in a car?

That's actually why I never carry IWB 4 o'clock anymore, but that's another topic.

Dude, c'mon! Just a precaution.

A precaution against what? That someone might try to kill you? A precaution that someone might try to kill you soon enough that you need your gun right now? And calling the police isn't important?

 

[TarDevil]

A precaution against what?

I take precautions every day of my life.

Tell you what, sir. You win. OK?

Sleep better tonight?

 

[Gun Master]

TarDevil, I don't understand much of the "double speak" you have been given as advise, either.
But, that is what you get, a lot of the time, in these situations.
You have to separate the good from the bad.
The good news is, "you" are the one who gets to decide.
You seem level headed and able to make your own good decisions.
I believe you, me, and others have benefited from your sharing your experience.
Bad things happen every day, and we all should be vigilant.
Good fortune to you and yours. I don't believe in dumb luck.

 

[improperlyaged]

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right it is likely because something isn't right.

 

[khegglie]

I see the reverse position.... I just don't like the thought of some guy fingling the gun in his pocket and giving me the hard stare after I go by(excuse Me) at the CVS.

I'll just say that YOU(OP) were there so only you really know what sent your DEVCON up.
I'll give you the shadow of a doubt sir.

 

[Lex Luthier]

Crazy is crazy, and always will be. That's why we protect ourselves.

 

[Zach S]

Still uncomfortable with the fact he pulled in beside us and stayed in his car until we went in the store.

I do that...

Due to an altercation over colliding doors years ago, I'll wait until someone motions the other one to go ahead.

 

[TarDevil]

I see the reverse position.... I just don't like the thought of some guy fingling the gun in his pocket and giving me the hard stare after I go by(excuse Me) at the CVS.

Sheesh! Why people feel the need to contort/embellish /twist what someone says is beyond me.

Where...anywhere in this thread...did you read I was "fingling the gun" in my pocket? (And that's not the only part of my OP you are twisting!)

The gun was in an IWB holster and was not touched until I got in my car. ONLY THEN because it was in an awkward place to retrieve should I need it. And, that is what I do the majority of the time I'm in a car anyway. It goes in the map pocket or in a holster on the floorboard.

My thanks to those of you with sound minds. Helps get past this junk.

 

[TarDevil]

I do that...

Due to an altercation over colliding doors years ago, I'll wait until someone motions the other one to go ahead.

Sure, me too. That alone would not have concerned me.

 

[jlr1962]

CVS, and other pharmacies around here have a problem with women leaving their purses in the car while they run in and pick up prescriptions, and other stuff. I have had to warn my wife about it on more than one occasion. That warning was not well received. Street urchins will steal anything that might be able to be sold. Could be you were being watched while your vehicle was being targeted. More than one car has been stolen while folks sit waiting on prescriptions.

 

[leadcounsel]

Situational awareness is always a good thing.

His behavior was odd, much like a "criminal interview." He may have been innocent, or may have been probing to determine your alertness for a robbery, car jacking, etc.

I'd go back to the store and inform the manager and see if there are any videos of this suspicious guy. Maybe he was looking to rob the store.

 

[Cee Zee]

I didn't read the entire thread here so I don't know if this has been brought up. It may well have been store security watching you. My cousin did that kind of work for a major department store for years. There are a lot more of them around than most people dream. They are watching for shoplifters and other things. In your case did he possibly see your gun printing? Because a gun in a pharmacy is going to make a store security guy go bananas. They think everyone is a threat. Heck I bought an ax at Lowes one day and you'd have thought I had bought a nuclear bomb the way they treated me. They had to walk the ax up to the counter and then carry it outside before they would give it to me. And the other customers looked at me like I was Mohammed Atta or something.

With the plague of pill poppers we have now they could well have assumed anyone with a gun near a pharmacy was going to rob the place. He may have thought you were casing the place when you parked across the street.

Never underestimate the paranoia of someone who gets paid to find trouble and if they don't find any they lose their jobs. They will try hard to find trouble wherever they can. I know the business works that way. If you weren't catching anyone they assumed you were on the take or something according to my cousin. I wouldn't take a job like that for all the tea in China.

I "know" I've had store security follow me around in a store on more than one occasion. They follow you from aisle to aisle pretending not to be watching but you can see them watch over and over and over. I generally play ring around the rosey with them for about 10 minutes just to stir them up real good. After a while they realize you're onto them and they will quit following you. But sometimes they try to sneak back and do it again. I've had some fun with them more than once. They really think you're up to something if you walk around looking at the same stuff over and over and over. It makes them crazy.

 

[khegglie]

Sound minds........... OP you are doing a public paranoia check no one else.
Like I said I'll have to give you a shadow of a doubt about your gut feelings.

 

[TarDevil]

Cee Zee, we did talk about that briefly. The thing that might rule that out is him pulling into the parking lot with us. Granted, he may have just reported to work.

 

[khegglie]

Not Hi Road

 

[OldTman]

TarDevil,
Someone else here said it and I hadn't heard it in years, "Trust the hair on the back of your neck." It ought to be the eleventh commandment.

 

[RustyShackelford]

Post, remarks....

I read over the post twice. I did not read all the forum remarks yet but wanted to leave a few comments.

First, I think you and your wife acted properly & were prudent.
You keyed in on the strange guy & his actions but you didn't over react or cause a big scene.

Some crooks and thugs are cagey.
You seemed to get the "drop" on him and his plan. It sounds like the dude may either be following or target you for a "follow home" robbery or maybe he or his associates would stage a identity theft/skim plan(where a person steals personal details or credit/debit information).
In my metro area a group of inept crooks had one guy stage a heart attack/medical emergency then his thug buddies ran out of the Walmart with piles of high value items, .

In the end, you did the correct thing and I hope new CCW holders/armed citizens can learn from your input.

 

[Gun Master]

I read over the post twice. I did not read all the forum remarks yet but wanted to leave a few comments.

First, I think you and your wife acted properly & were prudent.
You keyed in on the strange guy & his actions but you didn't over react or cause a big scene.

Some crooks and thugs are cagey.
You seemed to get the "drop" on him and his plan. It sounds like the dude may either be following or target you for a "follow home" robbery or maybe he or his associates would stage a identity theft/skim plan(where a person steals personal details or credit/debit information).
In my metro area a group of inept crooks had one guy stage a heart attack/medical emergency then his thug buddies ran out of the Walmart with piles of high value items, .

In the end, you did the correct thing and I hope new CCW holders/armed citizens can learn from your input.

Rusty, I'm with you, bud. You succinctly evaluated the OP's dilema, and provided useful advise.

Some of the other folks may be looking in the mirror.......while providing negative and misleading info.

 

[jeff-10]

To the OP, I live in South Florida, the Greater Miami Area, if you will. What you described originally is nothing even remotely out of the normal for what you encounter here on a routine basis. I think people's different views on what you experienced are based on locale.

Another thing, I know multiple police officers who routinely work walk in. Filing a complaint that doesn't involve a violent or otherwise serious crime is basically a waste of time. No one does anything with them. Again that's based on geographic location and maybe where you live they have the manpower to handle it.

 

[SwaneeSR]

The little voice inside your head is often right. Strange the guy didn't immediately scram and kept up the pursuit.

It is better to appear rude and if incorrect than appologize.

 

[AKElroy]

Let me see if I can ask this carefully, with ZERO humor or disrespect intended: How attractive is your wife? both my daughter and my wife are very attractive, and they are occasionally surprised with the UN-wanted attention an innocent smile and/or eye contact sometimes generates.