What should I have done?

[Atavar]

I drive rideshare in a small Midwest city. At about 00:45 I picked up a customer.
From a house across the street and a couple doors down someone illuminated my car with a green laser for a couple seconds as my customer was walking up. They never illuminated the customer. The customer did not notice.
I pretended nothing happened, loaded my customer and departed the area.
Immediately after dropping my customer off I went to the local cop hangout and reported it to an officer f2f.
This did not seem to warrant a 911 call, but maybe I’m wrong. If it was a shooter I figured that jumping out and dragging my customer to cover would escalate the situation. Low key and stealth seemed right at the time.

 

[edwardware]

From a house across the street and a couple doors down someone illuminated my car with a green laser for a couple seconds. . . Low key and stealth seemed right at the time.

Seems appropriate, given the context and the likely downside.

If this was a street corner in Ukraine, hit the ditch because there's a meaningful probability that it's attached to a rifle. Since it's a street corner in the Midwest, it's probably some idiot with a laser pointer and continuing on your way seems appropriate.

If I lived across the street, I would look for an adult to talk to, but chances are good there isn't an adult around.

 

[starnbar]

Happens all the time in Fl. these types are usually late teen early 20s some are social justice warriors who target people and pets in subdivisions who have the wrong vote for ---- signs in the yard NRA stickers bring em like flies on well you get me. They also like to hit S.O.units too they normally wait for you to drive past then hit the rearview mirror or side mirror

 

[Buzznrose]

Happens all the time in Fl. these types are usually late teen early 20s some are social justice warriors who target people and pets in subdivisions who have the wrong vote for ---- signs in the yard NRA stickers bring em like flies on well you get me. They also like to hit S.O.units too they normally wait for you to drive past then hit the rearview mirror or side mirror

S.O units? What are they?

 

[entropy]

Many states have laws on the books prohibiting this, but enforcement is virtually non-existent.

 

[FL-NC]

Any kid with a couple of dollars can get 1 of these things at a convenient store. We have 1 here at the house we use to play with the cats and get them off their lazy butts and exercise. Using one to harass and intimidate another person is a different matter-esp. when it is unknown if the thing is even eyesafe, and the fact that a driver in a motor vehicle on a public road is in play. I would have reported it to the authorities. I may have even been tempted to ask the customer if any kids lived at the source of where it came from and knock on the door and tell the parents about it.

 

[Meeks36]

S.O units? What are they?

Sheriffs office

 

[Bazoo]

I wouldn’t have immediately thought threat. I would have immediately thought kids or idiots and I would have hit them back with my flashlight, given the ability to do so. Course since my light isn’t as mean as ones I’ve had previously, I likely wouldn’t have. When I had a sure fire 6p on me, or the M3 in the car I likely would have went with illuminating and eyeballing the area. Now is that right? I don’t know. But that’s likely what I’d have done and then I’d probably thought it over a long time afterwards.

 

[lemaymiami]

I’ve been lit up by a laser on only one occasion - and I know the exact house it came from… I have no idea if the laser was attached to a firearm or was just some kid being a kid…

I took no action, and to date it hasn’t happened again. My situation is a bit different since I’m a fishing guide and run night trips in the Miami / Miami Beach area (and have for many years when I’m not running day trips…). That night I had two customers aboard and we were fishing a dock light behind a fancy house… The laser came from the second story of the house…
I know that some folks don’t want anyone fishing their dock lights- usually all that happens is they turn off the light and we move on. I do everything possible to be polite and quiet when fishing dock lights since without them we wouldn’t have much action at all for my anglers…

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Any kid with a couple of dollars can get 1 of these things at a convenient store. We have 1 here at the house we use to play with the cats and get them off their lazy butts and exercise. Using one to harass and intimidate another person is a different matter-esp. when it is unknown if the thing is even eyesafe, and the fact that a driver in a motor vehicle on a public road is in play. I would have reported it to the authorities. I may have even been tempted to ask the customer if any kids lived at the source of where it came from and knock on the door and tell the parents about it.

Must have been nice.

Back in MY DAY, we used a wadded up ball of tin foil to entertain the cats. They’d bat it around it was just a wonderful time.

My daddy would have beat me within an inch of my life if I brought what he called “gadgets of the devil” such as a laser pointer into the house.

Different times I guess!

 

[Choctaw]

You did the right thing. When I still worked patrol my partner and I were having dinner when I noticed a red laser dot on his forehead. I spun around and saw an 12 year old kid trying to shove it in his pocket. I walked over and took the battery out of the laser and handed both to his mom. I looked at the kid and said, "never again." I then went back to finish my meal. On their way out the kid came over and apologized to us so I feel I handled the situation correctly.

 

[starnbar]

You did the right thing. When I still worked patrol my partner and I were having dinner when I noticed a red laser dot on his forehead. I spun around and saw an 12 year old kid trying to shove it in his pocket. I walked over and took the battery out of the laser and handed both to his mom. I looked at the kid and said, "never again." I then went back to finish my meal. On their way out the kid came over and apologized to us so I feel I handled the situation correctly.

Yep and if his mom was what I think she was she got medieval on his butt when they got home.

 

[Cayle]

I’ve been lit up by a laser on only one occasion - and I know the exact house it came from… I have no idea if the laser was attached to a firearm or was just some kid being a kid…

I took no action, and to date it hasn’t happened again. My situation is a bit different since I’m a fishing guide and run night trips in the Miami / Miami Beach area (and have for many years when I’m not running day trips…). That night I had two customers aboard and we were fishing a dock light behind a fancy house… The laser came from the second story of the house…
I know that some folks don’t want anyone fishing their dock lights- usually all that happens is they turn off the light and we move on. I do everything possible to be polite and quiet when fishing dock lights since without them we wouldn’t have much action at all for my anglers…

Been there. Done that. I report each one that does something stupid like that. They can get hit with pretty good fines for harassing a legal fisherman in Florida.

But we catch good snook that way...

 

[Rockrivr1]

Was this close to an airport? These idiots like lighting up incoming and outgoing aircraft for fun. The stronger ones definitely can cause eye problems, which definitely makes them dangerous.

 

[lemaymiami]

Cayle… Yes there’s a law that protects anglers here in Florida, but the truth is I doubt it applies around Miami Beach. In that area, the “Golden Rule” has been in force as long as the fifty years I’ve been living down here… Just like New York - the guys with the gold make the rules…
Wish it weren’t so…