Man Set on Fire After Refusing to Give Transient Money

[ToddG]

From ABC's Good Morning America (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/man-set-fire-inside-car-refusing-give-transient-18947359)
(link is to ABC's video)

[John Ralston]

Well that's scary...

[ToddG]

There's a gas station near our house that seems to attract folks who feel entitled to other people's money. After being approached a time or three each, neither my wife nor I go there anymore. For a nickel a gallon more there's a station down the street that doesn't, for whatever reason, attract the same type of Democrat.

[Mike R]

The victim died three days after the attack. I have been to that 7-11 on Pacific Coast Highway, that is quite an eye opener for me.

[ToddG]

The victim died three days after the attack. I have been to that 7-11 on Pacific Coast Highway, that is quite an eye opener for me.

Which is why I posted it, and posted it in Mindset & Tactics. It's easy, especially if you're subjected to panhandlers and such on a regular basis, to get used to how annoying but seemingly harmless they tend to be. But between those suffering from mental illness and those who have criminal intent, or both, it's dangerous to forget they're strangers aggressively invading your personal space.

[LittleLebowski]

There's a gas station near our house that seems to attract folks who feel entitled to other people's money. After being approached a time or three each, neither my wife nor I go there anymore. For a nickel a gallon more there's a station down the street that doesn't, for whatever reason, attract the same type of Democrat.

That's why I ride around with my dog in the back of my pickup :D Folks stay away at gas stations.

[BoppaBear]

Made dang sure my family members were aware of this situation. Should be an eye opener for those needing to be more aware of their surroundings. The cities where we go to shop and work have panhandlers all over the place. Unfortunately for anyone asking me for cash, I very rarely carry any. So, my answer is always that, in a polite manner. I've had a couple question my truthfulness, and tell me what they thought of me, but none were dumb/unhinged enough to escalate the situation, YET...although I always expect that may be a possibility.

[JodyH]

Maintain situational awareness.
Maintain your distance.
Avoid being a "sitting duck" (seated inside a parked vehicle, ignition off or tranny in park, or window down) when you're engaged with a unknown contact.

Whether it's in a party, bar, parking lot or just about anywhere, when you've sent someone away and they come back... it's usually to escalate or fight.
The first time I turn a panhandler down it's a polite yet firm "no thank you".
If they keep coming or come back at me a second time, i'm not nearly as polite and I am ready to throw the first punch.

[ToddG]

In my experience -- and I'd certainly defer to Southnarc if he thinks otherwise -- it seems like the "innocent" panhandlers tend to let you know they want money from a good distance away and if you say no while they're still fifteen feet from you, they turn and look for another revenue source. Guys who want to get within handshake distance get a sterner warning. Anyone who doesn't immediately break off after hearing no has become a danger.


That's why I ride around with my dog in the back of my pickup :D Folks stay away at gas stations.

I had a potential road rage incident solved similarly the other day. Guy felt I cut him off at an intersection and gunned his car to my bumper at the red light a hundred feet down the road. He was clearly shouting at the sky in his car and then decided it would be better to share his angst, so he got out of his car and started walking toward me. I just rolled down the rear windows and Freyja the Toothy Malinois said hello. I've decided to rename her Freyja the Anger Management Malinois because the dude seriously didn't seem nearly as confrontational as he jogged back to his car.

[LittleLebowski]

Speaking from personal experience, it is stomp down amazing how quickly a few thugs will cross the street to get away from a K9 breed of dog.

[Mr. Goodtimes]

Maintain situational awareness.
Maintain your distance.
Avoid being a "sitting duck" (seated inside a parked vehicle, ignition off or tranny in park, or window down) when you're engaged with a unknown contact.

Whether it's in a party, bar, parking lot or just about anywhere, when you've sent someone away and they come back... it's usually to escalate or fight.
The first time I turn a panhandler down it's a polite yet firm "no thank you".
If they keep coming or come back at me a second time, i'm not nearly as polite and I am ready to throw the first punch.

Same. I'm always very cautious with what appear to be homeless or vagrant people. There are a lot of unknowns pertaining to them... are they armed? Are they mentally unstable? Are they on drugs? Are they even homeless or is it a setup?

[Jay Cunningham]

I EDC a full nomex suit.

[Coyotesfan97]

Yes for Freyja! K9 deterrent points!


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[Captain]

That is all kinds of fracked up. So the lesson is, if you've already told someone no and you come back to your car and they're still hanging out - assume they're up to no good.

[LittleLebowski]

I EDC a full nomex suit.

Yes, a zentai.

[MechEng]

Carhartt has a product line for this type of threat.;)

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CarharttSearchCmd?storeId=10051&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&recordPerPage=24&N=0&Nu=RollupKey&Ns=&Ntt=12401&Ntk=CatgroupId&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nao=0&Nty=1&prevPagename=

[Jay Cunningham]

Yes, a zentai.

I lounge around my house in my nomex suit. The odds may be against someone breaking into my house and lighting me on fire, but I'll be ready if it ever happens.

[TCinVA]

That is all kinds of fracked up. So the lesson is, if you've already told someone no and you come back to your car and they're still hanging out - assume they're up to no good.

When someone rejects normal social conventions (like buggering off after being asked to do so) then absolutely. In law enforcement there's a little motto: Ask. Tell. Make. When someone refuses to go along with the ask, it's a warning sign.

[Wendell]

...I had a potential road rage incident solved similarly the other day. Guy felt I cut him off at an intersection and gunned his car to my bumper at the red light a hundred feet down the road. He was clearly shouting at the sky in his car and then decided it would be better to share his angst, so he got out of his car and started walking toward me. I just rolled down the rear windows and Freyja the Toothy Malinois said hello. I've decided to rename her Freyja the Anger Management Malinois because the dude seriously didn't seem nearly as confrontational as he jogged back to his car.

Should one call 911 after a DCU*?


* defensive canine use

[fixer]

That's why I ride around with my dog in the back of my pickup :D Folks stay away at gas stations.

Nice!

It works.

I've had a GSD eye ball me at a gas station so intently that it made me walk an absurd path out of the way of the truck to get into the store.

I've also seen one, recently, in a car that was so incensed at my presence that I had to move because I was sure he was pondering coming through the glass after me.

[NickA]

Reminds me of the time I thought I saw four guys in a jeep at a gas station, except one of them wasn't a dude, it was a bullmastiff. He was friendly as could be, but holy cow was he big, head like a basketball.