Something very similar to this happened to a friend of mine, maybe 15 or 20 years ago. He managed to scare them off with his little Seecamp .32 ACP. After that, he always carried at least a Commander.Originally Posted by BrianB
More proof that yes, any gun is better than nothing, but there's a lot to be said for having 'enough' gun. A .32 pocket rocket doesn't inspire confidence against two burly thugs with ball bats.
This is why I don't stop for anyone unless they are really hot. Then I slow down and take a look but never stop.
Think for yourself. Question authority.
What's your definition of hot?
Enough to make me slow down as I drive by if they happen to be in distress.
Think for yourself. Question authority.
Not a new ploy by any means. Six years ago, I saw a young lady with a baby waving me down. I was on the road a lot at the time and helped many folks, usually elderly folks with a flat or engine trouble, but this was a bit ahhhhh "off".
As I slowed down and pulled over, I had to back up to get to where they were. I was looking in my mirrors obviously to see where I was going and lo and behold, I saw deuchebag #1 in the bar ditch! I was still probably about 20 yards away and little Miss helpless was coming my way. Of course to tell me her sad sad story. She didn't get within 10 feet of my vehicle when I tore off and called the popo. I asked the nice lady to call me back and let me know if everything was alright. Turns out, they were highway robbers. No crapping you! They were arrested and taken to jail. Baby was fake.
Now, I'm not an advocate of not helping people on the side of the highway at all. One time, I stopped and helped an old lady change a tire and she wanted to give me a hundred dollar bill. Of course I refused, but she asked me what my name was and where I lived as she wanted to something nice. I told her, and two weeks later, she had sent a bouquet of flowers to my address (she looked us up, apparently) to my wife with a hundred dollar bill in the card saying that she "has a good man, and treat him well because he helped me in a time of need". She reference the "Knights of the Highways" which is what truckers of old "used" to be. She spoke of how no one would stop to help her. She said she was on her way to visit her brother in the hospital and she barely made it to say goodbye.
It is a really scary choice. Do you help someone in need or do you pass them by because it could be a ruse? I'm glad I did, THAT time, but other times have been a bit sketchy.
Oh, and she wasn't all that hot... as she had to have been pushing 65 or so, but I could honestly tell that she was a good woman and was probably a looker in her day. They just can't make 'em like they used to. hehe
Time flies when you throw your watch.
This may sound cruel, but I'm not AAA. And, with the fact that cell phones are now common, they can make their own arrangements to call same.
I used to stop for some people... but now, well. Even people on welfare have a cell phone. It's just not an issue anymore.
I still stop. I do move from yellow to orange though.
Really depends on the situation. Busy highway and they aren't flagging anyone down? Usually don't stop. Although that's mostly because every time I have stopped in that situation they've waved me on, and I think I just made them uncomfortable. If I actually *see* the tire blow/crash whatever right in front of me, I always stop. I've help two young women on their way to work that way, one of whom for her first day (both of whom were obviously either low income or just clueless about car maintenance, because their tires were *terrifying*).
Now, empty country road where they have to walk a mile to a house if their cell phone happened to be dead? I'll always slow down and check on them.
This is, honestly, one of the few places where I break the "if you wouldn't feel comfortable without a pistol, don't go there with one" rule. One of the things I dearly hope to believe in in our society is that we will help people in need, at least when you're the only one who's there to do something about it. I'll stop anyway if I'm not armed (although definitely condition orange either way), but one of the things I like about carrying is that it makes me feel a lot more comfortable about it. And the people who try to use that impulse to rob people are the lowest of the low, because they threaten the bonds of society that keep all of the good folks charitable.
We shouldn't have to choose between being a functional community and being a chump. At least I'm an armed chump.
I will admit to being more likely to stop for a woman, hot or not, just because of my sexist experience that women are more likely to be completely clueless in that situation. Dear lord, my daughter is going to know how to change a tire.
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