[Willie Lowman]

It worked on me when I was trying to endorse a paycheck.

I once stopped to deposit my paycheck at my bank's ATM. It was late Friday evening. I realized that I had not endorsed my check and I didn't have a pen. I walked out into the parking lot between the bank and Kroger's and saw a woman getting out of her car.

I said "Excuse me miss." (I was 20, covered in a day's sweat, mud, marking paint, and limestone dust)

She said "WWWRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" and assumed a martial arts stance.

(I nearly crapped my pants in surprise) "Do you have a pen?" I asked.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She responded, still in the martial arts stance.

By this point I (who only wanted to sign my name to a check) felt like I was in a very dangerous situation. A situation that I did not have control over. I got out of there with the quickness, check undeposited.

...In summary, If you feel threatened. Use your words before you use your gun. They will show that you are in control of the situation. Crackheads, bums, (and young construction workers) will leave you alone.