[zombieslayer]

I try not to make it a confrontation, but when panhandlers approach me, I politely decline. If they at all get pushy, then I create a small distance and then tell them I have nothing for them and they'd better take a few steps back. If they don't, I tend to get VERY defensive. The only time I pulled my gun was when a guy came approaching my car window trying to sell me a gold chain at 2am. I said "get away, I got nothin for you". I put it in reverse, and my buddy is coming out of the store. The BG pulls a good size knive out and looks at my buddy. I pulled my .32, and asked him to put down the knife and he better run the other way, which he did. This was years ago, and the area I was in was such a bad place for muggings. I did let the owner of the store to be on the lookout.