You are in unfamiliar country and are being tailed

[mvpel]

BillCA - JUDF, LFI, LEO, or other?

[Pointer]

I'd do the slow and let pass technique here... If they don't pass, then you better book it...

BUT book it in the opposite direction...
A very quick U-turn...
Then Book it...

You don't know where you're going, but you do know where you've been...

[stephen426]

Oh boy... another Doug thread...

First of all, glad it worked out for you Bill. Good job on staying alert and reacting properly.

I hate to admit it, but it is damn near impossible to follow me undetected. I am constantly checking my 6 in the rear view mirror (mostly for police ) because I generally drive pretty fast.

Miami was ranked #1 in road rage in the US. The drivers are pretty agressive and I would probably have to admit that ranking is not undeserved.

I was in some guy's blind spot and he began changing into my lane. I gave him a quick tap of the horn to let him know I was there. He swerved away and then forcefully sweved into my lane. Had I not jammed on the brakes, he would have slammed me into the concrete divider. My reaction was then to honk the horn at this idiot who then proceeded to slam on his brakes in front of me. I draw my gun not knowing what this idiot is thinking but do not show it. I then slow down and move 2 lanes over (on a 3 lane highway). He tracks my speed as I speed up or slow down. There was some traffic so I could not just floor it and dust him since a high speed chase would probably be more dangerous to myself and other motorists. I kept the gun at low ready just below my window pointing at his general direction. If he pointed a weapon, I would have fired. Lucky for me a car pulled in between us and I believe it was an off duty police officer. He told me to keep going and he pulled the guy over. In retrospect, I probably could have pretended to keep going straight and make a sudden exit since I was on the right lane. I'm really lucky he didn't go for a gun. If there was no traffic, I would have just left him in my dust. I also keep the Florida Highway Patrol number in my phone and will call and report agressive driving.

I also mentioned this on a previous post, but I work in the restaurant company. One of my restaurant managers was followed home and robbed at gun point. The same thing happened to my mother in law who has a restaurant too. If I suspect someone of following me and I am near my home, I would make a extra loop to make sure. Do not, under any circumstance just pull into your driveway since you do not know how many attackers you may have. I would probably call the police since the police respond super quick in my area and pick a point to "meet them".

[BillCA]

Glenn,

Bill, why not ditch the car as I said by the door of the building and run inside screaming for help? Not criticizing but just suggesting. I don't know if I would act so cooly then.

I had most of an hour to develop some kind of plan. Many went through my mind in that time. The main issue is that I had no idea why they picked me. I figured robbery & carjacking the most likely.

I thought about stopping at a restaurant or gas station and going inside for help. Then thought about the problems associated with getting a $5.75/hr clerk to call 911 and the time required to explain -- meanwhile the BGs walk in, try to do what they want and leave before the LEOs arrive.

I also didn't want to walk in to a situation where there were families with small children present if it turned ugly. The Shell station had a lull in business at the right time.

[Hugh Jardonne]

Happened to me in Hawaii when I was there on business from Korea a few months ago...

I decided to take a visit to the North Shore of Oahu. As I passed the area around Schofield Barracks, a car seemingly remained as I left the more populated area for the countryside. I also am one who "watches my six", and the guys in the car were black, it was mid-day (normal working hours), wearing what might be interpreted as gang related attire. As I had passed a US Army post, I took a mental note, but this also could mean that these were GIs on a day off. It also could mean they are bad guys, but thus far, no bad guy behavior.

As the traffic thinned I noticed that they tended to stay a car or two behind me... but they had obviously picked up that I was a rental car or something (I don't know how Hawaii marks its cars) and seemed to change lanes when I did, and again, as traffic thinned out, they were still there. After all the cars had turned off and it was only me left, they were still there.

I tried a few random turn offs, and they followed. Finally, I turned into a route into the nearest town, and the first place there was a park with a large parking area- with speed bumps. I turned in there. So did they. Game on.

As soon as I got into the parking lot, I made my way out, passing them going the other way. All heads in the vehicle turned to watch me go. I then made my way through some traffic lights and back on to a major highway, effectively losing them.

Since I was in Hawaii, and coming from a strict gun control nation, I was not carrying a firearm. That maneuver reinforced in me to never be unarmed again. If they had been serious about their hunting that day, with a little more motivation, they might well have robbed and or killed me.

[ShortTimer]

Had something like this happen to me in early 2005. It was while I was driving back to Camp LeJeune, NC, from Kansas at the end of Christmas or pre-deployment leave, and as I got to the strip of I80 that runs through Blue Ridge Mtns on the NC side, where it twists and turns - and there's no cell service. This was probably about 10AM-1PM timeframe.

Some average, 30something white guy with slightly balding black hair in a black mid-size Toyota or other import I wasn't familiar with was driving absent-mindedly. He was the kind of driver who slows down when no one is around, and then speeds up when someone tries to pass. I drove the speed limit, 55-70, depending on the curves and if it was the end of TN or not. He sped up with me as I tried to pass. At one point I ended up doing nearly 80 or so before deciding not to risk a ticket and slow back down. Then he'd drop down to 55 or even 45 or less... in 65 areas. I got around him once or twice when he was in his lull periods, and tried to pass semis, hoping he'd match their speed. Didn't happen. The guy stayed with me for some 20 minutes worth of twists and turns, finally deciding to stick to my rear bumper.

I wasn't going to risk a confrontation, so I signalled to take the first exit I saw in NC - some empty county road. He followed. Figuring he was done, and at his exit, I signalled quickly and got back on the interstate without having to go down the ramp. He did the same. I figured "okay, maybe he just was blindly following me and zoned out - he does drive like an idiot". So I tried to take the next exit, another empty county road. Signalled and left, went down to a stop sign. He followed. Again. I did a California roll through the stop and went right back up onto the interstate. There ended up being a car going by the other way as he tried to roll the stop sign, and I got to put some distance between me and him. He followed me back up to the interstate. At this point, with some distance, I floored it and took the next exit, which happened to be the first exit with a few gas stations and a restaurant or so. I headed down the road as fast as was safe and stopped at the most crowded station I could find, went in and waited.

I had a firearm with me, locked and unloaded in the trunk. If I hadn't come to a town and the guy continued to follow me and act threatening, if I didn't get cell service on another exit, I planned on pulling over, popping the trunk and pretending to dig for a tire iron, and playing dumb, pretending the guy was trying to let me know about a flat. If the guy rolled up to "give me a piece of his mind" or do something stupid or threatening, I figured I'd have enough time to load the gun and then deal with the situation. I don't remember if it was Christmas leave or pre-deployment leave, but either way I was about a month away from going back to Iraq. I figured I'd tell the authorities the guy had seen my DOD sticker, my haircut, and the Marine stickers on my car and was probably planning to kill me to get on-base, that the guy was probably a terrorist, and to call the DHS. Still, calling the highway patrol and taking a detainee before I got in-country with an M-44 Mosin-Nagant would've been about the most absurd thing that could've fallen on my 1st Sgt's desk.

I probably would have handled the situation the same if I had a pistol available. If I had been totally unarmed I probably would've felt a lot less comfortable, and may have ended up speeding just to get the highway patrol's attention. The incident sure upped my SA in the civilian world, though.

[Socrates]

Bill:
Did you have a permit for the gun, and, if so, how did you get it?

Someone ought to link to the H&K guy that was tailed, shot at, by some meth gang guys, to his factory, confronted, and defended himself, with a machine gun, and, the 200 grand in lawyers fees, thanks to a slimball DA.

Had a reloading friend from Santa Cruz, and hunting buddy.
He and his friend were headed to Tahoe for deer. Guy in a Porsche went into psycho tailing them, in their truck, not going around, getting very close, and not going by.
Guy pulled up next to them, and my friend pulled, and cycled his 1911, and swears the ejecting bullet hit the S cars windshield. Whatever, the guy decided it was a wise time to take a VERY fast right turn, and exit the freeway.

They got their deer.

S

[Blackwater OPS]

Bill:
Did you have a permit for the gun, and, if so, how did you get it?

Sounds to me like he had the gun unloaded and in a locked container, no permit needed for that.

[Socrates]

Thanks.
Looks like you're right. Still, in Kali, anything can happen...
Still, maybe better off carrying a hunting gun, in that situation, then a semi-auto plastic gun...

S

[stephen426]

I've heard this video is fake but its still pretty good. It does contain profanity so consider yourselves warned. This the video "Two rednecks mess with the wrong guy"

[Anon]

stephen, yes, that video is completely staged.


As for the original question.... every time I look in my rear-view mirror, there seems to be cars behind me. Up until now I assumed they were all just people using the same roads as me.

[mikejonestkd]

>>>As for the original question.... every time I look in my rear-view mirror, there seems to be cars behind me. Up until now I assumed they were all just people using the same roads as me.


They ARE following YOU!!!

Battle stations!!! Man the torpedo tubes and prepare for silent running!!!

On a serious note, there are lots of lowlifes out there that wil follow you, either just for kicks to bother you, or with more serious intent. It is a good idea to pay attention to your surroundings and have a decent idea of what to do before it happens. I've seen road rage gone bad more than a few times and getting to safety and calling the police should be first on your list.

[markj]

every time I look in my rear-view mirror, there seems to be cars behind me

I have the same problem, I thought all this time it was folks driving home from work but now I think they are out to get me so I mounted a M60 to the trunk wit ha continous belt feed with 10,000 rounds of ammo in the trunk tonite I get even no one follows me anymore after tonite.

Now how do I get those durn voices to shut the hell up?

Actually I ride a motorcycle most of the time so if I suspect anyone is following me I take em on a ride they will never forget too bad none of them ever followed me into 120 mph land

[BillCA]

Originally Posted by socrates

Bill: Did you have a permit for the gun, and, if so, how did you get it?

Nope, no permit required. Since I'd driven to LA-LA land I slipped it into my carry-on luggage bag in one compartment and put the speedloaders in another. The gun compartment was locked with a small luggage padlock. That pays service to the requirement of transporting the gun in a secure container that is locked via a combination lock. Some smarta$$ cop or DA may argue that a carry-on flight bag isn't a "secure container", but then he has to explain why a locking "gun rug" is okay.

And yes... I did remember to take it out of the carry-on before my flight the following week. I wouldn't want to try to explain that!

[Hugh Jardonne]

The key is, of course there will always be people "following" behind you... the ones to watch out for are the ones which are obviously setting up to do something bad. They usually stand out after awhile. Some stand out right away.

The things which tipped me off that something wasn't right in my example:

1) A group of guys, during normal working hours (not during lunchtime) who didn't appear to be natives of the area,

2) who were dressed in a way to indicate that they weren't going to/coming from work (gang related attire),

3) one of whom appeared to be drinking (I forgot about that in my original description),

4) Car followed me through populated area, and as I slowed down to allow him to go around he kept dropping back to stay on my tail and try to remain low key behind remaining cars behind me

5) Car stayed with me after all other cars had left- I slowed down, played with my radio, and made it easy for him to pass- he continued to follow

6) Car stayed with me on random turn offs

7) When I made my final turn off and was able to lose them in a parking area with speed bumps, as I turned out of the lot and passed by them, the whole group watched me go the other way. By that time we were back in civilization.

My BG radar went off when I saw 1), 2), and 3). Everything else just confirmed that my BG radar was calibrated!

[stephen426]

Originally Posted by Anon

As for the original question.... every time I look in my rear-view mirror, there seems to be cars behind me. Up until now I assumed they were all just people using the same roads as me.

Anon,

Maybe you just haven't run into these kinds of situations or you don't work in a business where people will scope you out and then follow you. It could also be that you live in an area where crime is lower. Do not, for a second, believe that these kinds of things do not occur because that is when you will be caught with your pants down. Like I posted earlier, one of my store managers and my mother-in-law were both followed home and robbed at gun point. Had they been younger and more appealing to the robbers, who knows what else may have happened to them. I'm not advocating paranoia, just a healthy level of situational awareness.

[Vince13]

Warning shots.

[Blackwater OPS]

Warning shots.

Are a terrible, stupid, STUPID, idea. Please tell me that's what you meant.

[Beckerich]

how can he get his warning shots and i dont get my anti personnel grenades?

its just not fair

[Vince13]

I'm sorry, I meant to say "shoot out his tires and laugh when he drives off the road", is that right?

[Capt. Charlie]

This has devolved into just plain silliness.

Here's a tip for some of our newer members: TFL is about responsible firearms ownership, and Tactics and Training is about serious tactics and training. While we're not above a little humor, those who find it necessary to post in a silly or irresponsible manner will most likely find themselves on the outside looking in.

Closed.