The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 23, 2011, 02:56 AM   #51
Nnobby45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2004
Posts: 3,150
Some of the "situational awareness" incidents that some have mentioned, would have been hard to miss.

Maybe true awareness is avoiding those things that aren't so obvious, but are there if you're really aware. We may never know what might have happened had we not picked up on those subtle signs and gone the other way or taken some avoidance action.
Nnobby45 is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 03:02 AM   #52
Nnobby45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2004
Posts: 3,150
Quote:
Yikes, if Spokane WA is the 15th most safe place in America, wow, we are under siege. I have most of my medical appointments in Spokane while up in Idaho. Spokane is a town that I would not want to venture after dark, period. Here are some crime stories from earlier this year. Home invasions seem to be one of the biggest things we always hear about on the news and radio while up in Idaho.
Don't be irrational, Alaska444. Didn't you hear that the crime rate is dropping ALL over America?

While you're out and about in various places, really experiencing what's happening, others are sitting home looking up official statistics that say you shouldn't be experiencing what you are.

OK, I had to get that out of my system. I'll go have some Kava to calm me dow.
Nnobby45 is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 04:03 AM   #53
Single Six
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2010
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,522
My answer: Yes. More than a few times in my LE capacity, and on one memorable occasion while on my own time. My girlfriend and I were sitting in her parked car in the parking lot of a local Recreational Center, after dark [I was in my early 20s and didn't know any better]. Her car was parked near the building, with the front of the car facing the street, and the rear of it facing the building's front. While we sat talking, I noticed two guys walking by in front of us, about 30 feet away. They pretended to pay us no mind, and they walked on, going behind us and disappearing around the corner of the building. However, I kept my eyes open and about 30 seconds later, I noticed one of them peeking at us around the corner. His buddy reappeared with him, joining him as they both watched us intently. I was armed; I had my S&W 645 with me. But I was also armed with something else, namely situational awareness. We immediately made a very hasty retreat, and that was my last time "parking". As I've said before: Mighty hard to lose the fight if you're gone when it starts.
__________________
Seen on a bumper sticker: "Exercise. Eat right. Take vitamins. Die anyway."
Single Six is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 10:45 AM   #54
OuTcAsT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2006
Location: Eastern, TN
Posts: 1,236
Quote:
I was armed; I had my S&W 645 with me. But I was also armed with something else, namely situational awareness. We immediately made a very hasty retreat, and that was my last time "parking". As I've said before: Mighty hard to lose the fight if you're gone when it starts.

This is the most important part ^^


The most important weapon is between your ears. You may be armed to the teeth but, knowing what is going on around you, and reacting to it can save your life.
__________________
WITHOUT Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as public Liberty, without Freedom of Speech. Silence Dogood

Does not morality imply the last clear chance? - WildAlaska -
OuTcAsT is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 01:31 PM   #55
paranoia911
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2011
Posts: 14
hard target

as an active duty veteran with 3 all expenses payed trips to the Middle East I can say that many things come into play when it comes to evading danger. A hard target being the main thing in my opinion. For a more practical example, someone who is walking around texting and talking into their bluetooth head set all day paying no attention to anything but the "important" text or phone conversation is a much softer target than someone who is legally carrying a firearm, (or two) watching his or her 6 o'clock, and generally being aware of everything and everyone around them. When I was overseas in a combat zone, I never pulled the trigger or hammered down on the butterfly because I never had to. My head was on a swivel, constantly scanning potential danger areas and people, both with my eyes and my weapon system. My unit never engaged in major combat because we at all times presented a hard target. Very unfortunately, not all the other units were so fortunate. If it walks and talks like a duck, future predators will most likely assume it is a duck~me
paranoia911 is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 02:41 PM   #56
farmerboy
Junior member
 
Join Date: May 16, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,343
Im wandering about these statistics some are talking about, who are putting these out anyway. Our news media, maybe our government maybe? How many would actually believe this from anyone of these two??? haha I can pull a statistic right now out of my butt too, would you believe it because I said it was so?
farmerboy is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 04:59 PM   #57
markj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 27, 2005
Location: Crescent Iowa
Posts: 2,971
Quote:
others are sitting home looking up official statistics that say you shouldn't be experiencing what you are
Thats funny. They are from a insurance company, has no relation to real life. Most police forces arrange stats to make their post look safer than it is.

Where I work, in the north omaha area 30th and fort st to be exact, I see a lot of gangster types, had a shooting right outside the office last year 2 guys were shot up.


But to say we are in a battle zone or something, well I just dont see that.
markj is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 05:48 PM   #58
TFU
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 21, 2011
Posts: 6
Always watching

Im always watching everyone everything everywhere I go, I try not to put myself in any situations where I'm cornered, and I never let myself be a soft target.

A couple times recently I have had people make obscene moves in traffic such as accelerating around me just to cut me off and slam on the brakes (Arizona drivers). I drive a Miata by the way, this guy makes his move I swerve pass him and he follows me like hes on a mission to get me, keep in mind I am 155lbs and 5'11" basically the definition of skinny white kid, the guy chasing me was a heavy set Latino fellow in a camry, I took a few quick turns ran a red (taking a right) and got away. This has happened a couple of times with the person giving chase disappearing around a corner behind me.


A couple years ago I had been jumped by a group of Mexicans in my low income housing neighborhood (they cornered me) , it wasn't too bad just a black eye and a few bruises. Two weeks after I moved out of the "hood" my old roommate was walking down the same street, he is the same size and build as I am, the same group of guys walks towards him and one says "what size shoes are those" he had my CZ40p on him and he presented it racked a round and said ".40 cal" they backed off and he walked home. I later told him that he could have been shot and it would have been the five of them vs him in court, if he was still alive, and to keep it loaded next time.

From this I learned to always be aware of my surroundings and to avoid anyone that looks even remotely suspicious. Since then I haven't had any real notable issues.
__________________
For all your AR500 steel target needs Targetsfromus.com
Feel free to pm me any ideas for targets you want.

Rolling with the top down
TFU is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 05:55 PM   #59
BGutzman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 4, 2009
Location: Frozen Tundra
Posts: 2,414
Without situational awareness I would have been in the grave long ago...
__________________
Molon Labe
BGutzman is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 06:50 PM   #60
dyl
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 31, 2009
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,310
No assailants yet as far as I know but I was glad to have been watching out for a few times that could have turned into trouble. Ever have a car pull up behind you at a parking lot ATM and the 2 young males leave the engine idling?

The biggest returns from situational awareness so far have been while driving. It usually involves keeping more distance, noting other people's sudden stops and turns, poor signaling, and erratic speeds and poor lane position when turning. Some like to creep into other lanes. Once I was driving on the interstate and the U-Haul unit someone was towing came unhitched so the runaway unit drifted across several lanes before crashing into the median. I was polite and let it pass in front of me.
dyl is offline  
Old December 23, 2011, 11:58 PM   #61
jreXD9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 11, 2009
Posts: 404
I was getting gas at a station between Riverdale, Ga and the airport one day when a lowlife type started circling the pumps on foot, coming closer and closer each time around. When he came around the third time I had my coat off, arms crossed and positioned so that there was no way he was not going to see my weapon now OC'd. Sure enough, he saw it and his eyes got big, he spun on his heels and headed in the other direction. Was he up to something? If he was he changed his mind.
__________________
Don't go ninjin' nobody don't need ninjin'.
jreXD9 is offline  
Old December 27, 2011, 05:54 PM   #62
Steviewonder1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2009
Location: John's Creek, Georgia
Posts: 328
A couple of months ago I went to have lunch in one of my most favorite restaurants that I have been to all over the US and over the world (last name rings with Bock), came out the front door with a purchase of goodies that I always get and did a 360 degree scan, noticed a couple of "Boys" on the other side of the street at this major intersection in Atlanta, Ga., and started down the sidewalk to my car which was parked a block and half away. One of the boys started across the street not in the ped lane, and approached me. I put up the Fence and said "I don't have the time of day". That froze him as he did not expect a response like that. I continued toward my car with my coat now unbuttoned for access to my G-19 I was CCW in the city. I do not go downtown in Atlanta without being armed. This was also not a stupid place to do stupid things at stupid times. I did the 360 degree scan, found the BG and handled it right into him and froze him. He did not follow as I did check twice on the way down the block. You just do not know what will come up to you when you least expect it. BE AWARE of your Surroundings. If you don't feel comfortable, there is a reason.
Steviewonder1 is offline  
Old December 28, 2011, 01:52 AM   #63
bigfug
Junior Member
 
Join Date: September 3, 2009
Posts: 1
Didnt save my life, but probably that of my wife and daughters. We were out for dinner, as we were going out of town the next morning for a dance competition, and didnt want to have to mess with dishes. My wife realized that she forgot something and needed to stop on the way home. The store in the nice new well lit strip mall didnt have it, but we knew a store in the not so great mall on the way home did. I parked by an entrance near a vacated anchor store, under a light. Wife took off with daughter in tow, I grab little man out of his seat. I come around the corner of the car and try to catch up with them. They are 30-40 yards ahead of me. I see an older pick up, driver turns off his lights, rolls down his window and start creeping up on them at barely more than an idle. He didnt notice my son and I, the parking lot was pretty much empty other than that. I hollered at my wife to wait up. The truck tore out of the parking lot. I caught up to my wife and asked if she was worried about the truck. She said "What truck?"
bigfug is offline  
Old December 29, 2011, 04:30 PM   #64
ltc444
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 3, 2011
Location: Vernon AZ
Posts: 1,195
With 40 years of working in hazardous environments, EOD, Explosive Manufacturing, and Acid Plants, I believe in the hair on the back of my neck. When it stands up I listen.

While a Part time Deputy in South Ar I had an incident which illustrates this.

My Partner came to work in a Bad Mood. He wanted to get into a fight.

A guy in a 440 road runner showed out in front of us and the chase was on.

We finally caught him at a bar. My neck hair was standing up and I was on full alert. I new my partner would instigate a fight. My goal was to prevent an encounter with a subject that would end badly.

I jumped out of the cruiser walked up to the guy, maintaing a safe seperation, threw my hat on the ground an loudly said "you dummy you know we can't allow you to get away with that"

I then asked him about the car. I switched back and forth from talking about the car and interviewing him to find out about his situation.

I determined that he had just been released from Cummings Prison after serving a 5 yr sentece for battery of a Police Officer. He was an expert at hand to hand combat and a very real threat to us.

When My partner finally came up he was laughing so hard that he put his hands out to be cuffed.

We let him go.

When we got the printout on the guy we learned that he had killed a least 2 men in fights and had over 20 charges and / or convictions for assualt.

I honestly believe that my situational awareness saved one or more of us from severe injury or death.
ltc444 is offline  
Old December 29, 2011, 06:03 PM   #65
bkoll
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 28, 2011
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 9
The poster who has mentioned Omaha a few times, I know exactly where you are coming from. My mom grew up in Bellevue and whenever we go to Omaha she refuses to even drive through North O.

On topic... Went out for a late night jog on a path that runs through the middle of the city last year or freshmen year of college. There is a very sketchy/dark part that has 15 foot hills on each side of the path and one side has lots of trees lining it. After running to where my halfway point is and turning to come back I had to reenter the area where I could easily see someone getting jumped. Neighborhoods around it are lower income, many apartments, and a trailer park. Saw 2 figures about 150 yards ahead of me that appeared to be males about my age (19 at the time) and didn't appear to be in workout attire. So when I got an odd feeling something wasn't right I quick got off the path into the trees and waited a few seconds. Then looked back down the path and the 2 guys were gone. I was suspecting they hid off in the trees to ambush me if I got back on the path. Since I wasn't 21 (and still not 21) and not able to get CCW, I only had a stun gun with me and had it ready to use but didn't even want the opportunity to use it. So I went up through the trees and found a neighborhood with some street lights and hauled a** back to the fraternity. Who knows what would have happened, but better to avoid a confrontation that is controllable.
bkoll is offline  
Old December 29, 2011, 07:19 PM   #66
KC Rob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 3, 2009
Location: Outside KC, MO
Posts: 321
Quote:
I drive a Miata by the way...
Well, there's your problem right there. No court in the land would convict someone of giving you the beat down for driving one of those. (Sorry, couldn't resist taking a jab)
__________________
KC Rob
KC Rob is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09085 seconds with 10 queries