In all seriousness, that's why I didn't stop in front of one of the closed stores. I enjoy talking to police officers in social settings; not so much when they're acting in their official capacity.ScottDLS wrote: Maybe he was an undercover cop coming to see what a "biker" and potential 1%er was doing in that neighborhood near closed stores. Lucky you weren't in Tulsa.
ETA: Not to imply that you are anything but a law abiding citizen...just hypothetical.
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Return to “Do you check reflections?”
- Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:48 am
- Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
- Topic: Do you check reflections?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 8960
Re: Do you check reflections?
- Sat Sep 24, 2016 9:38 am
- Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
- Topic: Do you check reflections?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 8960
Re: Do you check reflections?
Situational awareness is one of the most important skills you can learn and practice. If you don't see the threat coming, all the combat training in the world probably won't help you.
This point was impressed upon me recently. I was riding my motorcycle home just after dark from a birthday party. My phone alarm reminding me to remind my wife to take her medicine started going off, so I pulled into a parking lot to turn it off. I was in a neighborhood that I can't afford to live in, so wasn't really worried about the fact that almost all of the businesses in the strip mall I was in were closed. I just pulled up near the one that was open, which was a convenience store. There was only one car present, on the other side of the convenience store's parking area. I put the kickstand down, fished my phone out of my pocket, took a glove off so I could mess with it, turned the alarm off, and looked up to see a large man walking directly at me across the parking lot from my 3 o'clock. Having already scanned my surroundings, I knew the only reason he would be walking in my direction would have to do with me. At that point he was about 20 feet away. I looked intently at him, put my phone back in my left pocket and moved my right hand near the Glock on my hip. He followed the motion of my hand and immediately became fascinated by the closed, dark, empty store window of the store to his left. Glove back on; bike in gear; roar of motor; gone.
Scanning my surroundings saved me. Looking up from what I was doing every few seconds saved me. Having a visible handgun saved me.
You can say "maybe he was asking for directions/money/a smoke." You weren't there. I saw that man, and he meant me harm. Seeing that I was armed and aware of him is what stopped him from doing me harm.
Check your reflections. Don't get engrossed in your phone. Be aware of what is going on around you. Today could be the day it matters.
This point was impressed upon me recently. I was riding my motorcycle home just after dark from a birthday party. My phone alarm reminding me to remind my wife to take her medicine started going off, so I pulled into a parking lot to turn it off. I was in a neighborhood that I can't afford to live in, so wasn't really worried about the fact that almost all of the businesses in the strip mall I was in were closed. I just pulled up near the one that was open, which was a convenience store. There was only one car present, on the other side of the convenience store's parking area. I put the kickstand down, fished my phone out of my pocket, took a glove off so I could mess with it, turned the alarm off, and looked up to see a large man walking directly at me across the parking lot from my 3 o'clock. Having already scanned my surroundings, I knew the only reason he would be walking in my direction would have to do with me. At that point he was about 20 feet away. I looked intently at him, put my phone back in my left pocket and moved my right hand near the Glock on my hip. He followed the motion of my hand and immediately became fascinated by the closed, dark, empty store window of the store to his left. Glove back on; bike in gear; roar of motor; gone.
Scanning my surroundings saved me. Looking up from what I was doing every few seconds saved me. Having a visible handgun saved me.
You can say "maybe he was asking for directions/money/a smoke." You weren't there. I saw that man, and he meant me harm. Seeing that I was armed and aware of him is what stopped him from doing me harm.
Check your reflections. Don't get engrossed in your phone. Be aware of what is going on around you. Today could be the day it matters.