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"Detectives say a 24-year-old woman, who works at the Baybrook Mall, was in her car and about to leave when a man driving a tan-colored vehicle pulled up next to her.

Records indicate the man was waving his arms as if he needed help and when the woman opened her door, the suspect attacked.

Police say he implied he had a gun and forced her in his car."

We must pay attention at all times especially this time of year.

On a side note, why would she open her car door to a stranger at that late hour by herself?

Teamless wrote:Police say he implied he had a gun and forced her in his car."

"Show me the gun."

"Oh, I've got a gun!"

"Ok Mr. Big Man, show it to me, and I might do what you want."

"DOH!" (drives away....)

thatguy wrote:We must pay attention at all times especially this time of year.

On a side note, why would she open her car door to a stranger at that late hour by herself?

Because lots of people, women and men, are willing to help out a stranger in need without really thinking about it.

healthinsp,

I agree with your assessment.

That said, we need to educate folks who never stop operating in condition white. I have done so with my wife, daughter and grand-girls about the need for situational awareness and overcoming gullibility.

A few days back, while driving away from a gas station/convenience store a pedestrian insistently waved at me to stop and roll down my window. I just stared at him as I slowly drove on...

Was he a bad guy or a human in need?

I'll never know. I'm not taking the chance of his being a thug and me being victimized.

Ten years ago I would've stopped immediately and asked what he wanted, but not today...

This is why my wife knows no matter how needy the person looks, put the car in drive and leave. Period.

Thoughts and prayers to the victim.

jwine wrote:This is why my wife knows no matter how needy the person looks, put the car in drive and leave. Period.

Thoughts and prayers to the victim.

Right! Everybody has a cell phone, call 911 or somebody but don't play the Good Samaritan....at night. In the daytime...maybe a little bit?

thatguy wrote:We must pay attention at all times especially this time of year.

On a side note, why would she open her car door to a stranger at that late hour by herself?

...if she didn't know him...?

Oldgringo wrote:

jwine wrote:This is why my wife knows no matter how needy the person looks, put the car in drive and leave. Period.

Thoughts and prayers to the victim.

Right! Everybody has a cell phone, call 911 or somebody but don't play the Good Samaritan....at night. In the daytime...maybe a little bit?

Pulling away to a safe distance and calling 911 is a good enough samaritan for me. The proper authorities will handle the situation much better than she or anyone else could anyways, regardless of what is going on.

People don't care if it is broad daylight outside anymore so time of day doesn't make a difference to me. Just drive away and don't look back or like I said if it is something that merits a call to 911 then do that but trying to help isn't worth the risk because people are crazy.

jwine wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:

jwine wrote:This is why my wife knows no matter how needy the person looks, put the car in drive and leave. Period.

Thoughts and prayers to the victim.

Right! Everybody has a cell phone, call 911 or somebody but don't play the Good Samaritan....at night. In the daytime...maybe a little bit?

Pulling away to a safe distance and calling 911 is a good enough samaritan for me. The proper authorities will handle the situation much better than she or anyone else could anyways, regardless of what is going on.

People don't care if it is broad daylight outside anymore so time of day doesn't make a difference to me. Just drive away and don't look back or like I said if it is something that merits a call to 911 then do that but trying to help isn't worth the risk because people are crazy.

Perhaps I misread your post, but if you are saying to leave a woman being abducted, then no. I will not do that. And I pray that if my loved ones were being abducted that someone would try to do something other than tell the police which way they went after the police finally arrive on the scene. Most of the time the perpetrator will break off and run if someone comes at them to help, and at that time then let them go (no vigilante chases), try to get a license plate number if possible.

But if someone is in the process of being victimized, then I will step in. Could it be that I will have financial problems later? Possible but at least I could look at myself in the mirror. That is not being a wannabe, it is being a citizen who refuses to just do nothing.

If, on the other hand, your post was for the victim to drive away and call 911, then we are in full agreement.

Phill

How can you be sure they're a victim without risking becoming a victim yourself?

Ameer wrote:How can you be sure they're a victim without risking becoming a victim yourself?

A United States Supreme Court justice once said, "I might not be able to describe pornography but I know it when I see it." That was paraphrased from memory. Could also quote dirty Harry when asked how he knew the bad guy was up to no good, but this is a family forum. If I see a guy trying to drag a young lady from a car, then I will make an assumption and do something.

Taking action could pose a risk of becoming a victim. So what? If my loved ones were being attacked, I would hope people would not just turn away so they can remain safe. Twenty or thirty years back, there was a story of a young lady being brutalized on the streets of NY and the neighbors closed their windows and turned up the volume on their TVs and Radios. That way, they did not become victims themselves.

If someone values so cheaply their own life and safety that they don't bother to carry their own gun, I'm not going to second guess their decision by using mine.

What happened to my beloved Texas? It's starting to sound more and more like New York.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:What happened to my beloved Texas? It's starting to sound more and more like New York.

Chas.

Just read the paper and one reads about heinous crimes occurring in the larger Texas cities almost daily