Mr. Hughes, a jury of your peers has found you NOT GUILTY!
Musashi...I thought about that, but didn't want to take these guys anywhere near my family. Escape would always be my number one option, but sometimes circumstances dictate otherwise. If I was alone, I would have acted like I forgot something and walked or run away if possible.
Gary Hughes
eye contact, dont act like a victim (you know what i mean)
"eyegore, consider this.
When the situation was explained to a jury of your peers, there is no chance you would be convicted. (Unless you had a long prior record)."
Lol, you sound like an expert....nice 5,738 post genius!!
Call for Spiderman.
I think you handled the situation well. Awareness is key.
However, I think it would have been better to go right back to the car and leave. Your goal was your family's safety, best place to be is between them and your potential attackers. Besides, I'd take a car as a weapon over a knife anyday. Getting in the car and telling your wife to drive is a safer bet than fighting 2 attackers with a knife and having your wife not want to leave you there. Getting your family away from an area where a crime might happen is always a better option.
nice 5736 post
Musashi is as correct as I was when I said the same thing.
no disrespect sam pai, and I haven't read every post thus far, but, it seems that preparing with a knife, though it may have seemed the right thing to do, may not have been. I see nothing wrong with walking to the car and driving off. Why wait for 5 or so people in front of you? Also, how do you KNOW they knew you knew what they were up to?
I've seen a lot of guys that train a lot for "real life" situations, and there are plus sides to this, but for the most part they tend to look into things a bit too much, not necessarily in hopes of having been prepared. I'm not saying this is you in any way, just an interpretation.
-Karl
bsktrap...I'm still not 100% sure if I should have escaped to the car or not. You wouldn't want to get attacked as you were getting into the car either. I was in a position that would have been able to stop them if they tried to go for my wife and kids. I always go over incidents after they happen also, it is a good learning tool. I'm happy it worked out well. I just went on instinct.
id use another atm
cycklops...I felt they knew because they were watching me very closely. I was also making it obvious that I was watching them very closely. I was apparently more trouble than I was worth.
Gary Hughes
Norwegian Assassin posted: "red x for notoriousdog"
You must be using a dial up connection, my friend.
maxpower...I usually use another ATM that is a drive through.
Gary Hughes
The red x has turned into a monkey.
Norwegian Assassin...yes and so has notoriousdog!!
I would have hit cancel on my transaction and yelled MAY ALL THE HATRED OF LUCIFER RAIN DOWN UPON THEE!!!
Musahsi is correct.
"height of pretense". I like that.
I don't think going back to the car would have been my initial option. I responded to a call in NYC a couple of years ago on two gang members who Jacked a car with a mother driving and child in a car seat. They dumped the mom after about six blocks and continued with the child. They dumped the car (leaving the child) when NYPD was hot on their ass.
I don't think it was wrong for Gary to have the knife in his hand. It was closed and not exposed. To me he was in a heightend security posture. In tactics we call this "going hot".
The situation disolved and no threat was meet. The knife then goes back into his pocket. Defensive posture relaxes.
Many of you guys scoff at some of the things Gary does, but to some people it is natural. I have been carrying a gun for the last 14 years. I have been carrying off-duty for the last 9. To me my weapon is an extension of my body (my combat folder feels the same way). For many of us who do this for a career our "security senses" seem normal.