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Last night I was walking to my kid's school for a PTA meeting around 6:50PM. It was dark, but the walk is pretty routine for me and close so it's no big deal.
Anyway, I hear from behind me, "Hey, you got a cig?". I turned around and there were three people in hooded jackets walking about 20 yards behind me. I responded, "No" and kept walking - but now I was paying a little more attention.
I could hear the guys talking kinda loudly, joking and such, and it seemed like they were gaining on me though I was keeping a pretty good pace. But I'm a pretty good sized guy, not (too old) and I don't project a "victim" aura so I wasn't too concerned.
I crossed the street to the parallel sidewalk and turned right.
So did they.
I was starting to get a little concerned at that point. It's unusual to see three hooded (thuggish) youths in my neighborhood, much less at night. I was cursing myself for not bringing my Surefire light (which I ALWAYS take with me when I go out at night) and I was irritated that I was wearing gloves that would make it difficult to get to my EDC knife. I thought of taking them off, but decided that if there was a scuffle, that my hands were better protected and that I'd be able to hit harder with the gloves on.
Another 50 yards and I realized that they were still gaining on me so I stepped off the sidewalk into a well lit driveway to let them pass (and so I could keep a better eye on them).
Tall guy was already in the process of going into the street to get in front of me. Medium guy was lagging behind and Short guy pulled up next to me (about 10 feet away) and asked, "You got a problem?". Though I had suspicions before, now I was 90% sure that they were setting me up.
I smiled and just replied that they were walking faster than me and that I thought that I'd let them pass.
Then Tall guy hit me in the head above the right ear. BING! I staggered a little but stayed on my feet as the three rushed me. They were grabbing at me and throwing punches that weren't connecting - I was alternately pushing them away and grabbing at them, trying to keep them bunched up. And I was cursing - at the top of my lungs (mostly things about their relations with their mother and what pussies they were). And I was also backing up toward the modded Prelude in the well lit driveway.
I slammed my body and my fist into the trunk/whale tail of the Prelude to set off the car alarm. They all let go of me.
Short and Medium guy took off down the street running. Tall guy stood there looking at me and started to lift up the front of his jacket. I lowered myself to charge him. I didn't see anything in his waistband, but I wasn't sure. I was still yelling (trying to get someone to come out of their house).
Tall guy's buddies were still running and calling for him so he took off and then I saw that there were 4 guys, not three.
I stood in the driveway for a minute and saw the guy in the house look out his kitchen window and turn off the car alarm. I waved at him as to say, "Sorry for hitting your car" but he just looked past me (Kitty Genovese, anyone?).
Then I finished walking to the PTA meeting.
The blow I took to the head wasn't that bad, the hat I was wearing seemed to absorb most of it. I had a pretty good adrenaline dump, but figured that going home would take me in the same direction that my assailants went, so my best option was to continue on to the school.
Going home, I walked along a busier and well lit street. Then I called the cops and a couple of hours later then sent an officer to take a report.
He told me that it was probably a failed robbery and next time to call right away....
Lessons learned:
Interestingly, I don't think a CCW would have helped in this situation vary much. The whole event went from Yellow to Red so quickly, I wouldn't have had time to employ a handgun. OC would have been a better choice. I can carry it openly in my hand without people freaking out. I'm buying some today. Anyone have recommendations?
All in all, an interesting learning experience. I'm not going to stop walking in my neighborhood. I'm going to still go out and I'm going to still go out at night. I'm just going to try to be a little more aware of my surroundings and a little more prepared.
Anyway, I hear from behind me, "Hey, you got a cig?". I turned around and there were three people in hooded jackets walking about 20 yards behind me. I responded, "No" and kept walking - but now I was paying a little more attention.
I could hear the guys talking kinda loudly, joking and such, and it seemed like they were gaining on me though I was keeping a pretty good pace. But I'm a pretty good sized guy, not (too old) and I don't project a "victim" aura so I wasn't too concerned.
I crossed the street to the parallel sidewalk and turned right.
So did they.
I was starting to get a little concerned at that point. It's unusual to see three hooded (thuggish) youths in my neighborhood, much less at night. I was cursing myself for not bringing my Surefire light (which I ALWAYS take with me when I go out at night) and I was irritated that I was wearing gloves that would make it difficult to get to my EDC knife. I thought of taking them off, but decided that if there was a scuffle, that my hands were better protected and that I'd be able to hit harder with the gloves on.
Another 50 yards and I realized that they were still gaining on me so I stepped off the sidewalk into a well lit driveway to let them pass (and so I could keep a better eye on them).
Tall guy was already in the process of going into the street to get in front of me. Medium guy was lagging behind and Short guy pulled up next to me (about 10 feet away) and asked, "You got a problem?". Though I had suspicions before, now I was 90% sure that they were setting me up.
I smiled and just replied that they were walking faster than me and that I thought that I'd let them pass.
Then Tall guy hit me in the head above the right ear. BING! I staggered a little but stayed on my feet as the three rushed me. They were grabbing at me and throwing punches that weren't connecting - I was alternately pushing them away and grabbing at them, trying to keep them bunched up. And I was cursing - at the top of my lungs (mostly things about their relations with their mother and what pussies they were). And I was also backing up toward the modded Prelude in the well lit driveway.
I slammed my body and my fist into the trunk/whale tail of the Prelude to set off the car alarm. They all let go of me.
Short and Medium guy took off down the street running. Tall guy stood there looking at me and started to lift up the front of his jacket. I lowered myself to charge him. I didn't see anything in his waistband, but I wasn't sure. I was still yelling (trying to get someone to come out of their house).
Tall guy's buddies were still running and calling for him so he took off and then I saw that there were 4 guys, not three.
I stood in the driveway for a minute and saw the guy in the house look out his kitchen window and turn off the car alarm. I waved at him as to say, "Sorry for hitting your car" but he just looked past me (Kitty Genovese, anyone?).
Then I finished walking to the PTA meeting.
The blow I took to the head wasn't that bad, the hat I was wearing seemed to absorb most of it. I had a pretty good adrenaline dump, but figured that going home would take me in the same direction that my assailants went, so my best option was to continue on to the school.
Going home, I walked along a busier and well lit street. Then I called the cops and a couple of hours later then sent an officer to take a report.
He told me that it was probably a failed robbery and next time to call right away....
Lessons learned:
- Carry a flashlight. A good 80 lumen blip would have affected their night vision, it also would have made them easier to identify later. Finally, it makes a good "fist load".
- If I'm going to carry a knife for self defense (and opening boxes), it's useless unless I can get to it. Having it clipped to my pocket is handy, but in the scuffle, I wasn't able to access it.
- Learn to manipulate the EDC with gloves on - or don't wear gloves.
- Call the cops immediately.
- Be a little more pro-active in calling the cops on suspicious people in my neighborhood.
Interestingly, I don't think a CCW would have helped in this situation vary much. The whole event went from Yellow to Red so quickly, I wouldn't have had time to employ a handgun. OC would have been a better choice. I can carry it openly in my hand without people freaking out. I'm buying some today. Anyone have recommendations?
All in all, an interesting learning experience. I'm not going to stop walking in my neighborhood. I'm going to still go out and I'm going to still go out at night. I'm just going to try to be a little more aware of my surroundings and a little more prepared.
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