[David Blinder]

Picture this. You are loaded with a few shopping bags and just walked into the space between your car and another one. The keys are in your hand but the door isn't open. A man appears at the front of your car and starts approaching you. His hands appear empty and he's asking you "Do you know what time it is?" There's nothing obviously threatening in his dress or manner. What do you do as he's closing distance quickly. Do you close the distance,back away, verbally challenge, deck him with your tuna helper? How about if you add a new component like there are now two possible "threats," one in back as well as the one in front? Keep in mind that you have very limited space to manuver or retreat.

 

[Black Pearl 45]

i could see this happening to a woman more than a man.
hold your ground, stare him in the eye and say you dont know the time, hope your not obviously wearing a watch. usually when people ask you for the time they will notice you wearing a watch before asking, and will glance at your watch while asking the time. if you get a bad feeling from this guy, and stare at him while lieing to his face about not knowing the time, and he stares at you back ?
then position yourself for a fight(getting a defensive weapon or striking position), use your periferal(sp?) vision to scan the area for other threats, and keep this guy talking. maybe even YOU talk loud for others to hear you. if he makes a move and you have no other weapons then toss your bags in his face and then attack full force or haul @ss. if you think he has a weapon or you see a partner in crime then just RUN. your keys in hand can also be used as a weapon, try to gouge his face and eyes.
if your an un-armed woman and feel threatened, run and Scream.

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PRK -the crap may start here but does NOT End here --BP45

 

[SteveW]

The best reply I can think of is; don't get trapped to begin with. Situational Awareness is a mighty important thing in today's high crime world. If you do get trapped, then you have to rectify the situation immeadiatly. One option would be, to load your groceries in the trunk, or rear of your vehicle. Then you have three routes of egress, rather than one. If you have the weapons to spare, keep one in your trunk, especially if you know that is a potential attack point. Make sure it is accesable as well, not buried under all the junk that seems to end up in peoples trunks, or in a case, which would render that weapon useless.
Once again, I want to drive home the point, DON'T GET TRAPPED.

Respectfully,
Steve

 

[traevin]

Disclaimer: just about anything can go wrong with the answer below.

Since no one has to encroach upon your personal space just to ask the time, I would make sure I kept my cart between him and me. I would tell him the time, not by looking at my watch, because I'm not breaking eye contact for any reason, but by providing a rough estimate. If he continues to close with hands exposed and w/out a weapon in sight, I will defend myself, not with a gun; but with the training I received over five years in a martial arts studio. I'm not going to shoot an unarmed assailant, period. If you do, there's a better than average change that you will be spending time behind bars.

If there were two strangers closing the distance, I'd jump on top of the car. Once I have firm footing, I'd have my hand near my gun. Assuming no one was around, and the two men crossed the line from innocent stranger to obvious aggressor, I'd still scream my lungs out, in hopes of either scaring them off with my singing voice or alerting someone out of sight.

If the attackers were still determined to escalate the situation, but had not presented a weapon of any kind, I'd quickly determine if I could fight them off. Considering the fact that I have the higher ground, perched atop my car, a kick or two to the face is a good tactic.

At the first sight of a weapon from either assailant, the gun leaves its holster and I eliminate the primary threat before turning on the secondary one. If the remaining aggressor is still unarmed, I do not shoot but I do keep yelling in order to raise the alarm. Chances are very good that the remaining attacker leaves after seeing his partner spouting blood; but if not, I will be prepared to continue the fight, will my hands and feet, or with a gun, depending on the circumstances.

And they lived happily ever after

 

[Rosco Benson]

There's lots of stuff one can do if this pans out to be an attack. However, the most pressing matter is to determine whether or not it IS an attack.

A clear and loud "BACK OFF! GET AWAY FROM ME!" should cause most anyone to stop (unless their intent is to attack). Better to hurt the feelings of some innocent jerk than to let a bad guy get right up on you. If he keeps coming and I could do so I would drop the bags and move to create more space between us, all the while continuing the "GET AWAY FROM ME!" hollering.

The "BACK OFF!" command, growled loudly and seriously (and with the best war face one can manage) works well with panhandlers, people handing out pamphlets, and other assorted gadflys that dot the urban and (increasingly) suburban landscape and who do not respect the personal space of others.

If he has a partner trying to bracket me, someone is going to get knocked down (at least).

Rosco

 

[ROSANGHAL]

Well for one if his hands appear empty that doesn't mean he isn't a threat. Him asking you for the time maybe a ligitimate question but it may also be a predator trying to get you into his loop.

One of the things I would do is to keep his hands busy. If he closed in I would probably say "Sure I'll give you the time, hold these..." I would then hand him the bags. Pretty much forcing them onto him not giving him a chance to refuse. A lot of people will instinctively reach out or grab something shoved into them. That would give you a little time to put space between you and him by backing up while trying to keep a decent scan of your surround area for any of his back ups.

Even if he didn't hold on to the bags and he persued you he would still have to clear them and doing something he didn't expect you to do would make him have to re-orient his attack plan. Hopefully by this time you've put enough distance between you and him that it will give you more time to react to his looking at you like, "what am I suppose to do with these bags?" or him still persuing you. That would be the time to verbally challenge him at a better position or even high tailing it back to the store and telling the store management to inform the police of the incident.

If there are two, one coming from either side, and I am trapped between the two. I would do the same thing with the closest one in and quickly do a shove and move past the other one. You would be surprise how far you can actually shove a person out of your way.

Ross T.

 

[Chico]

I would hold out my left hand like a traffic cop and yell, "Stop!" If the potential threat continued to close the distance between us, then I would repeat the command to stop and get ready to draw my concealed firearm. If the guy still has not stopped after a third command, then I would draw to the ready position or the fire position depending on the distance between us. After that - I hope the situation gets diffused.

 

[Electric_Armadillo]

Non-trained victem vs. One guy: I would try to determine if he's a threat. Set down the groceries and keep you hands free. A potential attacker may find an easier target if your hands are free and you look able to fight. Quickly glance at your watch and tell him the time you think it is. A nice guy has his information and can now leave, tell him goodbye. If he sticks around after that and advances, he's a threat. Lace your car keys between the fingers of your dominant hand (chances are thats the hand you open the door with anyway) Once he steps inside jab range, aim for eyes, throat, or groin. If you can kick and punch at the same time, even better! Since you're trapped between cars, so is he. Take full advantage of this, someone who falls won't be able to get up easily. You will have the edge of fear induced adrenaline on your side. Use it!

If you are a trained combatant, use just enough force to disable your adversary. One man may not even pose a threat to you. The more ability you have, the more you can let the attacker make the first move. This will also help if it ends up in court later.

 

[Citizen_Gilmore]

You could tell him, (In your best drill instructor voice) "It`s time for you to get a watch, now get back where you were" If he keeps coming, down go the bags, (yes, eggs and all) and then begin to deal with the situation as it unfolds.. If there is the second, closing you in, then you can`t stay there, your gonna have to plow through one, or go over the car, to get a better position.. -Gilmore

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ME,WE!

 

[gryphon]

If you have that many bags that you will have both hands full, take out whatever you bought in a cart. If there is a lot of stuff and taking a cart is not an option have a friend go along to carry, or have someone from the store help and carry.