In the full version of the clip above, the 23-year-old Empire State gunman executes Scott’s buddy. Bang. Just like that. In a world where all Americans exercised their Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms, every episode of I Survived involving a depraved attacker would end after five minutes. “So I managed to get my gun out and shot him.” If I ran Ruger I’d sponsor the whole damn series and run ads during every break. FWIW. Meanwhile, in last night’s episode, one of the vignettes focused on a BG killing a family with a shotgun. The mother said “you can’t hunt with a pistol grip shotgun.” As if her daughter would still be alive if only the psychopath didn’t have a pistol grip on his shotgun. Go figure. [h/t JC. Click here for the Bio Channel’s I Survived webpage. Warning: autoplays video.]
What do we preach every day? Situational Awareness. If this guy looked at you funny, keep walking. Keep an eye on where he is. Hands in pockets? Scan for his buddies. If something doesn’t feel right, play it as though something’s wrong. Don’t make yourself a sitting duck in your car if someone is hanging around. Don’t let yourself be ambushed if you have a bad feeling about something. Be aware of your surroundings.
Oh and one other thing. The second I get the door closed, I lock it. Sometimes I hit the lock button BEFORE I close the door.
Notice I didn’t mention anything about carrying a gun. This situation could have been avoided just by being on your toes and letting Mr. BG know you have your eye on him. Walk away, call the cops if he continues hanging out by your car.
But when you are armed Situational Awareness becomes second nature. Don’t know why but it did for me.
So…you lock the door…
Bullets do not penetrate thin metal sheet and glas panel…sure?
(I do not fully disagree with your opinion but locking the door is – naturally -not enough)
In America we are obsessed with the appearance of safety even when it is a total illusion.
Situational awareness is not practiced because it makes people uncomfortable. When you talk about situational awareness people realize if they paid attention they may realize they are not safe.
I don’t advocate paranoia, but “It came out of nowhere” is a common phrase discussing everything from car accidents to violent crimes. Chances are good that there was not a “Stealth Bomber” bad guy or car. There were events leading up to every bad situation. Maybe you could have spotted it, maybe not. Most people won’t even look.
I occassionally have to travel to Chicago and I don’t always get to walk through the best and most well lit places. If I have to compromise security in that manner I am making a mental note of every person around me and listening for anyone approaching behind me at all times. Even on the street in public I scan crowds. Hell, that level of attention keeps you from getting run over crossing the street.
Unfortunately, my observation is that most people are content in their own little bubble. Thus the rise of people walking around listening to iPods and these days obsessing over their smartphone rather than paying attention. This may be a coping mechanism. “See no evil, hear no evil” If I don’t see it, than it doesn’t exist. Some of those self-absorbed people who refuse to leave their little bubble of obliviousness will inevitably be saying “…out of nowhere” should they be fortunate to survive.
If only they’d taken the points off of knives Ms. Goodwin would be alive today. Makes as much sense as that statement about pistol grip shotguns.
I watched one episode where a family got their ride stranded in the desert not far from the Mexican border. The father went off to get help and left mom with a shotgun. Mom decided to take the kids and start going after dad. Along the way they encountered a few nasty animals (‘yotes and such) and a suspicious truck with some guy in it who proceeded to stalk and harass them. I can’t remember all the details but I think she might’ve shot a coyote and know the weirdo in the pickup truck left once he was looking down the barrel of a 12 gauge.
I hunt witha pistol grip shotgun… am I not supposed to? Am I not hunting?
I’m sure Jim B will be by soon to let you know.
Actually, you can in fact hunt with a pistol-grip shotgun. Or rifle. Or even just a plain old handgun where laws permit.
What kind of world does this lady live in where a pistol-grip shotgun cannot kill a game animal, but is the most lethal device ever devised against humans?
She lives in a fantasy world where being informed and knowledgeable has no place when it’s easier to just “decide” how things are and use your mind and imagination to make-up facts that suit how she sees the world. Hmmmm…this sounds familiar….but who have I encountered who would do such shallow, erroneous, intellectually lazy mentation…? Well…I’ll think of who it is as soon as I post this….
For years I have been hyper-observant when in public, to the point sometimes I thought I was being a little paranoid. Reading TTAG has let me understand it is just healthy wariness, or a form of “situational awareness”. What I have observed since that understanding is how oblivious and self-absorbed so many other people are in public. Many seem to project an aura of having no clue any danger could possibly be present. It’s like they are wearing a sign that says, “Hello! Easy target here! Go ahead and mess with me!” So, it’s no wonder a common reaction is “I didn’t even see that coming.”. It’s because you weren’t paying attention, numbskull.
“It wasn’t the type of information you would give to someone you planned to let live.”
Also no horror movie would last more than ten or fifteen minutes.
Its not a matter of being paranoid, its being paranoid enough.