What would you have done?

[darkminstrel]

I see everyone is taking this from the tactical perspective, why not take a step back and act via the human perspective?

Smile and wave.

If the person has crime on their mind you've taken the anonymity out of the equation and have made yourself a 'person' to them, this can lower the threat meter a bit, yeh? I'm a big, long haired, leather jacket wearing, freak with piercings so I know how far a simple modest smile can go in easing someone's distress.

 

[EUGENE the REALTOR]

I guess I disagree with what most have posted. Since there are two 24 hour businesses in the same parking lot, I don't see why a business owner would be threated by three people talking. I see people (of all age groups) doing this all the time, especially near Starbucks and other 24 hour restaurants like Shari's. I know I've done it before. It's called being in Oregon with not much to do unless you like the bar/club scene.

If it was a concerned business owner, he should've (if he didn't already) called 911 and left it at that. But last time I checked, having a conversation in a parking lot isn't against the law. My guess is he was stereotyping/profiling. Maybe the OP's group consisted of younger people (18-25) wearing hoodies or other "gangster" type clothing? Or perhaps they are black/hispanic? I can't imagine a business owner doing the same to a group of white females in their 50's (even with the same SUV).

 

[branchbuster]

Considering the time and place he may have been a pervert wanting to join the "party", driving around to get a look and maybe an invite.

 

[speelyei]

I can't imagine a business owner doing the same to a group of white females in their 50's (even with the same SUV).

He would have if he'd seen 9 to 5 starring Dolly Parton. Those women purt a hurtin' on Dabney Coleman. Yikes!

 

[Will]

I don't see this guy as a threat, clearly he made himself known and wanted you to leave the parking lot for what ever reason. Who sets in a car for three or four hours? Go home, go to the Starbucks or Sharis and chat. I bet he was the owner or manager of one of the businesses trying to run the wrong people out of the parking area. Why he didn't call the cops is a mystery, considering the way you described the area he just might not want another police report filed at his business location.

 

[trainsktg]

The main problem I see here is of the OP choosing to hang around after identifying a potentially dangerous person in the area, even escalating the situation by retreiving a weapon 'just in case'. Certainly the OP is within his rights to peacefully assemble in a parking lot after hours and chat with friends, but being 'right' isn't always the right thing to do.

Case in point:

If your car's nose is 5 feet in front of another car's during a lane merge and the other car is refusing to let you merge, do you stand your ground and wind up with a collision (why not, you have the right of way) or do you slow down and let him pass? If you are walking down a sidewalk and two people, shoulder to shoulder, are coming towards you from the other direction and aren't moving over, do you bust through them and risk getting your head kicked in, or do you step off the sidewalk until they pass by? If you choose the first choice in each scenerio, then I guess you'd also be the type of person to risk shooting someone in the head rather than just simple moving to a safer location, because "Dammit, I gots my rights!" .

And just in case anyone is wondering what kind of wimp doesn't 'stand up for himself', I'm 6'1, 210#, with years of eastern and western martial arts training, a powerlifter (making me stronger than about 99% of the adult male population out there) and YES I still yield the road to aggressive drivers and yield the sidewalk to inconsiderate pedestrians because my EGO isn't such that it prevents me from avoiding ANY confrontation that could take someone's life. Just because I CAN kick the crap out of (or shoot) most anyone who crosses my path doesn't mean I SHOULD.

Keith (OK, I feel better now. Thanks for listening. I'll be here all week. Please try the veal.)

 

[Tactical SS]

Wise choice or not, it's already been made. I didn't feel like I should have to leave the parking lot because of some fool. My friends left the state the next day and lived 45 minutes away so it's not like we could have gone home or just met up the next day.

Hindsight it was more likely the guy was looking for drugs.

 

[Will]

Wise choice or not, it's already been made. I didn't feel like I should have to leave the parking lot because of some fool. My friends left the state the next day and lived 45 minutes away so it's not like we could have gone home or just met up the next day.

Hindsight it was more likely the guy was looking for drugs.

I understand your point and thanks for bringing it up. It provoked a lot of conversation. Were weren't there and you did what you thought was right.

I'm the guy that would have moved to safer location (even if it was just to another parking lot) so I could enjoy the time with my friends with out concern of the nut case roaming the parking lot. You held your ground, different attitudes/tactics. The good news it all turned out fine and you got to spend the time with your friend.