Bike Shops
Coaches
Fitters
Race Calendar
Running Stores
Store
Stack & Reach
Training Log
Triathlon Clubs
We Noticed
MAIN INDEX
RULES & LEGEND
LOG IN
Slowtwitch Forums
:
Lavender Room
:
Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood?
1
2
3
View All
Tri
Classifieds
Lavender
Jobs
Womens
Notices
Print Thread
chainpin
Apr 13, 12 7:03
Post #26 of 55
(476 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I distinctly remember as a boy of about seven or eight, going outside at dusk during the summer to play on my street and seeing a man walking by our parked car about 100 ft away, checking the door handle.
I froze and watched him from behind a small bush near my door.
He must have sensed he was being watched because he turned and we locked eyes since the bush I was behind didn't conceal me.
I don't know what came over me, but at that moment, I jumped out from behind the bush ran into the middle of the road and yelled as loud as I could..."hey!!!!"
That poor bastard nearly shart himself and ran off like a bat out of hell.
After that I would go out every night at the same time and "patrol" my little side street, four house neighborhood, for bad guys!!!
Where I live now, I would probably not follow someone unless from afar, but I would sure as hell yell at them if I saw them fucking around.
"I really wish you would post more often. You always have some good stuff to say. I copied it below just in case someone missed it." BarryP to Chainpin on 10/21/06
TheForge
Apr 13, 12 7:06
Post #27 of 55
(474 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [rick_pcfl]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I don't think anybody here is going to call the cops on every stranger in their neighborhood. Each and every one of us I assume has a general sense of who does and doesn't belong. I also think that most of us when in doubt whether a "stranger" belongs or doesn't belong would lean to the side of assuming they belong. But if you see an unmarked delivery style truck hanging out on different corners of your neighborhood without anybody off loading something, that might be suspicious. If you have a bunch of strange kids gathering in a large group, you might call the police. If you see a strange man walking around in the florida summer with a trench coat and flip flops on, you might call the cops. If you see an adult talking to little kids playing in their front yards, you might even intervene. This is again a reasonableness test.
vibrolux
Apr 13, 12 7:12
Post #28 of 55
(466 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [LorenzoP]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
You seem to have common sense. Some of us also do. You know when somethings out of place.
BarryP
Apr 13, 12 7:12
Post #29 of 55
(465 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
Follow from a safe distance? Yes. I've actually done it.
I live in a neighborhood that has a lot of older people in it driving Mercedes and Lexuses. Every now and then someone will come through and park at the end of our street, usually in a low end older vehicle, and then cut through a small strip of common land to the neighborhood behind us. There's a drug dealer living in one of the houses back there.....Ironically its a nicer neighborhood with 4,500 sq ft homes on big lots. The dealer is pretty young, so I'm guessing he's living with his parents. I think they park in our neighborhood so that people don't see a low end car parked in front of his $900,000 house.
One night I was out for a run and saw 3 trashy looking people crammed into a $2,000 pick up truck drive up and down our street a few times. Yes, I actually altered my route and kept an eye on them. My only intention, really, was to observe and report if necessary.
I had to deal with the cops for an unrelated issue and brought this up and they told me that they knew exactly what was going on and were aware of it.
-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485
LorenzoP
Apr 13, 12 7:13
Post #30 of 55
(462 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vitus979]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I walk around my neighborhood nearly every night sometime after dark - just always have. If I see someone or a group that appears outa place, I will follow them from a safe distance and make sure they are not up to no good. I would not call or confront if they stay on the sidewalk or street.
Once a group of teenagers were knocking over garbage cans and etc and I confronted them (in a light-hearted way) and they tightened up and left - other than that, I've had no reason to call or interfere.
If I saw someone running between homes or on porches . . . then Yes I would call or monitor.
travelmama
Apr 13, 12 7:15
Post #31 of 55
(458 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [JSA]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
JSA wrote:
Last month, I spent a week down in Sarasota, FL visiting my parents who now spend about 3 months each winter living in a rented condo in a semi-retirement community. I advised my parents to notify their neighbors about my arrival. Between the tattoos and the funny clothing, I really was worried one of them would call the police when I starting "lurking" around. ;-)
That was funny!
Now that a lot of Mexicans have become my neighbors, the strangers walking around here are the Mexicans selling corn on the cob and tamales from a shopping cart. I am cool with them until I hear that raunchy bike horn see them slathering that ten day old mayonnaise on an ear. Yuck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn-enjcgV1o
scorpio516
Apr 13, 12 7:24
Post #32 of 55
(449 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
No, I don't call the cops on the mormons.
Everyone in my neighborhood is strange, ranging from college students to large families of mexicans in a 2 bedroom apartment to people with obvious mental problems (and on permanent disability) to hillbillys. I'm the strangest one - a white guy who bikes and runs to work!
vitus979
Apr 13, 12 7:27
Post #33 of 55
(440 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [LorenzoP]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
And the frequency of burglaries in you neighborhood wouldn't affect your actions at all?
"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."
LorenzoP
Apr 13, 12 7:32
Post #34 of 55
(435 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vitus979]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
My 'job' is to go for a stroll, and I am totally observant - I see no reason to slice and dice this conversation to the angstrom.
sphere
Apr 13, 12 7:41
Post #35 of 55
(425 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
It occurred to me that my initial response was probably taken literally. It was a poor attempt at humor.
See Brick's response for how I would handle such a situation.
"Reason obeys itself; ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it." - T. Paine
Brian in MA
Apr 13, 12 7:41
Post #36 of 55
(424 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I live on a small quiet side street where most everyone knows each other and there are a good number of families with small kids, so it's pretty easy to spot something out of the ordinary. Our neighborhood is near a main parkway that is easy to get in/out of, so in the past year or two we've started to notice cars that pull onto our street to make a quick drug deal and then disappear. One time they were right in front of our house and we watched a quick exchange, my wife called the police and gave a description of the car and a partial license plate (was hard to see it from the window) and they said they would increase patrols in the area. Someone a few streets over from us saw something similar not long after and the cops made an arrest.
"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler
TheForge
Apr 13, 12 7:45
Post #37 of 55
(418 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
When I was about 15 years old my best friend and I were the big guys on the block. Nearly every house had at least a 6 foot food fence in the back yard. One day a headbanger/grit type had kicked through the door between my back fence leading into my rear neighbors house. Seeing him come out of my back yard aroused our suspicion immediately. THere were about 5 of us, my best friend, another friend, my younger brother, his friend, and I. We approached the kid (while in my yard) and he seemed off. Almost in shock, like he had been beaten up. So aggression became concern, thinking he might have been jumped, as a headbanger/grit would stick out in my largely black hip hop youth culture neighborhood. However, he just kept going. Two minutes later my dad pulled up having just been at the neighborhood store. He was in the checkout line when a kid matching that kids description shot the guy in front of him in the the face and fled. The police arrived with dogs a low flying chopper and they found him in a fetal position in the back corner of my friends yard. It turns out he was unarmed when we confornted him, but if he still had his gun the outcome could have been bad, really bad. That is why I am hesitant to approach unless I see an actual crime. But in the case where I was running and came upon that guy in the dark corner of my neighborhood. He could have easily been waiting or in the process of a drug transaction. Me being a runner could have been an unwanted witness. So you need to be ready for such instances. In that case, I'm assuming nothing came of it as the police officer that came let him go.
STP
Apr 13, 12 7:47
Post #38 of 55
(415 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [LorenzoP]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
would peeps here really call the police because seeing someone or a group in their neighborhood just because they look out of place - are you folks nuts?
My neighborhood is small, I generally know everyone on my street and its pretty easy to tell when something is not right. I certainly would notice someone who was not from the 'hood and acting like they should not be here. But, I would only call the cops if they were bothering me or looked particularly out of place (e.g. off the sidewalk or street and acting suspicious). That has not happened in 22 years but if it did, I would not hesitate to call. That's what I pay taxes for plus I owe it to my neighbors to be their eyes and ears, just like they owe it to me.
Actually, the few times I have called the cops it was about people I know (or to ask them help me find my dog). I have one neighbor who's high school age kids were prone to make alot of noise late at night. Where I live, it is perfectly acceptable to use the cops as a convenient way to get the kids to shut down the music after midnight without having to get out of bed yourself. The cops just roll by and say "Mr. STP wants to go to sleep" and the kids say "sorry officer Bob" and turn the music down.
Hubblesmith
Apr 13, 12 8:18
Post #39 of 55
(402 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
vibrolux wrote:
Someone or some strange group is in you neighborhood. Have you or would you follow and keep an eye on them, maybe even call the police?
Not only would I, but I have. It is a function of basic decency and civilized behavior to care about and watch over your neighbor and his property.
Hubblesmith
Apr 13, 12 8:25
Post #40 of 55
(395 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [LorenzoP]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
LorenzoP wrote:
would peeps here really call the police because seeing someone or a group in their neighborhood just because they look out of place - are you folks nuts?
I make a personal inquiry first. Calling the police is a last resort.
Alibabwa
Apr 13, 12 10:15
Post #41 of 55
(372 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I have made a point to keep an eye on people. I'm not going to confront someone though, I'm tall for a woman but not at all imposing or threatening.
I currently live across the street from an elementary school and some evenings there are people hanging out in front of it that seem out of place. I've made a note of their cars and what they're doing and had they been in the same spot when I came back I'd have called the police.
They was a group of teen boys who I saw climbing onto the school roof last week and I debated calling the cops but they didn't look destructive, more like they were just going up to see what was there. I get that! Plus it looked like it would be fun. Although I guess the responsible thing to do would have been to call the police.
As others have said, it's about judgement and having a feel for what is out of place in your area.
In my current neighbourhood if I hear yelling at night I'll assume it's neighbours partying (unless it sounds distressed or violent, obviously). Years ago I shared a rental house in Kerrisdale, a very wealthy part of Vancouver, very quiet and very different from where I am now. One Friday night there was yelling from two houses down, and my roommates and I decided to call the police. "I'm in Kerrisdale and there's someone yelling," sounded very unconvincing, especially on a busy Friday night, but it turned out to be the right thing to do. No one on the street knew the people in the house very well, but it turned out the adult son had gone off his meds and was threatening his mother with a knife.
This is a timely thread, I'm dropping by the community policing centre today and will ask them about what they want to hear about.
TheForge
Apr 13, 12 10:27
Post #42 of 55
(362 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [Hubblesmith]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I don't have neighbors behind me, at least not above ground. It is a cemetary that doesn't lock out access after hourse. So cars come in at different hours. If they hang out too long after dark I have gotten the urge to call them in, but often they are cops so I figure if somebody is up to no good, they will get caught. I think the cops take lunch there.
Kikuchiyo
Apr 13, 12 11:30
Post #43 of 55
(339 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [JSA]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
JSA wrote:
Dude -
I have a full arm-sleeve tattoo. I run around in spandex and lycra. I have a bike that looks like something from a science fiction movie. I
AM
the "someone strange" in my neighborhood!
Clearly you don't live in Park Slope or Williamsburg.
Tridiot
Apr 13, 12 11:34
Post #44 of 55
(334 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
Minimal to no crime in my neighborhood, but I honestly wouldn't know what is "strange" for the various people walking, running, biking, or driving through. I'm on a fairly well traveled local road in my neighborhood with the main path to the park.
If I saw a guy in a trench coat walking around in August I might think something is up. If I saw a white van at someone's house when I know they are on vacation I might think something is up.
I did walk out of the Chipotle by my customer site today and see a dude in a suit, minus jacket, coming out of another place with a gun on his hip. Pretty sure he was is a FBI agent... (I have no clue what the VA handgun laws are, never seen a gun on the hip before in over a decade here).
TheForge
Apr 13, 12 11:44
Post #45 of 55
(325 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [Tridiot]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
Open carry is and always has been legal in Virginia long before CWPs were ever a thought. Until last year your gun had to be stowed in your trunk or clearly visible within your car unless you had a concealed weapon. When I lived there and before I got my CWP after moving to FL, I always kept my pistol in the passenger seat where a cop could readily see it. But I would let them know first.
Tridiot
Apr 13, 12 12:00
Post #46 of 55
(319 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [TheForge]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
Makes sense. Just the first time I have EVER seen a gun in VA carried openly.
Again, was in a very standard looking FBI suit sans jacket (aka my brother in law) so that was my first take. No one stole his sandwich for sure.
TheForge
Apr 13, 12 12:05
Post #47 of 55
(318 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [Tridiot]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
That is why the whole argument against open carry is stupid. I lived in VA most of my life and I never saw anybody carrying openly except while hunting or in the back window of their pickup truck in a rural part of the state. People assume if open carry were legal in most states, people would be doing it with reckless abandon, but it won't happen. I don't want that kind of attention, I don't want to let the bad guy know I have a gun, until I want him to know.
Trispoke
Apr 13, 12 12:25
Post #48 of 55
(307 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [LorenzoP]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
LorenzoP wrote:
would peeps here really call the police because seeing someone or a group in their neighborhood just because they look out of place - are you folks nuts?
Everytime someone looked out of place? No.
Let me give you an example. I own a townhome in a community with about 50 units. It is off a major side road. The neighborhood street is a lollipop and maybe half a mile of asphalt. There is one way in and one way out. There is a large downhill entering the community and a large climb to exit. The neighboring area is full of single family homes. This goes to say that my community doesn't get much foot traffic except from residents. We rarely get people turning around in their cars. If we do, they turnaround at the first house rather than coming all the way down the hill.
So if we see non-residents in the community, it does stand out. That doesn't go to say that the cops are called immediately. But if they are just strolling through and pass by my home, they should take now longer than 15 minutes to make the loop and return. It's that simple.
The community also backs up to a local high school. Occasionally some of the students will cut through the woods and enter our community. There is NO reason for them to do this. It makes no sense and is out of their way. Over the years, about 75% of the burglaries were between the hours of 2:30-4:00 by...you guessed it...high school kids. So when I see a group of kids in the neighborhood, then I know they are up to no good. And if they aren't walking toward the neighborhood exit, then I REALLY know they are up to no good. The cops tell us all the time to contact them immediately if kids are passing through. By law, they are trespassing. Again, I don't call the cops immediately when I see them. But if they linger too long or begin to look more suspicious, I have no issue calling the cops.
I prefer that I retain as much of my home's value as I can in this market. A crime infested community doesn't help me.
beanmj
Apr 13, 12 12:28
Post #49 of 55
(306 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [vibrolux]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
I'd be walking down the street following people several times a day if I did.
mmrocker13
Apr 13, 12 12:41
Post #50 of 55
(299 views)
Re: Who here would follow someone strange in your neighborhood? [JSA]
[
In reply to
]
Quote
|
Reply
JSA wrote:
Last month, I spent a week down in Sarasota, FL visiting my parents who now spend about 3 months each winter living in a rented condo in a semi-retirement community. I advised my parents to notify their neighbors about my arrival. Between the tattoos and the funny clothing, I really was worried one of them would call the police when I starting "lurking" around. ;-)
Hey! I am also tattooed/pierced, with a penchant for funny clothes, and have parents who split their time between the upper midwest and their condo in a 55+ community in the St. Pete area. :o (Just got back from their place yesterday, in fact). Perhaps we should lurk around simultaneously!
mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com
1
2
3
View All
Print Thread
this forum
this category
all forums
All words
Any words
Whole Phrase
The New Specialized Wind Tunnel
Will this be a game changer for Specialized, in both sales and product design, or will it not move the sales and design needle versus those in Specialized's competitive set?
Yes, Game Changer
Minor move forward
Won't budge the needle
