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Freemost Street OC encounter (Las Vegas)

flagellum

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
384
Location
North Las Vegas, NV
So I met up with Tread, Sabotage, and DVC, we had a good time, roamed the strip, saw some cool entertainment, all around good night. A couple wandering eyes as usual, not out of the ordinary for us.

So here is where it gets interesting. I break with the guys, say goodbye, and make my way back to the Four Queens where my car is parked. I get to the big intersection at Freemont where everyone waits to walk, it has just turned orange when I arrived. So I'm standing there with about a million other people, when some chewing tobacco comes spitting over my shoulder into the street. I'm like "Wtf?" in my head and I look back. It's some dude, probably about 200 pounds, 6 foot, tattoos, gauged ears. He looks at me and is all, "Sorry about that man." I'm a pretty chill dude, so I'm like "No worries, it's cool". So about two moments or so later I hear, "Oh man, I'm REALLY sorry!" and I didn't need to look back to know what he was talking about.

The guy drapes his left arm over my shoulders almost, like... hugging me like a buddy or something. I say, "Haha, yeah." (Not really sure what to say feeling kind of awkward.) "So What is it?" he asks. "Is it one of those FN's?" I look down at my XD(m) and say, "nah, it's a XD... 9millimeter" at this point I notices a 5 foot something girl to his right...

JAW ******* DROPPED TO THE FLOOR

Straight up mesmerized. She was wearing a DCU blouse with US ARMY patches on it, kind of casual. She speaks out, "Do you know this man?? What the hell?"

The tall fellow responds, "Nah just met him. Don't mind her, this is my daughter." at this point nothing has changed, I swear to god this girl is tripping. "Oh my god, what are you doing? seriously?" Can't remember her words exactly, but I can imagine what she was thinking, "Is there some dude walking around Las Vegas with an OPEN GUN on his hip? Just like that?"

So around this time the light turns white, and we step out into the street, the dude tells me his name, and reaches for a shake, I look over, and shake his hand. He makes some remark, I can't quite remember, but it was to the general premise of "Glad we have the freedom to carry" kind of remark.

I did find it a bit strange that a chick with a frickin DCU jacket that said Army on it would be a little more keen on guns, but maybe it wasn't hers, and either way she might have had a mindset that couldn't fathom the idea that a mere civilian could carry a gun out in the open like that.

As I split right the girl is still shocked, and as I separate I can hear her giving him an earful. Overall I would say it was a positive experience.

Looking back on it a bit from a "tactical" perspective, I thought about a couple things. Firstly, when I stand I usually tuck my thumb into my front pocket, with my elbow draped back, with my forearm contacting the holster slightly while the upper end my my arm touches the grip. This way any movement to my weapon will be immediately noticed. I'm glad I do this, because in these close quarter situations its near impossible to have eyes-on all the people in your surrounding area. Situational awareness can only take you so far.

Now the part that got my heart beating a bit was when I went to shake his hand. The moment I did I realized one crucial thing. This man has the thing that brings everything together, my right hand. Without that hand, I don't have ****, and my little bit of inertia doesn't mean jack crap if at that point he wanted to pull me around. This was a non-issue, and he is like 99.9% of people and just wanted to give me a friendly gesture, but it became troubling at that time.

I do have a remedy for this, as when I OC I always carry my BUG (Back Up Gun) in my left pocket, so that were I to lose control of my right hand, the left was all ready to fire in the second it would take me to draw. This is pretty fool proof IMHO, except... for the first time ever.... I forgot my BUG. So while it was all fine and dandy, it taught a lesson that I should always carry a BUG when OC, were I come into a vulnerable position like that again. As a great man once said,

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. "
 
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Sabotage70

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
844
Location
Fabulous Las Vegas, NV, ,
Just by him asking if it's a FN shows he know something about firearms. It's not as common of a firearm like Glock. Seems like most people see a "plastic" gun they think Glock. Glad everything worked out ok for you.


I had a fun experience at In-n-Out. Lots of stares and double takes. But what really got me. I overheard someone jokingly said "someone call 911". But I think my "Don't neglect the balls" shirt may have lightened the mood. :lol::monkey
 

AnakinsKid

Regular Member
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
129
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
You've discovered what some believe to be the original intent of the handshake: To show that you don't have a weapon in your hand, and therefore aren't a threat.
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
Though it's hindsight, you could have given him a medium-5 (like a high-5 at waist level) rather than shake his hand. It's a lot to expect to think like that when in a 'surprise' situation, but, fwiw.

The thing to remember, and I have a lesson to learn too, is that it's OK to be thought rude to enable being safe. LISTEN to your spidey senses which were apparently going off big time. Fortunately, this time it was a false alarm.

Good story!
 

DVC

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
1,185
Location
City? Who wants to live in a CITY?, Nevada, USA
You've discovered what some believe to be the original intent of the handshake: To show that you don't have a weapon in your hand, and therefore aren't a threat.

Likewise the salute, which began as a gesture among armored knights, who would use their sword hand to lift the visor on their helmets, thus showing non-aggression and allowing themselves to be identified.

The cannon and rifle salutes were also intended as displays of goodwill, beginning back in the days when they were loaded from the muzzle. Cannon in emplacements and aboard would be brought forward through the gunports and fired in a set cadence, then left there to show that they were empty and not being reloaded. Rifle and musket salutes would be fired, then the weapons held at Port Arms or Present Arms as appropriate, before the butts were placed on the ground with the muzzle angled away from the rifleman (again, showing an empty weapon and no reloading).

The sailors' salute, however, was not related to weapons -- it came from removal of headgear as a sign of respect. A great sea victory, or speech by a great leader, might be followed by the throwing of one's hat in the air, that it might never again be used to salute any lesser personage or event.
 

Lostlittlerobot

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
260
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Most people are right handed, and go out to shake with their right hand. I meet them with my left hand and give the 'fist bump' so I can always have my right hand over my holster in case their friend is creeping up behind me to try something while the hand shaker distracts.

yeah it's not that likely that someone goes up to a armed stranger with the intent of trying to take their weapon, but it could happen. Plus I just don't like touching people...people are dirty and gross and more times than not in this hot city...they're sweaty and smelly etc. I don't know you! I don't want to shake your hand!

But you come off as a jerk if you don't reciprocate, so the 'fist bump' is what they get. =)
 

drdcup

Regular Member
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
53
Location
, ,
In my opinion sometimes your behavior has to be different when OCing. In this case the way the Police are trained and react would be more appropriate. They don't let anyone come inside their personal space ie get close to them to prevent loss of control or give the chance for someone to take their sidearm.
 
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