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so what's your threshold for calling police on random situations in your area that appear strange and potentially violent? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

24 comments fedilink hide all child comments

background: staying in a roadside motel in the US. Man and Woman in the next room are screaming at each other. 1:30 in the morning. Not my problem.

But I did get voyeuristic and plant my ear on the wall. Most I could comprehend was "your daughter, but what about MY daughter?" from the woman. That's what I thought I heard.

I was like, if I am certain I can tell that someone is beating on someone, and trying to kill them, or you know just violence is happening, then I'll call 911. but I was far from certain. all i could discern was crying and screaming.

Hour later, someone is pounding on my door. is it someone in distress? I am in the least accessible and least desirable room in the place. It's probably one of those two neighbors, but which one?

Anyways, I'm in the US, so I have one or more guns, but I don't keep them loaded or accessible. by the time I had something ready, I think the neighbors were about to pass out. they currently are quiet after hours of screaming.

So I'm not a fan of cops, but not entirely against them. Situations in which I did call the cops:

-Neighbors were screaming at each other, 3 a.m.; their 6-year-old girl was out in the street crying.

-I heard broken glass and looked out the window, and saw a pair of big man's boots going into what I thought was a single woman's apartment.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 weeks ago (12 children)

but I don't keep them loaded or accessible. by the time I had something ready,

Heads up, you've just found a huge flaw in your security. You should have something loaded and accessible, especially somewhere like a strange roadside motel in the US. If you have kids that presents an extra challenge, because of course you have to keep it away from them, and that means on your person (not off body carry, on body, good holster preferably concealed, or with active retention) or in a quick access safe (which is fairly unrealistic in a motel).

If you needed it in that moment (and thankfully you ended up not needing it of course), you did not have it in that moment. You admittedly didn't "have" it until the moment passed, which had there been a deadly threat or threat of great bodily injury (the definition of "need gun"), you would have been unprepared for it and perhaps fallen victim, or been unable to help protect the victim.

If you want specific advice relating to the topic of carrying/self defense I'd be happy to answer any questions I can. I'm not an expert, but I'm not a novice either, if you're familiar with Elder Scrolls skill levels let's call me a Journeyman lol. I just want people to stay safe and be prepared, god forbid you ever need it but if you do you want to be ready (and safe, of course).

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Slow down there - you're making some rather large assumptions about why they have guns. Sure, some people have guns for "self defense" (some for valid reasons, others because racism). Others have them for hunting. Sometimes they're inherited and have sentimental value.

Edit: Also, kids aren't the only reason not to keep them loaded. Keeping guns and ammo separately secured introduces enough of a delay to reduce the risk of suicide, for example.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

yeah as a profligate alcoholic and terminally depressed person, i'm not hanging out with loaded guns. i've been trained to use them, been familiar with them for decades. also i'm just clumsy. i don't have a military background, I know i can hit a target at a couple hundred yards with an M4, but that ancient Old Reliable .38 with no safety scares me.

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