Living in fear

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bobberboy

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In about an hour I'm going to look at a bike I found on Craig's List. We're meeting at a gas station near where the seller lives. I've bought and sold a lot of things on C's L and three times I've had to meet people at places other than their homes. In every case they have been people from affluent suburbs who are apparently of the opinion that I, or others, were coming to look at their stuff in order to plan or commit some crime against them. I personally don't care enough about their crap to steal it.

I have a friend who refuses to blow his car horn because he's convinced everyone's carrying. I on the other hand not only blow my horn but yell "dumb ***" out the window when cut off in traffic or otherwise confronted by a dumb ***. I feel it is my civic duty to tell people they are being dumb asses so that they don't go through life believing the way they act is ok.

My former neighbors never opened their windows for fear of being robbed. In the middle of the day their doors and windows were locked up tight. They lived in the house for nearly 60 years and in the ten years I lived next door to them they never so much as opened their curtains. The one exception they allowed was their kitchen window that they kept open a couple of inches. To make potential burglars think they were awake and alert they kept a radio going all the time, every day, all day as in all_the_time. Many nights I fell asleep hearing their radio playing. They were lovely, god-fearing people who lived in a prison of their own fear.

I decided long ago not to live my life in fear. I don't take unnecessary risks. I wear my seat belt without fail. I come off the lake when the lightning starts. I know when it's ok to make eye contact and when it's not. But I've also allowed strangers in my home many times when selling on C's L. I once sold a guitar to a kid who brought his friend and his granny along. They came in like they lived there and sat down for a good long chat. I thought at a point I'd have to get a plate of cookies. But I sold the guitar and no one got hurt. You really can't ask more out of life than that.
 
BB, when I bought my bass boat a few months ago, I talked with the guy
a couple of times on the phone and I don't know why, but I let my trust for my fellow man
over ride my common sense. . . .
we met at a gas station and he called me on his cell phone and said, ok i see you coming,
follow me - - - we are using the phone like a walkie-talkie . . . I thought we were going to his house.
we zig-zagged through the neighborhood and we wound up in an deep dark deserted industrial area.
He said his boat is in a storage lot. I followed him into a gated area where they work on tractor trailers
and trucks...... I see the boat under a tarp and we parked there.
there was NO ONE AROUND other than the two of us. and he knew I had $2k in CASH in my pocket.
Fear came over me so thick I almost threw up. Here I am, alone with this gorilla, not knowing where I was,
who HE was . . . He lunged out of his car, we shook hands, untarped the boat, and all went well . . .
I could not get out there fast enough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
things went well - but - could have gone a LOT worse in less than 3 seconds. . . . .

and I swore to myself - - - this will NEVER happen again !!!! we are not in Kansas anymore ToTo.

Best of luck to you !!! Just "don't take unnecessary risks" like you said.
 
Here's a good one. My sister found her boat on CL. She contacted the gentleman,we went to his home to check out the boat. Then he took us to the river to show us everything worked. They worked out the deal. She went back to CA, wired the money to me. As soon as all cleared,I contacted them to pick up the boat. Mind you,I'd already been to their house. I COULD NOT pick the boat up at the house. Also, a Cashier's check was out of the question, "They are forged all the time". Had to bring cash,meet at their bank to make the transaction,have all 50 $100 bills,that I just got from my bank, checked by the teller(for they could have been counterfeit). After everything checked out, this gentleman's wife let him sign the title over. ALl this BS that I went through was all because of her paranoia. The man apologized for all I went through,But I understood. It's the world we live in now.
 
Living in fear. I've got one for you.
My grandmothers sister was one of the sweetest people you'd ever meet. But she lived here whole life afraid some one would hurt her. Things like you mentioned doors and windows always locked. Radio playing loud..
Then one night her daughter threw her a birthday party at her house.
She only lived a few houses up the street so she walked back home just at dark.
We think someone followed her. As they broke in a short time after she got home. She was aperantly doing dishes as the dish water was still in the sink. He stabbed her to death 21 times with a screw driver.
For less then $30. As that's all she ever had on her or in her house. Beacause she was so afraid some one would break in or rob her for the money.
She even let her grandson keep his pit bull at her house for a few years because she thought people would be scared of him and not come around. He had come and got the dog not but a few weeks before this happened.
They caught the guy that did it. He was staying with his grandma in the low income apartments they had built behind her house some years earlier. Something she was very upset about but couldn't do anything about. And she couldn't afford to move.
The guy got 60 years total 30 without parole. Ky law.
For my sole I kinda hope he dies in prison. Very Slowly!
If not he will get to exsperence Hell twice!
And il plead Insanity!

I've got a craigs list story too but I'm to worked up to typ it now.
 
That's a terrible story and I know that stuff happens. There is evil at large in the world. I'm not trying to dismiss being careful and being smart. I guess I sometimes am just surprised at how afraid people are. Again the example of this morning. I went to the gas station and while I was waiting for the seller to show up went in to get a coke. The cashier was behind 1" bulletproof plexiglass. This station is located in one of the safest places in the city and why they'd need a bullet-proof cashier cage is beyond me. I don't know, maybe I'm a dope and I'll die a terrible death at the hands of the guitar kid's granny. I just can't tolerate a life where I feel like I need to be looking over my shoulder all the time.

BTW, the bike was sweet and I bought it and with it another project.
 
Glad you got your bike!

Now for my Craigslist story.
I ran across my boats seats and pedestals used on Craigslist. Contacted the guy by text like he wanted. He acted scetchy and didn't want me to come to his house. He didn't want to meet at the marina I sugested because he lived on the opposite side of town. But also didn't want to meet anywhere over there.
I almost said nope forget. Somethings not rite with this guy.
But he finally picked a place in town to meet at. When we both got off work. Any way as i got off work I text him to make sure he was going to be there. And then all of a sudden he decided I could meet him at his work place. Funny as I pulled in he was the only one getting off work. Had a space open behind his truck at the corner of the lot. As he got out Im pretty sure he was placing his pistol in reach in the seat by his movements. He moved something from the middle to his seat.
And he left his door open to either reach for the gun or make a fast get away. Little did he no my little 38 was already tucked in the back of my jeans. But like Jhonny I was all of a sudden nauseous over the possibility of him stepping back to the truck door and producing a pistol. Or me shooting him because I thought he was pulling the gun. As he had done made me very nervous.
And I gotta admit I was sure relieved when he reached over the bed of the truck and showed me a boat seat as I approached. And I could tell he was to when I pulled out the money.
But all went well and we both got in and drove away. As I got across to my side of town we meet again beside each other. Rite at the stinking marina he didn't want to meet at.
And then of a sudden it hit me as I recognized the truck. He doesn't live on the other side of town he lives out my way. I see the truck all the time coming and going as we both go to work.
He must not have wanted to meet to close to his house. I sure hope he seen me beside him and felt foolish. I was laughing my butt off and waving.
All of that for a 30 dollar pair of seats.
Dude if your reading this be carful before you get your self shot. Dang

Edited to say I brought the pistol that day because he had me so spooked. I didn't carry it then. But because of stuff like that I do now. You just never no now a days when you might wish you had a pistol.
 
Barefoot_Johnny said:
BB - what kind of bike did you get ?

A Gitane from the 70's. It's all steel and old school as all get-out. My regular road bike is a Peugeot that I bought new in 1882. It is much lighter with most of the components being alloy on a steel frame. The Gitane will become a one-speed commuter bike to take to the hardware store, pub etc. Since I retired I hardly use my Jeep anymore. Usually less than 20 miles/week. Tank of gas lasts for weeks. I figure that rather than pay lots of $ to take weight off the bike I'd just use it more and take the weight off me instead!
 
" To make potential burglars think they were awake and alert they kept a radio going all the time, every day, all day as in all_the_time. Many nights I fell asleep hearing their radio playing. "


We had a major black bear problem up at our fishcamp in Ocala NF after dark. We now leave a radio on a religious talk radio station outside after dark. We have zero issues now. The sound of humans talking scares them off and puts the fear of God in them. :shock:
 
Traded a shotgun for a rifle months ago with a sort of squirrely fella. When I was approaching the gas station we were supposed to meet at he called me to say that there was a cop there and we should go down the road a piece. I see him turn and follow to an area about a mile down the road. I pull up beside his driver door in case something happened I would have my truck between us. Had my pistol visible on my hip and come around the back of the truck to greet him. He has his hands in the front pocket of a hoodie and is fidgeting around with something. What, I'll never know.

Weird thing was that the gun he was trading was worth 200-300 bucks more than mine. During the exchange I glanced at the rifle and set it in the seat and just kept my eyes on him. We made the trade, shook hands, (he kept his left in the pocket) and I stood there as he got in his truck. Waited until he was moving until I turned to get into mine.

Not sure if he wanted to "say when" but figure if he did, the gun showing deterred him.
 
nowgrn4 said:
We had a major black bear problem up at our fishcamp in Ocala NF after dark. We now leave a radio on a religious talk radio station outside after dark. We have zero issues now. The sound of humans talking scares them off and puts the fear of God in them. :shock:


:mrgreen: :LOL2: :mrgreen: LOL!!
 
I drove an hour and a half today to look at a shed on craigslist. Had no choice but to go to their house.
It all worked out ok I'll be picking up an 8' wide X 12' long X 8' tall shed.
 

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