Interesting early morning event...

So that others may learn.

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SewTexas
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#16

Post by SewTexas »

I use to work at a gym, I'd see guys all the time with fanny packs or draw string backpacks....never had a clue what was in them, (I could guess, some looked heavy enough) but many of the fanny packs were a convenient place to put the ipod.

those card readers are used at places like Anytime fitness, Snap Fitness and some of the others that have 24 hour access, that might be a smart way to go during "off" hours.
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Abraham
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#17

Post by Abraham »

Politely let it be known to the "gym powers that be" that allowing non-members to hang out for any reason is a not a sound/safe policy.

If not satisfied with the response - find a gym that provides more security for it's members - and of course let said powers that be know why you're bailing.

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Afff_667
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#18

Post by Afff_667 »

Abraham wrote:Politely let it be known to the "gym powers that be" that allowing non-members to hang out for any reason is a not a sound/safe policy.
This! This is the low key, non-alarmist approach I took and will have to wait and see what the results are. He seemed receptive to my concerns, but I think there's further concern that taking any steps in towards making the facility more secure will raise a red flag that there might actually be security concerns and upset those walking around in perpetual White.

I've been looking at fanny packs, too...geez, I really hate those things. Too bad the chest bags from Hill People Gear are so large...
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sjfcontrol
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#19

Post by sjfcontrol »

Sigh....

What the heck is a "party bus"? And why would it let them out there?
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Moby
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#20

Post by Moby »

I tend to agree with the Annoyed man on this one. However this does not mean
you didn't have real concerns. If wearing a firearm isn't an option while training how about a small bag within your view while you workout set to the side.
Yes, you would have delayed access but you would still have an option.
I imagine these were young men that felt the bad vibe. So they left.
This also does not mean your wrong either. There's no way to tell.
Safe is better than sorry. That J frame with a new holster also works.
The Annoyed Man wrote:When I workout at my neighborhood gym, I wear and/or carry a fannypack with me. People are free to draw their own conclusions. Inside that fannypack is a Kahr CW45. Nobody has commented on the fannypack to me yet. A couple of guys who kind of look like they might be aware in these matters have glanced at the fannypack, and then made eye contact with me; but they've said nothing. Now, I'm an old poot, and I most likely do not work out as vigorously as you do, but that fannypack does not get in my way.

In any case, I think in hindsight you might not have experienced an "interview," as they were A) talking about when one of their moms could come pick them up, and B) they didn't rob the place while they were in there. They left of their own accord, right? If they were hanging around on a nearby corner, and they didn't do anything, isn't it possible that you were alarmed simply because they did not seem to be an ethnic or cultural fit for the normal traffic in that neighborhood? Maybe they were just as freaked out by being stranded where they felt like they did not belong, and they just badly wanted someone to pick them up and get them out of there?

Just a thought....
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el_chupo_
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#21

Post by el_chupo_ »

Great topic, with some good insight!

A couple thoughts - regardless of how you feel about him, Nutnfancy has a decent video about a small fanny pack that he uses. He does not carry a gun in it, but the product did not look as cheesy as some of the other fanny pack options I have seen, and with a small pistol, it may still work. Or they may make other sizes. I think its a company that makes hiking/backpacking gear. I also carry in a hydration pack when riding a bike, keeping it right next to my wallet in the front of the pack.

FWIW, when I see a fanny pack, I generally assume gun. Some exceptions based on how the person looks, but that is my general POV...

As to your situation - I put a lot of credence in how one "feels" about a situation, so I wont question that part. But to play the devils advocate - the bus may be more than a couple blocks away, and the gym was the first spot they saw when walking. It may also be parked inside a building. A lot of those party bus type places dont leave stuff outside - too much vandalism temptation. I drive by one of those businesses every day, and they put the limo's and bus in a back lot or inside late each night, bring it back out for advertising during the day. I have also learned through a late teen/early 20s acquaintance, there are lots of young, stupid/thug/odd looking kids working as "promoters" or the like for party companies and clubs. Im talking kids not old enough to get into the Sat. Night party at the clubs due to the age limits, but they still "promote" the place to get in on the "scene" and the 18+ nights on thursday or sunday nights. Seems odd to me, but... :headscratch

Also, based on your postings, there is rarely "strangers" at your workout time, and for the time being, a small duffle bag with a water bottle, towles, and gun inside may be a viable option for you. IF it were a more busy gym time, or you were around a lot of people, it wouldnt be a good idea, but it may work in your situation.

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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#22

Post by knotquiteawake »

If you aren't armed then call in the guys who are. Like the LEOs have anything better to do at 0440? Suspicious persons calls might be the most exciting thing all night. If they're busy then it will be a delayed response but if not they'll swing right by, check your two guys out, and you don't have to worry about it.
Its what I would do at least.
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The Annoyed Man
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#23

Post by The Annoyed Man »

el_chupo_ wrote:Great topic, with some good insight!

A couple thoughts - regardless of how you feel about him, Nutnfancy has a decent video about a small fanny pack that he uses. He does not carry a gun in it, but the product did not look as cheesy as some of the other fanny pack options I have seen, and with a small pistol, it may still work. Or they may make other sizes. I think its a company that makes hiking/backpacking gear. I also carry in a hydration pack when riding a bike, keeping it right next to my wallet in the front of the pack.

FWIW, when I see a fanny pack, I generally assume gun. Some exceptions based on how the person looks, but that is my general POV...

As to your situation - I put a lot of credence in how one "feels" about a situation, so I wont question that part. But to play the devils advocate - the bus may be more than a couple blocks away, and the gym was the first spot they saw when walking. It may also be parked inside a building. A lot of those party bus type places dont leave stuff outside - too much vandalism temptation. I drive by one of those businesses every day, and they put the limo's and bus in a back lot or inside late each night, bring it back out for advertising during the day. I have also learned through a late teen/early 20s acquaintance, there are lots of young, stupid/thug/odd looking kids working as "promoters" or the like for party companies and clubs. Im talking kids not old enough to get into the Sat. Night party at the clubs due to the age limits, but they still "promote" the place to get in on the "scene" and the 18+ nights on thursday or sunday nights. Seems odd to me, but... :headscratch

Also, based on your postings, there is rarely "strangers" at your workout time, and for the time being, a small duffle bag with a water bottle, towles, and gun inside may be a viable option for you. IF it were a more busy gym time, or you were around a lot of people, it wouldnt be a good idea, but it may work in your situation.
NutNFancy has some good reviews, although I can't say that I agree with him in all things. Obviously, I bought a Ruger Gunsight Scout despite his negative review of the same. I think that he mostly doesn't get or see the need for the scout rifle concept. That's OK....not everybody is going to agree on all things. He did one review on different "tactical" gloves that I thought was interesting. Anyway, all of that is besides the point.

Regarding fannypacks as a dead giveaway, I honestly don't care what the other person is thinking. Like I said, at my gym, a few guys have glanced at mine, and then made eye contact with me, and no words were exchanged. I'm assuming that they assumed it contained a gun, and they made eye contact with me to try and judge for themselves if I was someone they should be worried about. I also assume that they decided I was no threat to them. I have no idea if they themselves are CHLs or LEOs—the two categories of people besides criminals who would be most likely to notice something like a fannypack and wonder what's in it. Whatever they were thinking, I don't care, because, since I am generally aware of my surroundings and try to live in Condition Yellow when I am out and about, I had already appraised them and viewed them as no threat to me.

All I really care about is whether or not I am in compliance with the law. The fannypack should be regarded with the same attitude as "printing." Other people may have their suspicions about what's in it, but they don't know what's in it.........just as with that bulge under your jacket.....they may think they know what it is, or be curious about what it is, but they don't know what it is....and I can't be bothered about what I think someone else might be thinking because it is not something over which I have any control. For all I know, they may be looking at me and thinking, "boy, that old guy sure is fat." It may have nothing to do with the fannypack. In fact, the fannypack in all likelihood isn't even registering with most people because most people just aren't that observant......just like most people won't even be aware that you are printing, even if it is fairly obvious that there's something under your shirt.

I'm not advocating for fannypacks as a primary means of carrying. There are much better alternatives. All I'm saying is that in the environment of some place like a gym where it is very difficult to go strapped, something like a fannypack is a viable alternative.

When I was living in NYC as a young man, I went drinking in a bar in a really funky part of Harlem with a black friend of mine. He was laughing at me because I was apparently acting a little nervous. He said, "now you know how I feel when I walk around in white neighborhoods." That's why I speculated in my previous post that perhaps these young men were simply displaying nervousness because they felt like they were outside of their ethnic/economic/racial comfort zones. The OP has asserted that he is pretty sure that this was not the case and that his spidey sense was really tingling. I have to take that at face value because I have no reason to doubt him. All I know is that I learned a lesson from both my friend in NYC, and from having been a white homeowner in an almost entirely black neighborhood, and that is that people sometimes mean no harm, they're just scared; and treating a scared person like a criminal is not a good way to advance the cause of social harmony. So again, I'm not saying the OP was wrong in this case; I'm only saying that if I were in his shoes, taking the things I've mentioned into account would be part of my judging whether I thought the other person was up to no good or not.
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Rex B
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#24

Post by Rex B »

There are a number of alternatives to a fanny pack
I often use one of those "daytimer" holster cases. Holds a G19 and a spare mag, looks innocent enough. Have a company name silk-screened on it for effect.
There is a variation on this that is a real functional daytimer, with rings and a calendar, note pages etc. But half of it is a zipped compartment for "other stuff". It would hold a Ruger LCP or similar and a half dozen mags.
I also have a Keltec P32 that fits into a manicure case, with a spare mag. It's the size of a wallet, and has some convention title screened onto it. I bet very few people would see it as a gun case.
My wife keeps her Beretta Tomcat in a tan leather GPS case. Lots of camera and personal electronics cases work very well.
Even CD cases, though those are a bit of an anachronism. I stored a full-size 1911 in one for years.

All these are everyday containers that have a zipper closure, and are easily re-purposed.

Another alternative: NAA Black Widow on a neck lanyard. Popular with runners and cyclists
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Re: Interesting early morning event...

#25

Post by ELB »

Regarding your sense that something was off about these guys: I think you were wise not to discount it and rationalize it away as "someone out of his element" and such.

Gavin de Becker makes some good points about this in his book "The Gift of Fear." He has some screwy ideas about guns, but his examples and advice about listening to that little spidey sense voice are dead on. "Our gut feeling, intuition and unconscious signals always: Are based on something specific; Have our best interests at heart." You might be wrong in your conclusions, so absent an actual attack don't start shooting, but you are not wrong to feel like something is off and taking actions to reduce your exposure. Even if they didn't come in intending to rob the place, a couple screwballs that get off the "party bus" at 4 in the morning far from their home and don't have a ride bear close watching all the same!

And if you think you need to carry in the gym (and I do), then find a way you can do it, not reasons you can't. Fannypack is fine. When I worked out in a gym, I got shorts that had pockets and carried a Keltec P3AT, sometimes in a neck holster. Yes it got sweaty sometimes, so I cleaned it afterwards. Yes eventually it might harm the gun, so buy another one.
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