Danger lurks...

[TFP Admin]

Our fellow forumite, seamsealer, sent me an email I would like to post for all of you:

Originally Posted by seamsealer I just want to tell you, and everyone else here, that working alone on jobs can be dangerous. Friday the 8th, I was finishing up a job and loading my truck with my tools, it's 1:50 pm. Made a trip to my truck, just outside the job, and I was asked what time it was by a man standing on the sidewalk. Went back inside for more tools and when I turned around with an arm full of tools, he was standing behind me with a knife and wanted my money. Never heard him enter behind me. A fight ensued and I was stabbed in the hand. Could have been worse. The black and blues and scabs over the wounds are healing and I feel better. The stitches come out of my hand tomorrow and perhaps one more week to get my hand strength back. I just wanted to post this message to make everyone aware of their surroundings and what is happening around them. This guy may have been 40 years my junior. I'm sure it wasn't his first robbery attempt. If you want to cut and paste bits and pieces, it's OK. You may have a better way of getting the message out than posting everywhere on the forums. I don't want to get everyone shook up either. Thanks for listening and mail me back if you want. Thanks, Seamsealer

As I replied to him, I am really glad he is okay. That's a scary situation. I would never recommend fighting back - think of this as a "don't try this at home" deal.

Heal up soon, seamsealer. Thanks for letting us know and for being a part of the TFP family.

T

[Lo Down]

Originally Posted by TFP Admin Our fellow forumite, seamsealer, sent me an email I would like to post for all of you: As I replied to him, I am really glad he is okay. That's a scary situation. I would never recommend fighting back - think of this as a "don't try this at home" deal. Heal up soon, seamsealer. Thanks for letting us know and for being a part of the TFP family. T

Get well soon seamsealer. I like livin in the small town here, even then I always have my eyes wide open.
................... I wish ya had your stretcher head in your hands at that moment............. or at least one pole.

T, if I was alone, I'd fight back with all I had. I don't care the recommended procedure. If he's dead, I'm not.
Scary situation seamsealer, glad you came out OK.

[Kman]

You're dang right it's scary. Personally, if I was unarmed, I'd rather be attacked with a gun than a knife. I've worked in empty houses very late at night by myself and I'm always careful to watch outside for cars pulling up and such.

It's always important to be aware of your surroundings. Also important is to know how to REACT to something suspicious around you. Here's a few tips:

1. If you see someone lurking around, take a few seconds and quickly note what they're wearing, what they look like. It doesn't matter if they see you stare a little. In fact, that's a good thing. If they think someone has seen them, they might think twice about doing something.

2. Get on your cell phone. Call someone. Call anyone. You'll be less likely to be attacked if you're talking to someone.

3. Stay outside and in view of other people if possible. Attackers want concealment (i.e.indoors, behind a building).

4. If you're suspicious of someone, don't encumber yourself with a lot of tools, materials, or equipment. Carry something that can be used as a weapon, and something that can easily be dropped.

5. Don't be afraid to call the police. Talk loudly where the suspicious person can hear you, maybe that'll scare them off. I'd rather be called a live chicken than a dead floor guy.

6. Fighting back is a case by case situation. If I thought somebody was definitely going to kill me, I'd fight back to the end. However, if $20 will get him away from me, he can have it. Not to say I wouldn't do what I could to aid in his apprehension, but no amount of injury is worth a few dollars. Like I mentioned before, in an up-close and personal type situation, I'd be more likely to take on a person threatening me with a gun than a knife.

You guys may already know all this stuff, but if it helps one of you, it's worth the few minutes it took to type it all.

Best of luck, seamsealer.

[Floorguy]

If the dumb fool doesn't realise a carpet installer has a nasty hook blade within reach and knows where it is like a gun fighter in the old days going for a pistol in the holster. Then he needs to get his throat cut wide open.

Seamsealer, I want to know when this guys funeral is/was, if all you got was a hand injury?

Glad your still with us, and willing to fight back.

[Nick Arrera]

Glad to hear you are OK Seamsealer .. Being dragged up in the City where there was at least 3 stabbings , a few shootings , one or two muggings every day .. And that was just in my house , I'm always aware of what is going on around me .. it has become second nature .. I would have stuck him in the back of the neck with my Awl ..

[Tandy Reeves]

Great to hear you are ok. I am an old has been, and as a result I carry a fully loaded 9 mm in my pickup and fully loaded 380 mm simi-automatic in my pocked. I assure you if someone pulls a knife on me to rob or harm me the knife is going to have to compete with one of the two pistols. As a policeman told me if you are alone and can protect yourself, make as much noise as you can, attack sideways, or if possible run like a track star, or shoot the sucker. Glad you fought back. BTW I am fully legal. I have my concealed wepon permit.

[The Carpetologist]

It is very difficult to say what I would or would not do in a situation, but I am pretty sure that as one of the posters said, I am armed with a hook knife and a razor knife, and I bet they are a heck of a lot sharper then a standard knife.

So, did you pull a knife back, use something you were carrying or just bare fist it?

[UncleCliffie]

Back in the early 70's I was having a private letter, back door sale at my store. It was near 9pm and everyone was gone except my wife and my part time lady with her 2 little kids. A guy came in through the open back door with a mask on and his hand in his coat like he had a gun. I did not back down but went after him. He raised his hands and pulled off his mask hollering it's me, it's me! As it turned out, it was my banker pulling a practical joke, but I was ready to rip his head off. My heart was racing, but there was no way someone was going to get by me and get at those kids.
Dick Johnson

[seamsealer]

I want to thank everyone for the kind words. I mostly do vinyl, so I had no holster with a sharp knife in it. My box cutter and hook blade were in my box and not accessible. All I had in my hand that was worth anything was my steel carpenters square. I used it to give him some good blows before we went hand to hand.
What made me fight was the fact that about four years ago around here, 2 carpenters and 1 electrician were robbed by 2 guys with guns. The vinyl guy, down the hall, heard the commotion and ducked into the cellar and hid until they left. One guy shot all 3 and only 1 made it. I told my wife if that happened to me, I put up one hell of a fight. You know I am not going out on a whimper. Of course, she was pretty pissed at me for taking this guy on. So, I reapplied for my firearms ID and I will carry pepper spray with me from now on. I could carry a gun, but most people don't recover from gun shots. Once it's out of your hands, anything can happen.
I knew the area was questionable, but I didn't think bad at 1:50 pm.

Again, thanks for the well wishes.

Seamsealer

[Daris Mulkin]

I bet that square put a hell of a hurt on him. Glad to hear it turned out ok. Around here I refused to go into bad areas after a certain time of the day. Usually just after 12 noon, thats when the dealers and such are waking up.
The worst thing that has happened to one of our installers was he got proprositioned twice in the same day from two of the local working girls.
One guy got his van stolen from a driveway, loaded with carpet and pad. Got the van back empty.

Daris

[Kman]

Seamsealer,

Of course we're glad you're okay, and even more happy that you got a few licks in for yourself, but I'm dying to find out what happened with the slug that attacked you. Caught, not caught? Injuries? C'mon, share.

[Danny Ferguson]

Sounds like his head might be around an 8/10 pitch right now. Glad you came out all right seamsealer.

[Lo Down]

Originally Posted by Daris Mulkin I bet that square put a hell of a hurt on him. Glad to hear it turned out ok. Around here I refused to go into bad areas after a certain time of the day. Usually just after 12 noon, thats when the dealers and such are waking up. The worst thing that has happened to one of our installers was he got proprositioned twice in the same day from two of the local working girls. One guy got his van stolen from a driveway, loaded with carpet and pad. Got the van back empty. Daris

I haven't locked my door for almost 30 years......................... I'm so glad I live where I live.
Sad how society has degraded.

[Jon Scanlan]

It's starting to get bad here as well but nowhere as bad as you guys yet. Our police still don't have guns but there are some with guns in their car boots.

[strip buster]

no need to fear jon, all bad kiwis are over here,