Made a mistake last weekend. learned from it too

[LionWeight]

I had just gone grocery shopping this past weekend to load up on some grub for this week. Carrying in my pocket and 6 position and I'm a righty. Get home, pull into the garage that parks maybe 40 vehicles back at the complex and get out and grab all my bags. Since there are many bags I push my hand through the plastic handles until they are almost to my elbow. I'm holding a gallon of milk in my right hand too, and a gallon of orange juice in the left hand with my keys. Start walking to the door and who comes out of the door but 3 twenty somethings being a little loud and such. As they come out, 1 pushes the door shut instead of holding it open and they just kinda stop right in front of the door. One of the others starts asking if I've got anything good in the bags and they all start laughing. I'm not a small man, so I stop where I'm at about 8 feet saway and just stare at them for a minute. They literally stayed there for about a minute while we just looked at each other. The whole time I'm trying to twist the bags off my wrist without being too obvious, but the damn bag is hung on my coat sleeve. After the minute one of the others says, "come on man let's go" and they all start to laugh again. We don't have too many young people in the building where I live so I got comfortable when I got in the garage. That mistake could have cost me if they were really of the mind that they wanted trouble.

I don't usually make those kinds of mistakes. Pretty sure I won't make that one again even if I have to make more than 1 trip to the car. Thought I'd put this out there for everyone to remember why you carry in the first place and not remove the ability to get to them if you should need to. Not saying I would have pulled on them. They never made a threatening move toward me so that's not what I'm getting at. But if I HAD needed to at the time, I lacked the ability to do so.

 

[45fan]

Young people arent the only ones you need to be alert around. As far as carrying into the house, fortunately that isnt such an issue for us at our home. Even when you are in your home, doors shut and locked, its wise to be at least somewhat alert to your surroundings. In todays day and age, it seems everyone is a potential target for a crime.

 

[poppy]

I think you learned a valuable lesson in regards to situational awareness and by your post, you won't make that mistake again. Glad to hear that things did not go south.

 

[AndersonIN]

Thanks for sharing.........always good to benefit from someone else's mistakes!

 

[David D]

I've been guilty of the same thing many times, although since I've been active on ingo I try to do better, and am at least very aware when my hands are full. What I've generally planned is that if my hands are full and I'm approached in a manner that concerns me, I'll instantly drop what I'm carrying in my gun hand before a bad guy could instruct me to not move.

This is not ideal, but I do occasionally need to use both hands to carry things.

 

[BrewerGeorge]

After all these years of carrying concealed, that is the one thing I still have to remind myself of. It's just sooo natural to want to carry something in the strong hand that I still catch myself doing it and have to switch. Whenever I can't help carrying something in the right hand, I try to make sure it's something that I could throw at an assailant should the need arise.

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

IF I can't carry all my groceries on my weak side, I make more trips

 

[cosermann]

... I got comfortable when I got in the garage. That mistake could have cost me ...

Yep. Glad things worked out. Garages/parking lots are transition/fringe areas and as such always demand high awareness. [1]

[1] - https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...f-defense/274723-fringe-transition-areas.html

 

[NBLSVL.EDC.]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has given this thought. I always carry everything, including my youngest son, with my weak arm.

I pray I never need to defend my self with my gun while holding my son, but you can't know when or where evil will visit you.

I'll take a gun fight with my son in my arms over being an easy target because I can't get to my gun.

 

[Booya]

19 years in the Corps helped my muscle memory... Salute hand almost always free. Downside is I might sense danger and pop to POA and salute my threat...

 

[Motorhead302]

when i started carrying years ago the wife had to learn to walk on my left if she wants to hold hands. and to let go if anything happens.

 

[ShootnCut]

LionWeight,
After reading your post I decided I'd share my recent "eye opener" here.
I was returning home from my girlfriend's on a Saturday morning a couple weeks ago. She only lives a couple miles away so I decided since it was cold out I'd let my truck run for awhile after I got in the garage. My muffler is in bad need of replacement so it rumbles a little while running.
My neighbor was putting in a new driveway and the guys were all there when I got home. They had parked their truck and trailer on the road and it blocked about half of the neighbor's driveway and about half of mine. I still had plenty of room to get in so I didn't think anything about it.
I reached over and unlocked my passenger door so I could get my bag out easier without having to drag it over the gear shift and steering wheel. I stepped out and reached over to lock the driver's door and heard: "Do you want me to have them move their truck?"
That familiar chill ran down my body, I almost soiled myself, and I turned around to see my neighbor standing about ten feet behind me. I replied "Man you scared the s**t out of me!" He apologized, I assured him the truck was no problem, and thanked him for his concern.
Now, had he been a bad guy bent on something destructive he would have had me with my "pants down." I had a Colt .380 in my pocket, a 686 S&W under the front seat of the truck, and my bedroom gun, (a Glock 30) in my bag which I always grab so as not to leave it unsecured while I'm gone. And he could have knocked me out with a shovel before I knew what hit me.
Although it was daytime and I recognized everyone standing around outside it still shows how a few seconds of unawareness can get you into trouble. And the ironic thing is I tell my girlfriend to check her garage well as she pulls in, shut the door behind her while watching to be sure nobody slips in, and only then exit her vehicle.
I guess a little "tap on the shoulder" such as this serves to remind us that we have to remain vigilant 24/7. It's unfortunate we live in a world like that but at least we have the means to deal with it if we can remember to keep our heads out of our a**es.

 

[Lectric102002]

19 years in the Corps helped my muscle memory... Salute hand almost always free. Downside is I might sense danger and pop to POA and salute my threat...

I bet you check your military alignment every morning, too, don't you ? Some things never wear off.

 

[Big Guy]

Just like when you're driving, you always have to pay attention to your surroundings, you never know when someone will come up from behind you. My wife thinks I'm crazy because when we go out to eat, I always want to face the entrance doorway, never with my back to the door. I'm very observant, I'm always looking over the room and everyone that walks in the door, and she thinks I'm paranoid, but if trouble is coming, I want to face it head on and not be surprised by it sneaking up from behind.

 

[searpinski]

I'm a one-trip master with groceries and this would be an easy mistake to make. I'm glad it turned out well for you... thanks for sharing!

 

[NicholasScott]

its stuff like this thats the reason i joined this website. some things you dont think of and some things you need to be reminded of. glad everything turned out okay!

 

[churchmouse]

It is very hard to remain SA at all times. We all want to relax on occasion and I catch myself doing that as well.
You will find that if you do as The OP did and stare right into their eyes they will understand you are not backing down. They will most likely seek out a softer target.

 

[actaeon277]

I bet you check your military alignment every morning, too, don't you ? Some things never wear off.

Ha ha. Wait. Thats funny and true. Except navy speak is gig line.

I'm a one-trip master with groceries and this would be an easy mistake to make. I'm glad it turned out well for you... thanks for sharing!

You can carry something in your dominant hand, just make it unencumbered, so you can drop it if necessary. The OP had a problem because of the loops in the bags.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

Just like when you're driving, you always have to pay attention to your surroundings, you never know when someone will come up from behind you. My wife thinks I'm crazy because when we go out to eat, I always want to face the entrance doorway, never with my back to the door. I'm very observant, I'm always looking over the room and everyone that walks in the door, and she thinks I'm paranoid, but if trouble is coming, I want to face it head on and not be surprised by it sneaking up from behind.

I used to have to pull out the "Hey honey do you mind if I sit there?" I don't have to ask anymore. We never even discussed it, she's just used to me I guess. Makes me feel OCD, but I gotta know what's going on.

 

[Mark 1911]

It's very easy to get comfortable, especially in familiar surroundings. Thanks for the reminder to stay alert.