Made a mistake last weekend. learned from it too

[BrewerGeorge]

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

Sixteen years out of the Navy (twice a long as I was in!) and I still check the gig line every time I look in a mirror. My dad will still occasionally catch me 'out of spec' and say "Gig line." Just that.

 

[Roll Tide]

Just a small life hack here...I purchased a D-ring for rock climbing and tossed it in my grocery getter. I take it in with me when I shop, and as I load bags into the car, I loop them into the D-ring. That way when I get home, its just like a handle for all of the groceries. Keeps my strong hand free.

 

[dmarsh8]

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.

I brought this up just the other day actually...
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break-room/338627-ingo-after-midnight-10.html#post4955092

 

[Alamo]

.... Since there are many bags I push my hand through the plastic handles until they are almost to my elbow.

I saw a neat trick on one of those "life hack" threads the other day - a lot of them seem lame but this one caught my eye. Use a carabiner run thru the handles of the plastic backs to carry a bunch of them. Haven't tried it yet, but looks like it might actually work.


w

...here 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. ...

Most of us live around a bunch of people who, thankfully, are NOT trying to bushwhack us, but if you live in any kind of civilization, people are going to get close to you unexpectedly. It is nice to be aware and all that, but it is tough to stay 100% vigilant all the time. If we were really good at it, we wouldn't need guns and combatives and all that, we'd just avoid danger all the time. You do the best you can, try to limit your vulnerabilities, and deal with what comes. As John Farnam likes to say, "When you least expect it, you're elected." You learned something from this so move on.


It's also tough to drop things that are valuable to us, our moms drilled into us (most of us anyway) to be careful and don't lose things, don't drop things. This is pretty ingrained. For SD purposes you have to retrain yourself to drop EVERYTHING that's not needed for SD when the situation demands it. Quite a few years back on another forum, and guy (who happened to be from Indiana) had a pretty funny - after the fact - story about groceries and burglars. He came back to his apartment with a sack of groceries in his dominant arm, entered his apartment, and discovered two burglars in it. He shifted his groceries to his other arm and THEN drew his pistol. It wasn't until it was all over that he realized how silly that was. Don't remember if he held the two or chased them out, but luckily ended well for him.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I saw a neat trick on one of those "life hack" threads the other day - a lot of them seem lame but this one caught my eye. Use a carabiner run thru the handles of the plastic backs to carry a bunch of them. Haven't tried it yet, but looks like it might actually work.

Yep. Tried the plastic ones designed for that, but they were crap. Try a metal one instead?

GIANT CARABINER

 

[XDS45]

Since I have had my permit,I have a problem of leaving my gun at home and not locked up. I have had to come back home several times to get it or lock it up,depending on where I am going.If I am going to pick the kids up from school,then it has to stay home.
I don't leave the gun out in plain sight,it's sorta hidden,but still not something I want to leave left sitting out when I am not home.

Glad everything went ok for you and you had no trouble.

 

[WatermAlan]

Yep. Tried the plastic ones designed for that, but they were crap. Try a metal one instead?

GIANT CARABINER

That's a good idea. I never thought about that. I was always one of "those guys" that tried to carry everything in one trip.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Since I have had my permit,I have a problem of leaving my gun at home and not locked up. I have had to come back home several times to get it or lock it up,depending on where I am going.If I am going to pick the kids up from school,then it has to stay home.
I don't leave the gun out in plain sight,it's sorta hidden,but still not something I want to leave left sitting out when I am not home.

Glad everything went ok for you and you had no trouble.

my advice to you would be: carry at all times...even at home.
and when the pistol is not on your person...invest in a good safe in which to keep it locked up.

 

[looney2ns]

Since I have had my permit,I have a problem of leaving my gun at home and not locked up. I have had to come back home several times to get it or lock it up,depending on where I am going.If I am going to pick the kids up from school,then it has to stay home.
I don't leave the gun out in plain sight,it's sorta hidden,but still not something I want to leave left sitting out when I am not home.

Glad everything went ok for you and you had no trouble.

As long as you are the driver, and you don't get out of the car at school, then you are allowed to have the gun. This gets easier on July 1st of this yr.

 

[indyblue]

This makes me glad I have a house with a garage I can pull into and close the door behind me. Plus, my garage doors are visible to my neighbors.

 

[LtScott14]

I actually have done the same thing about bringing in all the bags at once. Realized I need to access keys, and installed different door handles that work like a lever, instead of round "twist type". Big improvement. Keeping my right hand free allows that, and my left hand is usually my "flashlight" hand.

My father use to use the "gig line" rap when leaving, my mom use to say "no Irish pennents" and called my ball cap a "cover"
(USN-Dad, USMC-Mom). Unshined shoes weren't allowed on Sundays.( you didn't wear your cover indoors either!)

Winter carry is usually a pocket CCW (S&W M442), and strong carry, either a G19, or my 1911A On waist holster. Summer carry varies, usually IWB with a clip type (easy on/off) holster, and even a fanny pack on occasion. I also have sensor lights to illuminate dark night come homes, park, and go on when approaching the door.

The one bag shopping doesn't always work as we have 4 people at home, lugging in 12pks of soda is easier then cases.

Those kids were trying your patience, late at night could be a dangerous issue. A lot of apartments use a buzzer system, and could be trying to access when you enter or leave! You could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Vigilant observation is needed before walking up to a entrance. Don't get set up!
Good luck.

 

[phatgemi]

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.

You are right about the obvious not being the only threats. It could have been a group of five year olds! They would have gotten your carry piece and the gallon of milk!!!!

 

[Jack Burton]

Sixteen years out of the Navy (twice a long as I was in!) and I still check the gig line every time I look in a mirror. My dad will still occasionally catch me 'out of spec' and say "Gig line." Just that.

I quit caring about the gig line the day I stepped out of the Navy but my wife still nags me to death about it.

 

[danielson]

Thats so funny. I thought I was the only person who made sure whatever goes in the dominant hand is both easy to drop, and if possible, not breakable. Beer ALWAYS goes in the non dominant hand. LOL
Well, unless I happen to get cans.

 

[rhino]

I'm not afraid to drop (or throw) whatever I have in my dominant hand if I need to use it for something in a hurry.

 

[Motorhead302]

Thats so funny. I thought I was the only person who made sure whatever goes in the dominant hand is both easy to drop, and if possible, not breakable. Beer ALWAYS goes in the non dominant hand. LOL
Well, unless I happen to get cans.

you may take my life, but you'll never take my beer!

 

[larrylegend]

As others have said already a sturdy carabiner would be useful for carrying multiple bags a bit easier. Also, the carabiner would be much easier to drop if the need arose than dropping multiple bags off both hands.

 

[Dargasonus]

New EDC tool! Lol

 

[dudley0]

Man that carabiner idea is sweet. I usually weave the bags on my left arm and use the right gust for stuff I can grab and drop if needed.

Now the wife can make me carry even more at one time. Oh wait, maybe I shouldn't discuss this with her.

 

[drop45]

I normally walk out of the grocery store with six or so bags dangling from my weak hand thumb and fingers, and just my keys in the right. I get the funniest looks some times. But if I need that right hand it's empty and available. And I never slide my hand thru the bag handles. You ever try to tear open twelve plastic handles from 6 bags, good luck.