What SHOULD you do if you're held up at gunpoint?

[WindRavenX]

GoG's thread ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2988398 ) made me wonder what should be done in Mr.GoG's situation- I've never heard any advice on the subject. :shrug:
Personally, I think I'd pass out....

[MissB]

1. I think the usual advice

is to give they what they want, and try not to stare in their face.

I'm sure it depends on the situation. Nothing I own is worth more than my life.

[liberalhistorian]

3. That's for sure. I was robbed at gunpoint

nearly two years ago, and all I can say is this: GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT. If you don't have what they want (the thug kept insisting I had to have more than the four bucks cash on me, when I didn't have anything else), try to find something else and placate and appease them. But if you do have what they want, just give it to them without any fuss. No amount of money or possessions are worth your life.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. I remember when you were robbed

I thought about that today as we dealt with some of the half-million things that need to be taken care of as a result of this.

This guy didn't even look inside the wallet to see if there was money in it. I'm just so glad he didn't get trigger happy.

[amazona]

21. what I was told

Have a thrown down wallet and the car keys. Throw them -- don't hand them, THROW THEM, in one direction and run in the other. The bad guy has to make a choice. He will likely go for the wallet. If he goes for you instead of money/car anyway, your chances of survival were pretty crummy to begin with, as he was planning more than a simple mugging from the get-go and women who are abducted have a way lower survival rate than women who are attacked on the scene.

Thieves don't necessarily want to shoot the gun because then they have to get rid of it or risk having ballistics trace the crime back to them. So that causes them the hassle of needing to get another gun. On the other hand, you've got the psychos who will shoot anything but they will anyway, I think. Being submissive can set off some psychos, just as being assertive will set off others. You can't read minds, you just have to do your best and don't blame yourself for what happens.

Each situation is different. I'm very leary of a blanket "Give them what they want." It creates a situation where predators feel they can pretty much take whatever they like without any personal risk to themselves. I don't know about you, but I cheered the Japanese lady who beat up the thief who tried to steal her Prada. No, a handbag isn't worth dying for, but if no one ever fights back, then thieves will continue to steal rather than maybe try to find another way to make some bucks. Most criminals take the path of least resistance.

When I was mugged, I never let go of my purse, in fact, I fell down on top of it where they couldn't get it. They then took off. But this was broad daylight. I may have made a different choice on a dark lonely night. If need be, to protect my safety, sure, I might choose to give up the money. But they needn't assume that it's just like going to the ATM.

[Technowitch]

23. Bingo. That's essentially what I said.

Only with far more detail.

[NYC]

2. Every situation would be different, and require

your judgement at that moment.

Personally, I strongly believe a moving target is harder to hit. That's my general belief. Who knows what I would do, and what the circumstances would seem to dictate.

[two gun sid]

4. Give them what they want...

talk to them and make them realize you are a human being. Only a sociopath can pull the trigger on someone with whom they are conversing and is standing right in front of them face to face.

[Technowitch]

5. Good old J.J. Bittenbinder always had great advice.

You pull out some money. You show it to the perp. You say, "Okay, I don't want any trouble. This is everything I have."

Then you throw the money in one direction while you run like hell in the other. If money is all they actually wanted, they'll go get the money. If not, you will have gained yourself valuable seconds to escape someone who means to injure or kill you.

Same thing applies if they demand your car keys. You pull 'em out and throw them one way, while you run in the other.

Another important rule to remember: Never EVER let the bad guy (or gal...but it's usually a guy) take you to a secondary location. Because if he or she does, that's where you are going to get raped, shot, and/or killed.

[Ready4Change]

6. I'm no expert.

From what I've heard, give them what they want, and if you get a chance, take a step backwards.

That step, if you can get it, can double your chances should he/she shoot. Most people are surprisingly HORRIBLE shots in stressful conditions, and that extra foot or two can make all the difference.

[Floogeldy]

7. Make a swift, strong, swiping action with your upper forearm, . . .

. . . striking the wrist of the hand in which the perpetrator is holding the weapon. This will knock the gun out of his hand and stun him momentarily. Then, quickly, kick him in the nuts as hard as you possibly can. When he reflexively bends over, grab the sides of his head, and shove his face as hard as you can against your knee, which you should be thrusting upwards violently at the moment of contact. This will result in spewing blood from the perpetrator's nose and send him into an even deeper state of shock. He will fall to the ground.

When he hits the ground, begin to repeatedly kick him in the ribs, face, head, and balls. By this time, he will be totally out of commission. Now, go get the gun he had in his hand.

Place the barrel of the gun on each of his ankle bones and fire. Twice.

Call the police at your earliest convenience.

B-)

[rbnyc]

16. I've had that fantasy.

But I think if I tried it, I would mess it up and end up worse off. I think one needs a particular skill set for that.

[Floogeldy]

18. Good point

B-)

[amazona]

22. ha ha I've seen that in the movies

Does that EVER work?

[mark414]

8. it happened to me once

over this past summer actually...i was surprised at how calm i was; i actually kind of got on the guy's case haha

i just asked him if he was actually serious and that i didnt have anything of any value and that he probably had more money than me

he took my backpack that had a couple notebooks and a sweatshirt in it and my busted ass cell phone. what a bounty.

[sparky_in_ma]

9. Best Idea is to

give them exactly what they ask for, without reservation. I carry a firearm at times, yet that's what I would do anyways. The only time I would risk shooting them first is if it appeared they were going to harm me even after I gave them what they wanted.

[WindRavenX]

11. yeah, reading this, it makes sense to just give them what they want

But I honestly feel like if I were in that situation, I'd be too fucked up to hand over my wallet.

[Speck Tater]

12. Passing out is a good option.

The robber would probably freak out and run away.

[Technowitch]

19. That's not such a good option for a small woman like myself

[GregW]

13. Reach behind me like I am going for my wallet ...

While rotating slightly away clockwise. Draw my 9MM Sig 239 from my IWB holster up and out firing as I point, while at the same time holding him away with my left hand.

nah ... I'd probably have left my Sig at home and I'd just give him the money.

Or shoot him.

:shrug:

[ZenLefty]

14. Well, here's what I DID do.

Our store was robbed back when I was working at Pizza Hut. It was in a little strip mall with almost no street visibility. The guy waited until we were closed, on a weekend night because we close later and we make more money on weekends. One of the guys took the trash out (alone), and was jumped from behind on his way back in.

Basically, we did what we were told, which was to hand over our wallets and jewelry. He made us lie on the ground while the manager emptied the safe into his pillowcase. One of the drivers was trying to get a look at him, and got kicked in the ribs for his trouble.

When he got kicked, a fear unlike anything I had ever felt began to work its way into me. I was wondering how the night was going to end, and wondering what I would have to do to live. Later I found out we were all thinking the same thing, wondering if we could jump him. We probably could have. Maybe only one of us would have gotten shot. I think that if the robber got violent with another person, we might have tried something. Or not. You honestly never know until that gun is to your head.

But as it was, he locked us all in the walk-in refrigerator and promised someone would be along in the morning to let us out. Well, most walk-in refrigerators can be unlocked from the inside nowadays, and we let ourselves out after about five minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Cops came. Store manager came. It was a long night of talking to police and filling out paperwork with trembling hands. Had to return to the police station the next day to make a formal statement and answer some more questions. Not as glamorous as it sounds.

I often think if we would have done anything had the robber gotten more violent. Probably should have, as dicey as it would have been. I think all us drivers had pocket knives which the robber did not get (nor did he get our wads of tip money, which we don't keep in our wallets for that exact reason). I honestly don't know. Every situation will be a little different.

If it's clear the guy just wants your stuff and doesn't want to hurt anybody, then just do what he says and don't get killed over stuff. If he looks like he wants to hurt you, might want to think about rolling the dice.

[solinvictus]

17. You were lucky..

At a Popeye's Chicken in either Gadsden or Anniston, AL, a robber walked the crew into the cooler, took the manager out to open the registers, took the money, then murdered everyone.

[amazona]

24. very very lucky

Your story sends a cold chill down my spine. It reminds me of the Antoinette Frank case in New Orleans. She and her partner -- both cops -- killed everyone in the restaurant, 5 people. They did not know of one person hiding in a concealed location left alive to testify that it was the two cops who frequently dined in their restaurant.

All's well that ends well but I would have been terrified to get into the refrigerator in that situation after this well-publicized case. Thank God you are all OK.

[Calico Jack Rackham]

15. I would act like I'm crapping my pants

begging, crying and pleading to be spared and then when the actor drops his guard for a second I'll pull my own sidearm and ensure he/she never holds anyone and gunpoint ever again.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. There is no reason why the RWrs should have all the guns. This Liberal Democrat is armed!!

[bettyellen]

20. my brother had told me what to do because he was in the police academy....

and i helped him study.
he said, throw what they want on the ground, sort of looking like you're going to give it to them, but drop it and run. if your with someone who's armed, you have to get out f the crossfire.
about six months later, two weeks after he got his gun, we were surrouned by thugs who stuck a gun in my face. i did was he said and got out of the line of fire and hid behind a car and watched their feet. my bother pulled the gun and i watched thier feet spin around and run.
later he ragged on me for throwing $30 away, i ragged on him for not shooting them (in the back, i didn't care) i drank 20 shots of tequila and stayed totally sober, much to my own disgust. the adreniline ate it all up.