Weird experience on Noblestown Road

[Johannes_Paulsen]

Okay, so last night I was driving home from work. Since the Parkway was jammed, I took the back way via Noblestown Road to the West End Bridge (heading toward the city). I had just turned on to PA 60 south, when I saw a gang of young adults (older teenagers for the most part, maybe one or two in early 20s) approaching on my side of the road. As I drove past, one of the guys pulled a semi-automatic pistol out of his pocket and racked the slide.


I called 911 just to let them know what was going on, and was immediately disappointed at how long it took for them to figure out just where I was. Apparently, that stretch of the road is still Noblestown Road. I didn't know that. I did know that it was PA State Route 60 South, but apparently, that didn't mean anything to the people who answered the phone. It was probably 5 minutes before they figured out where I was.

Who knows what happened after that. The only business in the area was a transmission shop that had already closed for the night. There wasn't much of anything else immediately down the road. The dude might've just been showing off how bad he was to his posse. (Though he would've looked badder if he hadn't ridden the slide back with his hand.... ) Still, there was a jogger about a half mile down the road heading their way. I honked and waved frantically at him, but I don't think he understood what I was trying to tell him. I hope he turned around before these guys noticed him.

All I could think of was how frickin' useless 911 really is at the end of the day.

EDIT: This wasn't to bash emergency responders or anything, but, as the saying goes: when seconds count, the police are minutes away.

[LorDiego01]

I called 911 once from my parents house becaue my dad wasnt feeling too well.

The first ambulance showed up no more than 3 minutes after my call, literally, and the second one was there a minute after the first . Dont know why they sent two, and at the end of the day it was just a scare.

[The Drew]

Was he doing anything other than racking the slide??? Unless you suspect that he was underage, then there is nothing wrong with what he did... Did he threaten you with it? did he appear to threaten someone else??

I'm sorry to say this, but you're part of the problem, eager to call 911 at the first sight of a gun on a person you think shouldn't have one...

The BEST thing you could've done is gotten a good look at the group, the gun and make note of exactly where you saw them... Then listen to the local news to hear if any crimes were committed. THEN you call the police, and give them your information.

As Tom Gresham says, 911 should've said "So What?" He had a gun... what law was he breaking...

I find it so Ironic that many of us here are pro open carry, but yet in a case like this we're eager to call the police to harass someone like we say we would never want to be hassled...

It is not your responsibility to be the police... You should mind your own business...

[XD45]

Was he doing anything other than racking the slide??? Unless you suspect that he was underage, then there is nothing wrong with what he did... Did he threaten you with it? did he appear to threaten someone else??

I'm sorry to say this, but you're part of the problem, eager to call 911 at the first sight of a gun on a person you think shouldn't have one...

The BEST thing you could've done is gotten a good look at the group, the gun and make note of exactly where you saw them... Then listen to the local news to hear if any crimes were committed. THEN you call the police, and give them your information.

As Tom Gresham says, 911 should've said "So What?" He had a gun... what law was he breaking...

I find it so Ironic that many of us here are pro open carry, but yet in a case like this we're eager to call the police to harass someone like we say we would never want to be hassled...

It is not your responsibility to be the police... You should mind your own business...

thats one of, if not the most ridiculous statement i've ever read on this forum. #1 have you ever heard the phrase brandishing a firearm? just because you have a LTCF doesn't mean you can go around racking the slide infront of someone for no other purpose than intimidation, or trying to be "cool". He didn't see someone OCing, he saw someone out and about playing with their gun, save it for when your home not driving threw town.

So if you saw someone kick in your neighbors door with a shotgun you'd casually wait until you saw they where dead to react? walk into a 7-11 thats being robbed and go nonono its fine i'll wait till your done?? He was trying to prevent a crime, which most likley could have been a murder, you need to think before you click the submit button.

[Skuggi]

I guess I should chime in, since I'm one of the bigger OC guys around here AND we know my views on how laws are handled.

one of the guys pulled a semi-automatic pistol out of his pocket and racked the slide.

He just brandished his weapon.

I saw a gang of young adults (older teenagers for the most part, maybe one or two in early 20s)

They were for sure, young and if in fact the gun carrier was under 18 he had it in his pocket concealed which is against the stupid law.

We have to be vigilant in our areas, Calling the Police is not an issue. I have no problem with them checking up on this situation. Now if everything had been legit after a brief questioning and everything was in order, say their car had broke down and they were looking for a phone and maybe he was worried walking around and carried unchambered. I would expect the police to just let them on their way.

[xflyboy]

thats one of, if not the most ridiculous statement i've ever read on this forum. #1 have you ever heard the phrase brandishing a firearm? just because you have a LTCF doesn't mean you can go around racking the slide infront of someone for no other purpose than intimidation, or trying to be "cool". He didn't see someone OCing, he saw someone out and about playing with their gun, save it for when your home not driving threw town.

So if you saw someone kick in your neighbors door with a shotgun you'd casually wait until you saw they where dead to react? walk into a 7-11 thats being robbed and go nonono its fine i'll wait till your done?? He was trying to prevent a crime, which most likley could have been a murder, you need to think before you click the submit button.

Okay, so last night I was driving home from work. Since the Parkway was jammed, I took the back way via Noblestown Road to the West End Bridge (heading toward the city). I had just turned on to PA 60 south, when I saw a gang of young adults (older teenagers for the most part, maybe one or two in early 20s) approaching on my side of the road. As I drove past, one of the guys pulled a semi-automatic pistol out of his pocket and racked the slide.


I called 911 just to let them know what was going on, and was immediately disappointed at how long it took for them to figure out just where I was. Apparently, that stretch of the road is still Noblestown Road. I didn't know that. I did know that it was PA State Route 60 South, but apparently, that didn't mean anything to the people who answered the phone. It was probably 5 minutes before they figured out where I was.

Who knows what happened after that. The only business in the area was a transmission shop that had already closed for the night. There wasn't much of anything else immediately down the road. The dude might've just been showing off how bad he was to his posse. (Though he would've looked badder if he hadn't ridden the slide back with his hand.... ) Still, there was a jogger about a half mile down the road heading their way. I honked and waved frantically at him, but I don't think he understood what I was trying to tell him. I hope he turned around before these guys noticed him.

All I could think of was how frickin' useless 911 really is at the end of the day.

he thought they were teenagers maybe 20=underage for concealed
sounds like he did what he thought was correct in that situation, sounds like what i think i would've done if it was me in that situation but it wasnt. i won't judge anyone for what they did in any given situation unless i was there with him that s all i'm going to say

[NineseveN]

thats one of, if not the most ridiculous statement i've ever read on this forum. #1 have you ever heard the phrase brandishing a firearm?

Doesn't apply in Pennsylvania, there is no term, law or language for "brandishing" in this state.

just because you have a LTCF doesn't mean you can go around racking the slide infront of someone for no other purpose than intimidation, or trying to be "cool". He didn't see someone OCing, he saw someone out and about playing with their gun, save it for when your home not driving threw town.

There was absolutely nothing illegal about what the person did. Though, I can see the OP thought they may have been underage. But I wasn't there so I can't really say.

So if you saw someone kick in your neighbors door with a shotgun you'd casually wait until you saw they where dead to react? walk into a 7-11 thats being robbed and go nonono its fine i'll wait till your done?? He was trying to prevent a crime, which most likley could have been a murder, you need to think before you click the submit button.

The action in the original story is not illegal under PA law; whereas the things you described above are indeed obviously illegal acts. Perhaps you could click the link in my signature to the online PA statutes and find where it says that what the person in the story did was illegal? Illegally concealing a handgun due to the age of the person? How sure can you be that the kid, was in fact, underage? I've seen a lot of 16-year-olds that look like they're in their 20's, and I've also known plenty of 20-somethings that look like they're still 16. I don't know that the OP reacted terribly given the circumstances, but I do think that your response was way off the mark of reasonable, even given the nature of the post you were referring to.


As for the OP, the thoughts on how useless 911 is in preventing crime is totally on point, unfortunately.

[MarcS]

Nothing he did was illegal, but that's beside the point. You have to use your gut instinct in this situation. Did this look like someone who should be possessing a gun? Did they look like the kind of people who are going to start trouble? What kind of neighborhood was this? Calling the police may have been appropriate. As a responsible citizen the only time i clear leather is to use it, which requires a police response anyway.

I called 911 once from my parents house becaue my dad wasnt feeling too well.

The first ambulance showed up no more than 3 minutes after my call, literally, and the second one was there a minute after the first . Dont know why they sent two, and at the end of the day it was just a scare.

Some areas are covered only by a Basic Life Support service. For instance, the town neighboring ours only has a BLS ambulance. When they get a call which requires a paramedic for advanced life support skills (IV's, heart monitor, drugs, etc.) our ambulance, which has a medic from a local hospital and Advanced Life Support equipment is dispatched simultaneously to assist. It's not necessarily the most efficient method since it puts 2 ambulances out of service when we have a transport capable ALS, but it's really the only way to do it with out stepping on toes for billing (since that's what a lot of volunteer stations in this area survive on)

[NineseveN]

Nothing he did was illegal, but that's beside the point. You have to use your gut instinct in this situation. Did this look like someone who should be possessing a gun? Did they look like the kind of people who are going to start trouble? What kind of neighborhood was this? Calling the police may have been appropriate.

Not to start a fight, but exactly what would a person like that look like?

[XD45]

that is interesting to me theres no brandishing a firearm law in PA, seems like they will just charge you with another crime like disturbing the piece, but in all honesty if you went to court with that and they didnt have a witness to say u where freaking out with a gun in your hand u arent getting into any trouble.. looks like they have a bill in the house, pretty nuts to sounds like they wanna give the power of how u can carry firearms around to the local municipalities not sure if this means instances such as taking rifles to your car before you go hunting(want them in a case maybe) or OC, and CC... hopefully this didnt get passed, kinda sounds like it did? http://www.legis.state.pa.us/dtsearc...ndoc=0&nPage=1