The garage

[mercop]

I quit doing these for a while because people kept saying how they were just so damn tactical that they would never end up in the situation to begin with. My reason for trying this again is to to bring several things up for discussion. Please try to answer the question at hand.

Here is the situation- It is a windy summer night and a serious storm sweeps in. You and your neighbor live a bit off the beaten path. You cannot see your houses through the trees from the road. Your neighbor is on vacation. You are friends, you have keys to the house, you are the back up for the alarm company to call. The chances of anyone breaking into the house are slim except your neighbor has a drug addict son who has a tendency to steal things to sell for drugs.

It is 2 AM and the power is out. The storm is loud. Your phone rings and it is the alarm company that your neighbor uses. They say they have an intrusion alarm on the garage and are dispatching the police.

As you hang up you think about a conversation your had with a local LEO you had earlier in the day about how it was going to suck to work tonight because of how storms always set BS alarms off and they only have five guys working.

You get up and get dressed, grab your pistol and a gun. It is raining sideways. As you look out a window you see the side garage door on your buddy's house is open.

You weather the storm and slosh across the driveways thinking about how this is a PITA. Water is running down your neck, your glasses are spotted with water.

Just as you approach the garage door you detect movement just inside the door. All of a sudden all you can see is a bright white light blazing in your eyes. You cannot see at all what do you do?

[Shawn.L]

side step out of the doorway/light/death funnel . draw gun, and yell loudly "Identify yourself, I am armed!". Scan the area. I should have had my light out before in this situation. Flashbulb and move as I scan.

[steviesterno]

um, don't go in the first place. they are gone so it's only stuff. thats what insurance is for.

[Shawn.L]

I quit doing these for a while because people kept saying how they were just so damn tactical that they would never end up in the situation to begin with. My reason for trying this again is to to bring several things up for discussion. Please try to answer the question at hand.

um, don't go in the first place. they are gone so it's only stuff. thats what insurance is for.

I think your missing the point.

often times in FoF, classes, and discussion people come out to proclaim why they would never fall for that, or get in that situation, ect.
The point of simulations, and many FoF scenerios is to draw out worst-case situations where you can deal with these problems.

I find it funny how some poeple (not nessisarily you steve) will never ever ever find themselves in a bad situation beacuse they are so damn aware or so damn careful, and yet they carry a handgun........ and usually have never had any damn formal training with it.

[Palerider]

Assuming I approached the garage from an angle and not directly up the middle of the driveway, I retreat back around the corner (even though siding and OSB prbably aren't great cover) and yell for the person to identify themselves as I yell I'm their neighbor.

I am concerned about getting the white light in the face, this is going to really adversely affect my vision for a while. At this point I need to flashlight back at originator and, dare I say retreat for cover as safely as possible.

[Helter]

What should I do, or what would I do?

What I would do, probably, is put my hand up to block the light and say "who's there?".

What I should do, probably, is use my own flashlight held to the side, to spot them while moving off the sight line, and demand that they identify themselves.

[tlgpa]

I think your missing the point.

often times in FoF, classes, and discussion people come out to proclaim why they would never fall for that, or get in that situation, ect.
The point of simulations, and many FoF scenerios is to draw out worst-case situations where you can deal with these problems.

I find it funny how some poeple (not nessisarily you steve) will never ever ever find themselves in a bad situation beacuse they are so damn aware or so damn careful, and yet they carry a handgun........ and usually have never had any damn formal training with it.

I see what you're saying, however, the OP wrote up this whole detailed scenario, where they typical reader, especially on this forum is going to say WTF, you never should've been there.

The scenario could've just been written:

You come home from work. It is 2 AM and the power is out. The storm is loud. It is raining sideways. You weather the storm and slosh across the driveways thinking about how this is a PITA. Water is running down your neck, your glasses are spotted with water.

Just as you approach the garage door you detect movement just inside the door. All of a sudden all you can see is a bright white light blazing in your eyes. You cannot see at all what do you do?

That says the same thing, without all the extra fluff. Unless the OP actually wants comments on the extra fluff.

[steviesterno]

alright, i'll bite... since you said you had time to grab a pistol AND a gun, i'm going to assume the the gun is a 12 gauge/AR with a light on it, already at low ready. at which point you break off, announce you are armed, take cover (not just concealment) and call 911 as a real emergency and not just a storm-based alarm call. then asses and act accordingly.

plus I don't wear glasses.

and if it was my garage things would go differently... especially when I was in florida, and it was a Castle Doctrine state. shit you could shoot a girl scout after inviting her in... it was loose down there.

[steviesterno]

oh yeah, BTW i am formally trained, I do carry, but also feel that life is like the Hippocratic oath... First, do no harm...then double tap

[LittleRedToyota]

quickly move sideways to cover...and then keep moving. creating distance and trying to minimize exposure and, if possible, find a place where i can observe without being exposed to try to see who it is. (listening, of course, in case the person identified themselves--and i could somehow hear them over the rain.)

i would have planned an escape route on my way to the door. so, i would follow that route.

if i could avoid it, i would not confront the person if it turned out to be an intruder. the only reason i would have gone over there was to try to save the police a trip in case of a false alarm. once i realize it is not a false alarm, i would want to just disappear from the situation if possible.