Preparedness for when

GreyQueen

Can't be too specific, as it's a RL identifier but, given what was going on and who was inside the vehicle, I don't think they had any choice other than to shoot out the tyres. There would have been no way to pre-position a stinger for that particular incident.

A few dozen civvies got a grandstand view - it was nearby but I was at work at the time, exercising my McCavity-like abilities.

The last time we had armed police in the block (right outside my flat!) was between Xmas and New Year, and I wasn't here then, either.:p

greenbee

Hmm... I think there might be a pattern emerging GQ...

GreyQueen

greenbee wrote: »

Hmm... I think there might be a pattern emerging GQ...

I'm usually elsewhere when something bad happens, it's a talent.

A reverse version is ending up in places where there are world-famous sporting events without knowing that they were going on.

My Dad still refuses to believe that I didn't know the TT was on the only time I went on holiday to the Isle of Man. OK, I'd heard of it years before, noticed that there were a fair few motorbikes on the ferry but it wasn't until we docked and I saw the sign 'Douglas Welcomes the TT' that the penny dropped.

I also ended up in the middle of a world triathalon championship. Never do this - it's like walking among super-beings, everyone is superfit and you feel such a lump by comparison.:rotfl:

GQ; probably wandering around gormlessly in a major sporting event somewhere near you looking for the charity shops and wondering what the heck all these people in the funny clothes are doing....

elaine241

Hello All

Have to confess to skim reading as I havent been here for a bit! I know for certain that if armed terrorists decided to go door to door where I live they would be met with a big surprise! Apart from one all my neighbours have shotguns plural and at least one has his own rifle range built into the basement of his house. Farmers and many country people usually can hit the side of a barn and often are a damm site more accurate! I surprised myself the other day as there was a rat eating food on the floor near my bird table, picked up the boys air rifle and shot the damm thing straight through the head from the kitchen (quite a distance!!) So I can put myself down on the list as one of those able to hit the barn door!!!:rotfl:

nuatha

GreyQueen wrote: »

Can't be too specific, as it's a RL identifier but, given what was going on and who was inside the vehicle, I don't think they had any choice other than to shoot out the tyres. There would have been no way to pre-position a stinger for that particular incident.

I appreciate that I don't know the full circumstances, and there are times when the risks are worth taking.
Thankfully I don't have to make those calls, I can speculate safely from the sidelines with the benefit of hindsight

A few dozen civvies got a grandstand view - it was nearby but I was at work at the time, exercising my McCavity-like abilities.

The last time we had armed police in the block (right outside my flat!) was between Xmas and New Year, and I wasn't here then, either.:p

I've had grandstand views of several armed responses.
And once tied up an armed response unit for an hour or so on my lonesome - a wheel and suspension unit came adrift form my car on a crucial junction and they were the officers detailed to attend.
Despite having had a number of friends in the Service and knowing a few AFOs I wasn't exactly enamoured of the situation.
I have no problem being around firearms, I used to shoot, but routinely armed police is something I'd rather not see.

greenbee wrote: »

Hmm... I think there might be a pattern emerging GQ...

Her spider sense works. No one ever sees Clark Kent and Superman at the same time either (to completely mix the comic metaphors)

greenbee

I used to teach cadets to shoot. I know exactly how bad most people are at hitting what they aim at. The chances are that an innocent bystander is more likely to be hit than the person they are trying to hit.

If you want to be a more difficult target, you need to be small (good motivation for GQ ). Turn sideways. Don't have shiny buttons that are easy to aim at. Wear clothes that mean you don't have clearly defined edges (not necessarily camoflage, but grey rather than black or patterns that distort your shape).

But mostly try to avoid idiots with guns.

nuatha

elaine241 wrote: »

Hello All

Have to confess to skim reading as I havent been here for a bit! I know for certain that if armed terrorists decided to go door to door where I live they would be met with a big surprise! Apart from one all my neighbours have shotguns plural and at least one has his own rifle range built into the basement of his house. Farmers and many country people usually can hit the side of a barn and often are a damm site more accurate! I surprised myself the other day as there was a rat eating food on the floor near my bird table, picked up the boys air rifle and shot the damm thing straight through the head from the kitchen (quite a distance!!) So I can put myself down on the list as one of those able to hit the barn door!!!:rotfl:

I've never seen the point of aiming for a barn door - well once when farm models were used on the 1000 and 1500 yards ranges.
I know my accuracy diminishes with lack of practise. So I admire your accuracy.
As I mentioned upthread, the police believe there's a substantial amount of weaponry in this town - most of it not legal. These days I several people with rifles and a few more with shotguns (all legal) most of them are town dwellers.

greenbee wrote: »

I used to teach cadets to shoot. I know exactly how bad most people are at hitting what they aim at. The chances are that an innocent bystander is more likely to be hit than the person they are trying to hit.

If you want to be a more difficult target, you need to be small (good motivation for GQ ). Turn sideways. Don't have shiny buttons that are easy to aim at. Wear clothes that mean you don't have clearly defined edges (not necessarily camoflage, but grey rather than black or patterns that distort your shape).

But mostly try to avoid idiots with guns.

Good advice, that last bit.

NewShadow

GreyQueen wrote: »

Police have discharged live ammo in the city centre in broad daylight before now, usually bringing suspect cars to a halt by shooting out their tyres. It's pretty hair-raising when it happens.

I think you don't live where I thought you did...

[Deleted User]

Other than climbing my neighbours fence and cutting across the grass I've just walked the rest of my planned route out of the village and realised that it's better than I had originally thought as the path that runs along beside the stream actually comes out in a hollow dip in the road that isn't visible from the village so getting across the road would be simple. The rest of the route is on footpaths that aren't visible from any roads either so although I hope and pray we'll never have to use it we should be able to do so fairly safely if we have to!

NewShadow

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Other than climbing my neighbours fence and cutting across the grass I've just walked the rest of my planned route out of the village and realised that it's better than I had originally thought as the path that runs along beside the stream actually comes out in a hollow dip in the road that isn't visible from the village so getting across the road would be simple. The rest of the route is on footpaths that aren't visible from any roads either so although I hope and pray we'll never have to use it we should be able to do so fairly safely if we have to!

Is there anywhere on the route you could make a cache with some essential bits? Thinking chemical heat packs, basic first aid supplies, glucose packs (not food - animals smell good).

You'd need a container that will withstand the weather all year round and that can be buried or that would blend in near the stream.

I know someone that owns a strip of wood with public access. He's got a stash in a heap of rocks just off the path and another one in the branches of an evergreen, and no one's found/taken anything from them in 15 years.