Attempted Hijack

[RonRC]

I am at an airport hotel in Johannesburg. The drive here was more eventful than I would like.

We were following the GPS instructions to the airport and driving through a rough area. There was an attempt to hijack us! One person knocked on the car on the right rear to distract us while the other came at us from the front. My friend, David, drew his sidearm, a CZ Shadow in 9 mm. Upon seeing David's pistol, they scurried away and we continued on. Both of us were high on Adrenalin. David held the firearm in his hand until we exited that hell hole. I reached for my carry gun, but of course nothing was there.

David, a former student of mine, saved our asses. He was ready to use his 17 rounds of Winchester Ranger +p+ hollow point ammo.
I chalk the incident up as another South Africa adventure. We both are fine, if a little shaken. The lesson is don't follow a GPS' instructions before checking what type of neighborhoods you will be going through.

Ron

 

[GLenn]

That's more adventure then I care for!!
Be safe over there.


Glenn

 

[heelerau]

Good to be alive !! We have had a number of South Africans come down under because they were concerned about having always to be armed and on high alert as soon as they leave there fortified houses.

 

[Buck Conner1]

The lesson is don't follow a GPS' instructions before checking what type of neighborhoods you will be going through.

Ron

Have had the same experiences several times, once in East St. Louis (bad ass area according to the St. Louis Police that got us out of there fast) and again in of all places "Five Points" in Denver CO with a local gang trying to take the car (had to pull my Sig P938 9MM pistol that time while the wife had her Kimber 380 ready to go). Several other times back East that I have forgotten what it was about other than driving fast with a handgun in hand thanks to our GPS unit.

There's always someone looking to take advantage of others, "kill them all; let God sort them out" (most thought it was from Nam) has always been a good reminder of.
<hr />
"Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." was allegedly spoken by Papal Legate and Cistercian abbot Arnaud Amalric prior to the massacre at Béziers, the first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade. A direct translation of the Latin phrase would be "Kill them. For the Lord knows those that are His own." Less formal English translations have given rise to variants such as "Kill them all; let God sort them out." Other sources give the quotation as "Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet.

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

I am glad you are OK, Ron.

 

[BigAl52]

Im glad youre ok to Ron but how was David carrying his gun and Ron C wasnt carrying his gun? Are you home yet?  Carry guns dont leave home without one.

 

[Marty1]

...And one would normally think that ONLY happens in the movies.  Glad you're returning home in one piece RonC.

 

[Buck Conner1]

...And one would normally think that ONLY happens in the movies.  Glad you're returning home in one piece RonC.

This happens more than you would think, many don't want to think about their experiences in what they have experienced.  I have carried a concealed weapon for the last 65 years. Raised on the outside of Philadelphia in the late 50's and 60's you never knew what was going to happen when passing a stranger. Then moving to Denver not knowing where was safe and renting in Aurora CO was no picnic in 1964 with all the shootings.  

I'm sure Ron will relate to the Denver Metro area and it's issues too. When I first started with the phone company I got stuck doing disconnects, talk about having your butt hung out to dry in the low rent sections of town.

:Hide:​

 

[RonRC]

Thank you for the welcome back, Gentlemen! I just arrived home after a 16.5 hour flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta and a 3 hour flight to Denver. I'm a mite bit tired.

Al, I not only can't carry in South Africa, I can't bring my gun into the country. I have a rifle I wanted to give to a South African who visited us in Colorado. We could not figure out a way to get the rifle into the country. If you are going to take your own rifle to hunt in SA, you have to demonstrate that you have hired a professional hunter and receive a confirmation letter from the PH. You also have to document that you are taking it back. At least that is what I have been told.

I won't be without an armed individual when I go back to SA.
Ron

 

[Marty1]

...And one would normally think that ONLY happens in the movies.  Glad you're returning home in one piece RonC.

This happens more than you would think, many don't want to think about their experiences in what they have experienced.  I have carried a concealed weapon for the last 65 years. Raised on the outside of Philadelphia in the late 50's and 60's you never knew what was going to happen when passing a stranger. Then moving to Denver not knowing where was safe and renting in Aurora CO was no picnic in 1964 with all the shootings.  

I'm sure Ron will relate to the Denver Metro area and it's issues too. When I first started with the phone company I got stuck doing disconnects, talk about having your butt hung out to dry in the low rent sections of town.

:Hide:​

I only carry now when I'm hiking isolated areas ( Had my vehicle broken into once).
Other than that it seems I've been pretty lucky in staying out of troubled areas across the country.   Odd though :face: you mentioned Philadelphia.  Before we had GPS I got lost once there and asked for directions in the wrong neighborhood.   I locked my doors and couldn't wait to get my butt out of there :affraid:

 

[Buck Conner1]

We have had police escorts remove us from bad areas in Philadelphia, East St. Louis, Aurora CO and another that I can't remember at the moment.  My pardners who were reading the maps and were telling me where to turn had their heads up their butts. Turning around on the ramp of a major Interstate or a busy street is not fun with a 24 foot trailer loaded with canoes and supplies and having like rigs behind you attempting to do the same.   :evil:   :x

 

[oneshot1]

My wife is to be armed at work. Most time she isn't and I tell her what I think of it. We get a call she always has me go in check the place out. In all actuality she is the Boss and I'm just a Volunteer.

Me and a Black Man from Africa have came up with ways to change Black Folks minds here  :lol: 

Good thing your ok.

oneshot

 

[Buck Conner1]

You saying armed at work, most public utility company do not let employees carry weapons (the CEO's have bodyguards in some areas).  I had an experience about 20 miles north of Laramie WY when on the road doing maintenance for the phone company.  I'm at a wave guide tower checking the heating system in the building, go out to the truck for parts and there's a jeep several hundred yards away in the trees with a guy looking at me with his rifle scope. I beat it back in the building for cover, look out a small window and they are still there. We are 10 miles from anything, its winter with lots of snow, I call my dispatch in Denver. They call the Laramie Police, it will take at least a half hour or more to get someone here. Dispatch has me stay on the phone which I didn't do other  than leave the phone lay on the floor. I finished what I was doing, still no cops, tell dispatch I'll call when I get to the first place about 8 miles toward town, pack and leave.  Pass the cops as I'm driving out of there, they went looking for those's with the rifle. A week later a Company VP from Denver is waiting for me in Ft. Collins CO., I'm greeted and taken into an office and given paperwork to sign (I'm now allowed to carry a firearm on company property - either a handgun or a long gun, just keep it out of sight). Several weeks later Laramie Police catch up with me in their town and inform me those that were watching me were students from the University of Wyoming (a group of kids that had been breaking into summer homes in the hills, they took anything that wasn't nailed down). Me turning them in a month earlier put some young men behind bars.  :ttups:

 

[Okie Hog]

RonC:

i'm glad you're OK.

South Africa has changed dramatically since i was there in the early 1980s.

 

[RonRC]

I started going there in 1999 and SA has changed dramatically.
My former student (the one with me during the attempted car jacking) sent me some recent newspaper articles on robberies and beatings of motorists in broad daylight, in traffic.

The power infrastructure is bankrupt, roads are decaying, railroad tracks have been torn up and sold for scrap metal. As the economy declines, major corporations have left the country. Technologists and physicians, both black and white, have emigrated. SA brings in Cuban physicians to take their place. Cuban primary and secondary school teachers have been brought in the replace current teachers.

It is a shame because the nation is rich in human and natural resources. Government corruption and a sense of entitlement has robbed away the ability to utilize those resources effectively.
Currently, there is talk of "expropriation without compensation." Translation: we take your farm or home or neighborhood and you receive nothing in return. That is what destroyed Zimbabwe, a country that went from being a food exporter to one with 50% starvation.

I loved the country at one time and still am very fond of my friends there. I am sad to see the negative developments.
Ron

 

[Okie Hog]

Sometimes the sight of a firearm is enough to scare off scumbags.

i don't open carry except at our property. One day i strapped the revolver on at the property. i forgot to remove same when departing the place. Going home i stopped for gas. A lady pulled up a pump about 25 feed away. Almost immediately a man drove up, started demeaning and cursing the lady.

When the idiot said "***** I'm going to beat your ass" i banged on my truck. The idiot looked, jumped into his car and departed. The sight of that N frame S&W must deterred the guy.

 

[oneshot1]

You saying armed at work, most public utility company do not let employees carry weapons (the CEO's have bodyguards in some areas).  I had an experience about 20 miles north of Laramie WY when on the road doing maintenance for the phone company.  I'm at a wave guide tower checking the heating system in the building, go out to the truck for parts and there's a jeep several hundred yards away in the trees with a guy looking at me with his rifle scope. I beat it back in the building for cover, look out a small window and they are still there. We are 10 miles from anything, its winter with lots of snow, I call my dispatch in Denver. They call the Laramie Police, it will take at least a half hour or more to get someone here. Dispatch has me stay on the phone which I didn't do other  than leave the phone lay on the floor. I finished what I was doing, still no cops, tell dispatch I'll call when I get to the first place about 8 miles toward town, pack and leave.  Pass the cops as I'm driving out of there, they went looking for those's with the rifle. A week later a Company VP from Denver is waiting for me in Ft. Collins CO., I'm greeted and taken into an office and given paperwork to sign (I'm now allowed to carry a firearm on company property - either a handgun or a long gun, just keep it out of sight). Several weeks later Laramie Police catch up with me in their town and inform me those that were watching me were students from the University of Wyoming (a group of kids that had been breaking into summer homes in the hills, they took anything that wasn't nailed down). Me turning them in a month earlier put some young men behind bars.  :ttups:

Yes everyone is to be armed there. It is very secure, she is in a small locked room with many cameras.

She has clearances to all Government areas, no questions asked if she is needed. That is all the details I will give.

oneshot