# If you get asked to go somewhere and its an obvious "set-up"... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023 "2014-08-07T11:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/1 "2014-08-07T11:55:04Z")
… would you go? Lets assume that this isn’t a bad episode of Magnum PI, you don’t have a sound track of cheesy '70s guitar riffs, and that your car could end up damaged/stolen, you could end up beaten (and for all you know… killed). Q: Do you go…? On the one hand you can’t live your life in fear. On the other, stupidity as a lifestyle isn’t much of a game-plan. _Assume that I’m going to post this and that the Poll function could possibly work_ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/2 "2014-08-07T13:57:27Z")
Why would anyone knowing walk into an ambush? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/3 "2014-08-07T14:06:10Z")
Trust your instincts. I wish I had done that when this happened to me in the past. My instincts said don’t go and I ignored them. Answer: God no don’t go. Being bored is a million times better than being traumatized. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/4 "2014-08-07T14:19:37Z")
What’s the benefit? Beat up some bad guys? Surprise them by foiling their ambush? Get police to surprise them? It’s hard to see the benefits outweighing the drawbacks. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/5 "2014-08-07T14:23:30Z")
As the OP so eloquently put it, stupidity as a lifestyle isn’t much of a game-plan. Hell NO I ain’t going ANYWHERE! ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/6 "2014-08-07T14:28:37Z")
I’d totally trust my instincts and not go. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/7 "2014-08-07T14:50:26Z")
I feel like I need more details in this scenario. So, is this a one-time “ambush” or am I constantly being pursued? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/8 "2014-08-07T16:00:02Z")
Missed my 40th birthday surprise party because of this. Got to the place my buddy had set it all up and got a “hinky feeling” about the place and situation – so I bailed and went to dinner elsewhere. Found out when I got home and hit the answering machine button. Just as well since I hate surprise parties in general. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/9 "2014-08-07T16:07:45Z")
Does no-one watch Burn Notice? You go. Bring a fake thumb drive that will explode when the bad guys plug it into the laptop. In the meantime, you arrange for Fiona to be the sniper on the roof in the building across the street. Jesse and Sam are the cavalry that break through the wall in a large construction vehicle and come in guns a blazing. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/10 "2014-08-07T16:28:37Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Does no-one watch Burn Notice? > > You go. Bring a fake thumb drive that will explode when the bad guys plug it into the laptop. > > In the meantime, you arrange for Fiona to be the sniper on the roof in the building across the street. Jesse and Sam are the cavalry that break through the wall in a large construction vehicle and come in guns a blazing. I like the cut of your jib. But, what if it is Brennan behind the ambush? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/11 "2014-08-07T16:44:48Z")
Wasn’t Brennan killed by “dead” Larry? If not, shoot him in the leg in the melee and then interrogate him creatively about who’s behind this ambush. Then save his life before he bleeds out. Now he owes you one. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/12 "2014-08-07T16:53:19Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Wasn’t Brennan killed by “dead” Larry? > > If not, shoot him in the leg in the melee and then interrogate him creatively about who’s behind this ambush. Then save his life before he bleeds out. Now he owes you one. Yep. Then later “undead Larry” became “really and truly dead Larry”. I was placing my scenario somewhere in the middle of the show. I always thought Brennan was one of toughest opponents for Mikey. He always seemed to be way ahead in planning. (The less we talk of Ansen, the better.) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/13 "2014-08-07T16:59:34Z")
Yeah… I haven’t followed as closely as I should. So the answer to the OP is: FIRST, watch all the Burn Notice seasons/episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/14 "2014-08-07T17:35:27Z")
In real life, I’d be trapped in a loop like Vizzini: “I sense the set up is a trap. Clearly I cannot go. But, they knew I’d spot the trap, so it clearly _cannot be a trap, and the trap is somewhere else. But, they know I’d know the trap was not a trap, so it actually is_, so I cannot go to the set up safely. But then…” I’d never get anything done. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/15 "2014-08-07T19:59:44Z")
I’ve been “set up” twice by two different people. Both were excuses for them to go to strip clubs. They had to pay cover and buy me beer all night. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/16 "2014-08-07T20:09:29Z")
I thought the OP was talking about friend innocently introduce you to “X” with the secret hope that you two might find a romantic connection. Either way, no. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/17 "2014-08-07T21:36:33Z")
I always wondered how they get people to show up on Springer as guests. Don’t they suspect anything? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/18 "2014-08-07T21:43:16Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > In real life, I’d be trapped in a loop like Vizzini: “I sense the set up is a trap. Clearly I cannot go. But, they knew I’d spot the trap, so it clearly _cannot be a trap, and the trap is somewhere else. But, they know I’d know the trap was not a trap, so it actually is_, so I cannot go to the set up safely. But then…” > > I’d never get anything done. Truly, you have a dizzying intellect. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/19 "2014-08-07T21:49:58Z")
I thought you meant like dating, why the hell would you go to an actual ambush? ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023/20 "2014-08-07T21:53:24Z")
Life isn’t a Hollywood movie and its not a video game, there is no ‘reset’ button, there are enough unavoidable dangers in life without actively inviting them. Basically, are you frikken nuts? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-get-asked-to-go-somewhere-and-its-an-obvious-set-up/695023.md?page=2)