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I think you handled this just about perfectly. One thing I always have thought - If something feels wrong, trust your instinct…better to be slightly over protective/paranoid than bound in the back of some guy’s trunk.
I’m sure the guy was harmless, but at that time of day, do you want to take the chance?
Any normal person would have heard your request and been fine with it. I know I’m not a psycho, but I wouldn’t expect someone who didn’t know me when I’m outside their place in the middle of the night to simply trust me on that fact (especially since, despite being nerdy and bald, I’m a rather large guy), so I know I wouldn’t take offense if you had asked me that, and I doubt he did either.
I think your solution was imaginative if a little bit dangerous. If I wasn’t sure of my ability to handle another person physically I would have probably just gone in the house and watched out the window. As it is I would have asked him to not park across my driveway which would have been more confrontational than I like but I wouldn’t have thought of asking him to drive around.
I would have just gone in the house, and may or may not have told him he was a dumbass for blocking people’s driveways (a personal pet peeve of mine).
Depends on the neighborhood. Either drive away until he leaves or call 911. Or call a close friend. Do not go in the house or leave your car.
I voted that you did the right thing… 2 AM is a weird time, and she wasn’t answering her phone.
FWIW, people do call 911 for stuff like this. The call taker and dispatcher would have no problem sending an officer out.
Good solution you came up with.
This just occurred to me, if you know your neighbor, call your neighbor, see if she’s really not answering her phone.
(Bolding mine)
This is about what I was going to say, except I look scary and bearded instead of nerdy and bald and I’m on big side of normal instead being rather large. I probably would have just gone inside, but I’m a scary looking big guy. I also would’ve watched him like a hawk from inside a choppy/stabby thing in hand.
I probably would have just gone inside but you did the right thing.
Yes, all of this. Every aspect of his behavior was suspicious - including the claim of delivering a HD at 2AM. Not saying he was lying, but it’s weird enough that being cautious is reasonable.
He wasn’t blocking her - he was still in the car, and had already shown his willingness to move out of the way. If he had left his car, then he would have been blocking her.
I’m a male and would have went in and spied on him.
I’m a male and I probably would have just walked in my house, but I understand why you were hesitant to do so.
ETA: I think your response was appropriate and level headed.
Female. Voted that I would have gone in my house but I admire your solution too!
Did you peek out your window and see what he ended up doing? Did he come back? Did he hook up with the neighbor? Did you ask the neighbor the next day?
I think you did a wonderfully creative thing, just right.
And I’d bet he’s telling his friends and sisters, girlfriends, about how smart you are, don’t kid yourself.
Kudos to you!
I would have just walked into the house, but then I’m a guy so I don’t really have as much to worry about. I think what you did was fine. If I had been that guy I’d have been happy to drive around or at least walk a reasonable distance away so you could go in without feeling threatened.
I voted for I liked your solution but in the same situation I would likely have just headed for the house with 911 dialed but not sent on my cell. Driveways in my neighborhood are small, parking is non existant and it’s definitely a situation I could see occuring but the 2am part would make me nervous as well.
Anyone parked in that spot at our house however would have two large dog faces staring out the bay window the entire time they were there. I think it would probably annoy me more if I was already in the house because the barking would drive me nuts.
I’m a male and would have my Ruger on me, so I probably wouldn’t have spoken to him, but I’d have been aware of where he was.
He blocked her car in the driveway. He pulled out of the way, let her park, then blocked her car in when he pulled his car back across the driveway. I can’t think of a single good reason why he felt that this maneuver was necessary. I can think of a few bad reasons, though. Basically, he’s cutting off her primary escape method.
More and more, I’m thinking that I’d have called 911, because as others said, who delivers computer components at 2 AM? (And can I get this service too?)