What would you guys do?

[Firebird V]

You did the right thing Ron. Keep a look out for the car on your street or streets behind or around you too. Alert neighbors.

[Spivonious]

I would have done the same Ron. Large profanity-laced white guys smoking cigarettes are going to have jumper cables of their own, or at least a friend that has jumpers. And why would he need a jump if he broke down? It just doesn't add up.

Tambores! [makes drumming motions]

[AlexL]

Geez Ron, smoking throws up a red flag with you, swearing throws up a red flag with you... Sounds like you should WELCOME the Jehova's Witnesses!

I say always trust your instincts in those instances. We are, at our core, animals. And animals have a natural "fight or flight" instinct - we get "scared" for a reason. It preserves us. You can tell pretty quickly if someone is trustworthy.

I once returned home from a business trip, and was eyeing up an attractive young lady in the tram to the airport parking ramp. I later bumped into her as I was heading to my car - she couldn't find her car, though she knew she was on the right level. It was below zero outside, so wandering around the parking ramp looking for her car would have been dangerous. She asked me if I would drive her around the ramp and help her find her car. I did, we found it, and I waited to make sure her car started before I drove off. My point is that there was an element of trust between us - I trusted her, and she trusted me, and we make these judgements about people pretty quickly.

So yes, always trust your instincts.

- E.

[guitarsjb]

I'm with everyone else here, you did the right thing. People are crazy. You can't trust anyone. Those were a LOT of red flags.

[Jack The Riffer]

Ron, think about the many times you probably started to do something and it went wrong, then you said to yourself Damn, I knew that was going to happen. Instinct is a gift and should be heeded.

[MetalMedal II]

Excellent call on your part. Something was fishy for sure. As was alluded above, the dude would need jumpers only if he turned off the engine and why would he do that on your street? Just to stop and see you? If he was visiting somebody nearby he'd ask those people, right? Your flags went up for a reason.

I needed a jump once when I lived in Boston when I left my lights on during the day. I was parked on the street and actually had jumpers but needed someone's battery. The first 2 people declined to help me, one of em being a taxi cab w/o a fair...jerk! lol It was getting dark out since it was after 5 pm in the winter, but luckily a woman getting into her car was willing to help me.

[horns666]

I do my norm whenever I get a knock. I look forward to it...I get aroused.

In a nutshell..

Confront, establish authority, provoke a response, call bs when I smell it, display my ID, demand their ID, then advise them to leave MY neighborhood immediately...they always do.

I made friends with a girl from the crime census bureau. I felt bad after going off on her. I apologized and told her to come in for coffee and their damn 45 minute survey, which was a mistake. They hounded me every 6 months since. I had to request to be removed me from that list.

I have very bold signs posted on both doors warning not to disturb unless an emergency... Sometimes I watch them read the sign and leave. Some dumbfucks knock..and that's my cue.

I do this if I see assholes soliciting neighbors or just in the area. John saw me go after someone who looked "lost". I was on the phone with him, and was approx a minute away.

Ron, you did good..your spider senses tingled for a reason. Keep an eye out for those males and that truck. If you to see them again..contact police to check the area for suspicious males with description.

I'm a prick!

OK, I gotta bail..

Be good.

[hippietim]

I'm surprised and disappointed in you Ron. Your conduct was very UN-AMERICAN. You should have shot the bastard.

[Jack The Riffer]

I put a picture of Toejams Moobs on my door. that scares everybody away.

[horns666]

I'm surprised and disappointed in you Ron. Your conduct was very UN-AMERICAN. You should have shot the bastard.

..

Or kick him in the ass like a smelly leprechaun at NAAM!

[toejam]

I put a picture of Toejams Moobs on my door. that scares everybody away.

Did you at least put big door knockers through the nipples? :ROTF:

[horns666]

..Joe

[rjohnstone]

You did the right thing.
Always go with your gut.

I have a camera that can see the entire entryway plus one by my garage and cameras on both sides of my house.
I give them all a quick peek whenever someone knocks on the door.
If it doesn't look cool, I just don't answer.

[horns666]

Ron, That fuck wouldn't be yelling "Tambores"..if your pud looked like a suckling catfish in a fish tank!

If you're going to open your door to strangers..may as well do it with class..with your pud pressed on glass.

I think.

[Jason1212]

Right after my daughter was born I got a knock on the door at like eleven one night. I was sitting on the couch and my pitbull went off (this was way out of the norm). By the time I got to the door the guy was on the sidewalk heading down the street. I called out asking what he wanted. He came up into my yard holding a DeWalt drill saying he needed diapers and wondered if I would by it. I say no and tell him to beat a path out of the area. I see him get into a truck that was waiting for him. At this point I felt that he was planning on breaking in untill he heard the dog. I call the cops and tell them about it. Fifteen minutes later there is another knock on the door and it's the cops. They caught the guy and his buddy two streets over. Truck bed was full of stolen power tools and stereo equipement. Trust you gut, it sounds like you do enough good that karma will cut you some slack for being an unwarranted asshole every once in while.