dangerous areas

[John Dirks Jr]

Do any of you have dangerous sections within your area that you have decided not to serve? When you do go into more dangerous crime ridden areas, what kind of precautions do you take?

[Jerry Simon]

Kurt once rightfully pointed out that one should not need to carry a gun...instead, one should be alert never to get into a situation where you might need one.

That being said, my precaution is a Kimber 1911 SS Ultra-Carry 45 semi-auto, three-inch barrel with an IWH, and two 7-round-clips of hollow-points. Back-up is a Colt Mustang .380 in an ankle-holster. There is a spot or two in Chi-Town where they just make me feel safer.

[kurt]

Better yet, schedule the appt. at 8am.

If I can't do that, I carry my Jedi light saber.

[Bill Kibbel]

Charge more than the others and they get to go to those fun areas.

[davidlord]

Nice gun that Kimber. I carry a Springfield -9 Bi-tone 4". I have a CCP but it stays in the truck most of the time.

Not much in the way of crime here in St Augustine. In the big city to the north (Jacksonville) somebody gets shot about every day. There are certain areas of Jax that I do carry.

Geesh I bet ya'll think I'm a republican.

[John Dirks Jr]

Geesh I bet ya'll think I'm a republican

Nah...I'de say a realist.

Careful now, we got teetering on a religious discussion in the other thread. Don't wanna see this one go political.

[Jerry Simon]

Originally posted by davidlord

Nice gun that Kimber. I carry a Springfield -9 Bi-tone 4". I have a CCP but it stays in the truck most of the time.

Not much in the way of crime here in St Augustine. In the big city to the north (Jacksonville) somebody gets shot about every day. There are certain areas of Jax that I do carry.

Geesh I bet ya'll think I'm a republican.

That Springfield ain't a bad piece either...reminds me of a cross between a Glock 17 and a Sig P220.

Got my concealed-carry from your great state of FL...it's good in 32 states. Came in handy last week in Memphis...never pulled, but did have to show once.

[ozofprev]

Originally posted by AHI

Do any of you have dangerous sections within your area that you have decided not to serve? When you do go into more dangerous crime ridden areas, what kind of precautions do you take?

You kidding? Anything I have to do with housing these days is through Habitat. We just surrender our wallets.

Seriously!

[fqp25]

Gary,

Were you there?

[Brian G]

For a few years I had a deal with a company in town to install all of their security doors and burglar bars (the steel and cast iron kind, usually fairly ornate). I worked in every crack-infested neighborhood in the surrounding dozen counties and then some, but never carried a gun or got robbed. Partly luck, no doubt, but broad daylight and looking like a hard target help (a large, fit, adult male with tools in hand). I rarely get a call to work this job in any of those places, which is fine with me, but I don't refuse any work based on that sort of issue (so far).

Brian G.

No Gun, But Can Damn Sure Run [:-wiltel]

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHI

Do any of you have dangerous sections within your area that you have decided not to serve? When you do go into more dangerous crime ridden areas, what kind of precautions do you take?

Hmm. As far as I can tell, there aren't any such areas in Oregon.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[carle3]

I recently had my passenger window broke and all the electronics stolen out of my van. It was 10:30am and on a reasonably well traveled street. On top of the theft it I was 30 miles away from home and it was 10 degrees out. Nothing like traveling down the highway on a freezing cold day with no window. I think anyone I passed by must have thought I was drunk driving trying to stay awake.

I made the descision as Bill has suggested to just price these local's out of reach and not go. It just is not worth it.

[ozofprev]

Jim:

That's funny. I never noticed the extra 'e'. One or two of the guys might have been inclined to go the vigilante route, but the site super would never allow it.

Frank:

It's my gang, but I was not there that particular day. This is the site super - he goes by Bob-the-builder. You can see the magnitude of the work we had to put into these homes.

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[fqp25]

Make sure you lock up your new aluminum ladder. The price of scrap is up.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by ozofprev

Originally posted by AHI

Do any of you have dangerous sections within your area that you have decided not to serve? When you do go into more dangerous crime ridden areas, what kind of precautions do you take?

You kidding? Anything I have to do with housing these days is through Habitat. We just surrender our wallets.

Seriously!

From the article:

"We will be a little more vigilante and watchful as we work. "

Is habitat moving in a new direction, or did the reporter simply feel the need for an extra "e"?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[John Dirks Jr]

Originally posted by fqp25

Make sure you lock up your new aluminum ladder. The price of scrap is up.

Yeah, I thought about that. I did get a used rack from work van that is out of service. A good solid heavy duty one for $10. I just need to take it to the wire wheel, give it an acid bath and a new paint job and it will be as good as new.

[John Dirks Jr]

BTW, with the laws in my area, packing heat is not an option for me.

[inspectorchris]

I grew up in the inner city so I know how it is to be on both sides of the fence on this issue. The most imortant thing is to be extra aware of your surroundings because the people on the block allready know the second you pull up yout there and that your not from around there. The next thing they will do is case you, see if you look threatening, easy or like you would have anything on you.

If you have a clean newer work vehicle, pull out a nice tool belt, digital camera, and are well dressed. They will have no fear of you and you will look like an easy target.

If I'm doing an inspection in a bad neighborhood I allways schedule it early in the morning because I know that most of the people that you need to worry about are not up and about @ 8am.

The last thing to know is that if you feel unsafe then don't do the job. No amount of money is worth your life.

I pulled up to a home to do an inspection once in a terrible neighborhood and saw two guys standing on the corner and a few guys hanging out on the steps of the home directly across the street from the home I was to do the inspection on. As soon as I passed the guys on the corner and stopped at the house I looked at the guys across the street and saw them checking me out and the guys on the corner. Knowing this is how drug operations work I pulled away from the home called the buyer and told them I felt unsafe doing the inspection for them and went home. Most likely they would have left me alone but the point is I never know and I didn't want to take the chance on finding out.

[ghentjr]

Had to use a generator once on an old 4-story brick that was boarded up for a few years. Hired a cop to guard the generator. Had to do 260 units in a "Realllllllly Bad" housing complex. Went there the day before and hired some locals to come around with my inspectors to introduce us and keep things flowing. Did a house in a borderline area. Went in the crawl and found a big canvas bag of pistols of various kinds. Mentioned it to the owner because the crawl was not an easy place to get into. His comment: "So that's where the bitch hid them." Most cases if you get an inspection in a bad neighborhood, go to the local grocery store and they will guide you to someone to help you. Guy's, poor people need us more than the rich. And, mostly they pay with cash.

[RobFV]

Originally posted by Jerry Simon

There is a spot or two in Chi-Town where they just make me feel safer.

Ever do any inspections in Cabrini-Green or Robert Taylor homes?

[]

[kurt]

Cabrini is an island in a sea of gentrification. I work around there all the time.

Robert Taylor, OTOH, is another situation. I've done jobs in the shadow of RT. Not for the faint hearted.