Is this a case of staying vigilant or being paranoid?

[MatthewOU2015]

Hello friends,

Last week on my run I saw something troubling. My subdivision has sidewalks on one side of the street only so people need to share the sidewalk. Its an unwritten rule that runners/joggers use the street when someone is walking their dog,stroller, etc. It was a nice day out so everyone decided to take advantage of the nice weather. I notice this indivdual death staring at runners going past them grabbing at their waist area. I run past them and I could see the person with a hand on some kind of weapon. I could have been a gun, taser, pepperspray,etc but it was in a holster. I live in a nice area of Birmingham, Al but we still get our share of crime. Mostly break ins and therfts. People do pack heat but I never saw someone stare down runners while having their hand on a holster. I don't know if that person was being paranoid or had some shit happen to them so they trust nobody.


I almost forgot to add they were walking a small dog.

[DrMcNinja]

What a weird rule to have. You'd think dog owners occupy more space.

[JimmyHotz]

MAGA strikes again!

[MatthewOU2015]

What a weird rule to have. You'd think dog owners occupy more space.

You can still use the sidewalk for running but you’ll get nasty looks if you pass by someone walking a dog or pushing a stroller

[MatthewOU2015]

Are you 100% sure that it was a gun or are you unsure?

not sure maybe it was a gun or a taser. But it sure looked like one

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Sounds like hypervigilance or paranoia.

[Forgettable]

Yes, owning a gun makes you paranoid, not vigilant.

[zlygork]

Or maybe it was a case of neither, and if your observation was right and he was staring at the runners while holding a gun... He was waiting for the right victim?

[zlygork]

I mean locking your doors makes you a little paranoid too.

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I REALLY doubt that an armed robber was walking a dog while waiting to rip someone off, unless they are extraordinarily weird and dumb.

Walking a dog is as good of a technique to lower people's guard as any. I will grant that they would have to be dumb if they were so easily spotted as acting weird, however.

[kail]

Vigilance is often tied to paranoia. Do you really live every minute of your life prepped that something bad will happen? I feel for anyone that does. There is common sense caution like driving safety and there is having the idea that anyone is out to you.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

That's not true at all, and it also makes you EXTREMELY identifiable, and will make noise and draw attention to yourself.

It actually is true. Most of the time people will walk by a stranger with no more than a nod or maybe a "hello"...but if you have a cute dog with you people are more likely to stop and chat.

As far as this case is concerned...there's not a lot to go on. Without knowing anything about the person the behaviour could be anywhere between completely understandable and horrifylingly sociopathic.