Weird experience today... someone following me

[USAF385]

I've mentioned before I live kind of middle of no where, definitely out of the way. You can't really come across my house by accident.

Today on my way home, I was turning off the main paved road onto a dirt road that leads to my house. The car behind me did the same. I headed down the road a bit and turned onto a no outlet dirt road on which there are a few houses.. again the car behind me did the same.

Nothing strange... it kind of looked like a car that my one "neighbors" would have. However, it didn't turn into their house.

Again, I thought nothing of it. I then turned onto the steep ice sheet I call my driveway... it leads to my house and my house alone. About 3/4 of the way up, I noticed the other car did the same.

That's when it got strange. I didn't recognize the car, but I thought maybe it was someone who knew me. I pulled into my driveway and got out of the car. I started to head down my driveway towards the car, but noticed it hadn't made it up. They got stuck about half way on the ice. I started to walk over and they began to back down. I just thought they'd try again.

Nope. The backed down and headed off toward the main road.

Very weird. You really have to understand how out of the way my house is in order to appreciate how strange this was. I'm kicking myself now for loitering by my car as long as I did before heading down the driveway.

Oh, and yes... once I got out of my car, my 642 went from my IWB holster to my front coat pocket.. Just where I happened to be keeping my hand nice and warm....

 

[rchance]

Maybe it was Jehovah's wittnesses. But seriouslly I'd be sleeping with that thing tonight or the shotgun. Sounds like they maybe looking for a target.

 

[Racegunner]

Yep that's certainly suspicious, but could have been someone lost too. I always seem to end up on no-outlet roads when I'm lost for some reason. Then I end up turning around in someone's driveway. But as posted above, I'd be sleeping with the 12ga tonight. Too bad you didn't get the plate number...
Don't walk on your icy driveway with your hands in your coat pockets, you'll stub your beak into the ground

 

[PDL]

I just saw it was PA. I guess they don't have plates on the front that you could have read?
At the very least, take a minute and write down what you can remember of the car and occupants, and the time frame. That might not help much, but it's better than nothing if someone violates your space. It give LE a starting place anyway.

 

[perpster]

Also be careful that they don't burglarize your house when they don't see your car around.

If they were lost they wouldn't have taken off when a source for directions approached. Very suspicious. If you see them again, let them see you taking some photographs of them and their car from a distance; might make them think twice and look for easier prey.

Alert your neighbors about what happened, as well as the local PD.

 

[NE450No2]

If People are following you, you need a bigger gun than a 642...

 

[BigRich315]

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't people AREN'T after me... Good advice up there^^^.

 

[mwtdvm]

Murphy's Laws of Combat..

Once is an accident
Twice is a coinsidence
Three times is Enemy Action.

"They" are out there and I would be very paranoid after your incident.

 

[USAF385]

Thanks for the advice folks.

Trust me, my Mossberg 500 will be close by tonight (like usual) as will one of my .40s.

The good news: today was my last day of school before break, so I'll be home a lot more.

 

[TACC1]

Maybe it's time to devote a day or so to checking this out, as in
leaving, and coming back right away, etc. Of course, all this will
have ocurred to you already; probably in the first couple of minutes.
Good hunting! TACC1

 

[USAF385]

TACC1,

I've got a few idea's I've been tossing around....

 

[BlackSky]

Damn shame land mines are illegal.

 

[Spotteddog]

Yes they are BlackSky
But old fashioned garden rakes are NOT!
(They act like spike strips when left with tines up out on your driveway. Which they'll likely roll over, due to not having their headlights on while rolling quietly up your drive @ night?) Mono filament fishing line through aluminum pop cans, with a half dozen small screws or pebbles in each strung across door and window approaches. Hmmm?
Sounds like "Home Alone"!

 

[7shooter]

Many good suggestions here. One more is to contact your local law enforcement agency and make a report. It may stand you in good stead should you be forced to defend yourself and it may be there have been similar incidents ( or worse ) in your area.

 

[BarbC]

But old fashioned garden rakes are NOT!
(They act like spike strips when left with tines up out on your driveway. Which they'll likely roll over, due to not having their headlights on while rolling quietly up your drive @ night?)

I used to live at the end of a 1/2 mile long dirt road, that meandered through the woods off a small country road. We would sometimes get trespassers so my husband bolted a heavy cable onto a tree and padlocked it on the other side of the drive onto another tree. He placed this cable on a bendy part of the drive about 1/3 of the way down. In his stealthy way, he didn't mark the cable.

I was coming home after an exhausting drive in the rain and it was dark. I saw the cable was up too late, slammed on the brakes, but they locked up and I slid on the wet gravel into the cable. The cable hit the truck's grille and scraped up onto the hood. I thought I could just back up off the cable and as I did so, it ripped the entire grille assembly off the truck.

Not too long after that incident, his cousin hit the cable and it took out his windshield.

Thereafter, the cable was marked with flags.

 

[jlrhiner]

I hate it when traps I know about catch me! Seriously though, be careful and take no chances. There are a lot of desparate things out there. Just yesterday here it hit the news that someone was robbed at gun point and shot after completely complying with the assailant. Surrendered his valuables, posed no threat etc. Perp shot him twice as he was leaving.

 

[m1gunner]

A long driveway in a rural area really cries out for some sort of annunciator to alert the home occupants of "company".

They can be linked to an alarm system, computer, or camera system to log visitors when you are away from the house.

If the house is some distance from the road, most folks won't come to the house if they can't drive up to it. Too much work to carry loot to the street. For this reason, the magnetic loop type detectors are ideal. Once burried, they are impossible to locate and avoid.

If it is a professional hit, you are screwed, not much will stop a detirmined attack by a pro (or FBI types).

 

[Pasifikawv]

Try a driveway monitor. I have one and it works well. Consists of a small, green box about 3"x4" that can be mounted on a post or tree beside the drive. Being green and small, it is hard to notice. Box runs on 2 "c" batteries. When a car (or any large metal item) passes the box, it send a signal to a small reciever in the house that makes a series of beeps to let you know someone is approaching. I am not sure of the ultimate range from box to reciever. Mine's set up at about 100 yards apart. My dogs also have learned the sound of the chime and will bark and look for someone approaching the house. The little system is very inexpensive.

 

[m1gunner]

Try a driveway monitor. I have one and it works well. Consists of a small, green box about 3"x4" that can be mounted on a post or tree beside the drive. Being green and small, it is hard to notice. Box runs on 2 "c" batteries. When a car (or any large metal item) passes the box, it send a signal to a small reciever in the house that makes a series of beeps to let you know someone is approaching. I am not sure of the ultimate range from box to reciever. Mine's set up at about 100 yards apart. My dogs also have learned the sound of the chime and will bark and look for someone approaching the house. The little system is very inexpensive.

If you have the unit I am familiar with, it is an excellent product, if it is magnetic and not optical in its operation.

Problem is, a company called "Mighty Mule" bought the product, and outsourced the components to China. Although the new product looks the same as the previous one, it is pure junk now.

Dakota Alert is a good one these days, Amazon is a good source as to price and availability.

 

[BarbC]

Aren't the dogs supposed to be the driveway monitors?

Maybe you ought to get some guinea hens. They're good watchbirds and provide tick control too.