Not in a retrospective way. This is the question I ask about people I encounter everyday as part of my self defense plan.
Look around while you are out. Look at the people around you. Ask and answer the question for everyone you see. If you can determine why that person is there at that moment you can determine their intent and if they are threat to you or others.
I started developing the concept while working in Southern California as an armored car guard. Walking around with hundreds of thousands of dollars in your hand brings a new level of awareness that you only feel when you are being actively hunted by other people.
During my time I started noticing people’s minds turning when they looked at me. I could see the wheels rolling over very slowly with the thoughts of; How much money is he carrying? How hard would it be to take it from him? After a while the look stood out like a dog listening to investigate a new noise; head sideways, ears up, staring at the maker of the sound. I saw this look at least once a week.
I zeroed down on the idea one day when we stopped at a local fast food joint we went to everyday and my driver said look out for the crazy guy out there next to the back door. I looked out the truck and saw a man in his mid-thirties, average build, wearing old ratty clothing and looking like he had not taken a shower in a week. Not unusual for the area because there was a large homeless population in the area that would try and come into the food joint to use the bathroom and get warm. But this guy stood out because he was arguing with the wall. It looked like he was trying to pick a fight in a bar with the wall. He was bowing up, bouncing his chest off the wall, yelling at the wall, and poking his finger at the wall chest high.
Not the person I want to deal with every day, so I went in the front door instead of the back like we normally use. Everything was fine inside. I asked about the guy and no one from inside heard anything since he was next to the back door.
I went out apprehensively looking around and saw the truck but not the crazy guy. As I made my way to the truck I could see my driver looking behind me. He honked the truck horn and pointed over my shoulder. I heard running footsteps coming up behind me. I spun and drew my gun bringing it up on him as he ran at me starting to yell. He saw the gun and cut hard right yelling and running away from me. I winced as he ran straight across the busy street the fast food place was located on. To this day I don’t know how he made it running head down at a dead sprint across that busy street without getting hit by a car.
I put my gun back in its place and turned back towards the truck. My driver and I shared a “wow” moment and went on with our day. Weird things happened along our route at least once a month if not every week. Just another day…
Looking back, I could have answered my own question; Why are you here? If I had correctly answered that question with the crazy guy it would have been easier for me not to get out of the truck. That guy was there to start a fight with someone. I think someone bigger and tougher than him to prove something to someone or himself. Being 6’2” and about 245lbs lifting heavy every day at the time, and in uniform, I provided that person to fight.
I’m glad, and thankful that he didn’t press the fight when he saw the gun because I would have shot him multiple times and probably killed him. I’m also grateful, that by the grace of God, he did not get hit by a car and ruin someone else’s day and possibly another life. Luck works sometimes.
I don’t want to rely on luck for my self-defense. I want to learn the reason people are there at that time and location so that I know who and where to avoid.
Work on studying people and asking that question: Why are you here? Don’t worry you will be wrong sometimes, but the more you practice the more you will get good at it.
The next time you are out, start answering the question to yourself about the people around you. Then, if you don’t think they are there to hurt or victimize you, watch and find out if you are right. The more you work on it the more the dangerous people will stick out like a dog looking at a new noise.
Stay Safe,
Ben