Tell me about your close calls.

[OceanAnnie]

When I was a teenager, two men knocked on our door that "were working on the phone lines" and needed to make a call. I looked outside. I did see a work van and they did look like they were uniform. I let them in. I took them to the kitchen and told them they could use the phone (dumb, dumb, dumb). One of them did and they sat at the table waiting for a call back.

I was doing things, in and out of the room. On a trip through the room, I saw one of them rifling through the mail that was on the center of the table. Looking through it as if it were his own. I was furious, but kept it hidden. I did tell them, "You have to go, now.". They protested, saying they were waiting for a call. I told them you should have thought about that before you picked up our mail. And I escorted them out and locked the door.

I showed a bravado I didn't feel. I was scared to death. After they were gone, I was shaking. The funny thing was, there was never a return call.

I have never made that mistake again. I count myself very lucky.

Have you had a close call?

 

[N&B'smom]

Yes, when I was a child an old man tried to lure me into his car. I remember it like it was yesterday. He told me he had a doll in his car that looked JUST like me and attempted to get me to go with him. I ran away.

My DH was walking home from school one day when a car pulled up and the person told him his mom asked him to drop him off after school. What this idiot didn't know was that where my husband was at the time was RIGHT across the street from his house. (heck, even the police station was right there!!!) My husband said he told him he knew that wasn't true but the guy kept insisting. My husband finally said that he lived RIGHT THERE and pointed across the street. The guy sped off.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I've never had anything like that happen, but last night I witnessed a car accident that easily could have been me. Those of you who have driven off-property at WDW around 192 know how crazy that street can be. I pulled up to a red light, and a car in the opposite direction was turning left into a grocery store I go to all the time, and a car in my direction ran the red light and hit them directly on the passenger side. I pulled over and called 911, and another car also pulled over and started helping to direct traffic while someone else checked on the occupants of the cars. Everyone was able to walk away from their cars, but the 2 who were hit were taken to the hospital. Even though it was definitely the other driver's fault, I felt sorry for her - she had left her home in NC that morning and driven all the way to Central Florida to stay with her aunt, and this happened about 5 minutes away from her aunt's house. I stuck around for about an hour to give a statement to FL highway patrol.

Then a few months ago (I was 8 months pregnant with DS), I was driving down 75 back to Orlando from Gainesville, and I saw an SUV in the opposite direction drift towards the left and smack right into the dividing rail at full speed. It flipped several times and I was sure it was going to flip over the rail into the oncoming traffic, but it didn't. It landed upside-down, and several cars on that side of the highway stopped to help. Since I was going in the other direction I did not stop, but I did call it in, and then I had to pull over later and calm down. I obviously do not know what happened, but I can only guess that a phone call or texting may have been involved.

 

[paintnolish]

DS and DD are 15 months apart. We were at a McD's with a playland, and anyone with kids knows how difficult getting kids to leave those places can be (kinda' like getting me to leave WDW). DS was always a little more mellow than DD (and also the older one, less than 3 at the time). He had his coat on, but I was now running down DD (less than 2 at the time) and wrestling her less than cooperative body into a winter coat and trying to jam shoes on her feet. How long could this take? 5 minutes? Well, a UPS man came walking in carrying DS. DS had been in the parking lot, in the dark! As you can imagine, I felt absolutely sick with myself, especially since I consider myself very careful person.

 

[lizabu]

I don't remember it but my Mom said when I was 3 I was playing outside. My sister was a baby and she started to cry so my Mom went to get her. When she came back out there was a man trying to get me into his car and I was crying and screaming. She yelled at him and he took off.

 

[amy-momofthree]

When I was in 3rd grade, we just came in from recess at the end of the day and was packing up to go out to the busses. My friend told me that my grandmother was outside waiting for me and that my grandmother told my friend to get me that I was going home with her. I always rode the bus but didn't think twice when I grabbed my coat and told my teacher that I was going home with my grandmother.

My teacher told me to wait a minute that he didn't know I was to go home with my grandmother and we would go out together and talk to her. I grabbed my stuff and we headed outside and just then saw my "grandmother" speed off.

My teacher called the police and my parents but we still don't know who my "grandmother" was.

 

[dis-happy]

When I was a child, my family was touring in a foreign country and scheduled for an early morning flight. At the last minute we didn't make it and the plane crashed, no survivors.

 

[brockash]

When I was a teenager, I was walking home from work one night, and a guy pulled over in his car asking directions to a place. I gave him the directions and he exposed himself and asked me to get in the car and take him there. I just walked off. He went around the block about 6 times stopping each time by me. I was scared to death. I did a lot of praying on my way home that night...and didn't walk home again. I should have been smarter and written down his plate and made a police report, but I was too young and stupid to think about it at the time.

 

[dakcp2001]

When my house was first put up for sale a man came knocking on the door at 10 pm on a Sat night. He was banging loudly and insisting I let him in to take a quick look. I didnt open the door and told him to call the number on the for sale sign. He creeped me out by the way he knocked and kept trying the doorknob so I didnt open the door. He kept trying to talk me into just letting him in for a minute, he would not give up or leave! I called 911 I was so scared! He was still at the door while I was on the phone, when he saw me on the phone he left.

The police came 4 hours later and totally blew me off, they said " So your house is for sale and he wanted to buy it?" all sarcastic. They treated me very badly. I gave a description of the car, license plate, and a description of the man and then went to my best friends house to sleep. The police made me feel like I was crazy and wasting their time.

Several weeks later the police called me asking all kinds of questions and wouldnt tell me why. I again gave them the description, the make & license plate of the car, and the guys description. Turns out the officers that came by that night never even wrote down the plate number or ran it. I ended up seeing article in the local paper about a woman who had been raped with a similar story to mine, house for sale guy came knocking agt night to see it. I dont know what ever became of it or if it was the same guy, but I'd bet it was. And it made me wonder if he had watched me or how he knew I was home alone????!!!!!!

 

[brockash]

When I was in 3rd grade, we just came in from recess at the end of the day and was packing up to go out to the busses. My friend told me that my grandmother was outside waiting for me and that my grandmother told my friend to get me that I was going home with her. I always rode the bus but didn't think twice when I grabbed my coat and told my teacher that I was going home with my grandmother.

My teacher told me to wait a minute that he didn't know I was to go home with my grandmother and we would go out together and talk to her. I grabbed my stuff and we headed outside and just then saw my "grandmother" speed off.

My teacher called the police and my parents but we still don't know who my "grandmother" was.

Wow, what a good teacher. I know all are supposed to do this, but many don't.

 

[jeepgirl30]

when i was PG with my daughter I was supposed to go to lunch with coworkers. We were running late and then plans just fell through so we cancelled. There was a shooting at the place we were headed at the exact time we would have been finishing up.

On thanksgiving I went down to the gas station to buy a paper. I walked in and noticed two late teen looking boys at the blockbuster kiosk. As I was getting into my car one kid started walking toward my car. I was the only car in the area so it seemed strange. He kept coming toward the passenger side but was looking at me but right into the car. I hurried up and stuck the key in and threw it in reverse right as he picked his hand up to grab the handle. He has a completely shocked look as i backed away and sped off! About one week later there was a news report about 2 young men that had just mugged a woman as she was leaving a gas station. Not the same station location but same chain and very close by.

 

[MoniqueU]

We were on a trip from souther california to northern california. My son had been back on the 3rd row seat and decied to climb to the middle seat where my oldest daughter was. My oldest was about 10. The next thing I know is my son says whitney is choking. I didn't hear anything and thought she had chced on her food. He said it again and I turned around to see my dd strangling in her seat belt. I statted flipping out and my mom somehow got the car off the freeway and out of traffic and I moved to action. We tried to disengate her and the seatbelt.. We got the seatbelt undone but couldnt get the thing to stop being sucked back in the holder. I hpped underneath my DD and held her up so taht the thing would stop strangling her. I don't even know how I thought of that. I was just desperate.There was a jack in the box there that I told my mom to go get scissors from. if I hadn't of thought to hold her up by the time my mom would of gotten back it would of been too late. I held her up high enough to give enough slack to get it off around herneck and arm. They are right about adrenilin kicking in and giving you amazing strengtj becaise normally I don't think I could of lifted her that high. Once we got her undome and checked her out and she was ok besiides the mark on her neck we both just burst out crying. If my son hadnt of climbed over to the seat next to her and had her kick his foot to get his attention she wouldn't of made it. We got back to our hotel and I just continued to cry and cry, got a stiff double at the bar and hugged and hugged her up in our room.. I couldnt sleep reliving that all that night. I have alreadyl onst one child to a horrible accident. I don't think I have it in me to survive another. That was the worst moments of my life since I lost my son and I am almost in tears remembering how close we came to losing her.

 

[kirbsam]

When I was a child, my family was touring in a foreign country and scheduled for an early morning flight. At the last minute we didn't make it and the plane crashed, no survivors.

holy ****

 

[LuvOrlando]

I've had quite a few run-ins with trouble and my brains always saved me, which is why I tell my kids all the time it's their best weapon. Stay calm, defuse, redirect, run like a bat out of *&^%.

I've told this story before but I'll tell it again since I still can't believe I was ok. The scariest was when I was a newlywed at 23. I was 5'1 and weighed 100 lbs. Our apartment was in a nice neighborhood but on a bus route not too far from trouble and the door was poorly lit. Anyway I was waiting for DH to come home and since I'm a worrier I unlocked the door & opened it so HE wouldn't be stuck outside fumbling with his keys, first mistake. As I sat there draped over the chair I heard rustling outside & the cats were looking out the window, I looked out and assumed it was the neighbors dog, second mistake. I sat back down and re-draped myself over the chair, third mistake. All of a sudden a lunatic drug addict 6'2" 200 lb man tore open the door and literally ran into the apartment & stopped dead with a look of surprise on his face when he saw me. I could see he was out of his mind but knew enough to not unruffle crazy so I very calmly said, " Can I help you". I purposely worked to remain calm & not move while my head was spinning : No weapon within reach not even the remote control, phone is too far away, air conditioners are on in the entire neighborhood so no-one will hear my screams and my husband won't be home for another 1o minutes... crud I'm dead. He says, "Yeah, I'm with the cab company.... someone here call a cab? I've been waiting." I was thinking, oh great he's delusional too, a bonus....I didn't move a finger and purposely moved my eyes to the connecting door and let them linger there, it was locked but for all he knew someone was on the other side of it, he followed my eyes and froze. I said sweetly without any note of alarm, "Ummm, no-one here called a cab but you know what... usually cab drivers wait outside the house that called the cab and honk the horn. If you go out and honk I bet whoever called you will come on out." He hesitated a second, said, "OK, that's a great idea I'll try it." and ran out. I got up slowly & locked the door shaking. I had decided to not tell my DH about it because I was so stupid but when he came in he ran In & right back out the door again because he saw some of his buddies from John Jay. I asked what was going on & he said they were canvassing the neighborhood for a man who was trying to break into houses, hiding in bushes and telling people someone was after him. I gave a description. My doors have never been unlocked since & I've always had an alarm. I don't take chances because I can't imagine an angel kissing me on the forehead like that more than a few times in a lifetime.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

On 9/11/01, I grabbed an early flight to Dallas on a business trip. I worked on the 97th floor, in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

 

[horseshowmom]

My daughter was about 12 or 13 and at home by herself for a little while. She called me and said there was somebody banging on the door (she knew she was to never go to the door if she was alone). I could hear our two dogs going absolutely berserk. I told her to go to my bedroom (far end of the house, out of site of the door), look outside to see if she saw anyone (she didn't) and raise the window. If she heard them come through the door, to go out that window and run to our next door neighbor.

He didn't come through the door (probably because of my two canine angels who sounded like dobermans), and I got home as quickly as I could. He was gone when I got there (which turned out to be a real blessing).

Later that afternoon, we realized that someone had tried to steal our truck (that was there at the time). I called the police who sent a young guy who basically did very little. Said if we weren't going to file an insurance claim, we really didn't even need a report...

Later, a friend connected to the sheriff's office, called and told us to be careful. He had heard about our report. They had chased a guy down who ran off the road near our house and lost him in the woods. He had already killed a man. That night, he stole a truck up the road from us. Later on, he kidnapped a girl and killed her.

Had I been at home and gone to the door, he could have easily have killed my daughter and me. While I don't open the door to strangers, he could have knocked the door in I'm sure. We now have metal security doors on our house.

 

[Feralpeg]

On 9/11/01, I grabbed an early flight to Dallas on a business trip. I worked on the 97th floor, in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Wow!

When I was a teenager, I was babysitting for a neighbor. A car drove through the wall of the kitchen where I was standing and knocked me across the room. Fortunately, I wasn't badly hurt, but it was very scary. My neighbor was thrilled. She got a new kitchen.

 

[fun4me]

I've had a few close calls.
One time I went to Chuck-E-Cheese with a church group I must have been around 12 or younger. I had a wad of one dollar bills that I was trying to get tokens for. I noticed a man in a trench coach watching me so I shoved them all back into my pocket. Later several other kids noticed the man was standing behind me (while I was engrossed in some video game) with a knife by my back. I guess he saw people watching him and left to steal someone's purse. He was with the police as we were leaving.

Another time my friend and I decided to walk home we were early teens. We were usually bus riders and our houses were right on the outskirts of a small town(not really too far too walk). Some man drove by us several times in town and went out of his way to come at as from the opposite direction right out of town. He pulled over, pushed the kid down that was sitting next to him. We took off running and followed another litttle boy in front of us into his house and called home.

Another time I was in college probably 18. I was so stupid!!! Let's just say I escaped this guys appartment when someone(thank the Lord) rang the bell to return a flashlight. The idiot kept trying to call me too.

 

[amy-momofthree]

Wow, what a good teacher. I know all are supposed to do this, but many don't.

I know. I am forever grateful.

THis was almost 30 years ago too when it was even less common to question a transportation change.

At my kids' school today, a transportation change requires a note from the parents about who will be picking up the child and the person picking up MUST show ID. And for good reason.

 

[2binak]

When I was 10, a group of us walking from public school to the church's after-school program were walking past a blue van. The man inside the van tried coaxing several of the boys in our group over to his van. Luckily none of them went near him. We all ran into the church and told the teachers. He was gone by the time police arrived. 9 years later, a story came on the local news about a man being arrested for kidnapping & molesting a young boy. They showed his mugshot & a picture of his van. It was the same man and the same van.

A similar situation happened on Halloween Day the next year, on the way home from school. Some men in Halloween masks were standing outside of a van and they tried to talk to us. Some of my friends walked next to the van, but I decided to walk up on the lawn of the house they were in front of, as if I lived there and was going inside. My house was down the street though. I told my mother about them when I got home but again, by the time police arrived, they were gone.

In college, 2 guys walked into our dorm room on move-in night. First they claimed to be friends with "a girl down the hall" but the more questions we asked, the less information they could give us and the angrier they got. Finally, one of them closed the door from inside the room and stood in front of it, blocking us from leaving. I got in his face and started screaming for him to get out. The RA heard the commotion and tried to get in. The guy opened the door just wide enough to talk to her. I somehow got ahold of the door and yanked it open, hitting him in the head. My RA grabbed him and pulled him out into the hall just as Security was running down the hall. He and his friend were escorted off campus and we never saw them again.