Just had some excitement.......

[Paddy]

I was outside and had just finished cutting some firewood when the CHP helicopter flew right over real low, just above the treetops I was under.  I watched as it circled around and came back, right over me, almost hovering.  I began to walk into the garage when a city LEO showed up in the Supervisor's SUV.  He rolled down the window as I approached and explained he was looking for an armed robber (who had just held up the donut shop, of all places).   He got out of his vehicle with an AR, and said "I'm not going to shoot anybody, this has good optics" and began to look down the hill.  (We live on a hilltop surrounded by 50 or so acres of thick sagebrush, oak, and pine).  I told him I'd get the binoculars and help him look.  He said "If he's there, the helicopter will see him".  I asked if the helo had IR and he said yes. (which explains why it hovered over me under the trees).

Anyway, he searched for about 30 minutes then left.  I don't know if they caught the armed robber or not.

[spinr]

Hhhmmm, pretty interesting...

I had somewhat of a similar experience several years ago.  I was out stomping around in the woods at my parents place, which borders airport property.  I was walking along the airport fenceline when a couple of Hueys flew by, moving at a pretty clip.  I stopped to watch them, and saw a figure in the back of one signal out the door in my direction.  That helo broke off and circled back around to my location.  It slowed and came to a hover just above me.  As I was gawking at it, a helmeted head popped out and stared intently at me.  I waved enthusiastically.  Helmet Head waved back, and off they went.  Quite an experience for the wee lad I was at the time.

[TarpleyG]

So...if I do something stupid and have the ghetto birds after me, stand there like a dope and wave at them and they will go away?  Makes sense I guess.  Why would I just stand there looking at them if I was running from them.  Last thing they would expect.  Another tool for the toolbox.

Greg

[Fly320s]

TarpleyG,

That's pretty much correct.  I remember a Cops TV show where one of the helicopter officers mentioned that only guilty people won't look up at a helicopter that is overhead.

RileyMC,

Their Whisper Mode must be broken, otherwise you never would have heard them.

[crt360]

A few years ago I was up late watching "The Gauntlet" when I heard a helicopter flying around outside.  I peeked out the window and saw that the house and yard were being lit up by a spotlight from above.  The helicopter was now hovering very low, right over my house.  I have a recurring dream where people in helicopters hunt me down at night.  Thinking this might be the real thing, I grabbed a .45 and couple of spare mags.  After seeing a patrol car slowly drive by I decided to call the cops and find out what was going on.  They said there was a report of suspicious black men sitting on some cars a couple of houses down.  I looked out and said, "oh, those are my neighbors, they do that all the time."  The lady on the phone laughed, thanked me and hung up.  My neighbors avoided being hassled by the man and the helicopter went away.  I put away my pistol, grabbed a couple of cold beers, turned my TV back on and tried to forget about the scary people in the helicopters.

So...if I do something stupid and have the ghetto birds after me, stand there like a dope and wave at them and they will go away?  Makes sense I guess.  Why would I just stand there looking at them if I was running from them.  Last thing they would expect.  Another tool for the toolbox.

I might try it, but with my luck they'd land, shoot me, pick up my body, and no one would ever know what happened to me.

[Guest]

...He got out of his vehicle with an AR, and said "I'm not going to shoot anybody, this has good optics" and began to look down the hill. ....

"I'm not going to shoot that politician in the motorcade, sir; I'm just getting a better look at him through this sniper-scope."

[HForrest]

Where are you? Sunshine Donuts near the Atascadero Cinemas was just robbed yesterday, so I hear.

[Paddy]

I'm on Pine Mountain next to Stadium Park.  It was Sunshine Donuts that was robbed.  Do you know that whole complex (including Armando's) will be torn down?  Sunshine is moving into the the Old Stein's Deli in Adobe Plaza.

[client32]

I do something stupid and have the ghetto birds after me, stand there like a dope and wave at them and they will go away?

If you are smart enough to do that, then you might be able to avoid the stupid thing all together.  

[Guest]

once I heard a chopper hovering really low over our rural property, walked outside and saw these guys in a bright yellew, toally unmarked Bell(NO numbers) looking sraight down on our field of ferns. I guess they were thinking it was dope. They flew off shortly, I was tempted to drag out a long black cardboard tube and put it on my shoulder, but I was afraid they would not get the joke...

[HForrest]

Atascadero: Where high class, semi-rural living is met by armed donut shop robberies, police carrying automatic rifles, and FLIR-equipped helicopters.