Given the scenario, just visited someone in a hospital, that means I'm not carrying a firearm. All hospitals in my neck of the woods have mental health facilities within them and are marked as such with signage. Two of the three main hospitals have guards 24/7 at the visitor's entrance and they use metal detection wands on anyone entering. You aren't getting in with a firearm on your person.
But I always carry a decent sized folder, lately it's the Honey Badger Ultratec on the strong side, and Gryptilian on the weak side. My key fob is on a metal carabiner that has a 5" long braided leather strip hanging from it that will leave one helluva welt if struck with it. So I wouldn't be completely disarmed.
If I saw this person coming toward me and it didn't appear it was much more than someone trying to mooch some change, then I'd engage verbally well beyond 6 ft and asked what he wanted. Money? I have none on me, only plastic, sorry. I would not head for the door of my truck but would instead head for the back tailgate while hitting the unlock button on the fob. I'd do that because if the man's intentions are more than I expect, I don't want a fight while I'm half stuffed into the door of a vehicle. Opening my tailgate gives me immediate access to a tool bag with many handy self-defense weapons of opportunity, like large pliers and a pipe wrench. I also almost always have a few feet of 2 x 4 back there, and that's another option.
Also, one press of the fob and my horn is blowing and the exterior lights are flashing and they'll stay that way until I turn them off. Could be an option to attract attention or something I could use as a temporary diversion depending on needs of the moment. If words failed to dissuade him, my goal would be to get him back away from me far enough for me to get in the truck and close/lock the doors. From there I'm leaving, either backing out of the space or driving forward up over the curb and out of there. Trucks do that rather well, and unless he's strong enough to hold back 7,000 lbs, he's getting left behind.
Minimum conflict is the object, if force needed, just enough to back him up or put him on the ground while I GTFO. No need to do legal battles over a confrontation with a homeless dude.
But I always carry a decent sized folder, lately it's the Honey Badger Ultratec on the strong side, and Gryptilian on the weak side. My key fob is on a metal carabiner that has a 5" long braided leather strip hanging from it that will leave one helluva welt if struck with it. So I wouldn't be completely disarmed.
If I saw this person coming toward me and it didn't appear it was much more than someone trying to mooch some change, then I'd engage verbally well beyond 6 ft and asked what he wanted. Money? I have none on me, only plastic, sorry. I would not head for the door of my truck but would instead head for the back tailgate while hitting the unlock button on the fob. I'd do that because if the man's intentions are more than I expect, I don't want a fight while I'm half stuffed into the door of a vehicle. Opening my tailgate gives me immediate access to a tool bag with many handy self-defense weapons of opportunity, like large pliers and a pipe wrench. I also almost always have a few feet of 2 x 4 back there, and that's another option.
Also, one press of the fob and my horn is blowing and the exterior lights are flashing and they'll stay that way until I turn them off. Could be an option to attract attention or something I could use as a temporary diversion depending on needs of the moment. If words failed to dissuade him, my goal would be to get him back away from me far enough for me to get in the truck and close/lock the doors. From there I'm leaving, either backing out of the space or driving forward up over the curb and out of there. Trucks do that rather well, and unless he's strong enough to hold back 7,000 lbs, he's getting left behind.
Minimum conflict is the object, if force needed, just enough to back him up or put him on the ground while I GTFO. No need to do legal battles over a confrontation with a homeless dude.
