Should I Contact the FBI? (Suspicious Activity Observed)

Vanity | 11-5-01

[I am not my own]

This is a new kind of war, and we all are spies. Thank you for reporting this unusual event. With the license number, it shouldn't be hard for the FBI to find the vehicle. Either they'll rule it out, or if it is a custom built van, maybe they'll dig up some more info about at least the people in the van. Hey, it shoulda been called in even if the driver looked like Pat Boone. Now suspicious=possible terrorist. You did good!

[Cvengr]

Check out my experience here, post 21

Met my new neighbor this morning. After telling him about this, he indicated he stopped 5 Middle Eastern fellows from trespassing on his property about a quarter mile from a major military base boundary near their power lines about one week before the WTC attack. Later he and others had to help them get unstuck out of the sand 3 times. Not your normal desert rat wondering in the desert.

I agree it might all be coincidence, but if it walks, talks, swims and quacks like a duck,...

[Born to Conserve]

Hey, could it have been Cheech and Chong? I saw some VERY suspicious things in their movies.

Will you split the reward with us if it turns out they were bad guys?

[vannrox]

Strange thing. I called the cops on a suspicious car and two young men who were "hanging out" at my neighbors house. I felt strange about it. But I was right. They had long records and they were casing the house.

[Osinski]

Call the FBI. Good observation. Local police = idiots.

[dogbyte12]

Will you split the reward with us if it turns out they were bad guys?

If these were the bad guys, and I drove into the cloud of anything nasty about 20 feet behind them, I don't think I will be around to split up any reward :)

It's likely nothing, but when these guys do start serious chemical attacks, I hope other people do report it and do not worry about being taken as a paranoid worry wart.

[nm_james]

Or find someone to run the plate.

and then track them down with a WHOIS search.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Could it have been a passenger emptying an ashtray full of ashes and a few butts?

[dogbyte12]

Could it have been a passenger emptying an ashtray full of ashes and a few butts?

Theoretically, it could have been ashes, no butts though... this stuff hung in the air, then vanished. I was looking at it directly when it happened. I hope, genuinely hope that it is something silly, like a blown radiator, or an ash tray litterer. I mean, I was right behind it and all. My hunch is that it will turn out to be nothing, however if it's nasty stuff, I expect to be avenged. *grin*

[oust the louse]

great screen name!

[the crow]

what you said bump. got a very bad feeling about all of this. glad you reported it DB12.

[Eaker]

Your sceen name does not jibe with your post.

Eaker

[Samwise]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. :)

[hope]

I'm no mechanic, but I have seen heater cores go out in vans before...sounds like this is what may have happened.

[OrioleFan]

It was probably an environmental terrorist. We all know how harmless they are ... /sarcasm

[riri]

Hey DB, where were you when this happened? City, suburbs, country?

Also, keep us posted.

[dogbyte12]

Hey DB, where were you when this happened? City, suburbs, country?

Suburbs of LA, if they really exist. LA is a big old sprawl. I was in San Gabriel, probably about 15 miles from downtown LA. It put a damper on my morning, but what can ya do? God decides when it's our time to go, so we just have to keep on keeping on.

The only thing I won't be doing is flying United, but life goes on.

[MississippiMan]

You were absolutely right to report it to local police and the FBI. As to whether you'll find anyone with the gumption to follow up on it, who knows, but you will have done what you can. As someone else already suggested, I would definitely go get tested for anthrax. What you saw was highly suspicious so forget what ostriches think of you and take care of yourself prudently. What's really mind-boggling is the fact that most people even now still have their hands planted so firmly in the sand, and I think this includes all too many law enforcement people who've been instructed to be on "highest alert" and yet are dismissive of whatever comes their way. What, pray tell, will it take for this country to wake up? MM

[WI_Conservative]

BTTT Can't be too careful these days. Thanks for the post. Let us know how it turns out.

[Cold Heat]

In case no body has mentioned it, anthrax is not brown. It can be any color in the rainbow depending on what it is mixed with. As to the van.......blown head or overheating for some reason. White stuff probably steam from ruptured heater core in cab.