Story of a Moon and a red laser

On Friday night I left my computer training session across town and headed home. I got off the exit and turned onto one of the roads before getting to our road, on the way I saw the moon. It was amazing and very large. I drove up to our place, rushed upstairs, grabbed the camera bag and tripod.

I drove back down to an empty parking lot, but I wasn’t getting the same vantage point. So I drove back to the end of the road by the exit, did a u-turn and decided to stop at the best place for safety and getting the right vantage point.

I found my spot. A medical building with a well lit empty parking lot. I pulled in and pulled back down the driveway to the end by the road. I put my lights in park mode, got out, grabbed my camera and sized up the shot. Across the street is a residential house, I noticed the living room had some lights on. No big deal.

I took some preliminary shots by hand. Then grabbed my tripod and set up the camera. While setting up and getting the shot, I noticed on my hand with a red light. I thought, “huh, is there a sensor on the camera that emits red”. I step backed away from the view finder to notice that there was a red laser light all over my hand, my chest, my arms, the camera. It was jumping all over the place. I looked to the house and out of the window was the laser.

At this point two thoughts went through my head.

1) Stupid kids with a pen laser, or paranoid old person
or
2) Gun with a scope, it is wacky city who knows!

This was a bit disturbing. Was I potentially going to get shot for taking a picture of the beautiful moon? or should I walk across the street and confront this person. A part of me really wanted to haul it across the street and pound on their door.

I opted to hope for option 1, and continue to shoot my photos. I took 2 more shots all the while with the laser bouncing all over me. The minute I stopped shooting photos, the laser stopped. I packed up my equipment. I stared straight at their house while collapsing the tripod. Got in the car, put the headlights on and then the high beams which shown right into they’re living room. I couldn’t see anyone the house was dark at that point.

Has anyone else had experiences like this?