Oh man... hectic night last night....

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Captain Ray

I hope you will remember, that I posted only to your original post. I only had that to go by at the time. After reading your followup comments I think you reacted like any good gun-totin' American.

Hindsight is always 20/20.. there are some things you could have done better, but at the end of the day.. you did not get hurt, and Jennie and your child are all safe. Plus.. you didn't have to shoot anybody.

I think that is where my primary focus is... the woman and the baby. Of course if your woman is anything like mine.. who thinks she is ivincible as long as I am nearby to protect her.. who will tell a jerk what a jerk he is because "my man won't let anything happen to me!!!" These things just happen... and you are left to deal with it.

It seems to me that you dealt with all the circumstances pretty well.

Raymond

HAHAHAHH wow you hit that on the money...

Thanks for the desposition is explaining yourself more.


But yeah Jenni is invincible when she is with me,,, tee hee

[kabob983]

I think all things considered you did what any guy on this forum would do (other than the WTF comment). I'd love to say that I'd play it cool and all but if a situation arose like that where my girl and my child are in a potentially life threatening situation I'd probably have handled it much worse than you would.

A few things you could have done better but you kept reasonably cool about it and I think that you did the best with the situation that was handed to you.

P.S. I'd have gotten his licence plate # and reported him to the police anyways.

[RatMan]

Originally Posted by Vtwin

I think it's hard to be in a situation and then later ask for exceptence or opinions. You did what you thought was right.

This shouldn't turn into a slam Lucky thread, but instead turn into hey, you could've done this or hey, next time try and do this...

We should be here to help the others out..

+1

[Son of Norway]

I can't stress enough, every one of the fine folks on this forum that carries needs to read this book:

http://verbal-judo.com/newfile2.html

Talk your way into or out of anything without escalating emotions. Absolutely necessary and valuable to someone who carries a firearm.

[M1Thumb]

I'd say you handled it well. You say you were "blocked in." I'm assuming this means you were in a perpendicular or angle parking slot with him behind you and a car in front of you. If there was an open space in front of you, I'd say you should take off as soon as you see him get out of his car. (Of course, he'll probably just follow you to wherever else you go, so that's almost a moot point.)

I don't know that I'd say you were wrong for throwing your hands in the air. When you're in a car with wife and kid and you almost get t-boned, it's more than just your safety that has been jeopardized by some idiot driving too fast through a parking lot. I throw my hands up like that at idiot drivers - it's certainly not nearly as bad as flipping the bird. Just an irritated gesture that communicates, "You're an idiot" without being crude. (Of course if you're mouthing the words, "What the f---?!?" that's a bit different.) I'd be especially pissed if someone endagered my family.

And no man should ever sit by while some SOB screams at his lady. Other than cursing in front of your kid, I'd say you did fine.

[one-eyed-fatman]

Originally Posted by Son of Norway

I can't stress enough, every one of the fine folks on this forum that carries needs to read this book:

http://verbal-judo.com/newfile2.html

Talk your way into or out of anything without escalating emotions. Absolutely necessary and valuable to someone who carries a firearm.

So how does this work when someone is already in your face screaming at the top of their lungs?

[one-eyed-fatman]

takes a step closer to my face and is like maybe 6 inches from me and moving closer

This was the time to put your talents to work and stop the threat. By not taking control at this time you just gave him more room to continue playing Mr. Butthead. You escalated the situation by doing nothing when you could have done something.

[phil evans]

had a slightly similar situation, during rush hour.
he got out of his car during a long red llight at a major intersection.
he started to come back to my truck.
i locked my pickup door and then blew the horn, continuously.
eventually he threw up his hands in frustration at all the attention he was attracting by me blowing the horn.
he got back in his car and drove off.
i continued home by a round about route.

[Son of Norway]

Originally Posted by one-eyed-fatman

So how does this work when someone is already in your face screaming at the top of their lungs?

You need to read the book, but I have used it before.

Once my wife and I were driving through a busy parking lot in the rain. I'm looking for a spot to park when this couple darts out in front of us. It was a close call, but at the moment I thought "no biggie".

As I get out of my truck up drives Mr. and Mrs. almost-got-hit. His opening statement was "Hey you **** why don't you watch where you're going, you almost hit my wife!". Verbal deflection of the insult - " I unnerstan that, sir" and redirection of the argument - I lean over so I can see the wife and say "Ma'am, are you OK?" She's trying to hide her face in her hand and I can hear her telling him "just go..." He comes back with "You should learn how to drive". My reply was "Hey I'm glad no one got hurt." A brief pause and he drops "Asshole" on me and drives away.

Escalation in that situation would be easy. I could say "**** you jack, you need to look where you're walking" and then it's on, warfare in the parking lot.

I don't have time to be bothered with it, so I deflect the insult, redirect the energy, and get him to comply with what I want (which is for him to go away) and no blows are thrown.

It's a good book, I'm tellin ya.

[spilledgut]

Lucky, i completly agree with how you handled the situation, I think it took alot of controll not to draw your gun, If i was in that situation I know I would have reached for my gun the minute he yelled he was looking for his, though I wouldn't have presented it, I would definately have my hand ready to draw.
I don't care what anybody else thinks if it were me with me girl and if I had a baby at the moment they're protection would be my first instinct. You were blocked in, signaled for help to call the police when it escalated, if everyone were just yelling for the police everytime an agrument broke out then the police would be busy protecting all of us americans who cant dismanlte a hostile situation like that, rather than helping the people in a real need so I think your timing on getting bystanders to phone for help was perfect.
And someone's comment about staying in the jeep, what good would that do? your blocked in no means of escape, and it's certaintly sure that your windows can get smashed in by a fist let alone a bullet. And while inside the jeep you would definately be prone to more blind spots so how could you watch the whacko and see if he was really presenting a weapon.
Yes as ccw holders we have a certain responsiblity to not escalate a situation and withdraw from a threat, i think the way lucky handled this was exactly the way this situation should have been handled. He confronted the threat head on tried to tell him to back off and leave, and when the situation escalated to a different level he called for help.
My family comes first in my life, and I wouldnt hesitate to stand my ground to protect them, if he would have presented a gun I would have gave him a doulbe tap centermass without even thinking about it.