• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

The day I decided to get armed. A very near miss story.

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
How far is halfway and how many random turns?

If I feel like someone is following me, I'll take random turns and do loops. Either they will figure out I have spotted them and buzz off, or they were never following me In the first place. I know at least once or twice people have actually followed me, dunno why though.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
 

MNMGoneShooting

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2012
Messages
144
Location
King George, VA
I had an incident off I95 coming home for Florida with my toddlers. My car blew a tire and I had to pull off the highway into a gas station. It was a holiday, so the station was closed. I was young and more stupid for several vulnerabilities obviously exposed.

I got out to do the repair when a fellow came up from behind me, started grabbing my tools and doing the repair over my polite objections. His response was one of those courteous, "ah, don't worry about it" attitudes from him each time I protested.

He completed the repair and demanded money, which I didn't have any cash. Things started getting awkward real quick. He wanted a check, I didn't have those with me either. I only carried credit cards. For what seemed like an eternity, we stood there in a sort of face off and I noticed him starting to survey his surroundings so I came up with a partial lie: "Look, I have kids in the car, I'm scared and I'm armed. Why don't we call it a day?" I patted my shirt where I wished a 9 or a 45 would be sitting if I was truly armed; instead, only a pager was there.

I think he might have thought i was lying, but couldn't be sure. He looked at where i was patting for a few seconds and then turned to leave, begrudgingly.

I wish I knew the laws back then like I know them now. I would not have been so defenseless.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Old codgers like me get really warm and fuzzy (but only in a good way:D) feelings when reading stories like these.

Instead of doing facepalms and muttering things like "You just cannot fix stupid, no matter how much you want to," I get to do a mental happy dance (do not go there - there is not enough brain bleach) about someone that has learned why to be situationally aware and prepared to deal with those who might do harm to them and theirs.

Probably the hardest thing for folks to do is stop fighting that voice in their head telling them "Danger, Will Robinson!" Folks have been conditioned to only think good thoughts about the world - I guess it comes from singing Kumbya too often as a child. Especially when it comes to strangers, I do not care if their feewings get all hurted because I told them to Stop! or to move back away from me. If I did not invite them into my personal space then they were the ones who were impolite by barging on in. Even Ann Landers and Miss Manners (now both out of publication) agreed that ettiquete did not require that I allow others to be impolite towards me. They just preferred that I deal with folks who were impolite in a different way - but then they never discussed creepy guys in deserted parking lots or someone taking hold of your tools uninvited and then demanding money.*

stay safe.

*I don't know if Google still has anything about the bums in big cities who wash (smear dirty water on) your windshield and then demand money. There were rumors of some of them being bumped, or even run over, by drivers who would not fall for that attempt at extortion. not that I had any first-hand knowledge of anything like that.
 

nonameisgood

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
1,008
Location
Big D
To make it short, two weeks ago, after leaving the IRS office near my home, I reholstered my concealed handgun (Texas, so there is no open carry). Not three miles later, traffic stopped suddenly and I ended up in front of a fast food parking lot driveway. I was talking to the IRS on the phone, and when the car trying to get out honked at me (with me not having any options to move) I flipped the bird without looking at the other driver (in a friendly way, really, but, yes it is a bad habit.) The other driver then started yelling and cussing and honking. by this time, I was watching his hands. The car ahead of me rolled forward a few feet and the rude driver pulled across in front of me, stopped, got out of his car and began threatening me. For about a minute, it seemed that I really was going to have no options, but with the doors and windows closed, I just waited and tried to not aggravate the angry man. (Muscled and looked as if maybe it was roid-induced road rage)

After the first minute, he had moved away from my passenger door and was just yelling and gesturing, so I figured his death was not imminent. He initially acted as if he would try opening my passenger side door, which was my line in the sand.

I did not feel a need to act sooner since I was carrying, and know that it takes less than 2 seconds for me to be out of the holster and have multiple shots on target (I had made sure my weapon was accessible in my seated position.)

Part of my thought process was "people are watching, and if I have to do this, I don't want them to say 'he brandished/reacted/whatever that seemed to anger the other (dead) driver.'" Seems to me that it is always better to be completely blameless if things go bad.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
I flipped the bird without looking at the other driver (in a friendly way, really, but, yes it is a bad habit.) ....

Seems to me that it is always better to be completely blameless if things go bad.

But you were not entirely blameless. Flipping someone the bird may be considered "fighting words" in the hands of either a prosecutor or a lawyer representing the dead driver's estate.

Sometimes it is a true blessing that the windows are rolled up, the radio is playing, and those outside my vehicle cannot hear the running dialogue. While I have never offered violence towards anyone I will admit to speculating on the mental capabilities of certain drivers or pedestrians, as well as the occasional traffic engineer.

stay safe.
 

eamelhorn

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2012
Messages
143
Location
ripley wv
My wife was in CAMC General in Charleston WV a few months ago, the hospital is weapon free zone, and the way the parking is you cant run to your car to holster up everytime you want to streach your legs around the block. When the sun goes down in that part of town the beggers and dope heads come out. It is an unsafe enviorment, i was approached several times by people needing bus ticket money, food ect. I was uncomfortable off the hospital property and Charleston has a NO OPEN CARRY law. I live about 30 miles from Charleston and used to have to drive thur the BAD part of town in my work truck after dark, I always lock the back door on my box truck, if I lived there would deffinetly get my CCW.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
How far is halfway and how many random turns?

If I feel like someone is following me, I'll take random turns and do loops. Either they will figure out I have spotted them and buzz off, or they were never following me In the first place. I know at least once or twice people have actually followed me, dunno why though.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

They where with the goverment....lol

Get out the tinfoil hats.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
But you were not entirely blameless. Flipping someone the bird may be considered "fighting words" in the hands of either a prosecutor or a lawyer representing the dead driver's estate.

Sometimes it is a true blessing that the windows are rolled up, the radio is playing, and those outside my vehicle cannot hear the running dialogue. While I have never offered violence towards anyone I will admit to speculating on the mental capabilities of certain drivers or pedestrians, as well as the occasional traffic engineer.

stay safe.

Maybe he was just sending the 1 minute signal to the other driver by holding up one finger....lol

This is why you flip someone off using two fingers like they do in Europe....Americans have no clue you are flipping them off.
 

nonameisgood

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
1,008
Location
Big D
Maybe he was just sending the 1 minute signal to the other driver by holding up one finger...

Yes, yes, that's what I meant.

And if you get that kind of angry about me stopping at a red light, inadvertently blocking your urgent get away from Jack-in-the-Box, and go (nearly) ballistic in response to the bird, you don't need to be driving. A lawyer can argue anything, since arguing is mostly what they do (present company excluded.)
 

Blk97F150

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
1,179
Location
Virginia
*I don't know if Google still has anything about the bums in big cities who wash (smear dirty water on) your windshield and then demand money. There were rumors of some of them being bumped, or even run over, by drivers who would not fall for that attempt at extortion. not that I had any first-hand knowledge of anything like that.

Not a rumor. At least in DC. Happened to me about 8 years ago. :uhoh:
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Not a rumor. At least in DC. Happened to me about 8 years ago. :uhoh:

You were a bum running the "wash your windshield" scam in DC about 8 years ago who got "bumped" or run over by an unwilling participant?

Guess that helped you turn your life around.

stay safe.
 

Blk97F150

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
1,179
Location
Virginia
You were a bum running the "wash your windshield" scam in DC about 8 years ago who got "bumped" or run over by an unwilling participant?

Guess that helped you turn your life around.

stay safe.

Yeah, I'm still a bum.... but I 'don't do windows' anymore!! :p
 

rushcreek2

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
909
Location
Colorado Springs. CO
A word in the defense of noname's use of the KMA hand signal.

The KMA signal comes as standard equipment on most vehicle models in the DFW area. Any dude jumping out of his vehicle and approaching another driver like that is exhibiting symptoms of road rage, and disorderly conduct deserving of immediate police assistance.

I saw something similar on Hwy 377 in Watauga, Texas several years back. In the midst of stalled traffic backed up from Loop 820 "Blutto" jumps out of his vehicle, and starts threatening "Mr Peepers" in the vehicle behind him. A this point the uniformed officer behind the wheel in his personal vehicle next to them opened his door, stepped out, and invited "Blutto" to pull over on the next side-street and join him for a little one-on-one session.

I believe Section 42.01 of the Texas Penal Code still lists the display of "obscene" gestures intended to incite violence as constituting disorderly conduct, but social norms are not what they used to be. These days most folks consider the KMA gesture to be a First Amendment exercise.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
I find it is usally the person that is doing the flipping off that has the problem...not always but a lot of the time. I also find that if someone is flipping me off it is better to just smile and wave. It really pisses them off then...lol
 

Freedom1Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
4,462
Location
Greater Eastside Washington
I find it is usally the person that is doing the flipping off that has the problem...not always but a lot of the time. I also find that if someone is flipping me off it is better to just smile and wave. It really pisses them off then...lol


If someone honks, like that I would fly the bird too.

As for my story... I was in Bellevue Washington in a big diesel F250 that I had given some body damage to.

Had some Ahole in a BMW try to cut me off from the right side, I held my ground he got up to speed and around me. Next light we stopped he got out and started yelling at me. I rev'd my engine a little and started toward his nice new BMW. I was going to smash his car to get away from him. He got the clue and scurried back to his car. No gun needed.
 

slowfiveoh

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
1,415
Location
Richmond, VA
I did not feel a need to act sooner since I was carrying, and know that it takes less than 2 seconds for me to be out of the holster and have multiple shots on target (I had made sure my weapon was accessible in my seated position.)

I suggest you evaluate realistically.

"Less than 2 seconds", while seated (seatbelt on) in a vehicle, weapon concealed under fabric on your person, is simply not a reality.

Was the firearm in a glovebox or other external area?

Even then, less than 2 seconds is not a reality.
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
<snip> I believe Section 42.01 of the Texas Penal Code still lists the display of "obscene" gestures intended to incite violence as constituting disorderly conduct, but social norms are not what they used to be. These days most folks consider the KMA gesture to be a First Amendment exercise.

Many these days confuse license for liberty!

If someone honks, like that I would fly the bird too.

As for my story... I was in Bellevue Washington in a big diesel F250 that I had given some body damage to.

Had some Ahole in a BMW try to cut me off from the right side, I held my ground he got up to speed and around me. Next light we stopped he got out and started yelling at me. I rev'd my engine a little and started toward his nice new BMW. I was going to smash his car to get away from him. He got the clue and scurried back to his car. No gun needed.

I love driving an old car. As the saying goes, the older car (or rental car) wins! :)
 
Last edited:

HKcarrier

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
816
Location
michigan
Flipping people off, no matter the reason, is never a good idea. Besides, waving and smiling, or giving the thumbs up, or blowing them a kiss usually works better. lol
 
Top