what would you do?

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I was talking to my dad tonight and he asked 'if I had my CHP my entire life, how many times would I have actually used my weapon?' That reminded me of something that happened when I was like 18 or 19. I was standing on a bridge when a truck sped by and beeped his horn as he passed. Me being a snotty little teenager at the time, I flipped the guy off. Almost immediately the guy driving the truck locked up his brakes, slid a matter of like 20 yards, pulled off the road (on the wrong side) cutting off an oncoming car, got out and started charging at me ready to beat my ass. I was in fear for my life and got in my car and sped off.

I called the cops and admitted that I flipped the guy off and was promptly told that in the eye's of the law, that was as good as making the first attacking blow. Since then, I've never flipped ANYONE off. lol My question is that if I hadn't have flipped the guy off and just waved at him or something and he reacted the same way, would I have been justified in pulling a gun on him? Let me repeat, I was in fear for my life! I was unarmed at the time and didn't even have so much as a tire iron in my car. I was just wondering what exactly has to happen for me to be justified in pulling a gun?

Don't worry about preaching about how it's absolutely critical to remain polite when carrying a gun. I already know that and would never flip somebody off or do anything like that now a days, especially while carrying a gun.

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First off I have to say I've been in similar situations, you just have to learn from them. I'd also like to say I'm still young, 20 years old and I open carry every day. That being said I think pulling your gun on someone wouldbe justified if that guy had driven by, and just jumped out and started charging you. With you gesturing anything it could be taken in the wrong context and make him flip out.

I think every situation is different, If a person tried to attack me with any weapon from a butter knife to a missle I think I would draw my weapon, hopefully that would knock some sense into the individual. If not I think you can "assume" that persons intentions are nowhere near good and you are forced to defend yourself accordingly.

Now if a person was attempting to attack me unarmed I'm not quite sure what I would do, I think it would depend on the situation, size of the person, and I guess my split seccond judgment on what to do. Hopefully pulling out a gun would not be needed. Hard to make a real decision while calmly sitting on the computer.

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IANAL but I can't believe flipping someone off gives them justification to beat your ass. Anyway, if he did not have a weapon you would most likely need to justify why you feared for your life. Disparity of force could have been used if he was significantly larger than you. I still think thats a tough one though, unless he has already physically hurt you.

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I forgot to mention that this guy was huge in my opinion. He was at least 6'3" and 225-250lbs. The way he was charging me made me fear for my life. I have no doubt that he could've flattened me with one good placed blow. Plus I was scared for my ex wife. She was (is) a tiny little thing and I had no idea of what his intentions were. I was basically just wondering if I would've gotten charged with something if I had pulled a gun. I know that if I had flipped the guy off and then pulled the gun I would have been in the wrong and probably charged with something. But if I hadn't flipped the guy off and he still reacted the same way, I feel that if I'd been armed at the time, I would have drawn down on him.

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Flipping the 'bird' is not an assault. It isnt an arrestable offense, and in fact, it can be argued that it's protected by the first amendment as "free speech". That said, it's not the best thing to go around flipping the 'bird' at strangers- you never know when they will be armed and stupid.

In a instance where you have someone angry enough to put himself and other traffic in danger you clearly have sufficient cause to protect your self. I was at a street corner protest just this weekend, when a man driving bycut off traffic after reading our group's signageand stopped to make his opinion known by shouting a blue streak. He pulled acrosstraffic from the left hand lane and parked nearly perpendicular to theflow of traffic in the traffic lane.Thankfully, he had angered the traffic behind him enough, that he relented and pulled away.

I made up my mind that if he got out of his vehicle and approached to confront us usingsuch aggressive behavior, that I would draw down on him. The mancould have stormed up to intimidate me and my friends, spit at us and left- or charged up the sidewalk with a small blunt weapon to cave in someone's skull. Whether or notdrawing would bethe right thing to do in this circumstance, is debatable. Butyou need to prepare your mind in advanceto recognize when that moment is that you must take action. Its going to be different in almost every circumstance.