Scary encounter

Just had a close call. On my way home from hanging out with a buddy.

There is a car parked on the left facing oncoming traffic with the lights on. There are a number of cars parked on the left of the street as well. I see some peds and slow down so I don't plow through any drunks.

A guy on the left side of the road puts his arms up almost like he is flexing his biceps but with his right hand making signs and had what looked to be a beer bottle in his left. He said some thing in a threatning tone while walking toward the car.

By now I have unholstered and am rolling down the window so I can hear what is being said. Another guy comes out from behind another car and asks something like "whats going on?"

I reply that the other guy is making threatning signs. "Naw man he just playin' with you." He said this because a Sherrif's officer was on the other side of the intersection.

As I rolled through the light I pointed in the direction of the guys to the officer, and even though he saw me, he turned.

I called non-emergency when I got home a few minutes later.

Man that got the blood pumping! I was about ready to run the red light. I think this was a case where a sheriff's officer being in the right place at the right time may have saved someone's life, be that mine or his.

More officers on the street is always a good thing, but I wouldn't trade it for having a weapon close at hand!!!

My hands are still shaking a bit!

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:cuss::banghead:

Why the hell do people on this board do stupid shit like this? Don't EVER roll your windows down in a situation like that. He's obviously intoxicated or crazy, so what he has to say to you doesn't matter.

I'm also guessing that your civilian vehicle DOESN'T have bullet proof windows, so no need to roll them down should he decide to attack and you need to fire... shoot through the window.Aside from that, intent and ability to commit violence were implied by his manorisms.

Stay in your car, keep you eye on the dirtbag, and MOVE when your light turns.

Then call non-emergency.

M.O.V.E. Motionless Operators Ventilate Easily!

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Bear 45/70 wrote:

swillden wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

metricinch wrote:

where did you learn how to read? Same place you learned how to spell?

did i once say i brandished?

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You unholstered it and I know a guy that was charged with brandishing for that act alone. He drew the weapon and held it along side his leg muzzle down was all.

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In order for it to be brandishing it has to be possible for someone to SEE it. There's a huge difference between drawing while standing in the open and while inside your car, behind an opaque door.

Also, you need to re-read the original post. There were multiple people in the street, AND a red light. Your advice would have landed metricinch in jail on multiple counts of aggravated assault and/or manslaughter, not to mention a moving violation.

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Then because he drew before there was any real problem they could have nailed him for setting a trap. It's been done before.

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First, what trap was he setting?

Second, what statute makes it illegal to "set a trap"?

Third, does that statute have penalties that are worse than the aggravated assault and potential manslaughter that you advocated? Oh, and the moving violation.

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What's the point, you assholes have decided he did nothing wrong and are goona support his moronic actions regardless of the facts.

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What's the point, you assholes have decided he did nothing wrong and are goona support his moronic actions regardless of the facts.

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Bear 45/70 wrote:

What's the point, you assholes have decided he did nothing wrong and are goona support his moronic actions regardless of the facts.

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I'm not supporting or shaming his actions, but I'd like to know how drawing a gun in preparation for an attack is "setting a trap".

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Bravo_Sierra wrote:

:cuss::banghead:

Why the hell do people on this board do stupid shit like this? Don't EVER roll your windows down in a situation like that. He's obviously intoxicated or crazy, so what he has to say to you doesn't matter.

I'm also guessing that your civilian vehicle DOESN'T have bullet proof windows, so no need to roll them down should he decide to attack and you need to fire... shoot through the window.Aside from that, intent and ability to commit violence were implied by his manorisms.

Stay in your car, keep you eye on the dirtbag, and MOVE when your light turns.

Then call non-emergency.

M.O.V.E. Motionless Operators Ventilate Easily!

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I didn't have to roll down my window, the drunk guy removed the glass for me.

I had an encounter at a gas station a couple years ago. The gas station shared a parking lot with a bar. I was pumping gas when two drunk guys stumbled out of the bar. One of them picked up a traffic cone and tossed it onto the top of a car behind me. The girl in the car was scared. I finished pumping gas and got in my car as they were harassing the girl behind me. They lost interest and kept walking toward my car. I started the car and the guy started telling me that he was going to kick my ass and that he wanted me to get out of the car. I went to leave, but his buddy inadvertantly walked in front of my car, not realizing that his friend was starting this confrontation behind him. I had to stop moving so I didn't hit him. At this point I have done absolutely nothing to bring on this altercation. I didn't stare at them or say anything to them, or anything else that might have brought their attention to me. My window was only cracked a little, because my friend in the passenger seat was smoking. The guy told me to get out of the car again and wrapped his fingers around the top of the window. His friend had stepped out from in front of the car at this point, so I started to drive away, but this guy kept holding onto my window and jogged along with my car for a few feet. Not wanting to drag this guy into the street, for fear of being arrested for reckless driving or something else, I stopped the car, hoping he would let go of the window. He pulled on the window, shattering it andstumbling backwards, while covering me in glass, including putting a small piece into my eye (I got it out without damaging my eye, don't worry). At this point he was staring down the barrel of my 9mm, because I was affraid that he was about to pull me out of the window, and I don't like being pulled out of windows. He drunkenly sputtered "What are you going to do? Shoot me?" andtook a step toward me. I was about to answer his question, but there were gas pumps behind him, so I was a little concerned about rule number 4. Fortunately for me, his friend had realized what was happening at at just the right second, he grabbed the assailant by the shoulders and pulled him back. I floored it, and called the police.

The 911 operator was retarded, so I flagged down a police officer who was passing. I explained what had just happened and he took off down the street to catch the drunks. He came back a few minutes later and asked me if I could come with him to identify the suspects, because they didn't make it very far.

I got into his car and went with him a couple of blocks to a parking lot where other officers had the two in handcuffs, sitting on the curb. I identified them and he asked me if I wanted to press charges. I said yes but that only one of them had assaulted me, and asked if I could speak with them. He allowed it, but required that I leave my gun with him for the suspects' safety. In the police headlights I realized that I knew the second drunk guy (the one that hadn't assaulted me), because I used to be his neighbor. He was a decent guy, he just made some poor choices in friends. Anyway, as soon as I got out of the car the guy who broke my window was blubbering about how he didn't want to go to jail and he had a little girl at home. The guy was my age and I felt bad for him, having had a bad run in with the police myself a year before that. Against my better judgement I told him that I wouldn't press charges, but that he needed to replace my window. He didn't seem to remember what had just happened, so I refreshed his memory by telling him that his friend saved his life by pulling him away from the car, and that going to jail was the least of his worries. I left while the officers were telling him how he was lucky to be alive and lecturing him about how what he did was incredibly stupid. As the officer was driving me back to my car he asked me why I didn't just shoot him. I told him that I didn't know, but I was glad I didn't.

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expvideo wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

What's the point, you assholes have decided he did nothing wrong and are goona support his moronic actions regardless of the facts.

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I'm not supporting or shaming his actions, but I'd like to know how drawing a gun in preparation for an attack is "setting a trap".

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First off he had no idea if there was an attack about to happen or notbut he drew anyway. On top of that he slowed down and rolled down is window to engage them in conversation. Otherwise he created the situation where an attack could happen, mainly because he felt they were disrespectful byflashing signsat him. When carrying you avoid this kind of situation if at all possible, not charge head long into it.

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Bear 45/70 wrote:

expvideo wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

What's the point, you assholes have decided he did nothing wrong and are goona support his moronic actions regardless of the facts.

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I'm not supporting or shaming his actions, but I'd like to know how drawing a gun in preparation for an attack is "setting a trap".

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First off he had no idea if there was an attack about to happen or notbut he drew anyway. On top of that he slowed down and rolled down is window to engage them in conversation. Otherwise he created the situation where an attack could happen, mainly because he felt they were disrespectful byflashing signsat him. When carrying you avoid this kind of situation if at all possible, not charge head long into it.

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Some people argue just to argue.

If you don't know the person, then don't talk to them. They could be setting you up for an attack. This is the same reason I don't open the door when someone knocks and I don't know who it is. Unless its a postal carrier or a pizza delivery driver, or someone else I called for service, the door stays closed. This is why MOST doors have peep-holes.

I had a friend a few years back who got mugged in the same place, around the same timewithin a 4 month period. Why did this happen twice?

1st incident:It was 4am. he exited the mail room at the apartment complex and then started towards AM/PM. He was approached and asked for the time. When he looked down to check his watch, he was hit from behind and knocked out. They took his money, his cell, and his smokes.

2nd incident: Roughly same time andplace. He was approached by a girl who asked for some change to call a friend to pick her up. BAM! knocked out from behind again when he went for his pockets.

If you don't need to be talking to people, then DON'T! If they ask you for anything, extend you palm and simply (and politely) say 'No thank you." then keep walking.

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I am not an armchair commando or whatever. Certain people just need some insight as to why bad things happen and how they can avoid them. Sometimes they cannot be avoided, but most of the time they are provoked...

Carry your gun.

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THAT was a great story. You handled yourself well.

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Bravo_Sierra wrote:

THAT was a great story. You handled yourself well.

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Thank you. It was almost a bad story, so I'm very happy about the way it turned out. In retrospect, I probably should have pressed the charges, but I suffer from nice-guy-syndrome.

Not that it matters, but I'll elaborate on the 911 call, since it was probably the worst part of this whole encounter:

911: 911, what are you reporting?
Me: I was just attacked at a gas station.
911: Are you still being attacked?
Me: No, I got away, but the guy broke my window.
911: What is the address?
Me: I don't know, but it's the only Shell station in ***** ****, WA.
911: I need an address, can you find out the address?
Me: I can't, I have glass in my eye and I just can't get that. It's on ***** ****Way
911: Well without an address I can't tell the officers where to go.
Me: Look, there's only one shell station in town, and they know where it is, can you just send them to the shell station on ***** ****Way in ***** ****, WA?!
911: Sir, I can't send officers without an address...
Me: Nevermind, I'll wave down an officer.

(click)

Yeah... I don't rely on 911 for protection.

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Personallyand professionally I have no problem with Metricinch's response. Sure in a perfect world driving off would be the better solution for the vast majority of folks, but standing your ground is not against the law (in Wa.).

I had the same crap happen while driving a rental car in Key West. I was stopped at a red light and 2 banger punks were walking across the street in front of me. They were eyeing me, so of course I was paying close attention to them. I was getting the "bad vibe" and had my .45 in my hand next to my leg.

One of the punks stopped and said to me "you better watch out, you might get jacked" I simply stared him down, waiting to see if he wanted to come up to the open window and look down the barrel of my gun.

He made a wise choice, and shut up/continued walking.

I'm the kind of person who doesn't take s__t off anyone, so if someone wants to fling it, they had better be ready for a reality check.

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Better to drive yourself outalive even with a hit-and-run than to be given a free ride by the coroner.

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