protector84
Regular Member
imported post
Recently I was at a nightclub in Scottsdale, AZ which does not have any signage prohibiting firearms. This club tends to have a bit more upscale people and doesn't seem to be a place that has problems. Unfortunately, there are always some idiots out there, people who just can't handle alcohol, or others who simply don't "belong" there.
This man and girl who apparently were a couple were dancing for awhile and then sat at the bar next to me. The girl seemed somewhat friendly as she smiled and said "Hi" but I never really wanted to get into deep conversation since she was there with a date. Anyway, after awhile when it was getting towards bar closing, she can't find hercell phone. She is looking all around for it and I stood up to see if it had fallen. I got the impression that they were getting drunk and they started looking at me funny as if I took it. So I simply started to ignore them. I later go to the restroom and use one of the stalls. Next thing I know the guy is beating onthe stall door threatening me if I don't give back her phone. I told him I don't have it and that I'll be happy to talk about it "in just a moment." Looking through the door crack, the moment he was a few feet back, I bee-lined out of there and went straight to the bouncer who was already arguing with the girl who was threatening to "call the sheriff."
Both of them insisted on having the bouncer search me. This worried me as I was carrying a firearm and although legal I didn't want the embarrassment or the violation of my privacy (i.e. it was concealed). Since I was a regular there and these people were wasted, the management clearly took my side and said "He doesn't have your phone. Leave the bar now." These idiots wouldn't leave and continued arguing with the bouncer. I asked one of the bartenders to escort me to the car which he did. As he was doing so, the guy broke free from the bouncer and started pulling on my shirt and arm to which I spun around and pushed him back and yelled "Don't touch me." He then started fighting with the bouncers and the guy who walked me to the car advised me to leave as quickly as possible because "the police are coming."
Needless to say, I was unhurt, nothing was stolen, and I left without any trouble. The reason I am posting this here is because sometimes the best defense is avoidance. I could have beaten the living crap out of him in the bathroom and I could have even pulled the gun on him in there as nobody else was there to witness it. I didn't really necessarily need the bouncer nor someone escorting me to the car but I wanted to come across as clearly being the "good guy" to the establishment and any law enforcement that may have gotten involved. The guy could have easily ended up in the hospital if I wasn't so friendly or if he had tried this on someone else who wasn't so reserved about "handling it." Just because I carry a firearm for self-defense does not mean I necessarily want to instantly use it or brandish it. It did seem like the establishment handled it properly as well which is what better-class clubs usually do. I could have beaten him up, pulled a gun on him, and everything else but I doubt I would have been let back in the club and it may have been seen as an overreaction by the police had they have gotten there in time.
That aside, I would have not allowed them to search me. I even said, if you think I have your girlfriend's phone, call the police, let the police get a warrant, and then search me. Until then, nobody touches me. Now if Arizona allowed open carry in bars, I doubt this would have ever happened because despite the guy being drunk, usually people aren't so drunk they don't know not to mess with people carrying guns. Now, if the idiot had pulled a knife or picked up a chair, bottle, or other deadly weapon, the gun would have come out and he probably would have been turned into raw meat quickly. Enough said.
Recently I was at a nightclub in Scottsdale, AZ which does not have any signage prohibiting firearms. This club tends to have a bit more upscale people and doesn't seem to be a place that has problems. Unfortunately, there are always some idiots out there, people who just can't handle alcohol, or others who simply don't "belong" there.
This man and girl who apparently were a couple were dancing for awhile and then sat at the bar next to me. The girl seemed somewhat friendly as she smiled and said "Hi" but I never really wanted to get into deep conversation since she was there with a date. Anyway, after awhile when it was getting towards bar closing, she can't find hercell phone. She is looking all around for it and I stood up to see if it had fallen. I got the impression that they were getting drunk and they started looking at me funny as if I took it. So I simply started to ignore them. I later go to the restroom and use one of the stalls. Next thing I know the guy is beating onthe stall door threatening me if I don't give back her phone. I told him I don't have it and that I'll be happy to talk about it "in just a moment." Looking through the door crack, the moment he was a few feet back, I bee-lined out of there and went straight to the bouncer who was already arguing with the girl who was threatening to "call the sheriff."
Both of them insisted on having the bouncer search me. This worried me as I was carrying a firearm and although legal I didn't want the embarrassment or the violation of my privacy (i.e. it was concealed). Since I was a regular there and these people were wasted, the management clearly took my side and said "He doesn't have your phone. Leave the bar now." These idiots wouldn't leave and continued arguing with the bouncer. I asked one of the bartenders to escort me to the car which he did. As he was doing so, the guy broke free from the bouncer and started pulling on my shirt and arm to which I spun around and pushed him back and yelled "Don't touch me." He then started fighting with the bouncers and the guy who walked me to the car advised me to leave as quickly as possible because "the police are coming."
Needless to say, I was unhurt, nothing was stolen, and I left without any trouble. The reason I am posting this here is because sometimes the best defense is avoidance. I could have beaten the living crap out of him in the bathroom and I could have even pulled the gun on him in there as nobody else was there to witness it. I didn't really necessarily need the bouncer nor someone escorting me to the car but I wanted to come across as clearly being the "good guy" to the establishment and any law enforcement that may have gotten involved. The guy could have easily ended up in the hospital if I wasn't so friendly or if he had tried this on someone else who wasn't so reserved about "handling it." Just because I carry a firearm for self-defense does not mean I necessarily want to instantly use it or brandish it. It did seem like the establishment handled it properly as well which is what better-class clubs usually do. I could have beaten him up, pulled a gun on him, and everything else but I doubt I would have been let back in the club and it may have been seen as an overreaction by the police had they have gotten there in time.
That aside, I would have not allowed them to search me. I even said, if you think I have your girlfriend's phone, call the police, let the police get a warrant, and then search me. Until then, nobody touches me. Now if Arizona allowed open carry in bars, I doubt this would have ever happened because despite the guy being drunk, usually people aren't so drunk they don't know not to mess with people carrying guns. Now, if the idiot had pulled a knife or picked up a chair, bottle, or other deadly weapon, the gun would have come out and he probably would have been turned into raw meat quickly. Enough said.