Close call !

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Muscles I have a ccw, and if this had happened to me, and it has before, 1. I would've drove to a police or fire station, or someplace busy and well lit. If this guy really wanted you he would followed you there. I have in the past gone extra blocks past my house when I thought I was being followed. Keep in mind that I have a ccw, but I always remain cool headed. No one would ever get me without a fight, but I always try to avoid one. You definately made a poor descision in stopping and getting out of your car to confront this bozo. At least your still with us that is the important thing. Learn from some of the advice offered in this whole post, these people have said some smart stuff.
 
There are some instances that being agressive is the only thing that will STOP you from being attacked. If you had reacted like a sheep, it might have caused him to attack you (if that is what he was thinking of).

However, none of us really knows if this was the case or not. The rest of the posters are playing the odds and telling you what probably is the best course of action - which is to play it safe.

I want to say you overreacted and put yourself into a WORSE situation. I want to say that I would not have done the same thing. But I don't know, maybe you just saved your life. BUT PROBABLY NOT. You have admitted that you can be a hothead. One of the great truths of life is that overreaction tends to make matters much worse - USUALLY.
 
MM, two points I want to comment on, the one about you chasing the car as it was driving away has been covered:

1) You say, 'By the way, I have EVERY F'n right to swear as damned loud at any motherf*cker who follows me to my house!' That may not be true. The Supreme Court has ruled that public outburst of obsenities is not necessarily protected by your First Amendment right to free speech. Your freedom ends when it infringes on the rights of others and the SC determined that those can be 'fighting words' and are not protected. You can be arrested. If they were used in a threatening manner the charge in Texas is 'terroristic threat'.

2) In almost all circumstances it is perfectly legal to follow someone around. If information is being gathered for sale to a second party the person doing the following may need a private investigators license. To just drive around without making any verbal, physical, or threatening contact and with no intent to commit a crime, then there is no law against following someone in public areas like a mall, sidewalk, or roadway. Whether the 'following' is obvious or not makes no difference provided it is not intrusive. Even photographs can be taken if you are out in public. Celebrities go through this all the time and security guards follow people around in stores frequently.
 
I've been "followed" a couple times, never found out why, but both times I just drove to the local PD station. First time, I got within sight of it and the guy took of, second time I pulled up next to a cruiser on my way there. My 4000lb mobile piece of iron is my primary weapon and defense. The gun is there in case the vehicle is disabled or trapped. No speeding, no ramming manuevers. I'm pretty invulnerable at 35 mph, and why risk disabling my vehicle? Or wrecking the paint job for that matter :)
By your actions, most people would think you lost your temper and overreacted. All's well that ends well, however, so learn from the experience.
 
Now I might not be calm but I would try to be civil. After a few stupid aggressive tricks on my part that could have caused serious trouble and some training, I now see that discretion and escape are the best ways to go.

I learned from my experiences.

John Holschen in Defensive Knife I made the point that you don't care if some scum thinks he scared you. You got away safe. You might have had the option of lethal force so he was the fool and did not know that the Grim Reaper was drawing a bead on COM.

You know that you had the ability and the will to use lethal force but managed to avoid it.
Thus you are have the strongest karma.

This has stood me well in some disagreements.
I apologized to a raver in the barking lot once as he screamed at me over a space.
He said he was going to beat me up. That's nice.

He doesn't count. He doesn't threaten me anymore. He doesn't threaten my livelihood.
If he sits at home and thinks he won - good for him.

I didn't kill him, I didn't have to go to court. I didn't spend a fortune. I feel secure in my abilities. I won.

Thus, I counsel rational thought and training.
 
Just curious Jeff Thomas, but why would you think a thyroid problem would have anything to do with this ?

Do I have a short fuse ? Not really. I am generally passive when dealing with confrontation. Some may critisize my tactics, but I don't treat every situation like I am encountering Navy Seals. Sorry, but the best way to deal with freaks or threats in my neighborhood is to tell them to go to hell. You try to avoid people here and you make yourself a target.
 
I was on my way home from work, well after midnight and I was halfway home (which meant that I was out in the boonies, no chance for help whatsoever). Being the careful sort of gent I am, I had a CCW and appropriate tools with me. Turned off the interstate onto a lonely country road, and noticed that a Mustang had turned off with me. He was driving on my bumper with his brights on. Wondering if I had done something to piss him off, I slowed down, hoping he might pass. He didn't. My car was not capable of evading him easily, as a brief attempt to outrun him proved. At the next stop sign, however, I held my Browning HP up, finger off the trigger, pointed in a safe direction, and racked the slide (I was carrying it in condition 3). They did a u-turn and left in a hurry.

Now, after that long story, here is the point: I did not lose my cool. When you are dealing with a potentially dangerous situation-no matter what it is-if you lose your head, you are screwed. It doesn't matter if you are angry, you will have a bad time of it if you enter into conflict blindly.

Besides, what if you jump out to confront the next suspected BG, your rage blindly focused on him, and you miss his buddies who are coming up behind you? Guess what, you be the fool.

Never let your temper dictate your actions. Trust me, I've been there.
 
Being in California, everything you did makes sense to me, accept the "getting sideways and rushing his car part." I get paraniod real easy when I drive because I drive fast, I tailgate and I'm generally an A$$hole when I get behind a the wheel. Never unsafe, but it would look like it to anyone but me.
anyway I never get out of my car. If a car has been following me for a while and I am getting close to my house, I make loops to make sure they are following me. and I take different routes and weird surface streets.

I would have been cautious is some guy was going straight than then pulled a 180, but there are to many crazies in Cali to get out of the car for any reason.

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It ain't mah fault. did I do dat?
 
Let's see...

The guy thought you looked familiar? Was lost, trying decide if you looked safe enough to approach and ask directions? Was lonely and you looked lonely too?

At the last minute he decides your muscles are so cute (and you did give him that look) that he decides to follow you home to ecstacy. Or just decided he needs to go the same way you are, right now?

Being in bad neightborhood, he stayed close to what looked like a safe car. Or was afraid of losing such a hunk?

When you slowed down he slowed down to avoid hitting you? Thought you wanted him too, right now, in the car?

Then this horny drunk in front of him lost control of the car and blocked the road! No, it's a raving crack head and he is on the attack!

Being the good citizen he is (and as bad a driver?) he called the cops about the dangerous driving and attack, gave them a partial description and last known location?

Hope they find that crazy man and get him off the streets!

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Muscles--

PLEASE don't get a CCW. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"When I was ducked behind my car, I did want a gun. However, if I had pulled it, (which I probably would have) those cops wouldn't have left and I probably would be in jail right now. I can honestly say I don't have the self control for that type of situation, and it would be very difficult for me to "exhaust all my options" before brandishing the weapon. Even so, its illegal here in CA, and I follow the letter of the law to a T. So no CCW for me. [/quote] I am glad that you have so much self-awareness as this! Please continue to do so! :)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"...from behind right as he was passing, there would have been little if no chance of him getting off a shot. I had my eyes on him the whole time."[/quote]

Um, talk to George about that one! (couldn't find the url... sorry!)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"The way I approached put him in a vulnerable postion (I had a clear head shot a
15 yards, with the back of his head to me.)..."[/quote]
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:!!!!!!! You... Had... No... Gun...!!! Head shot How? With a camera? Head shot Why? For Aggravated Following? Back of the head head shot? That's known as Murder, here in Texas.
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>...and from previous experiences in these situations, the guy coming from behind always has the advantage. Don't chastise my actions saying it was stupid. Did I break the law ? No. Am I dead ? No. I knew exactly what I was doing."[/quote]
Sir, if you've encountered this very often before, as you have in fact written about in the past, I submit that you ARE doing somethings that are... um, NOT in the interests of quelling conflict. There are plenty of, er, unsmart things that can be gotten away with that, while dramatically increasing your likelyhood of getting killed or arrested, are not absolutely illegal nor fatal.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"It was the police that bothered me the most. If I had used a weapon, I would be in jail and would have lost my right to own firearms yadayadayada...."[/quote] Does it occur to you that that stuff might be merited, in such a case? Perhaps your level of responsibility would need to be questioned, in that case.


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"Gwinny, thanks for your sincere concern.

With that in mind, please don't respond to any more of my posts and don't send me emails. You've already done so much I just don't know how much more of your insight and genius I can err..uh tolerate.

Thanks again."[/quote]

Please mind your sarcasm, sir, and note that this is an open bulletin board, and all registered members may respond (civilly) to any posted remark. You may request no emails, but Staff will moderate and administer posts on TFL. ;)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>"I am generally passive when dealing with confrontation. Sorry, but the best way to deal with freaks or threats in my neighborhood is to tell them to go to hell. You try to avoid people here and you make yourself a target."[/quote]
We're not saying "Avoid people." We're saying "Avoid confrontation." Your actions do not necessarily bear out that you in fact are very passive.

You made yourself a pretty good target here, from what I can read.

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited March 28, 2000).]
 
Jeff,

You are quite correct in pointing out the terroristic threats angle, however, here in Texas, it is unlawful to use 'abusive, indecent, obscene or profane language in a public place' Disorderly Conduct.

Muscles,

Tactically, you made some boo-boos: you pulled the car sideways, I believe, thus blocking the road. That probably forced the driver to make a U-turn just to get away from you. Not good. If he hadn't the presence of mind to do you U-turn, he may have driven over you or your vehicle to get away.

You rushed a stranger, in a strange car. Been a hell of a thing to discover that he had a sawed-off 12 gauge beside the seat at the last moment, no?

You screamed obscenities. Not "Police!", "Help!" or even, "Fire!"???

Any witnesses would have been firmly on the side of the other individual in this case. Which would have been a bad thing for you.

Since you have admitted to having a 'bad temper' may I suggest an anger management course? Worth it's weight in attorney's fees, I promise you.

Plus, if you dislike California that much, I also suggest moving somewhere calmer.

LawDog
 
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