Cultural exchanges are not always good.

A foreigner in a former Soviet country - not sure how that would work out if you did decide to use a gun (or pepper spray) in that situation. I'm surprised that you can carry a gun there unless you are in law enforcement.

It ain't easy being a foreigner in another country - do you really have any choice other than politeness and retreat? Practically speaking, I don't think so.
 
as a brit I figured you would have told him to get his whistle and flute, go apple and pears then bob's your uncle. :p that oughta leave him scratching his melon a minute while you make your get-a-way. :D
 
I don't know that vehicles actually make people less smart; it may just be that we witness a lot of dopey behavior around them.

In the states, a tremendous number of outstanding arrest warrants are for assaults that started as traffic problems. Here, people use their car horns so infrequently that when one does use them, the target may take it as an invitation to a fight.

The amount of counterproductive, petty and puerile behavior I see on my way in and out of the city every day is noteworthy. People will position themselves so as to intentionally prevent other people from getting somewhere. I have had pedestrians step out in front of my car and wondered if they were trying to get me to hit them.

One truly terrifying aspect of being a driver is the degree to which one can be blind to anything but other cars. In the morning, a lot of people along the lake are jogging, and they often seem too comfortable in their assumption that all drivers have seen and noticed them.
 
In the states, a tremendous number of outstanding arrest warrants are for assaults that started as traffic problems. Here, people use their car horns so infrequently that when one does use them, the target may take it as an invitation to a fight.
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With the exception of the area around Boston, when in Boston remember, it is something their auto does to your auto, nothing personal.

F. Guffey
 
Glad you are ok Pond.

On the cultural differences thing, I would point out that banging on someone's car bonnet/hood is a pretty damn aggressive thing to do in the UK, Mr Pond's homeland, too. Perhaps more so than in parts of continental Europe, mind. Reminds me of the cultural differences that exist with spitting at people, amongst other things - Southern European derived cultures, not the end of the world, in the English speaking world it is akin to a declaration of war.

I would take getting my door opened by someone angry as an assault in itself. Frankly, I would think they were planning to drag me out for the purposes of kicking my head in. Hence, doors always locked so it can't happen, and if it ever did, burning rubber in whichever direction is doable ASAP.

Worth remembering to leave yourself space to manoeuvre with the car in front when in traffic, too - not always possible if in multiple lanes, but a good general rule, I find.
 
Yeah, but the real question is what is going to happen to you (a foreigner) who shoots someone in Estonia or wherever Pond is located, even if it may be necessary and justified under some version of US laws?
 
I'm surprised that you can carry a gun there unless you are in law enforcement.
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As a legal resident, I have the same right to apply for firearms ownership as a citizen.

In fact, I have the same rights under the Estonian Constitution as a citizen, except for things like voting in national elections, holding public office and serving in the armed forces (reserves/"national guard" included).

With all due respect I'd be willing to bet that had you kept your mouth shut right there the incident would have ended without any further interaction.

I'm very careful about how I interact with people I don't know especially when I'm armed because right or wrong I can't afford an altercation.

In the situation you describe I would have said "sorry man." and let the guy go.
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True.
Some aspects not always easy, but true.

I would say your advice about carrying and conflict avoidance is gold dust.
 
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Doing fine, James. You made it through safely without having to whack the fool who created dangerous situation, and escalated a simple situation almost to violence. You learned from it. I'm not going to presume that I know enough of the subtleties to criticise.

The only suggestion I have is that you carry a weapon in your car in a manner that you can snag it instantly. Even if it is a stun gun by the console,keep a weapon where you can get it. You also need to ensure that it will be accessible after a collision, eve, instead of winding up in the floor.

Certain people h ave ragged at me incessantly that an IWB holster was the only way to carry in a car, but seriously,how do you draw from your underwear when a BBC ad guy is at the window? These same. Guys told me that a shoulder holster was stupid.
 
As a legal resident, I have the same right to apply for firearms ownership as a citizen.
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If you are, in fact, originally British, I would say you have even MORE rights for firearms ownership than you did in the UK.

Regarding the "Russki hooey" (my Polish grandmother's epithet for them), I have watched many videos of Russian traffic accidents and incidents, and the Russians seem to have a penchant for pulling doors open and starting an altercation.

I'm surprised the Estonian government hasn't "politely" asked them to leave the country after decades of Communist oppression..
 
MORE rights for firearms ownership
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The two don't even compare.

I'm surprised the Estonian government hasn't "politely" asked them to leave the country after decades of Communist oppression..
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The Soviet authorities were the occupiers, but a lot of the Russians who were still here when Estonia regained independence were just people whom the authorities had told: pack your bags. You're moving to Estonia...

All the same, as with the Russian ruling elite now, there is a sizeable minority that simply don't accept Estonia as an independent State. They are the problem: but one can't throw people out because their world view doesn't match one's own....
 
This has happened to me before. Almost running someone or something over because I was so concentrated on seeing a gap in traffic to pull out into a lane, not an altercation afterwards. It is totally absolutely my fault when it happens. I once almost hit someone on a bike. I checked back just before I hit them.

First, I am breaking the law nosing out in most jurisdictions. By law, I have to leave the sidewalk clear. No one ever does, but in my area that is technically the law and I believe that is true of most jurisdictions. A car must stop before the sidewalk and make sure both are clear before pulling out. Second, it is basic driving instruction that one looks BOTH ways immediately before pulling out. Just like crossing the street. Being so intent on traffic that one misses a pedestrian is no excuse.

I had a friend in NY City who saw someone do this and hit a bike messenger. Young guy in OK shape, but knocked the bike over and some other pedestrians ended up getting hit also. I'm not sure on the details, but the driver supposedly got out of the car yelled at the rider, picked up their bike and threw it onto the sidewalk, then drove away.
I saw near identical scenes twice with motorcycles and cars in Taiwan. The behavior is not limited to any single country. In most cities you stay the heck out of the way of cars no matter the law.
 
There is obeying traffic laws and then there's exercising extra caution. The two are not the same, though doing both are best for avoiding injury and confrontation. In the cases cited about bicycles and motorcycles, remember that they are considered equal to automobile and therefore are legally required to obey the same rules...though they often don't.
 
You learned a couple good lessons here. My routine when I get in the car is foot on brake, keys in ignition, car on, lock doors, adjust mirror, in gear and drive away. Fully loaded condition 1 CZ in the center console helps too. My first choice in that situation would be backing up or driving forward if there's room, but knowing I have the option of a 9mm is good. It's difficult to say at what point drawing would have been a good idea, especially not knowing the Estonian legal system. Even your 5 shot .38 is something if you can carry that, and you don't have to worry about an empty chamber on that either
 
A car must stop before the sidewalk and make sure both are clear before pulling out. Second, it is basic driving instruction that one looks BOTH ways immediately before pulling out.
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I was on a access road. The pavement stopped either side of it.

I did look right before I pulled out: that is the only reason he didn't get nudged by my car (and a nudge is all it would have been at the speed I was moving). There has been no one in sight when I reached the junction.

Sadly, here people habitually cross the road without looking (as in eyes straight ahead or even down, right out into the road.): I've seen two people knocked over for that reason since I've been here and countless near misses: it is frankly astounding some of them reach adulthood...

My car is a 2.2m tall, 5m long van.

It's difficult to say at what point drawing would have been a good idea, especially not knowing the Estonian legal system. Even your 5 shot .38 is something if you can carry that, and you don't have to worry about an empty chamber on that either
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As I alluded earlier and as I think you've understood, that was not a situation that warranted drawing as things stood. What I find alarming is that a change to situation that was no longer potentially but openly dangerous would have been fractions of a second away. By then any thing can happen. That, and the mere fact that some people are so willing to move to violence to air their grievances.
 
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I am glad to hear you are all right. The same type of thing happens here in the US all the time. Our traffic laws give the pedestrian the right of way no matter what. (no if, buts or maybes)

You may want to look at an Americanized foreign car, they lock all doors as soon as you put it into gear. The alternative would be to get a car holster for your 38 for right next to your gear shift lever, so you could draw it while still being sited in the drivers seat. (yes, that is more drastic, but might be safer.)

Again, glad you came out of it all right and in one piece.

Stay safe and make sure there are no obstacles before you pull out. Insurance claims are sky high here in the US, because people are in a hurry (not saying you were, but be careful.)

Jim
 
Pedestrians have the right away. But many think they can walk out in traffic and be in the right.

If they open my doors, I'm slamming in reverse. Better yet, don't give them a chance to get that close.
 
In my state I have the right of way as a pedestrian and I consider drivers who want to make a right onto a one-way and thus only look left towards oncoming traffic and pull out without looking where they're going to be at fault in these situations. The guy was waaay out of line opening your car door but slapping your bonnet was totally appropriate. If a driver gets his car close enough to me that I can touch it and he doesn't even realize that fact I will alert him with a nice slap on the hood, roof, trunk, whichever part of the car almost hit me due to the carelessness of the driver.

The man on the street became the bad guy when he opened the door but taking your turn without looking and nearly running down a pedestrian is not a no-fault action on your part. He can walk behind your car, sure, but you can also look where you're going.
 
If somebody opens your car door like that...his intent might be to steal your keys out of the ignition. It happened to a former employee in our company, who flipped the bird to the driver in front of him, and that driver stopped, got out of his car and came after him with a knife.
 
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