Did I do the right thing? Or should I have used force?

You did the right thing . . . . no question.
However, in Louisiana the law says that any stranger that "attempts" to open your car door while you are in it, is assumed to be a potential carjacker and you have the right to shoot (regardless of the age, sex, etc.).
This was brought about because of an incident 10+/- years ago when a 2 year old child was killed by a man attempting to hijack a car. The mother refused to get out of the vehicle and attempted to drive off. The lowlife shot at the rear of the vehicle killing the child.
Sure stopped the windshield cleaners from approaching car at red lights.
 
These guys were mid 20s to 30, and I am also in my mid 20's. I didn't expect them to come out attacking, so I didn't reverse out of there immediately. I have never had to fight in my adult life. I am rattled and just feel badly about it.. like I wimped out of standing up for myself?
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Someone said earlier that while carrying you may have to "wimp out". Swallowing your pride to deescalate is not only smart its required in most states. That said you made several tactical errors IMO. If someone ever cuts you off and blocks you in, take immediate action. If possible reverse out. If not possible prepare to use your firearm instantly even before the bailout. If you cannot back out and your opponent/s aren't armed LOCK all doors and roll up windows. Now what you have done is to force them to come in to get you. In court, should you be forced to shoot once they have breeched the vehicle, it will look that much more justified.

Once they have exited the vehicle and begun to assault your vehicle I would have pointed the gun at the closest one and warned of the consequences should the glass break.

Thankfully for you the guy hits like a sissy or you have a chin like an Italian prize fighter LOL.
 
ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOORS.

It's the first thing I do as soon as I get in my car, and it may be a habit you want to pick up.

Otherwise, any landing you walk away from is a good one.
 
Razor, it sounds as if you did all the right thinks, good for you. Any time anyone can avoid using any type of violence and escape unhurt they did the correct thing.
 
Thanks pax. It is hard not to try to "win" the confrontation.

My car is undamaged and I have a slightly swollen lip, it doesn't hurt though, and most wouldn't be able to tell looking right away. It was a little guy, maybe 5'6 or so who threw the punch. From now on, I will lock my doors and be careful to leave the situation immediately. I really didn't expect them to do anything right away, I was expecting words. Situational awareness.

I am in Wa state, not sure about any stand your ground laws here.
 
From what I can tell about your story, there was absolutely NO 'wimpiness' involved. You did the right thing in getting away unscathed, contacting the police, and taking the long way home. All of those are smart, smart decisions, so don't second guess yourself!
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Don't second guess yourself after allowing your door to be opened by one of three attackers or not backing out instantly?

In this case the supposed "wimpiness" put him in extreme danger. Nothing happened thankfully but it shouldn't have been allowed to go down unchallenged. If they had ill intent it would have been to late once the door opened and the beating began.


I really didn't expect them to do anything right away, I was expecting words. Situational awareness.
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Always expect the worst and hope for the best. Bad people don't think like we do.
 
Just because you carry doesn't mean you need to use it. Any situation or confrontation that ends with no injury, death, or violence can always be considered a victory. When I graduated MCRDSD my father (a thirty year Marine) told me 'We prepare for war, but pray for peace. You'll understand what I mean.' And all it took was my second week over to know what he meant. We load out, keep our weapons at full operating strength and our bodies strong... But pray we won't have to tomorrow.

To all the people on here telling you that you should have pulled your weapon just forget it. Someday they'll realize how hard it is to bring a weapon up on a human being and know that with a movement of a finger they will end that person's life or maim them for the rest of their life. The firearm is always a last effort in the worst situation.

Though you did make some errors, that is in the past. Review and readjust your plans in the event this may happen again. But don't think for a second you 'wimped out' on a situation because you didn't pull out a firearm and start threatening a possible drunk. Because in court it will not hold up that you shot a drunk man.
 
threegun,

The OP is feeling "wimpy" because he didn't shoot or otherwise use his firearm in a situation where he was able to drive away. But because he could drive away, shooting would have been the wrong call.

Yes, he should have paid more attention, kept his doors locked, and acted sooner -- but none of those things are what made him feel "wimpy." What made him feel wimpy was the smart behavior of getting out of the situation as quickly as he could, rather than staying to fight.

To quote Rory Miller from Meditations on Violence,

"Self defense is about recovery from stupidity or bad luck, from finding yourself in a position you would have given almost anything to prevent.

It is better to avoid than to run; better to run than to de-escalate; better to de-escalate than to fight; better to fight than to die. The very essence of self-defense is a thin list of things that might get you out alive when you are already screwed."​

By getting away (even though he coulda-woulda-shoulda left even earlier), the OP did the right thing, and he WON the encounter.

pax
 
Razorburn,

Pax has is right. You did the smart thing. You managed to avoid injuries or injuring others, everyone went home and in the light of new day everyone (including the jerks) evaluates what they did.

A couple of bits of advice.
  • Any time I discover someone is deliberatly following me, I hit the door lock button. Lock all your doors if you can. Extra time and security.
  • On a highway or parking lot, if someone uses their vehicle to force me to stop or block my travel, my first thought is this is not going to end well. For them. For me. I'd better see blue/red lights or a badge quickly.
  • Anytime the occupants of a car exit their car and start towards mine in what appears to be a rude, angry or threatening manner, if I can reverse and put distance between us, that's a good thing™.
  • If we've reached the point where someone has approached the car in a rude, angry or threatening manner and is grabbing the door handle, pounding on the window or displaying a non-firearm weapon, then they get to see the muzzle of one of my guns. If they breach the security of the vehicle, they get to hear it too.

In Nevada about six years ago, I had a couple of guys take offense to something and try to block me towards the curb. They failed to take into account that a 4x4 isn't much bothered by curbs. When I stopped in a gas station, they exited with baseball bats. I showed them the profile of my 1911 and they suddenly remembered their ballet lessons...or something, because they left in a hurry. :cool:
 
The OP is feeling "wimpy" because he didn't shoot or otherwise use his firearm in a situation where he was able to drive away. But because he could drive away, shooting would have been the wrong call.
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Pax, I understand why he was feeling wimpy. He was feeling wimpy for not doing several things including brandishing his weapon. This is what I believe he should have done the instant they started to get violent. It may have saved his fat lip. It may have prevented the exposure to mortal danger he allowed. It would have positioned him to act to prevent both.

Now looking back, I feel like I kind of wimped out about it. I think I should've at least brandished and ordered them to stop when I saw them getting out of their car. I feel bad about my situational awareness.
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Yes, I understand. Fighting feels better than fleeing, especially to adrenalized young men. Pointing a firearm at someone and ordering them to leave you alone feels better than leaving abruptly and calling the cops.

But fighting is not always the smart thing to do, nor is it smart to brandish a deadly weapon if you still have other options.

The smart thing to do is to leave if you are able and to fight only if you must in order to survive.

pax
 
Pax is right. No one was hurt and you got home safe, that's a win.

Good job, I hope I act as well as you did if I'm ever in a similar situation.
 
Well if your definition of a wimp is making it home safely without going to jail losing your gun and probably fighting law suits the rest of your life..then yea your a wimp and so am I...I was not in your situation so I am not judging you..if it was me..I think I would have drew the line when he opened my door..that would have broken the threshold of the shoot/ don't shoot...and mainly because there where three of them and one of me..but you where there and it was your call and in my opinion the best thing that could have happened did happen..glad you are ok
 
Pax, I agree with everything you just said. But it was dumb to allow the things he allowed from a tactical and survival perspective. This is my point. Hind site says he did ok but since we don't have the luxury of hind site during the event he didn't do ok. He knows this which is why he feels "wimpy".
 
I didnt read all the other posts, so I'm sure this has been said already.

Things you could have done differently.
.... had your doors locked.
.... ummmmm..... I think thats it actually? lol

maybe you could have started reversing sooner, but really you did everything right aside from not having your doors locked to begin with.

Had there been another car behind you blocking you in, then and only then in my eyes would you have had a reason to draw your firearm given the imediate threat at hand. With you in the drivers seat, your car running, and no one behind you... going backwards is an obvious escape and the best way to STOP the conflict. I think there are laws in some places that state that you dont have to retreat, which is good... but I think if you can, it is better to do so. Especially when your in a car, and they are on foot (for the moment) and not armed with a gun that you know of.

You dont want to have to shoot someone. And the only reason you would shoot someone is if you HAD to to save your life or someone elses, or save yourself or someone else from serious injury. It's good to think about all the crap you'd be going through right now if you had been involved in a shooting. Not something you wana deal with.

I understand the feeling that you let them get away with something, but that is the way life goes sometime, and if thats the way they act all the time, it will catch up to them eventually. You on the other hand, got out of a bad sittuation with no future consicquenses to deal with. Good job taking the long way home~!

In the end, you followed your instincts. Fight or Flight. You flew.... if you are ever boxed in with no way out and you are carrying, I'm sure your instincts will kick in and you will fight.
 
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I seems to have worked out for the best in this particular instance. However, who knows what will happen in a similar circumstance?

Personally I would not permit anyone to open my door and throw a punch at me. It is not about winning an encounter, but about not suffering death or great bodily harm. I would assume that if someone attacked me in similar circumstances he/they would mean to inflict great harm upon me. Where does that leave me?

I would keep my doors locked and show the gun let them know I was armed and prepared to use the gun.
It is certainly better to not have to shoot someone or get shot or seriously injured. That is why I carry.
A cell phone call to 911 reporting the drunks would have been wise if you had a phone.

I think there is something that needs to be addressed. That is are you willing to shoot someone to prevent death or serious harm to yourself or others? If one is going to spend time worrying about the aftermath, then maybe he should not carry.

Regards,
Jerry
 
Pax, I understand why he was feeling wimpy. He was feeling wimpy for not doing several things including brandishing his weapon. This is what I believe he should have done the instant they started to get violent. It may have saved his fat lip. It may have prevented the exposure to mortal danger he allowed. It would have positioned him to act to prevent both.
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Of course, so would throwing the car into reverse since he wasn't blocked in. And "R" has the HUGE advantage of not having any moral/emotional and legal/civl issues to deal with later. Not to mention, what if one or all of those 3 had been armed and they decided to fight back? Absolutely not worth finding out IMO if you can escape. A lot of folks are suggesting drawing immediately when the doors open. Unless you are blocked in, I'd suggest changing course and getting the H out of there. Heck, I'd be doing that even before they opened their doors and got out. Personally, I would not care to stick around to determine their intentions, be they violent physically or just verbally, it can't be good.

I think there is something that needs to be addressed. That is are you willing to shoot someone to prevent death or serious harm to yourself or others? If one is going to spend time worrying about the aftermath, then maybe he should not carry.
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I agree, that is something we all need to ask ourselves.

OTH, I'd also ask the following. Any many states, brandishing is illegal in and of itself. In my state, you can only draw on someone, or even display the weapon, if you are legally justified in using lethal force. Now, that does not mean "if you draw you must shoot"; it means you only draw if you are legally justified in using deadly force. What you do after that is up to you

So the question here is was lethal force justifed as they were opening their doors in stepping out? Only the OP can truly answer that, but from the information I have at hand I'd have to conclude probably not. But again, I was not there.
 
Any time......

you can walk away from a situation, such as the one you found yourself in, with no shots fired you are ahead. There were some things that you could have done differently that have been mentioned, but I think you handled the matter well from the point that you realized you were in real danger.
Showing your weapon could have made matters worse....because no one here knows what any one or all of the three might have had on their person or in the car.
You did fine and I am glad that you came out safe.
 
good call

You are alive, that is first and foremost! I have had to back-up/out of road rage sit's before! A couple of questions to answer to yourself.

Lock your door as soon as they get out of their vehicle?

Use force as soon as they touch/open your door?

I personally think you did a decent job, and remember that wimping out is a state of mind not an action! Your action was suitable.
 
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