Parking lot incident

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Sounds like a bad situation to be in, but not one where a firearm needed to be involved.
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Really?
If that doesn't sound like a situation where a firearm should be involved, I don't know what is... No place to flee to as your car is blocked from both ends. Keeping the windows up was a good idea, but that gun better have been out because there is no telling if he'll bash the windows to get to you, draw a gun of his own, or just walk away.
Sounds like microgunner did well by me, but I would have pressed charges for sure.

And it sounds like the cops agreed with you too. That says something right there...
 
Sounds like a bad situation to be in, but not one where a firearm needed to be involved.
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Very possibly true. But I made a decision long ago that if/when threatened with bodily injury to believe the aggressor. To not take him at his word seems unwise considering the potential. As far as pressing charges, I was just glad to be rid of the whole distasteful situation as soon as possible.
 
MMQB...better choice would have been to keep the window closed, the gun hidden and call 911 right in front of him. You were safe inside the car and had no need to draw down until he took further action.

WildandthenhavetheguyprosecutedforbeingaviolentjerkAlaska ™

By the way under the facts as given if you would have shot him you would be prosecuted.
 
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Respectfully:

You pull a gun you pull the trigger.

If you have no intention of shooting, then keep the gun in it's holster.

AFS
 
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MMQB...better choice would have been to keep the window closed, the gun hidden and call 911 right in front of him. You were safe inside the car and had no need to draw down until he took further action.
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+1; I would not have drawn unless (a) it was evident that he had a weapon capable of penetrating the glass, or (b) there was more than one assailant.

If the parking lot was crowded, there's no doubt that there were multiple witnesses watching the loud confrontation, which would make it really easy to prosecute the knucklehead for threatening you and/or sue him for damage to your vehicle.

MMQB, yes, but I would be concerned that if I drew first, he would produce a weapon, and the situation would seriously escalate. :eek:
 
While it is easy to Monday morning quarterback and say "should have moved on", there is the other side. Should we be tucking tail every time someone blows up at us? Sure, as CCW we should avoid situations and be more prudent.

But as our society becomes less civil, more rude, and more violent, I think at SOME times we need to say, "No, I should not have to change my plans just because you want to accost me." The OP was doing nothing rude or illegal. He did not respond with anger or insults. He is handicap for goodness sake, that is why the parking spaces are where they are.

Any jerk that accosts a handicap person for waiting for a handicap spot deserves being put his place. I think this is one instance that standing your ground is appropriate.

Ultimately the OP was the man on the spot and his actions turned out well for everyone. Good experience to feed our own consideration of CCW.
 
Should we be tucking tail every time someone blows up at us?
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yes. especially as an armed citizen.

Any jerk that accosts a handicap person for waiting for a handicap spot deserves being put his place.
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Yeah, thats what gun owners need to do, put folks in their place:rolleyes:

Dude, what do you do some jerk off walks up to you and SPITS a loogie in your face and challenges you while you are wearing a gun?

Me...I run and call 911.

Carrying a gun doesn't make you Ms manners or the Politeness Police.

WildsometimesyouguysscaremeAlaska TM
 
I knew someone would jump in an accuse me of being a shoot first rabid gun owner. Thanks, Wild!

Watch out for gun owners they are soooo irresponsible. Only interwebs experts should be allowed to carry guns. I guess all those notches I hacked into my pistol grip aren't cool, huh?
 
Very bad situation but it sounds like a gun shouldn't have been displayed. But we weren't there. I'm glad it turned out ok and we all should learn from this event. A gun is to be displayed when you fear for your life but then a handicapped person will interpret things differently than a guy with a black belt.
 
Could you have just explained you were waiting for the parking space and you have some physical limitation that requires you to park up close?

I would think that approach through a cracked window with my gun in hand under my thigh might have reduced the escalation of force used and have had a much better outcome.

But then again I wasn't there so this might not have been an option.
 
Someone hits my car and threatens me with bodily harm? I'm drawing down on him, finger on the trigger, before he can smash my window and start punching / choking. That's the safest bet in that situation. Doing otherwise could get you hurt or killed.

I'll bet that the angry idiot is still thinking about the situation too! And he's probably counting his lucky stars.
 
The OP was doing nothing rude or illegal.
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One might argue that brandishing a weapon and pointing it at someone with no intent to use it is "rude" and perhaps "illegal". After all, at that point, only heated words were exchanged. Slapping a car window is hardly justification for deadly force. Here in TX, the only justification for pointing your weapon at someone is "fear of imminent death or grave bodily harm" (Same as justification for pulling the trigger). Based on the OP's description, that threshold was not met (I know he is in FL - please adjust law as necessary).

Pilgrim, I think WA is suggesting that pulling your gun and pointing it at someone should be reserved for last resort scenarios. A guy yelling at you is not a last resort scenario, as much as you may want to "correct" jerks in the world, being a gun owner/CCW means being held to a bit higher standard. If you want to correct people, do it without a gun.
 
Someone hits my car and threatens me with bodily harm? I'm drawing down on him, finger on the trigger, before he can smash my window and start punching / choking. That's the safest bet in that situation. Doing otherwise could get you hurt or killed.
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Thank you noelf... someone with sense finally...

Pilgrim, I think WA is suggesting that pulling your gun and pointing it at someone should be reserved for last resort scenarios. A guy yelling at you is not a last resort scenario
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A guy yelling at you, no... A guy yelling that he is going to kick your *** and is in a position to do so, most definitely...

I'm all for running away and calling 911, and I'm all about avoiding or escalating a situation, but it seems like some people here are waiting for a memo on letterhead paper saying "I'm going to kill you! draw your weapon!" A person with no where to flee and someone blatantly threatening them with bodily harm needs to be drawn down on.

It kind of amazes me I'm on this side of the argument because I'm usually the flee not flight person... :confused:
 
We can go back and forth over this.
What if the parking-lot-rager had smashed the window?
What if the old lady was purposely in on it, so they could mug the innocent driver caught between them?
What if
What if
What if


WA, the shop sells those handheld instruments that can be used to smash a window, correct? Its quite possible for a roadrager to hold one of those and have it not noticed by anyone, until he gives the window one good hard hit and *smash* the window is gone.


What charges could the assailant have brought against you, if FL is a 'stand your ground' state? Brandishing?


This type of incident would be ideal for the use of pepper spray. Or a taser.
 
A guy yelling that he is going to kick your *** and is in a position to do
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I would submit that being on the other side of a car door is not in a position to do so. Breaking a car window with one's fist is unlikely at best. Were he brandishing a tire iron inhis off-hand...OK. Were he kicking your car door/window in a blatant attempt to enter...OK. But Yelling "I'm going to kick your @$$" is not justification for use of deadly force, IMHO. The fact that having a gun pointed at him didn't make him immediately back down and that the OP did not then shoot the assailant tells me that even OP was not truly in "reasonable fear of life or limb".

It kind of amazes me I'm on this side of the argument because I'm usually the flee not flight person...
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I'm usually on the other! Funny how the same scenario is viewed so many different ways by seemingly like-minded folks! :)
 
Its quite possible for a roadrager to hold one of those and have it not noticed by anyone, until he gives the window one good hard hit and *smash* the window is gone.
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And then you are justified in pulling your gun out and probably even popping the guy.

Watch out for gun owners they are soooo irresponsible.
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Based on some of the posts on the web, sadly, thats true

A person with no where to flee and someone blatantly threatening them with bodily harm needs to be drawn down on.
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Verbal threats? Posturing? Against a person behind a car door....

WildithoughtweweresupposedtolearnfromthesescenariosnotglorifythegunasequalizerAlaska ™
 
WildithoughtweweresupposedtolearnfromthesescenariosnotglorifythegunasequalizerAlaska
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I see it more as a what constitutes a viable threat to ones life...

Verbal threats? Posturing? Against a person behind a car door....
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The car door definitly gives you something to pause and think about. I've had many people yell and threaten from inside their car. Whatever, you ignore them. Never had someone come up to my door while doing the same. To me that is a legitimate threat
 
If the trigger had been pulled would it have been justified?

Remember the rules of firearms safety?

Never point a gun at something you are not willing to DESTROY.

Was the OP willing to DESTROY that man? Not in the endless "what-if" scenarios, but right at that moment, was the OP willing to DESTROY that man? Would any of the rest of the contributors to this thread be willing to DESTROY that man at that moment?

If not, you don't point your gun at him. Period.
 
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To me that is a legitimate threat
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SO I come up to your door while you are stuck in traffic, whack your window with my fist and tell you you are a nogood *&^*&^*&^(*^%.

You can then, without more, shoot me?

WildifnotthenshouldyoubepullingagunAlaska ™
 
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