In the past 10 days both my wife and I have thought that we were about to be shot.

I was certain I had a guy with mud in his eye following me. I was making a short trip to a nearby hospital to drop off some paperwork so for some damned fool reason I didn't take my Glock along. Anyhow I stopped at a 4-way and some guy in a baby pick-up drove up to my right. Didn't look like he was going to stop so I eyeballed him hard. He finally stopped - HARD. When I went by, he peeled out and fell in behind me.

Stayed with me for over a mile. Through 3 more stop signs and 2 turns. I was truly becoming anxious. Man looked pi***d. Looked like he might have had a case of road rage going. Fortunately he turned off after a couple of miles down the road.

My wife accidentally cut somebody off. He was in the lane most folks use to turn left. The wife was going straight. She drove her Prius across the intersection - there was one lane on the other side - and the guy in the 4WD 3/4 ton pick-up took umbrage to that Prius getting ahead of him. He gunned the V-8 in that PU, roared through the intersection, got ahead of my wife and cut her off, then stopped dead in the street.

She was sure she was going to be shot - or at least assaulted. She did a fast U-turn and got the heck out of there.

Society is disintegrating around us. The police cannot protect us - even IF they were obligated to do so! It is our lives (and the lives of our loved ones) to protect. It is OUR responsibility to protect ourselves.

Just curious, if you and your wife had had guns, what would you have done differently?
Peter.

As i see it, there are 2 ways to deal with people...reason and force. If one doesn't work, the other certainly shall. The world has gotten crazy enough that it appears to be OK to rape, rob and pillage to ones' degree of satisfaction. Well not in my world and not on my watch. To me, a gun is not a threat, if I produce a gun and point it at you, rest assured I fully intend on making you leak at every possible place.

Peter asked

quote:

Just curious, if you and your wife had had guns, what would you have done differently?

Since the guy in the pickup didn't box the wife in, I suppose she would have done nothing different. The point was that she truly was concerned that she was about to be shot. What if the guy had done a better job of boxing her in and she HADN'T had an escape route? If the guy had gotten out and come over to her, she would have had NO options since she wasn't carrying. If she HAD been, she would have had another option. Most bullies back off when their intended victim stands up to them.

As for me, if things had gone differently, I would have another option as well.

quote:

Originally posted by B Mullins:
Peter asked

quote:

Just curious, if you and your wife had had guns, what would you have done differently?

Since the guy in the pickup didn't box the wife in, I suppose she would have done nothing different.

The point was that she truly was concerned that she was about to be shot.

What if the guy had done a better job of boxing her in and she HADN'T had an escape route?

If the guy had gotten out and come over to her, she would have had NO options since she wasn't carrying.

If she HAD been, she would have had another option.

Most bullies back off when their intended victim stands up to them.

As for me, if things had gone differently, I would have another option as well.

The guy in the truck could have thrown it in reverse and smashed into your wife after cutting her off.

Road rage is a hazard and can occur for the flimsiest excuse.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!

Dosen't sound like you were about to be shot no firearms were displayed.

Were you in danger yes. Would have you been justifed in shooting both the other drivers I don't belive so.

Is it smart to carry a firearm for self defense yes. Only if one knows when it is legal and safe to use one.

Sounds like I would have been worried more of them attacking me with their vehicles then a firearm.

If one can disengage safety that is the smartest thing to do.

We have the Constitution at work here in Idaho. It is called the Castle Doctrine. We also have a thing about the Primary Responsibility Act.

Basically, when you escalate a situation to the point where your response is likely to result in a harmful result, at that time you have to stop or bear the responsibility for what ensues.

ie: you commit a simple violation of traffic etiquette like cutting somebody off. If they follow you around or box you in, and exit the vehicle towards you, then they are initiating an action/response that could likely result in harm to you or others, then you protect yourself from them in action that mirrors their action.
They have extended the Castle Doctrine to your automobile here.
Your basic responsibility under the law is to dial 911 on your cell phone, and give your location and a description of them and their vehicle. Keep moving, and execute a couple of left or right turns in sequence so that the person establishes a pattern similar to stalking you.

When they leave the car and attempt to reach inside your window or open you door, you just cap them. The attorney phrase: I feared for my life. I used the minimum necessary to protect myself. Shoot center mass.

Rich

Driving a prius in Texas. Is that just not asking for trouble?

Or has Texas pussed out too?

You shouldn't have "looked hard" at they guy that almost busted the stop sign. Best to just wave (with all your fingers extended) for him to go on through the intersection. Most likely to "look hard" at him is a sign of being disrespectful, in his world. Crooks don't like "being disrespected" and you might be suprised to what they will resort to!

Rich is correct, if you were thinking you were being followed, you should get on your cell phone and call 911. Be sure to tell the call taker that you have a CHL, even if you don't have your firearm with you. Make sure they are clear that if you do have a firearm with you, they know that fact too. Tell them what you are wearing as well.

If one accidentally cuts someone off and sees that this might turn into a road rage incident, it's time to back off and put space and distance between you and the other guy.

I was choking it back, trying not to say it -- but then the ever-dependable Will did it anyway. You drive a Prius in Texas? You need to carry a gun.

I'm just joking. We all should. And more importantly, we should encourage our wives, girlfriends and daughters to carry as well.

Heaven forbid that that they would actually need to shoot, but they need to be trained not only in how to shoot, when to shoot, and where to shoot, but in how to respond to the inquiry:

"I was in fear for my life and I only did what was necessary to stop the threat to my life!(tears are good at this point if you are female and it doesn't look contrived -- remember you are on tape)-- now where is my lawyer?"

We should all carry. And we should all be responsible. And we should all realize that the last thing we want to do is actually have to use the tool the Constitution guaranteed us. If we find ourselves in that eventuality, lawyer up, and assume that the police officers are no longer your friend.

Interesting replies, folks. A couple of further comments are in order, though.

1. My wife and I are both licensed to carry concealed in Texas. For the record she scored a 98% on her written test (2nd highest in class to my 100%) and 243 out of 250 on the shooting test. All of her shots that landed out of the 5 area came when she was shooting at 15 yards under very poor lighting conditions. I think solid COM shots with a tiny Sig 232 (compact .380) at 45 feet in low light is damned good. I scored better (245 with a Glock 22 under somewhat better light)) but 2 of my shots were in the 3pt area where none of hers were in anything less than 4pt land.

2. The Prius is her car. She bought it and she loves it. It isn't about being "green" but about spending less for gas every month.

3. I saw no reason to call 911. My safety is MY responsibility and besides anyone with half a brain knows that when seconds count the cops are just minutes (usually 20 or more) away. No, Sharpshooter, I do not consider that I have any responsibility to involve government in what might only be (was proven to be) a misperception on my part.