My close call.

digitalbill

This is NOT an anti-gun post.
I mentioned before that I am not a "gun nut" or even a gun lover. I look at my firearms as a tool. Nothing more.

I had been out of the Army for about a year. I lived in a crappy apartment, drove a crappy Buick, and had a nice Israeli Arms 9MM pistol.
I was driving home at night. Let me try to set this up for you.
It is a six lane road east/west. I was driving in the middle lane and my left turn was coming up in about 1/2 mile. Without looking or signaling, I drifted into the left lane when I was greeted by a horn and flashing lights. I quickly corrected back into the middle lane and a dark colored Nissan pulled up to my left and cussed me out. 'OK, I deserved that'.
He wasn't done yet. He flew past me and then jammed in front of me and nailed his brakes.
Instead of hitting MY brakes, I hit the gas and jerked the wheel to the left, passing him.
He STILL wasn't done.
He then whipped behind me JUST as my turn was coming up WAY too fast so, I stabbed my own brakes and he swerved into the grass to avoid hitting me.
Now he was pissed.
I made my left and he followed me. As we drove thru my complex, he pulled up to my left again but this time, instead of yelling at me, he pointed what looked like a .45 at me.
NOW he had my attention.
I stabbed my brakes and got behind him, as he slowed down, I gunned it and passed him on the left, in the grass. The chase was on.
I reached in my glove box and grabbed the 9MM and kept speeding in this complex. Finally I hit a cul-d-sac and whipped around so I was facing him.
I exited my car and got behind the fender the best I could as he exited his car also, gun in hand.
I had an absolute bead on him and I screamed at him to drop his weapon. He never pointed it at me but he kept trash talking me and walking towards me.
Eventually he walked out of the glare of my headlights and could see me. His eyes doubled in size and he dropped his pistol. When it hit the ground, something didn't sound quite right but, I ignored it and approched him. After having him drop to his knees, I picked up his pistol.
It was a plastic toy gun. He had painted the orange thing in the front black to make it look more real.
It worked.
Now that my adrenalin came down, I started to shake. Mr young thug was terrified. I put my own pistol in the back of my pants and, for the next 10 minutes, I screamed at this kid. I explained how close he came to getting shot and how stupid he was.
After crushing the plastic pistol, I told him to leave. In hindsight, I SHOULD have called his parents.

Just a story I thought I would share.

katamus

I seriously wonder what his plan was. I mean, what was he going to do if you didn't have a real gun? He still had a fake one. Was he planning on trying to fist fight? Some people just don't know what they're getting themselves into.

What bothers me the most is people trying to get into *kitten* over a driving incident. Stupidity.

digitalbill

I seriously wonder what his plan was. I mean, what was he going to do if you didn't have a real gun? He still had a fake one. Was he planning on trying to fist fight? Some people just don't know what they're getting themselves into.

What bothers me the most is people trying to get into *kitten* over a driving incident. Stupidity.

While I was screaming at him explaining how stupid he was, at some point, I asked him why he would do something so stupid.
He told me he was trying to scare me because I cut him off.
Well, it worked, he scared me.

katamus

Well that sure as hell backfired on him.

But scaring someone doesn't really have any benefit.. It wasn't going to take back the fact that you cut him off.

semperfit1823

Would've dropped him with the very second I thought he pulled a gun out.

swordsmith

Would've dropped him with the very second I thought he pulled a gun out.

This - tactically you let him get too close. I would have done a lot of things different.

However it worked out for you so all I can do is armchair quarterback. And shooting someone is not real high on my list either.

Jindra12

Jeez. It is either that he has learned the lesson or he hasn't learned the lesson, and he is planning to do that again with the real one, and more likely he could be killed or sent to a prison.

digitalbill

Would've dropped him with the very second I thought he pulled a gun out.

I wish it were that easy.
When he first pointed it at me while we were driving, my pistol was in the glove box.
Once I exited my car and had him "down range", there were several houses less then 50 yards behind him and he was at least 20 yards away. I have fired pistols enough to know that once I unload, I would have hit him about 50% of the time which means that the other 7 rounds would have hit the houses behind him.
And on top of that, I REALLY did not want to shoot him. However, once he exited his vehicle, had he made a motion to raise that "pistol" my way, I would have put 14 rounds in his direction.

Jindra12

Have you thought of calling 911 while you were trying to get away from him? That could cover your rear at big time when you are testifying in the court.

If you had called 911 while you are trying to flee from him and then you ended up having face off with him, then you shot at him because he was walking toward to you with a pistol in his hand. You'll be protected at the court because you have performed every options trying to avoid to shoot him as the very last resort (trying to flee, called 911 to dispatch an officer to protect you, and the officer haven't got into the scene to protect you, so you had to shoot at him as your life was in an immediately danger).

digitalbill

Have you thought of calling 911 while you were trying to get away from him? That could cover your rear at big time when you are testifying in the court.

If you had called 911 while you are trying to flee from him and then you ended up having face off with him, then you shot at him because he was walking toward to you with a pistol in his hand. You'll be protected at the court because you have performed every options trying to avoid to shoot him as the very last resort (trying to flee, called 911 to dispatch an officer to protect you, and the officer haven't got into the scene to protect you, so you had to shoot at him as your life was in an immediately danger).

1: This was 1997. I didn't own a cell phone at the time.

2: if I did have a phone, I would have called 911 while fleeing however, once I stopped, my attention would have been fully on the target and not on the pphone.

Jindra12

Would've dropped him with the very second I thought he pulled a gun out.

I wish it were that easy.
When he first pointed it at me while we were driving, my pistol was in the glove box.
Once I exited my car and had him "down range", there were several houses less then 50 yards behind him and he was at least 20 yards away. I have fired pistols enough to know that once I unload, I would have hit him about 50% of the time which means that the other 7 rounds would have hit the houses behind him.
And on top of that, I REALLY did not want to shoot him. However, once he exited his vehicle, had he made a motion to raise that "pistol" my way, I would have put 14 rounds in his direction.

You have made a really good decision call. I meant it. 20 yards apart from you is kinda little too far to be well positioned in the court to defend yourself with the testify that your life was in an immediately danger. I don't know maybe 13 to 10 yards is my redline. What's your redline on that?

If you had to shoot at him, you probably would have lost lots of your assets from paying to defend your position in the court's battle.

Jindra12

Have you thought of calling 911 while you were trying to get away from him? That could cover your rear at big time when you are testifying in the court.

If you had called 911 while you are trying to flee from him and then you ended up having face off with him, then you shot at him because he was walking toward to you with a pistol in his hand. You'll be protected at the court because you have performed every options trying to avoid to shoot him as the very last resort (trying to flee, called 911 to dispatch an officer to protect you, and the officer haven't got into the scene to protect you, so you had to shoot at him as your life was in an immediately danger).

1: This was 1997. I didn't own a cell phone at the time.

2: if I did have a phone, I would have called 911 while fleeing however, once I stopped, my attention would have been fully on the target and not on the pphone.

That explains! You are absolutely right on the 2nd part.

digitalbill

Would've dropped him with the very second I thought he pulled a gun out.

I wish it were that easy.
When he first pointed it at me while we were driving, my pistol was in the glove box.
Once I exited my car and had him "down range", there were several houses less then 50 yards behind him and he was at least 20 yards away. I have fired pistols enough to know that once I unload, I would have hit him about 50% of the time which means that the other 7 rounds would have hit the houses behind him.
And on top of that, I REALLY did not want to shoot him. However, once he exited his vehicle, had he made a motion to raise that "pistol" my way, I would have put 14 rounds in his direction.

You have made a really good decision call. I meant it. 20 yards apart from you is kinda little too far to be well positioned in the court to defend yourself with the testify that your life was in an immediately danger. I don't know maybe 13 to 10 yards is my redline. What's your redline on that?

If you had to shoot at him, you probably would have lost lots of your assets from paying to defend your position in the court's battle.

Man, there are so many "what if's" with that question.
If he is armed, there really is no hard line. I mean, if he is 100 yards away from me, there is no need for me to return fire because I highly doubt I would hit him at all.
at 20 yards, and he is aiming at me, I would absolutly unload.
a knife only gets about 10 yards.
But, in the heat of the moment with tunnel vision, fear, darkness... I am not looking at distance. I am looking at safety.
I did not leave from behind my fender until I saw his gun hit the pavement.

x_JT_x

Well that sure as hell backfired on him.

But scaring someone doesn't really have any benefit.. It wasn't going to take back the fact that you cut him off.

The OP admitted to cutting him off. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't say but I was left with the impression it wasn't. And so, the guy got cut off. It happens. Deal with it and move on. It wasn't worth what happened afterwards on either side. Sounds like there were a number of opportunities for both parties to break off contact - no reason either of them couldn't have slowed down, gotten behind the other and taken an exit somewhere. Even if it meant letting the other guy 'win'. De-escalating a situation when possible is the way to go.

That being said, glad all turned out for the best in the end, OP!

digitalbill

Well that sure as hell backfired on him.

But scaring someone doesn't really have any benefit.. It wasn't going to take back the fact that you cut him off.

The OP admitted to cutting him off. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't say but I was left with the impression it wasn't. And so, the guy got cut off. It happens. Deal with it and move on. It wasn't worth what happened afterwards on either side. Sounds like there were a number of opportunities for both parties to break off contact - no reason either of them couldn't have slowed down, gotten behind the other and taken an exit somewhere. Even if it meant letting the other guy 'win'. De-escalating a situation when possible is the way to go.

That being said, glad all turned out for the best in the end, OP!

The first time I cut him off was totally unintentional.
The second time (where he almost rear ended me) was his own fault.
I didn't see the gun until I was inside of my development and, the only way out would have been to turn around in that cul d sac and pass him on the drivers side. That (had he had a real gun) could have been fatal. I did feel the best action was to confront the situation.
My other option could have been to get out of my car and run however, that woul dhave put my back to a possible shooter.

RBXChas

Well that sure as hell backfired on him.

But scaring someone doesn't really have any benefit.. It wasn't going to take back the fact that you cut him off.

The OP admitted to cutting him off. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't say but I was left with the impression it wasn't. And so, the guy got cut off. It happens. Deal with it and move on. It wasn't worth what happened afterwards on either side. Sounds like there were a number of opportunities for both parties to break off contact - no reason either of them couldn't have slowed down, gotten behind the other and taken an exit somewhere. Even if it meant letting the other guy 'win'. De-escalating a situation when possible is the way to go.

That being said, glad all turned out for the best in the end, OP!

The first time I cut him off was totally unintentional.
The second time (where he almost rear ended me) was his own fault.
I didn't see the gun until I was inside of my development and, the only way out would have been to turn around in that cul d sac and pass him on the drivers side. That (had he had a real gun) could have been fatal. I did feel the best action was to confront the situation.
My other option could have been to get out of my car and run however, that woul dhave put my back to a possible shooter.

I'm glad you explained more! I was about to say that you should have driven straight to the nearest police station. I had a situation happen where a guy almost hit me either in an attempt to cut me off or to change lanes and didn't see me, so I honked. Not a loud, obnoxious honk but enough to alert him to my presence. I thought all was well, but apparently he had some buddies driving in another car nearby, and they blocked me in at the next stop light and decided it was ok to get out of the car and scream at me through my window. I ignored them and changed my route, which meant getting on the interstate (I was not in a familiar area, so I didn't know where the police station was, and this was pre-GPS/smartphone days). They followed me onto the interstate and kept pulling in front of me and slamming on the brakes, then would slow down and get behind me, then turn off their lights and ride my tail. This was in the days when cell phones were barely starting to get popular, and thankfully I had one as a safety measure. I called the state troopers, but the guys eventually disappeared, and I never heard back. I had their license plates and everything, so it's possible that they could have traced it back to them.

It was so completely idiotic over the fact that I honked so as to avoid a collision. God only knows what they would have done had they hit me. (I think they'd have either fled the scene or tried to kick my *kitten* because they hit me.) A bunch of stupid, teenage punks with something to prove.

I know someone who had something similar happen to you but the other driver was drunk and got out of his car at an intersection and yelled at my friend, who had the presence of mind not to react but simply to continue driving straight to the police station. The drunk guy followed him there and continued his temper tantrum in the police station parking lot. You can imagine how happily it ended for the drunk guy!

RBXChas

Oh, and also, I'm glad his gun was fake and that you didn't have to fire. I sincerely hope he learned his lesson!