[TBeck]

Yesterday I witnessed a scary incident. While my wife and I were walking into a restaurant we heard lots of honking and yelling coming from the street.

A very large man (think 400lb Samoan) was yelling and gesturing from the driver-side window of his Ford Expedition at another man in a mid-size sedan. The second man was not responding. Big Guy then started to get out of his SUV. At that time the turn arrow turned green and Smaller Guy drove off and turned left onto another street. Big Guy then proceeded to get back in his car and pull into the turn lane to follow the other driver.

I whipped out the cell phone and dialed 911. I gave the police the description of the SUV, Big Guy, the car he was pursuing, and the direction they were last going. Nola then told me that she had seen a woman and children in the sedan!

Big Guy was certainly Big enough to make disparity a force a real issue. His SUV was big enough to easily force the other car off the road or kill the occupants in a collision. I don't know what Smaller Guy did to anger Big Guy like that but it couldn't have justified Big Guy's actions.

It brought home to me why I choose to carry in this world. But at the same time the .38 revolver in my pocket suddenly seemed of questionable efficacy against a huge man aggressively driving a huge SUV. A Benelli loaded with slugs or one of those SOCOM M1A's would seem to be more appropriate.

That got me thinking about tactics. The cell phone call to 911 is the obvious first step, but who knows if a unit is in the area? I drive either a Chevy Lumina sedan or a Chrysler Voyager minivan. I don't know if either can beat one of those Expeditions in acceleration. I do know my Lumina can probably turn tighter at higher speeds without flipping or rolling. But high-speed chases on residential streets aren't a good solution either. Stopping and getting out is foolish. I have just thrown away my mobility. The police station is several miles and many lights down the road.

What would you do?

 

[csmkersh]

What would you do?

The first time I was a road rage victim, I drove to the nearest stop-n-rob and went inside and told the manager to call the cops. She thought I was kidding and went on waiting on the customers. About then the guy walks in, his mouth in high gear and his brain in neutral. I again told the manager to call the cops, she stopped and dialed 911. All the while I kept displays and counters between the dude. Finally, he realizes the cops might be on the way and goes out and gets in his car. I foolow just to the door and make certain I've got his license plate number correct. A few minutes later an officer shows up and I tell him what's occurred. He starts his report and asks for ID and I hand him both my TDL and CHL (I'm heeled). The manager chimes in and says the guy is a customer and has a temper problem when he's drinking. The officer runs the plate and it comes back with an AD just a couple of blocks away. The officer asks if I want him to "have a chat" with the guy. Of course I say yes. I just would have like to seen the guy's face when he told him he'd been screwing with an armed old man.

The second time was when I decided I needed to add a cell phone to my other tools.

 

[Dean Speir]

Whew!

Good job, Travis… you did the prudent thing.

 

[ExtremeDooty]

I think your tactics are sound. Don't get out of the car unless forced out.

Calling 911 is one of the few times driving and using the cell phone is justified. I've called them a couple of times to report drunk drivers and an extremely aggressive driver. I'm not trying to be a vehicle vigilante, I just give a license plate number vehicle description and location and let the LEO's do their thing.

Kalamazoo is not that big, so the 911 responses have all been positive. I wonder how well this would be received in a larger city with higher crime rates.

 

[ScrubJ]

Sounds like ya done good.

Picked up cell phone service right along with my carry permit. I figure that if I should have to draw, hopefully, it won't be under an "ambush" type of thing and I'll be able to dial 911 and set the phone down. This covers the road rage thing, but probably wishfull thinking in the real world. Just thinking of covering my butt in court should I have to shoot.

 

[jimb16]

I had a simiar thing happen to me a week ago. The difference was that I pulled into a gun shop parking lot. It apparantly didn't register with the guy until I was getting out of the car. Since I was obeying Ohio law, mine carry gun was in plain sight as I stepped from my car. When he saw it, he instantly shut up and went speeding away! BTW I was on my way to the shop to teach a CCW class!

 

[Matt4511]

I'm Canadian, and getting a Special Authority to Possess (Carry) here is essentially impossible. If, while addressing the Judge to make your request, you're being shot at by the mob, maybe you'll be able to get one.

But probably not.

Anyway, most of my friends don't really have an interest in firearms (Until I take them shooting, at any rate) and I am often asked, "You own a gun, why?"

One night in particular comes to mind. I'd just picked up a new Beretta 92 earlier that week. My girlfriend of that time was spending the night, and as we were settling down for the night, was asking why I kept the gun in a safe under my bed. Before I could explain to her that I can't count on an intruder giving me enough time to get to the locker I keep in the laundry room, without a word of a lie, some bastard starts prying at one of the office windows.

If I'd been asleep, I might not have heard it, he was pretty quiet, but we'd been watching DVDs late into the evening and were just turning in around two or three. Suffice it to say, I had the Beretta out and loaded as quickly as I could open the safe. Using the phone in the bedroom, she called 911, while I quietly moved down the hall and threw on all the outside lights.

I only caught a brief glimpse of him, but he probably would have been able to see me a lot better. No doubt he'd been hoping to make a quick get away with some computer equipment, and hadn't been counting on running into a fully awake, 6'4 hockey player with a gun in his hand.

As you can imagine, she never asked why I kept the gun close at hand again.

Matt

 

[lead-lobber]

An incident occured where a road rage turned ugly, a CCW carry drew his weapon while driving and shot the guys cars motor (JA!) and then turned himself and his weapon in to the authorities. OF course the weapon in your pocket or holster is yours to defend yourself. I think that calling and notifying the authorities is the right thing to do, God forbid you need to make that call to a Lawyer for some stupid roadside incident.