New tires (BFG K02s) for my vehicle (4Runner) set me back $900 + tax, mounting, balancing, etc., less than a year ago. As I recall, I was out the door for just shy of $1100. With current inflation and the cost of oil, I just checked the replacement cost, and they went from $225/tire to $281/tire … a 24.9% increase. In my current financial situation, I can’t replace them. That may be a temporary thing, but it’s a fact for the now. So if someone slashes my tires, they’ve effectively immobilized me. Legal or not, it would be hard for me NOT to take that into consideration in how I’d react to someone I caught in the middle of slashing my tires.K.Mooneyham wrote: ↑Sat Jul 16, 2022 2:44 am I've posted similar replies in the past, but I'll post it again on this one. Every time I read one of these posts, I'm glad I live way out in the middle of flyover country. Sometimes I miss the amenities of living in a more populated area, but then again, where I live, the stuff those leftist terrorists are doing is highly unlikely out here. And according to some of the replies, the citizenry are in a no-win situation. The bad guys get to do anything they want and get away with it because no one is allowed to stop them because some crooked, criminal-loving prosecutor will put you in a prison where foul things will be done to you just because you don't want your property destroyed. I don't know who all has bought tires recently, but those things are EXPENSIVE. I'm just a blue-collar guy who does make a decent living but on the other hand, I don't have money to blow on new tires because they were slashed by a scumbag. No, I don't want to have to harm anyone for any reason, that's not what I'm getting at. What I am getting at is that there are deeper problems in this nation than just high inflation and fuel prices, when the legal system will go out of its way to side with criminals over hard-working citizens, according to some of the replies I read. Which, to sum up, is why I'm glad I live in flyover country.
Given that, I THINK my reaction would look something like this: tire-slashing assumes the perp has a knife in his/her hands. If I interrupt them, it’s likely that I’d do it with my gun in hand, and order them to the ground. They’ll either comply with a citizen's arrest, or they’ll run off. Either way, I’m not getting anywhere near them. Either way, my 2nd act would be to call the police while I simultaneously take their picture, with their weapons in hand. I’ll explain to 911 that I drew my lawfully carried firearm to interrupt their vandalism, because they were armed with knives. If they jump up and run off, I’ve got the picture to prove my point.
If they run off, I’ll holster my weapon before the police arrive. For descriptive purposes, I’d show the police the photo I took of them.
If police arrive while I’m still holding them at gun point, I’ll set the gun on the ground and step away from it, and let them control the scene. I’ll still show them the photo I took.
All of this presupposes that I catch them in the act. If I don’t, well then I am really well and truly screwed. I need to check to see if my insurance covers acts of vandalism.
