i drew my weapon tonight

[TEA]

As you correctly point out, a U turn may well be way too slow if an aggressor is advancing on your vehicle.

However, backing up on a lightly traveled street is a very viable option and one that is taught to police officers who find themselves suddenly confronted by an approaching aggressor. You can back up faster than the aggressor can run, you maintain the partial cover of your vehicle, and your action demonstrates your intent to disengage. Every step he takes toward your position takes him further from the safety and comfort of his own vehicle, as well as providing strong evidence of his aggressive intent.

The time to make the U turn is when he stops advancing and you have enough distance between you do execute it safely.

Very good point. I considered that, but the OP stated that he had traffic stopped behind him. If he had room to back up, he may also have had room to back up and execute a three point turn in reverse, which would have kept the threat on the driver's side of the car. It's good to consider all of these options before finding oneself in a similar situation, because it is much harder to clearly plan a response when under stress from an immediate threat.

[AdioSS]

My question is what were the sides of the road like? Were there yards or walls or trees or what lining the road? Sure, the home owners there might not have liked it much if the OP would've used their yard to escape, but there are worse things that they could've had to deal with.

I think the OP did a good job with the entire situation.

[exbellicus]

From a legal standpoint is it advisable to give your side of the report to the officer without your lawyer present? I see that it worked out fine in this situation, but if the officer had believed the aggressor's side of the story and charged kingpinGT it could have been used against him later. Maybe one of your LEOs can chime in, but if kingpinGT had refused to give a statement, would you have detained and charged him?

[kingpinGT]

My question is what were the sides of the road like? Were there yards or walls or trees or what lining the road? Sure, the home owners there might not have liked it much if the OP would've used their yard to escape, but there are worse things that they could've had to deal with.

I think the OP did a good job with the entire situation.

Houses on either side, no "yards" to speak of.

[nightmare69]

Nobody here knows what exactly they would do until they themselves are put in that situation. You hope that you fall back on your training but how many here have trained for a aggressive driver approaching them?

[Excaliber]

From a legal standpoint is it advisable to give your side of the report to the officer without your lawyer present? I see that it worked out fine in this situation, but if the officer had believed the aggressor's side of the story and charged kingpinGT it could have been used against him later. Maybe one of your LEOs can chime in, but if kingpinGT had refused to give a statement, would you have detained and charged him?

The guy who calls first is generally assumed to be the good guy unless proven otherwise.

The OP made the first call. Since he was the complainant, he wanted to give a statement to give the officer the facts to investigate.

In this situation with no shots fired there's little risk in doing so.

[kingpinGT]

From a legal standpoint is it advisable to give your side of the report to the officer without your lawyer present? I see that it worked out fine in this situation, but if the officer had believed the aggressor's side of the story and charged kingpinGT it could have been used against him later. Maybe one of your LEOs can chime in, but if kingpinGT had refused to give a statement, would you have detained and charged him?

The guy who calls first is generally assumed to be the good guy unless proven otherwise.

The OP made the first call. Since he was the complainant, he wanted to give a statement to give the officer the facts to investigate.

In this situation with no shots fired there's little risk in doing so.

I also had multiple witnesses in my vehicle.


Sidenote: I got my Beltman carry belt last week, and it's AMAZING carrying with a legitimate gun belt over my old $20 Kohl's special.

[nightmare69]

From a legal standpoint is it advisable to give your side of the report to the officer without your lawyer present? I see that it worked out fine in this situation, but if the officer had believed the aggressor's side of the story and charged kingpinGT it could have been used against him later. Maybe one of your LEOs can chime in, but if kingpinGT had refused to give a statement, would you have detained and charged him?

The OP never pointed his gun at the other driver so I see no law broken other than the aggressive driver obstructing a roadway. Even if OP had pointed his gun I can not see an LEO charging him with deadly conduct cause he was in fear of his, and his family's safety.

[WildBill]

Sidenote: I got my Beltman carry belt last week, and it's AMAZING carrying with a legitimate gun belt over my old $20 Kohl's special.

Told you.

[rentz]

Thanks for posting this, I like reading experiences others have to try and think of what I would do in the situation and hopefully condition my brain to do that

[rdcrags]

From a legal standpoint is it advisable to give your side of the report to the officer without your lawyer present? I see that it worked out fine in this situation, but if the officer had believed the aggressor's side of the story and charged kingpinGT it could have been used against him later. Maybe one of your LEOs can chime in, but if kingpinGT had refused to give a statement, would you have detained and charged him?

The guy who calls first is generally assumed to be the good guy unless proven otherwise.

The OP made the first call. Since he was the complainant, he wanted to give a statement to give the officer the facts to investigate.

In this situation with no shots fired there's little risk in doing so.

I also had multiple witnesses in my vehicle.


Sidenote: I got my Beltman carry belt last week, and it's AMAZING carrying with a legitimate gun belt over my old $20 Kohl's special.

I've had my Beltman for 5 years now. It is fantastic.

[bzo311]

What I tell myself I would have done differently in this situation would be to not let the other person know I am carrying at all. If a person approaches my vehicle in this manner, I would lock the doors and roll up the windows, or just crack my window enough to converse if I feel it would help; in other words, stay in the vehicle and keep him out. Then I activate the video recorder on my phone and capture everything he does, while offering a few attempts to de-escalate, catching that on the video (my audio). Do I pull my gun? Perhaps, but I'd keep it hidden and easily accessible, not letting him know I have it unless I plan to use it.

Ofcourse this is if I cannot simply drive off, i.e.: I am blocked in, then I'd just record his actions until he left on his own, or until he escalated to the point where I felt my life was in danger (you know what happens next).

By telling him you were armed he acted on that knowledge to try and "get you in trouble" telling the cops you were waving it around.

[Deltaboy]

Good outcome for this .

[RedRaiderCHL]

i guess my question would be is it really legal/smart to announce you're armed when someone is acting as threat towards you. In other words when it comes down to brass tacks whether the OP was with family, in a car, or just walking to his mailbox alone is it justified to take an aggressive posture with someone and announce that you are armed if you feel they are posing a threat? I understand that the argument to NOT do so is not smart because what if that person is armed as well. but in general whats the smartest course of action if someone is coming at you (if they are armed the answer is obvious - but if you dont know..then what).