TexasCHLforum.com

TexasCajun wrote:

KC5AV wrote:

jbarn wrote:
So your only tool for a person yelling is your gun? How about a person who pushes you? Shoot him? I ask these questions to provoke thought.

Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you. These were not normal circumstances.

The other driver had already become the aggressor.
They had been tailgating the OP.
They passed the OP at a high rate of speed.
They blocked the road to prevent the OP from advancing.
They left their vehicle and advanced on the OP.

The non-verbal cues this other driver was giving off definitely pointed toward a willingness to engage in violent behavior. To think otherwise would be to willfully remain in condition white. The OP simply readied his weapon to make it more likely that he would have the advantage if the other driver continued to advance.

Agreed. What the OP described would be considered a text-book example of an escalation continuum where the OP's increased readiness was only in reaction to each progressively aggressive action of the other driver. This is a topic that's given a pretty fair amount of time in the NRA Personal Protection class.

jbarn wrote:I am going to be the contriarian. Your CHL class includes non violent dispute resolution for just these types of incidents. What would have done had he kept walking towards you?

Here is when deadly force is justified;

Texas Penal Code
Sec. 9.32. DEADLY FORCE IN DEFENSE OF PERSON. (a) A person is justified in using deadly force against another:
(1) if the actor would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.31; and
(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A) to protect the actor against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force; or
(B) to prevent the other's imminent commission of aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.

In my opinion, pulling your gun was premature. I worry when our first response at an angry person is to grab our gun. We need other tools. If the only tool a carpenter carries is a hammer, eventually every problem begins to look like a nail.