My first stop after retrieving my checked bag is the nearest men's room, where I load my pistol and holster it. The men's room closest to the checkin counter is also my last stop just before checking my bag.bpet wrote:I know you never said your friend had just arrived on an airplane but this incident just emphasizes the point that if you travel with your pistol in your checked baggage, it is wise to discretely put it some place much handier when you reach your car...
Back to the story...
As to the original post -- and the second one -- I am glad your friend came out alright, and went above and beyond to make sure these clowns ended up in police custody. Much congratulations, he was very heads-up with that. It also illustrates a point about being the first one to call 911. The story would be a bit different if your friend had shrugged it off -- and the two jokers in the pickup had decided to get revenge by calling in how they were almost carjacked by this gun nut in the right hand lane...
But Beiruty has a very valid point. Your friend is still alive because the bad guy with the gun decided to let him live -- twice, as a matter of fact. When your friend decided to make a remark instead of shooting, he really was saying, "OK you're turn to decide whether to shoot or not." That is not a winning strategy. I know you wanted to highlight the fact that you can run into trouble anywhere, but this point about talking instead of shooting really jumps out in the story, regardless of the other facts. If your friend felt he was in enough danger to draw his weapon, that DIDN'T change merely because he pulled the gun out. He got away with it this time, and maybe most carjackers are as chicken as these two guys. But it is like running a yellow/red light -- you often get away with it, but when you don't the consequences are severe.
Yes armchair quarterbacking is easy. That does not make it wrong. People make mistakes in the heat of action. We come here to discuss stuff like this at leisure so we have some better ideas in our head when we need them. It may be polite to not point out the rough spots in the story, but it is more beneficial.