Question: Getting out of your vehicle and approaching another vehicle in anger.

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,556
18,298
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
I guess the latest example of this would be the Joe McKnight case. Though I don't think McKnight approached the shooter's car "in anger". But approached the vehicle nonetheless. A more local example for me was a few months ago a guy was shot in the wal mart parking lot (less than five miles from my house) because he got mad at a guy for "cutting him off" in traffic.

Last night a person I do taxes for dropped their stuff off by the house. I could tell he appeared flustered and I found out why. He said as he was coming over he was stopped at a traffic light. The guy in front of him gets out of his vehicle, approaches his vehicle "ticked off" and commences to "cussin' him out" because he thought he was being "tailgated". My client told me he'd never had that happen before and he certainly didn't think he was tailgating the guy. But one thing he said that prompted me to start this thread. He said "Though the guy ultimately didn't lay a hand on me. I truly and genuinely felt I was in danger and was a split second from pulling my pistol on the guy."

Wow! This could happen to anybody and it begs the question (for me at least). If you truly feel you are in danger do you legally have to wait for the person to physically attack you before defending yourself? I know the laws maybe different from state to state.

On the other side of the coin. Over the years I've known people who have been the person to get out of the vehicle and walk back to the other person's car to "cuss them out". I personally think that is a very, very dangerous thing to do. Especially in today's society.
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,193
462
crimsonaudio.net
Wow! This could happen to anybody and it begs the question (for me at least). If you truly feel you are in danger do you legally have to wait for the person to physically attack you before defending yourself? I know the laws maybe different from state to state.
The laws do vary by state but for the most part, if you reasonably believe your life is in danger you can defend yourself - you don't have to wait to be attacked in most states.

'Reasonable' being the operative word here. I'd have a tough time convincing a jury that I was in fear for my life from an unarmed 5' female...

On the other side of the coin. Over the years I've known people who have been the person to get out of the vehicle and walk back to the other person's car to "cuss them out". I personally think that is a very, very dangerous thing to do. Especially in today's society.
It's stupid. If someone has done something bad / dangerous enough you feel the need to confront them, let the police handle it.
 
Last edited:

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,527
39,615
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
It would seem that folk would learn. However, most of these incidents come down to the traffic incident being the "last straw." The aggressor is having a bad day, week or life...
 

Tidewater

Hall of Fame
Mar 15, 2003
22,401
13,177
287
Hooterville, Vir.
Happened to a friend of mine in Fort Smith, Arkansas. As the angry stranger approached our car (I was the passenger), my friend reached for his .45. Then he though better of it and just sped away.
Probably better for all parties involved, including me (which was the most important consideration).

Of course, you could just buy a car with a trunk monkey.
 

bama_wayne1

All-American
Jun 15, 2007
2,700
16
57
It's never a good idea to leave your legal space and travel to someone else's to abuse them verbally or otherwise. As BamaJama17 said, "Just don't do it." People who are afraid will hurt you. Confronting someone you don't know is bad manners and some people won't tolerate it. (See Lonesome Dove)
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,284
30,893
187
Beautiful Cullman, AL
I used to be the type to lay on my horn if someone cut me off, or something like that. Now, I just let people go on about their way. I don't travel armed (yet) and I'm not about to take a risk even if I were. If someone approached my car, you better believe I'd be doing everything to get away from the situation.
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
287
43
Florence, AL
Happened to a friend of mine in Fort Smith, Arkansas. As the angry stranger approached our car (I was the passenger), my friend reached for his .45. Then he though better of it and just sped away.
Probably better for all parties involved, including me (which was the most important consideration).

Of course, you could just buy a car with a trunk monkey.
Technically, that's a "Trunk Ape" but I still kind of want one! :biggrin2:
 

mikes12

All-American
Nov 10, 2005
3,548
0
0
49
Chattanooga, TN
In general, it's a bad idea to let your anger control you. That's why I don't say anything or make any decisions when I'm mad. Wait until you're clear headed and re-evaluate.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,556
18,298
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
The laws do vary by state but for the most part, if you reasonably believe your life is in danger you can defend yourself - you don't have to wait to be attacked in most states.

'Reasonable' being the operative word here. I'd have a tough time convincing a jury that I was in fear for my life from an unarmed 5' female...


It's stupid. If someone has done something bad / dangerous enough you feel the need to confront them, let the police handle it.

Of course. Probably no need to worry. It's when the person is 6'2, 230 lbs and screaming like a lunatic that you start having to make some crucial decisions.
 

day-day

Hall of Fame
Jan 2, 2005
9,937
1,659
187
Bartlett, TN (Memphis area)
Years ago, I pulled out from a store and stopped behind a car at the nearby intersection. The guy in front of me started looking back and flipping me off. I was in a small pickup and he was in a Z (maybe 280Z; it's been a while) and it was night. I figured he must have thought I had my bright lights on with him being in such a low car.

I flashed my lights at him out of courtesy to let him know that I did not have my brights on; this seemed to tick him off even more. I then did a shave-and-a-haircut honk at him because at this point he seemed ridiculous. He pulled off into a nearby parking lot; I realized after I went past him that he wanted me to follow. I was dying to know what he was upset about (okay, I wasn’t really going to die for it). Still don’t have a clue.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,556
18,298
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
Years ago, I pulled out from a store and stopped behind a car at the nearby intersection. The guy in front of me started looking back and flipping me off. I was in a small pickup and he was in a Z (maybe 280Z; it's been a while) and it was night. I figured he must have thought I had my bright lights on with him being in such a low car.

I flashed my lights at him out of courtesy to let him know that I did not have my brights on; this seemed to tick him off even more. I then did a shave-and-a-haircut honk at him because at this point he seemed ridiculous. He pulled off into a nearby parking lot; I realized after I went past him that he wanted me to follow. I was dying to know what he was upset about (okay, I wasn’t really going to die for it). Still don’t have a clue.
People crazy man, they really are. It's like Earle alluded to. More times than not whatever minuscule thing you did was simply the "straw that broke the camels back" to a lot of other things that have taken place in that person's life. Wrong place at the wrong time type of scenario.
 
Last edited:

day-day

Hall of Fame
Jan 2, 2005
9,937
1,659
187
Bartlett, TN (Memphis area)
People crazy man, they really are. It's like Earle alluded to. More times than not whatever minuscule think you did was simply the "straw that broke the camels back" to a lot of other things that have taken place in that person's life. Wrong place at the wrong time type of scenario.
I meant to add that my guess is that the person confused me with someone who did him wrong on the road a little earlier. That or he thought I had my brights on but he should have figured out he was wrong once I flashed them. But yes, it usually someone who has had something building up within.
 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,734
9,918
187
A number of years ago there was an incident at the Shelby County Airport exit on I-65. Two women got into a road rage incident and one of them got out of their car to confront the other woman who had been tail gating her. The one who got out was shot and killed by the tail gater.
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,193
462
crimsonaudio.net
Of course. Probably no need to worry. It's when the person is 6'2, 230 lbs and screaming like a lunatic that you start having to make some crucial decisions.
But that's the point - in that situation, any reasonable person could believe the aggressor intended or was likely to cause death or serious bodily injury.

That said, I've carried for a decade now and have never had an issue. It almost always (almost) takes two to tango, so if you keep your cool, the chances that something that happened to your friend will happen to you are very slim.

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."
- Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,556
18,298
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
But that's the point - in that situation, any reasonable person could believe the aggressor intended or was likely to cause death or serious bodily injury.

That said, I've carried for a decade now and have never had an issue. It almost always (almost) takes two to tango, so if you keep your cool, the chances that something that happened to your friend will happen to you are very slim.

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."
- Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis

You can never be too prepared. Things can get out of hand instantly.
 

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.