Stupid me. Tactical mistakes. Overall dumb behavior on my part.

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WonderNine

member
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
4,331
Location
always offline!
I'm passing on this lame story only for the revelation I had at the end. This happened the other day.


I think I handled it ok, but things could've gone bad and I was pretty stupid. I was riding through the park on the bike trail along the river just minding my own business looking around. It's about 6pm, 76 degrees, ect. I'm not in a particularily good mood for reasons I have forgotten already. I happened to notice on my left three high school punks leaning on a red chevy cavalier about 50-75 yards away. I looked and one of them was waving at me. I kind of looked away then I did a double take and looked back and he's still standing their waving at me smiling acting like a general moron. Is this guy making fun of me? *** is his problem? Anyways he pretty well pissed me off.

I turned the bike around and started riding towards them and I can hear the punk going, "oh sh*t" and hiding between his two tall skinny jock buddies. They both start to look away pretending like they got no clue.

At that point I should just *pppfffffffff* and rode away. But at that point I was curious too, I was wondering who the hell this dusche was. I could tell he wasn't somebody I knew. So I say, "Hey do I know you?" And I hear a timid little "no....". Were you waving at me??? He goes "yea." then hides back between his two dork buddies. "You like me or something?" *no response*. So I start riding away and I hear something like "nice team" or something like that about the time I was back on the bike trail. I was expecting to hear "nice bike", but that's not what it was. Not important...anyways...

Anyways I'm riding down the trail, this is about a half hour later. I'm heading back from where I came from and I see a cop drive by me slowly. Of course I got a .32 on me in a front pocket holster which is not kosher as far as I know because I'm technically in a city park. And I'm thinking to myself, did these punks call the cops on me? That wouldn't have surprised me at all. And I thought oh my God I didn't even take a look at their license plate! OMG what if they said I had a gun! All kinds of fun thoughts racing through my head. But the cop drives right by without even looking at me. I ride back and the punks are long gone. I ride through the park back to my car and get out of their.

I was pretty restrained, but I should have just brushed them off as soon as punk #1 about sh*t his pants when I turned around. Honestly he had already been embarrassed in front of his "friends" and that was enough for me ;) . I gotta learn to be more ninja in my ways or I'm gonna get in trouble with a CCW.

Glad I didn't have a knife clipped in my back pocket, that mighta given them some ideas.
 
Well lets see, carrying a gun illegally, tries to initiate a confrontation over a few words from a distance, yet you call some kid a punk?

Dude ya got a gun, you got no biz intiaitng a confrontation over nothing...

And ya got the cojones to bad mouth the cops...carryin a gun illegally...starting fights..yep I can see why..and you call it "Tactical Mistakes"..I call it criminal behavior...

WildyagotnomorecredibilitywithmeAlaska
 
Any helpful suggestions or are you just gonna do your best to verbally b*tch slap me at every opportunity from now on? :(

I didn't initiate the confrontation. But I would have done differently now. I don't like walking around with my head down letting punks have their fun at my expense. I seen those punks once since then and guess what, they had a whole different attitude.

I did not brandish a firearm, but that's what you make it sound like. I had another punk passenger in a car throw a beer can out of a window at me a few nights before this happened while I was riding along the same trail.
 
Even though i'm pretty sure you did all things wrong "tactically" and legally. I gotta say, i'm glad you did that because it made the punks think twice and made them feel like morons.

Sometimes ya gotta twist the rules a bit.....within reason. I think you did good. Did a little bad, but didn't go to far, lived to tell about it.
 
Thanks Pylon. I know I could have done a few things alot differently and I know I need to work on that.

De-escalation or turning the other cheek can backfire just as often as it can go in your favor and I think it's important for people to realize that as well. It serves to encourage idiots and thugs, especially idiots in groups.
 
Any helpful suggestions or are you just gonna do your best to verbally b*tch slap me at every opportunity from now on?
Click to expand...

Ya get what ya deserve. Helpful suggestion?..heres one...some kid acts like a jerk when you are no where near him, dont be a punk...ride away.

I didn't initiate the confrontation
Click to expand...

Ya did...you changed verbal crap into physical (ie face off) confrontation.

I don't like walking around with my head down letting punks have their fun at my expense.
Click to expand...

O really?...well heres something...if you are so thin skinnned, ya shouldnt own a gun.

had another punk passenger in a car throw a beer can out of a window at me a few nights before this happened while I was riding along the same trail.
Click to expand...

So..did ya get the plate number and call the cops?...naw, you just put yer 32 in your pocket and went back on the trail...maybe hopin to run into the "punks"?

By the way do you have a CCW? Can you get one? if not is it legal for you to be carrying a gun?


WildwearesupposedtobelawabidinggunownershereAlaska
 
By all means do everything you can to start a confrontation. I mean jeez you spent all that money on a gun so you might as well try to get a chance to use it...

At least you won't add to the statistics of permit holders that go to prison.

Stupid me. Tactical mistakes. Overall dumb behavior on my part.
Click to expand...

You said it, not me.

My constructive advice? Try to act more like a grownup.
 
When I was in the Army, if I screwed up the deal was, "No excuse, Sir." and that was pretty much the end of the deal. The NCO or officer could either file charges or shut up. That inculcated an attitude in me that lasts to this day.

When a guy admits to a mistake, it's dead wrong to keep on belaboring him about it. Don't go whizzin' down his leg and then tell him it's rainin'.

Constructive criticism is a Good Thing. Badmouthing strikes me as being way foolish. The deal here at THR is to help folks do better, not make them feel small in order to stroke one's own ego.

Art
 
IMHO, if you are carrying (legally or otherwise) it is a huge mistake to get involved in an exchange of words. Talking smack back can only lead to an escalation.

I think it is a safe guess that when you are looking at a jury box of 12 people about to decide your fate, you will probably be thinking that moving on would have been a better choice.

Now... if you aren't carrying, why pass up the opportunity for some unarmed defense training. ;)
 
No Excuse Sir!

Excellent response, Art.

Wondernine knew he made a series of mistakes and admitted it.
Nobody I know of hasn't made at least one. Nobody got hurt.
Nobody got busted. Lesson has been earned and learned.

Wondernine...next time wave back, and say: "Sup guys?"

Go and sin no more.:cool:

Cheers!

Tuner
 
Wondernine....

Ya, you probably should have handled it differently.... however your statement from last September:

Anyways, I don't pay much attention to stupid laws. I'll have my day in court if it comes to that, so I'm not going to worry about it.
Click to expand...

concerns me even more..... You need to get a CWP permit if you are going to carry.
 
I didn't initiate the confrontation. But I would have done differently now. I don't like walking around with my head down letting punks have their fun at my expense. I seen those punks once since then and guess what, they had a whole different attitude.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be overly critical, but if you're going to carry a gun for self defense that is precisely what you have to do. Here's why. Supposing said punk kid decided not to back down and escalate the confrontation. Supposing his buddies jump in and worse comes to worse, you're force to shoot one or more said punks. How do you think the cops and a jury might look at the situation after it's been filtered through everyone's testimony? And that's if the confrontation goes in your favor.
 
When a guy admits to a mistake, it's dead wrong to keep on belaboring him about it. Don't go whizzin' down his leg and then tell him it's rainin'.
Click to expand...

Problem is Art, other than the title, I dont think he realizes that he did wrong...I mean next time hes just gonna be "more ninja" about it.

A mistake is an error in reasonable judgment, not deliberatelt violating laws nor initiating confrotations with a gun.

Add to that his post about not paying attention to "stupid" laws and his anti police posts and we have a problem in attitude.

WildcanyaseethetrendAlaska
 
IMO...ccw holders need to be meek......not weak mind you,but meek.....controlled power and confidence.....we have a greater responsability than your local yocal.....my policy is to back down until it's not an option(or a loved one is involved)...just because you CAN beat the crap out of someone,shoot someone etc....doesn't mean you HAVE to play "whose are bigger"......if it were me(although me on a bike isn't about to happen soon)I would've kept on going(gun or not).....I think you learned the easy way on this one......good luck next time:cool:
 
Further Study

Following this thread changes the situation a little. TonyB nailed it.
Be easy-going and disarming, not bold and bristling. Awareness and
Avoidance is your best tactic. If you can see something possibly coming to a confrontation, and you can avoid it without getting hurt...do so. It's
well worth it. Shooting somebody even when you are 101% justified,
both legally and morally is a nightmare. Don't do it unless you have
NO CHOICE....or as Mas Ayoob says..."In the Gravest Extreme."

Luck!

Tuner
 
Just so you guys don't think otherwise, I would never pull a gun on somebody who was unarmed. I know some of you guys are talking about shooting situations, but that's not what this thread is about. I hate the thought of having to use one. I'd much rather get in a fistfight if it comes to that. Nobody wants to be known as a punk who pulls guns on people.

WildAlaska, if you toned down the self righteousness in alot of your posts I think you'll find that alot more people would be receptive to your criticism. Not that you don't give good advice, but you're a little overbearing at times. ;)
 
WildAlaska, if you toned down the self righteousness in alot of your posts I think you'll find that alot more people would be receptive to your criticism. Not that you don't give good advice, but you're a little overbearing at times
Click to expand...

Dude I dont care who is receptive or not. I call it like I see it.

And Id rather be overbearing than...well lets leave it at that....

WildsilentmajorityAlaska
 
OK. Wondernine, I totally think YOU ARE ILLEGAL. Why yell? You are not getting it. You are illegal. If a LEO cruised up on the confrontation and decided to FI all parties, YOU would go to jail. Illegal CCW, CCW in commision of a criminal assault, CCW in a public firearms free zone (park), three counts of assault and possibly additional armed for the purpose of being armed charge. You are illegal. You go to jail. Is it worth it? Get legal or get gone. We cannot support illegal CCW or any other crimnal bahaviours. You asked.
 
wondernine,

thanks for having the guts to post an example of where you did something stupid, tpo provide valuable lessons for us all.

I think you could have approached them as an alpha male, relaxed, confident, just a cheerful "hey you waved. Do I know you"

You didn't have to emote hostility.

While I don't generally suggest confrontation ,
I think it is equally important for regular people to act in regular ways, instead of always speeding away in avoidance.

Not all punks are punks, some just dress the part.

Part of taking back the streets is living on the street like a human being.
 
And ya got the cojones to bad mouth the cops...carryin a gun illegally...starting fights..yep I can see why..and you call it "Tactical Mistakes"..I call it criminal behavior...
Click to expand...

I couldn't have put it any better myself. All the anti-police statements seem to make sense now. :rolleyes:
 
It seems to me that anybody who carries deadly force must hold himself to a higher standard of behavior than those who don't. This, in my mind, isn't a function of law but of morality as well as common sense. It's not a lot different from the behavior of a very large, martial artist when among average-sized "just folks"--he is not supposed to bully his way through.

This gets us into the realm of courtesy and politeness, of course. It also means we ignore "mouth music" trouble makers. Nobody ever promised that it would be easy to be an upright Good Guy.

I've noticed that people who sneer at laws wind up in trouble, sooner or later. One's dislike for certain laws is irrelevant. Trouble is easily dealt with so long as one has no responsibilities toward others, but it's the lack of thought about one's "others" that causes a lot of grief in many families. Most folks eventually wind up with responsibilities wherein past mistakes can return to haunt the present and future...

Thus, if one has a hard-to-control temper, the proverbial "short fuse", I'd suggest reviewing one's life style and behavior, as well as one's places of recreations. If one gets away with a mistake, the old "no harm, no foul", all well and good. A halfway bright person then indeed reviews the situation and attempts to refrain from any repetition.

Just some thoughts...

Art
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Z
  • Locked
I got "interviewed" this evening.
2 3
Replies
59
Views
4K
MachIVshooter
MachIVshooter
E
  • Locked
Happened to me today...
Replies
24
Views
2K
WNC Seabee
W
A
  • Locked
Close call at walmart!
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
bogie
B
W
  • Locked
Bicyclist tries to open my van door..
2 3 4
Replies
92
Views
3K
mgkdrgn
M
C
  • Locked
Boldly Running Away (again)
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
Obiwan
O
Back
Top