The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Have you had to draw or shoot your weapon to defend yourself?

AMT8951 · October 26, 2005, 08:32 AM

About 3-4 yrs ago, I had an experience very similar to Zachary Vonler. I was driving home from a 12hr shift at the PD shift in my old pick-up. It was raining like crazy and it was about 4:15am on a Sunday morning. I live and work in a college town and last call had been at 3am. Despite the hour and the weather, there were still plenty of people on the streets, mostly drunk college kids. I was carrying a 3in S&W M65 in the cargo pocket of my work pants.
I was stopped at a red light with a vehicle in front of me and a vehicle behind me. The doors were unlocked, I was dead tired, and my mind was a million miles away. All of the sudden, I saw movement outside the front passenger side window of my truck. I looked and saw a figure in a black hooded sweat shirt peering through the window. A split second later the door was flung open. Before I knew it I had my revolver out with the muzzel about two feet from the strangers face.
It was then I realized that it was a young lady. Fairly pretty and very drunk. She didn't even seem to notice the gun. She smiled and said " It's pouring out, can me and my friends please have a ride up to campus?" I looked over her shoulder and saw two other females hudled under an overhang a few yards away. Feeling a need to explain the gun in my hand I said "I'm a cop. You need to find a cab" or something like that. I was about to pull out my badge and ID myself, maybe lecture her or something, but before I had time, she slamed the door and walked away.
Even over the rain I could hear her shout to her friends "He said no!" (nothing about me being a cop, or getting a gun stuck in her face) Then I heard one of her friends reply "Why are people such A**holes!" Then I heard the guy behind me blowing his horn. The light had turned green. I think the whole incident took about 10-15 secs.
I'm pretty sure that this incident freaked me out much more than it did the young lady. I guess I learned a few things from this incident. I always lock my doors. I always stay alert at traffic lights. I always leave enough space between my car and the car in front of mine so that I can get around them if I have to.

October 26, 2005, 08:32 AM	#9
AMT8951 Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Central NY Posts: 492	About 3-4 yrs ago, I had an experience very similar to Zachary Vonler. I was driving home from a 12hr shift at the PD shift in my old pick-up. It was raining like crazy and it was about 4:15am on a Sunday morning. I live and work in a college town and last call had been at 3am. Despite the hour and the weather, there were still plenty of people on the streets, mostly drunk college kids. I was carrying a 3in S&W M65 in the cargo pocket of my work pants. I was stopped at a red light with a vehicle in front of me and a vehicle behind me. The doors were unlocked, I was dead tired, and my mind was a million miles away. All of the sudden, I saw movement outside the front passenger side window of my truck. I looked and saw a figure in a black hooded sweat shirt peering through the window. A split second later the door was flung open. Before I knew it I had my revolver out with the muzzel about two feet from the strangers face. It was then I realized that it was a young lady. Fairly pretty and very drunk. She didn't even seem to notice the gun. She smiled and said " It's pouring out, can me and my friends please have a ride up to campus?" I looked over her shoulder and saw two other females hudled under an overhang a few yards away. Feeling a need to explain the gun in my hand I said "I'm a cop. You need to find a cab" or something like that. I was about to pull out my badge and ID myself, maybe lecture her or something, but before I had time, she slamed the door and walked away. Even over the rain I could hear her shout to her friends "He said no!" (nothing about me being a cop, or getting a gun stuck in her face) Then I heard one of her friends reply "Why are people such A**holes!" Then I heard the guy behind me blowing his horn. The light had turned green. I think the whole incident took about 10-15 secs. I'm pretty sure that this incident freaked me out much more than it did the young lady. I guess I learned a few things from this incident. I always lock my doors. I always stay alert at traffic lights. I always leave enough space between my car and the car in front of mine so that I can get around them if I have to.