Inappropriate Behavior While Carrying A Handgun?

[Cypher]

I read a thread on another forum today in which the OP talked about his habit of offering unsolicited, smart assed comments to random strangers in public. He found the practice amusing.

I have been taught since my first basic handgun safety course that this type of behavior is incompatible with carrying a handgun.

When I was 13 years old I was walking down Dodge street with some friends. Someone drove by us in a car, one of my friends yelled something at them, they pulled a U turn and chased us down.

Long story short they caught my friend on 69th and according to him, pulled up, got out and smacked him across the mouth with a crowbar and drove away. He said they never said a word.

As I mentioned above, it's been stressed to me over and over that I can't afford to start or escalate any altercation I'm involved in and experience has taught me that there are people out there that will explode at the slightest provocation.

I've seen people turn around and lay people out over one smart assed remark.

I'm not saying that I walk around in fear and don't talk to people but I don't talk smack to random strangers and I don't involve myself in other people's business.

I'm pretty sure I'm not wrong headed on this I'm more curious what your take as industry professionals is

[blues]

I think you got it right, Cypher. When you carry a firearm you carry the weight of the responsibility that comes along with it.
Knowingly entering into or creating a situation that could escalate with tragic consequences is not acceptable in my view.

[BehindBlueI's]

"Don't fuck with people you don't know" has been a cardinal rule of mine for a loooong time.

[JCS]

I tend to think like you. I had one of those moments you refer to a few weeks ago.

Me and my wife were on our way home and decided to pick up a bottle of wine. I pull in and had parked right next to a handicap spot. This sports car zooms in and parks there. Three guys in their early 20s get out and go into the liquor store.

That grinds my gears so bad. There was parking 20 feet away. I really wanted to say something but I assumed they would be confrontational since there was three and one of me.

The only reason I didn't say anything was because I was carrying and knew I shouldn't do anything that could be construed as confrontational.

Edit: I'm not a professional. Just an average joe that carries a gun.

[Cypher]

double tap?

[Cypher]

I'm NOTsaying I only want input from professionals I was acknowledging that this forum has quite a few professionals

Sorry for the typo

[Cypher]

I think it's one of those things people don't get until they learn the hard way.

There was point in my life where I seemed to have a psycho magnet on my forehead so I have a bunch of stories to tell.

One day I had a run in at the gas station on Ft. Carson with a guy that cut me off at the pumps. I don't even remember what I said but whatever it was he came absolutely, foaming at the mouth unglued on me.

He was an inch away from my face screaming (not yelling SCREAMING ) that he was going to murder me right then and there and he was very specific about using that word.

I don't even remember what turned him off but he just stopped in the middle of his rant and walked over and finished pumping his gas and drove away.

Bottom line, I've run into enough people like this in my life that I am convinced that the world is full of very angry people who are one tick away from exploding.

As a result I do not leave my home unarmed and more importantly (And anyone who follows my posts will see this theme over and over and over again) I. DO. NOT. TRIFLE. WITH. PEOPLE. I. DON'T. KNOW. (and very damned few that I do know).

[blues]

The road rage in South FL was something to behold during my years working there. (And I've lived in NY and other major cities.)

Add into the mix that virtually everyone is carrying and it's a recipe for disaster if one cannot keep a cool head when things go awry.

[LSP552]

If it's not worth killing someone over, leave it and move on. That's my rule for deciding on how to interact with most people. You never know where something will end up, so think about where it could when deciding if it's worth it to screw with strangers, road rage after being cut off, act a jerk in a bar or do any number of dick things.

[Joe in PNG]

I have found that the philosophy of "Not my circus, not my monkeys" and "Be polite, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet" has served me well over the many years.