I thought I might have to draw on someone at Target?!

[TheF00L]

Post deleted by poster, as I am, doing to almost all my posts.

[Mtbkski]

If you think a religious whack job staring at you, is a threat enough to draw on, you need to put the gun away, and re-evaluate your life..........

Tell that to the Jim Jones Followers. Tell that to the muslim terrorist. No, religious nut jobs can be scarier than regular nut jobs. They are convinced they are going to heaven. It may not be reason to draw. But it sure better put you on edge and make you aware of what is going on around you. Time to move up a notch on the CONDITION color code. You can always come back down if it is nothing.

you simply put yourself in a position to act quickly if need be. You never know what kind of thoughts may be running through a persons head.

Exactly. You really don't know. What if he was not just a harmless fool. Suddenly you find yourself wrestling with this guy with a firearm on your hip in the middle of a department store.

what would have happened if this guy said "fuck you pal" and went to jam his hand into his pocket to retrieve his pocket pistol to shoot you with...

Little editing to your post. What if instead of a cell phone it was a pistol. Do we have ESPN and know ahead of time what every person is up too.

Just had on the news that a argument in a local bar turned into a fight, then one guy pulled a knife and stabbed the other guy numerous times. Wonder if the other guy thought he was reaching into his pocket for his cell phone.

We preach alertness all the time on here. I think he was just being alert. And as a firearm owner who is carrying. I think we have to go above and beyond to try to avoid those "little things" that can turn into big things.

[Bruce]

And, at this time, even if you saw a weapon, you have the duty to retreat....

we, in Pa. , do not have stand your ground, yet......

Yes, and I hate that; I hate it a lot.

Still, the prosecutor is going to have to *prove* (beyond a reasonable doubt) that I could have retreated in safety. Emotionally disturbed wackjob pouncing with a weapon vs. my flabby lazy-potato butt and cigarette smoke-choked lungs trying to run a 4-minute-mile? Even without the MRIs of my herniated discs, I think I'd have a case.

Time for me to ACTIVELY look for some training in "up close and personal" encounters. So far the only local guy I know (http://pistoltraining.com/) does not branch out into these types of scenarios. The coin jar keeps filling and I will keep looking.

If you are less than three feet away from an 'aggressor', you might consider a weapon other than a firearm. It's hard to know what's beyond your target when your 'target' fills your field of vision.

Stand in front of a heavy bag and mark with a marker the height of someone's throat. Have someone stand by with a timer and time the following: drawing your (unloaded, or, better, facsimile) firearm and pulling the trigger, drawing a (plastic/rubber) knife and slashing the eyes or throat, and, last, thrusting your hand (ridge - along the index finger, thumb folded under) into the assailant's throat as hard as you can.

The firearm 'may' cause instant incapacitation - but, it may not - and it also may miss/over-penetrate, especially if there is a struggle. The knife will likely stun the aggressor and may result in (eventual) permanent damage or death. A well-practiced hand thrust hard into the throat is typically unexpected (and, therefore, difficult to defend against) will stun and incapacitate the assailant (the air passage will be affected for up to a minute - an 'eternity' in a fight), and, again - possibly resulting in serious injury or death.

I think people (especially those who've never trained in such things) will be very surprised as to which of these three things can be executed the fastest and with the most precision and force.

I've known a lot of people in my life who seem to follow true to this Abraham Maslow saying: "If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."

Just because you carry a firearm, doesn't mean every (potentially deadly) fight needs to be won 'gunslinger style'.

If you can slash your assailant's eyes in half the time, or you can execute a 'chop' into the throat (potentially permanently) *collapsing* an aggressor's airway in one quarter the time, that you can draw, 'aim' and fire your firearm - why the heck would you waste the time??

I don't know about you, but for me: In a fight to the death, the object is to *win*, not to show off my 'quick draw' skills.
.

[Mtbkski]

F.I. R.E Institute gives classes on up close and personal self defense. Check them out. They are in the Monroeville Area.

[TheF00L]

Cool - thx

Amazing that here in the central part of the state, that need does not seem to be filled.

[Neo31rex31]

Never know what could or would happen - you simply prepared yourself. Nicely Done

[marinakorp]

If you think a religious whack job staring at you, is a threat enough to draw on, you need to put the gun away, and re-evaluate your life..........

Does that go for ANY religious whack job... or just one spouting judeo - christian beliefs... curious

[StovePipe]

It sounds as if you had the right idea being alert/concerned, but other than being a little strange or goofy, I don't see how this guy was a threat. Definitely not worthy of lethal force. Glad you didn't shoot him, but good that you alerted security to let them deal with him.

I will have to second that.

[PocketProtector]

Step away from the........ Man Purse ????? That thare sends a message. Made him think you were approachable

[Hokkmike]

Not condition red, nor orange....not even yellow. But annoying I am sure...

Lots of well intended goofy people in the world.