Intervention

[BikerRN]

I just thought this might be a good read for those new to concealed carry as well as a good "refresher" to those who are an old hand at carrying.

http://www.stoppingpower.net/commentary/comm_dangers_in_intervention.asp

Biker

[nodaywithout]

good find

[Bill of Rights]

Indeed so. Thanks for posting it. :)

Blessings,
B

[Tanzer]

It gives another good point for protecting the Second Ammendment;
I have the right to carry to protect my family and myself. Ms "X" may be a great gal, but I don't carry it for her. I suggest people exercise their right to own, so they may protect their family and themselves.
This guy was on the job. Imagine explaining yourself as a private citizen. It's kind' like the lottery. Once in a blue moon a "hero" will emerge like the volunteer security girl who stopped that nut out in (Colorado?) that tried to shoot up a church, but that's the exception, not the rule.

[VegasGeorge]

Armed intervention is a very scary concept. Evan explains it well in his article. I particularly liked the example of the "car jacking," which was actually an attempt by a custodial parent to recover possession and custody of a kidnapped child from the non-custodial parent. If you intervened in that situation, and wound up shooting the apparent car jacker, everyone would sue you. And win.

I suppose one good argument for not carrying a gun would be to avoid the temptation to intervene in situations where you might be mistaken as to what's actually happening. Suppose you were driving down your airport's service road when you saw the van in front of you suddenly pull over and stop on the shoulder. The rear door is thrown open and a young fellow jumps out and shoulders what appears to be a SAM launcher. He is aiming it at a passenger plane just taking off. You pull out your gun and shoot him. Then it turns out that he's just a stupid college kid acting in a film skit for his media arts class final project. You could just about kiss you home and life's savings good-by.

[Bill of Rights]

True enough, George, but since you opened that door...

Given your "stupid college kid" scenario, and you, say, 50 yards back when he pulls over (ie just enough time for him to get out and shoulder the "weapon", what would you do? I don't know if I'd shoot, but I'd probably at least stop to challenge, especially if I was alone. With family? I might think differently, as in, "I have the right to risk my own life, but do I have the right to risk theirs? Especially for strangers? There are the other possibilities, too, of "get the license plate and be a good witness" or ramming his vehicle with yours, too, of course. I'm sure there are others as well.

Good scenario. I look forward to your reply.

Blessings,
B

[EBDPA]

Great article. It really makes you stop and think. I was taught "if it's not worth dying for, its not worth shooting". That limits my options to me and my family and close friends.

Remember, you 'could lose everything' which includes your life, your home and your family if you choose wrong. The right to carry does not equate with 'the glamour of heroism'. As much as each of us thinks that we would be willing to step up and be the 'hero' in a given circumstance, your responsibility to your family and those you love is the higher calling.

really makes you think...

[magnum]

His article is right on. I am the type that will read through scenerios and spend time reading the Armed citizen sections of magazines. It is the only way to get in touch with what can happen.

Reading some of the aftermath from intervention has changed my thinking. I have now realized that self defense does not mean defense in itself by use of force and by the gun. There are other less lethal ways to intervene in situations.

I always remember the story of the Coin operated laundy owner who kept getting robbed so he placed a camera in his shop. One of the first video surveilance setups. The owner was sued by the robber for invasion of privacy.... AND WON!

Never think that something going to a jury is an open and closed case. If you intervene and go to court, you better have you a good defense team lined up.

[VegasGeorge]

Bill of Rights, here is an actual situation that happened to me many years ago. It still haunts me.

I was driving the company car down the San Bernardino Freeway in So. Cal. There was practically no traffic going in my direction. There was a lot of traffic on the other side going the opposite direction. I came up behind a lone motorcyclist riding a chopper. He was weaving around and crossing from the number 1 lane into the number 2 lane every so often. I slowed down and held a ways back from him. Then I saw that he had a gun in his right hand. Every so often, he would bring it across in front of him, and shoot at the traffic on the other side. He was shooting at the cars! Every time he shot, he partially lost control of the bike, and it would weave erratically, accounting for his crossing over the lanes. I had no phone in the car. No one else was in sight on my side of the highway. I considered ramming the guy with my car. I knew that at the speed we were going, I'd probably kill him. All the ramifications went through my mind. What would the company say? What if the gun got "lost." What about the guy's buddies, would they come looking for me? While I was frozen with indecision, he took at least another couple of shots, then apparently ran out of ammo. He sped up and disappeared up an off ramp.

I never got close enough to see the license number on the bike. I did report the incident as soon as I could get to a phone. I watched the papers for a couple of days, but never saw anything about anyone getting shot on the freeway.

I was a lot younger then. Today, I'm pretty sure I would ram him, and take my chances with the law and his buddies. But, you just never know until you are actually in the situation.

[jlc]

In the first post by BikerRN, my guess would be that an opportunistic lawyer was the instigator of the suit , ambulance chasers as it were.

[tuna]

I've said something similar before, but I don't mind being "the guy with..." when it comes to a screwdriver, knife, bottle opener or jumper cables. Some people just refuse to prepare themselves for circumstances, and therefore always have "emergencies".

But there is no way I'm going to jeopardize my family or myself because people decide that someone will always be there to help them.

Don't threaten me or mine, and we'll get along fine.

As for the "sheep" - dial 911 like you said I should do, and when you realize that it does not work, let me know when you're ready for advice on getting training and your permit, and I'll even introduce you to the clerks at the gun store, when you realize that YOU are responsible for your own safety. Maybe once you start being prepared, you'll even carry a set of jumper cables.


(Sorry for the rant, but the jumper cables thing really drives me nuts. I've got an older car, hence I carry jumper cables. Everyone at work drives newer cars, and no jumper cables, but they leave their freaking lights on, and my rapid rubbish is always hooked up to half my mortage payment in SUV, and it looks to all the world like my car will never start and I'm too lazy to fix it!)