I first joined the USCCA in 2014 and was issued my first CCW in 2018. I practice drawing from a holster and retention shooting at an outdoor range about 4 hours per week. So I am very proficient with a handgun I try to carry each time I leave my home. What I have learned is that bad things only develop when I am not carrying a firearm.
I am 80 years old,180 pounds and in good shape for an old guy. My wife is 78 years old, has dementia and has to use a walker.
This morning when I pulled into the parking lot to drop her off at adult day care I saw that a shuttle van was parked sideways in front of the handicap ramp to the facility. This required me to lift her up over the curb so that she could use her walker to enter the facility. As we were walking in, the driver of the van was walking out. I made the mistake of telling him that he should not park in that way, because others need to use the ramp. He did not appreciate my advice and had no problem telling me so. He was 50 years younger and 50 pounds heavier than I. So I knew a fist fit would have a bad outcome for me.
What was running through my mind is that because I was only walking my wife into the day care facility I had left my firearm in the side pocket of my car. I also had a can of pepper stray in my pocket but never even thought of pulling it out. I truly thought I was prepared for this kind of conflict. I have watched tons of videos and read even more articles. But when it happened to me all I did was listen to an angry young man threaten me and my wife.
This entire event was over in a few minutes and Praise the Lord that only words were exchanged. I am very disappointed in myself for a few reasons.
I should have never tried to advise him of his inconsiderate behavior
The best fight is one that you are not in
I had the pepper spray in my pocket as a less than lethal option and never touched it
I left my gun in the car.
Over and over again I have been told and told others that you should always be carrying.
Not knowing how the parking lot is laid out for shuttle van drop off, it could be possible that was the only spot to park for whoever he was transporting?
I got yelled at when I was a delivery driver because I was blocking (not parked in) one of three (all empty) handicapped parking spaces for a quick 2 minute delivery.
It was there, or blocking the street with the truck completely parked in traffic.
Or park a block away and walk it in taking closer to ten minutes for that single delivery?
If there was better parking for the shuttle, then you were absolutely in the right to say something.
If not, then?
The driver shouldn’t have been a prick about it regardless.
In this case the parking lot was empty. He could have parked in the handicap space and off loaded his passenger. He chose to park sideways blocking the entire handicap ramp. Being right didn’t help me when I realized I had started an argument the that could have ended with me getting badly hurt or killed. From here on I plan on speaking less and being better prepared if things still go wrong
His threats included, beating and killing myself and my wife. As it turned out, he walked away and that did not happen. If he had followed through on his threats because of his age and weight difference, I had no way of protecting myself without a firearm which I did not have. it was sitting comfortably in my car. I don’t plan on making that mistake again
That changes everything. It sounds like the guy is emotionally crazy. I would have called the police. That is a serious offense. The guy should be locked up.
I have VETERAN tags (USAF) on the Expedition. Several local businesses have VETERAN ONLY parking spots just like the have HANDYCAPPED or PREGNANT MOTHER parking spots. It’s a sign of respect. Lowe’s has VETERAN parking spots.
My Wife and I went to Lowe’s on Saturday morning and I found a VETERAN parking spot and parked. A guy who had been behind me got out of his truck and demanded I move so he could park there. He had VETERAN tags also (ARMY). He said I wasn’t a Veteran because I was in the Air Force. “THAT PARKING SLOT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO SERVED!! YOU WERE AIR FORCE! YOU DIDN’T SERVE!!”
We just walked away and did our shopping. I think we were there for TruFuel so I could do the trimming at the house.
When we got back out to the truck, that guy was still there with local PD and he was still trying to plead his case stating I never served. A second officer pulled me aside and got my statement, checked my ID, which has the VETERAN endorsement, which I used inside Lowe’s to get a discount.
PD convinced him to leave or get ticketed or arrested for disorderly conduct or whatever. It turned out he only served for a year, was never deployed and twisted his knee during training. Six years deep in my tour of duty I got knocked off an airplane and BROKE my knee. I stayed in and served six more years.
People are going to try to get the better of us every day just because their lives aren’t as good as ours are. Don’t escalate if you have the opportunity to avoid the fight. If you do have to fight, fight like the second male monkey boarding the Arc and it’s starting to rain.
