do people still fight in parking lots?

[WWJD]

so, Sunday night, I'm pulling into Boston Gourmet Pizza place, and I drive around the front to check for the perfect parking spot [you never get it if you dont check] and right in fron of the entrance is a Escalade followed by a Hummer. They are not to the right, but sort of hogging across the middle and just sitting there. I'm a good driver and have a small car so I figure I'll just pull around. I get up next to the hummer, or rather a little ahead [important later] and see some poor, old guy trying to back out of the handicapped spot there, but he can't because the Escalade is taking up the road. he inches back, checks, pulls up, corrects... I watch this dance for a minute. Then, a coatless SDS1 [sutff don't stink] comes out adn starts talking to the driver in the hummer. He sees the car trying desperately to get out but it doesn't seem to faze him. Then he gets in the Escalade and drives off. Now I have been sitting near the hummer for a couple minutes now. The car backs out and starts to drive off. As I pull forward I notice the hummer has finally decided to move forward also. Now, normally I'm a very polite, tollerant driver, but every now and then you just gotta do the right thing you know? At no point was I ever in the wrong... other than decided to not be 'polite' and yield way. I was already ahead of him with my blinker on so I continued with this hummer next to me a little behind, I could hear him revving and trying to intimidate my lil civic. Not happenin. I get to the edge of the building and turn right forcing SDS2 to use [oh my gosh!] his brakes. This was all at about 10 mph. He follows me to my parking place and stops behind my car. I get out and he rolls his window down and starts barking at me. Apparently, my name consists of a wide variety of vulgarities, and he wanted to help me sign up for some advanced driving classes somewhere. How thougtful of him. I pretty much ignore him and start walking back toward the entrance. It's about 2 degrees and I'm not sticking around to listen to whatever subliminal issues he feels like sharing with me. So, he jumps out of his vehicle and proceeds to explain how he intends to cause me bodily harm using various most of which revolve around foot connection to rearend. Ok. Are we twelve here? No, he's driving so at LEAST 16. I'd guess more around 28-30ish. Anywho, I keep walking and attempt to mirror how stupid he is with "Grown up" and "are you kidding?" He's getting more offended by my refusal to give him the time of day, walks faster and yells louder. Last time I turned to look at him I THINK I saw his buddy running up to him to get him to stand down. The yelling, cussing and threats continued across the parking lot with plenty of witnesses. I was fully expecting a whollop on the side or back of my head, to witch my counter would be a heel kick to the face. Maybe not very sportsman like, but I think if something is worth FIGHTING about, you best be ready to KILL the other person. Literally. I don't usually think of homicide over a driving annoyance as the best plan of action, but I guess people are dumb. Oddly, I came out after dinner to find none of my windows smashed, no key scratching, no flat tires. I am guessing alcohol was involved, as it is for many a bad decision.

But seriously folks, do people REALLY still fight in parking lots? Do I live in the back woods? Do Hummers really make guys FEEL bigger?

Also, for the police types, what is the general rule of thumb? Do I have to WAIT to be hit or can offense be for self defense? ? ?

 

[Mikey D]

Good on ya WW!

Don't start nuthin, just finish it up.

From what I understand the lack of self esteem some men get from SPS (small penis syndrome) can be offset with a Hummer. I think it's just false hope tho...

Personally I got me an old Chevy truck and a Saturn. (Oh and Suzie!

)

 

[Revlis]

I dunno Man, But I am pretty sure it's another case of "I am A tiny little #### of a Man, SO I better Buy BIG TRUCK" disease. There is alot of it out there, and the bigger the more $$$ the Truck, generally the smaller the brain. I know I am making generalizations but from experiance, EVERY person I know personally with an H2 or Similar? Really is TRYING very hard to be "somebody" Hell ANYBODY....

HE was most likely upset cause you didn't give a shid about his "ImageMobile"...

So be proud, you prolly ruined this peckerheads entire day simply by not giving a rats ass...

Fragile little men, in their BIG BAD TRUCKS... It's a popular trend especially here in Florida and apparantly in the Midwest as well.

Good Work WWJD.

I think Pepper Sray would have been a better solution... BUT, that's just the kind of ##### I am.... You we're being threatened with physical violence. Fuggin Hose him with some OC then call the Cops...

 

[him]

Hey your a lot more mature than i am becasue we would have been rolling all along the side of his nice hummer

I cant stand people who talk big game casue they got a nice whip. Just would have tested to see if his bark was as good as his bite. I think the law is if they make a move towards you

 

[him]

Here this is how it should have happend take note as female a opens up a can on male b
http://media.ebaumsworld.com/smackdown.wmv

 

[DAB]

WWJD, you're such a trouble maker...

Unfortunately, you can't jump on someone just because they abuse/threaten you verbally. Also, if you pepper-sprayed him, chances are you'd be charged with assault - the law doesn't seem to be on the victim's side unless they are physically damaged first or can prove that they were in fear for their life.

Many's the time I would have loved to perform an "attitude adjustment" on some A-hole, but had to take a deep breath and settle for being the "better man" by considering the consequences etc.

I know we have a few policemen on this forum however, so I'm sure they can give you more accurate guidance than I can.

 

[thrasherfox]

As long as their is only one witness left their is no one to contest the description of events as presented by the only witness

 

[WWJD]

That video was BAD!!

That dude really needed to walk away. He deserves it for hitting a woman. Question: why do people fight with that whole side swinging arm thing? Wouldn't strait forward power-thrust-punches be alot more effective for aim, power of impact, most damage and such? That's what I would do if it came to it.... and legs are longer too... kicks even more powerful. I dunno.. I lack the "Brawl" experience so what do I know

I didn't really wanna bring up the SPS thing but it was definitely a noticable factor. I didn't want to focus on that incase nice people here have Hummers, but there REALLY IS stats to back it up "average ower" - NOT sayin it's everyone, but I'm with REV... evey owner I've seen had some sort of obvious issue. His hummer could of rolled OVER my Civic. But he chose not to scratch it and yield. THAT's probably what really p!$$ed him off.... and the fact I was mostly ignoring him.

Possible responses after the fact that went thru my head:

1. walk back to hummer while pulling out cell phone... "Dispatch this is offduty 246, encoutering domestic disturbance requiring backup vicinity 12000 block University West Des Moines, run plates SPS-1138, one yellow HUMMER, suspect appears to be intoxicated..."

2. stop, talk calmly and reason with him

3. start hitting on his girlfirend on the passengerside [there wasn't one, but what if]

4. face him, unzip jacket, pretend to reach for gun

5. actually HAVE A gun [pellet gun], pull out, aim at his head and ask "Do you really want to go down like this?"

6. fight him and put my years of cardio, tae-bo and kickboxing to good use

I think I made the best choice

Anyone else do any scrapping? Any advice? How did it go? It's okay if he beat you

 

[paineless4u]

Yeah its been awhile since I been in a situation like that...... I think the pepper spray idea is priceless. I would shoot him a face full of spray and go about my business.

 

[MrGxr]

WWJD: you did a lot better than I would have. I am a little hard of hearing, so I would have turned and approached the individual to make sure I heard what he was trying to say. Most of the time this approach has caused the person to back off and walk away, but then again there was the time that the person did not back down. Yelling increased in volume, didn't have any problems hearing what he was saying, but did have a problem with the subject. He was bumping into me at a bar and after about the 5th time of him bumping (rubbing) against my leg (he was a lot shorter than myself) I asked him if he wanted a date or something. He responded that he was having shots with his buds and I was in the way. I explained that I had been at the bar a lot longer than he and he insisted that I was in the wrong. Well, after listening to him for a while, I turned to my cousin and asked if the guy with cauliflower ears was bugging him as well as bugging me. Cauliflower ears was bugging a lot, so being as suttle as possible, I threw an elbow into to his midsetion, caught him as he fell, and then let his friends know that they need to collect this guy and leave the area. They apologized for him and drug his A#$ off into the corner. Thinking when he came to there would be more of a scuffle, I prepared to throw down hard, he never did come back and my cousin and I got a round of drinks from another patron that the short, cauliflowered, thigh rubbing, loud mouthed, pain in the a$% was bugging also. All in all I try not to get in fights over stupid stuff, but then again I am not going to walk away...

 

[DAB]

Street fights are typically unpredictable. I worked in a biker bar frequented by Hells Angels when I was younger so I've seen a few.

If it's fists/feet, most people will flail away trying to keep their distance (hurt without getting hurt), they don't have boxers instincts to put the shoulder/body behind punches. Also, they tend to use fists rather than the edge of a hand, elbow, foot etc. like a martial artist would. If they get close then they'll latch on to the other person and then it's wrestling/a contest of stength until they wear each other out (which happens quite quickly usually because most people aren't highly trained fighters.)

If someone pulls a weapon it's a whole different scenario, people can get seriously maimed/killed. Don't take on anyone who has a weapon unless you intend to kill them, or are prepared to accept the risk of getting killed/crippled yourself. Pulling a weapon yourself risks an escalation where the opponent responds in a like manner. There was a road rage incident in Denver a while ago where a driver pulled his gun, the other driver did the same and they shot each other - just because one made a traffic manoeuver the other didn't like. There was another incident when I lived in Connecticut where an old guy pulled out a crossbow (?) shot and killed a younger road rager, then he and his wife drove home as if nothing happened. Both of them went to jail. If you don't get killed in this kind of confrontation, but kill the other guy, you still risk being convicted of manslaughter and spending some time being Bubba's girlfriend in the slammer....

And don't think that just because you're bigger/more skillled than the other guy you'll win. There was a famous bodybuilder who made that mistake and pushed around a little guy who promptly drove home, got his gun, came back and blew the big guy away.

Street fighting isn't like you see in the movies. It's messy, painful, undignified, pointless and dangerous. You can sustain injuries and consequences that you'll regret for the rest of your life. Don't do it.

 

[Revlis]

WWJD, you're such a trouble maker...

Unfortunately, you can't jump on someone just because they abuse/threaten you verbally. Also, if you pepper-sprayed him, chances are you'd be charged with assault - the law doesn't seem to be on the victim's side unless they are physically damaged first or can prove that they were in fear for their life.

Many's the time I would have loved to perform an "attitude adjustment" on some A-hole, but had to take a deep breath and settle for being the "better man" by considering the consequences etc.

I know we have a few policemen on this forum however, so I'm sure they can give you more accurate guidance than I can.

BAH! It's all in the approach I think... Especially when the guy is obviously intoxicated. Makes life so much better.

Do some damage, get the poor hapless ####### so spun up and excited that he's near manic and frothing by the time PD arrives... They aren't going to listen to a thing he or his friends say... Hell they will barely be making sense.

And Uh, On foot, Approaching a person yelling and carrying on is a defensible position if you can show "reasonable Concern" for safety. Basically if you approach me running your mouth, stepping up in a hurry armed or un-armed, but posing a threat? I can knock the everloving or Pepper the fug out of you, and by and large, it is a defensible case. Especially if I was acting in a defensive manner only. AKA No Kicking the Jewels while the poor fugger is crying like a little girl.

Mostly though, I was being funny though, I think WWJD did the right thing. Who gives a shid about some miserable little pud in his Jumped up Tahoe. JD had nothing to prove, and is much better off for just letting the dickweed vent meaninglessly at his backside.

Folks that act this way have much bigger problems than all but a few of us here, so it really isn't worth getting involved in their misery. Hell I got too much to loose to let myself get sucked into a fuggin idiot fest with some fool. I don't have any real problems, don't need any either.

 

[VaBusa]

Amusing story WWJD...what you witnessed is essentially why we have road rage (we'll call this parking lot rage) and why I hate little guys (and girls) in SUVs...

Glad you just walked away, and even more happy (shocked and surprised) that your little Civic was intact! That's pretty amazing...

 

[thrasherfox]

I dont know.. after WWJD's "OTHER STORY" not sure if we can belive this one or not.. I think he might just be working us...

 

[busahaya]

You did the right thing by just ignoring the wannabe

bad@$$.

 

[vincent]

Some of the things we have to look at within the continuum of force is temper and intent. If he has a bad temper and obviously intends to do damage or physicla bodily harm, you are within your rights to defend yourself and diffuse the situation. While this does not mean that you can smash a forearm into his face breaking his nose, you can use submissions to end the conflict.

Or if you really just wanted to piss him off, toss a small amount of dirt on his big bad off road vehicle. It would be the only dirty "posermobile" that I have ever seen.

 

[WWJD]

I dont know.. after WWJD's "OTHER STORY" not sure if we can belive this one or not.. I think he might just be working us...

oh no, this is NON fiction. for fiction, I always adds plenty of colorful descriptions. I am not sure if the guy was drunk... he didn't act like it... it was just so dumb I couldn't fathom someone NOT drunk acting that way... but I don't get out much either.

The whole thing left me wired and shaken, and I've really a lover not a fighter and I don't know how I would truly react. I had two other instances that showed I respnd quickly and precisly without thinking so I guess I'd be okay. I can't imagine getting so mad over this. A honk and 'the finger' should have sufficed. I think my last real fight was highschool where some older kid slappunched me - it stunned me and I just stood there, shocked he actually hit me and that was it.

Great reading your stories though!

 

[BulletTrain]

Most times in public it's "preferred" by the courts that you make a substantial effort to leave the area/avoid the confrontation prior to using force to defend yourself. If you were walkin' away and he kept approaching you yelling threats you should have been ok to stop, hold your ground and flatten him if he made an agressive physical move on you. Walking away obviously wasn't workin'.

My guess is that since you kept walkin' instead of challenging him he took you for a wuss. That's probably the only reason he kept approachin'. If you had stopped and turned around he probably would have stopped, or even backed up but kept runnin' his mouth. You done the right thing though.

And yes, people still fight in parking lots...

 

[thrasherfox]

I dont know.. after WWJD's "OTHER STORY" not sure if we can belive this one or not..  I think he might just be working us...  

oh no, this is NON fiction.  for fiction, I always adds plenty of colorful descriptions.   I am not sure if the guy was drunk... he didn't act like it... it was just so dumb I couldn't fathom someone NOT drunk acting that way...  but I don't get out much either.  

  The whole thing left me wired and shaken, and I've really a lover not a fighter     and I don't know how I would truly react.  I had two other instances that showed I respnd quickly and precisly without thinking so I guess I'd be okay.   I can't imagine getting so mad over this.  A honk and 'the finger' should have sufficed.  I think my last real fight was highschool where some older kid slappunched me - it stunned me and I just stood there, shocked he actually hit me and that was it.

Great reading your stories though!

you did the right thing.

Never fight unless you have no choice. Then if that happens, finish it as quick as possible.

Just like I was always taught about firearms, never ever ever pull a gun out unless you plan on using it, no trying to intimidate anyone.

And if you do pull it out, do so with the intention of killing the other person, not trying to cripple them or disable them.

Same thing with fighting, don’t fight someone unless you are willing to take their life.

Because whomever you are fighting, they could accidentally trip over some and hit their head, or you could also. And head trauma can be deadly.

So whenever you get into a physical altercation with someone, you really have no idea how it will turn out.

in your situation, taking someone’s life or losing your life over a parking dispute is silly.

Just this morning on the news, some guy was frustrated with a slow moving car, took him a few miles to pass him, when he finally did he flipped the slow moving car off.

The person in the slow moving car in response fired a gun at him. This was just on the news this morning..

A bunch of freaks out there and anyone can snap at any moment. So my motto is, best to fly under the radar and stay away from confrontations at all cost because the cost could be more than anyone wants to pay

 

[jay21112]

WWJD you did the smart thing man... but here is the problem with the smart thing.... It isn't satisfying now is it?

You went home and typed this post because you were pissed that although you did the correct thing and defused the situation..... you did not put this arrogant loser in his place.

Had you sat there and got him fuming to the point that he hit you, you could have kicked the living stuffing out of him and taught him a lesson for the rest of his life.

So, you would have actually done some good both for the world as a whole and for this idiot by forcing him to smarten up and stop acting like a fool. Then you would have came home satisfied!

Of course, you did the smart thing (he could have had a weapon, he could have just been a better fighter than you, he could have had 10 friends stuffed in the backseat, you could have gone to jail, etc...)

BUT....I'm glad I'm young and stupid! (I don't start fights, but I never throw water on a ticking bomb....I blow on it to give that fuse a little more oxygen!)

Who wants to live forever? I'd rather live an unforgetable, unregretable 30 year life than a bland, uninteresting 100 year life.