This scenario actually happened and it got me thinking and thought i'd share will all of you wonderful folk.
Recently, I was put in a very uncomfortable situation, here's the background.
A few buddies and me, about seven of us, were enjoying the nice warm weather to hit our area the other night. We were at my friends place, a third story apartment in a college town, he lives directly above the busiest bar in said college town.
There are thin alley ways in between all of the houses to allow access to the back, so fire escapes are made pretty interestingly, instead of being levitated from the ground they are simply stairs cases that go straight down (no zig zag pattern), they're pretty sturdy and safe and well maintained, but they make for very easy access to the rear of many peoples apartments.
Well we were all hanging out on the fire escape, sharing stories and what not, and we see at the end of this long alley way a group of about 7 or 8 guy, all of the same ethnicity (not important to the story) covered in jail house tattoos wearing tall tees, one wasn't wearing a shirt. They all looked drunk or high, really out of it, stern faced and aggressive looking.
Immediately I'm much more alert than I would normally have been. Large groups of drunk kids wasn't unusual but these kids seemed to be starring at us at looked like they were looking for trouble. Two of the kids start walking up the fire escape towards us and all of us stand up, definitely a breach of privacy though technically the fire escape is the general properties jurisdiction and not our own, (who knows they could be tenants using the back door right?)
Well they come up to us and accuse us of spitting over the roof and it landing on them. This was impossible because they were coming from the bar entrance area (about 15 yards away from us) which is in the back of the building. They claimed they saw us do it, and asked us if we had a problem. I really didnt feel like any of us had to explain anything to these punks, and I kindly just informed them, "No, we did not spit on you and we have no problem, do you live here?" They said no, so my friend who lived there simply said "Could you please leave" they stared at us for about 15 seconds and then started back down the stairs and the alley way to rejoin their friends.
One of them turned around and made a gesture, with his index and pointer finger pointing at us and the thumb sticking up as if the hammer of the gun, then made a recoil motion.
This sent me on HIGH alert. The kids then walked away and there was no further incident, though I was pretty shaken up that the situation was going to go south.
The reason I am posting this is because, I was not the only one carrying concealed, a friend of mine was also carrying concealed, and I noticed his hand very close to where he keeps his .38. He's been carrying for about 5 years, he's of sound mind, intelligent, not known to go off the handle or anything, but the entire time I was almost as concerned with him drawing on these kids after the hand gesture as I was with the immediate threat.
I felt that if he had drawn, the situation could have escalated, all of the the aggressors could have drawn, forcing me to draw as well. I felt like in this situation there were pro's and con's to having a friend carry as well.
Of course more firepower, another responsible safe CCer by my side, but simultaneously someone who's rational thoughts I am not in control of, I felt as if I was no longer in control of my option to brandish my pistol if he decided to pull his firearm out and THAT scared me.
Now obviously the situation diffused itself, no one was injured, I didn't have to draw, my friend didn't draw, and the punks left without incident. But it got me thinking about how I felt about friends carrying concealed. I'm just posing some questions here to see how you guys feel, despite everything I have said, my ultimate feeling is I am more comfortable with more responsible carriers than if my friends weren't carrying.
Also, food for thought, would any of you have drawn your weapon after the punk made the gesture / threat of drawing a firearm?
Recently, I was put in a very uncomfortable situation, here's the background.
A few buddies and me, about seven of us, were enjoying the nice warm weather to hit our area the other night. We were at my friends place, a third story apartment in a college town, he lives directly above the busiest bar in said college town.
There are thin alley ways in between all of the houses to allow access to the back, so fire escapes are made pretty interestingly, instead of being levitated from the ground they are simply stairs cases that go straight down (no zig zag pattern), they're pretty sturdy and safe and well maintained, but they make for very easy access to the rear of many peoples apartments.
Well we were all hanging out on the fire escape, sharing stories and what not, and we see at the end of this long alley way a group of about 7 or 8 guy, all of the same ethnicity (not important to the story) covered in jail house tattoos wearing tall tees, one wasn't wearing a shirt. They all looked drunk or high, really out of it, stern faced and aggressive looking.
Immediately I'm much more alert than I would normally have been. Large groups of drunk kids wasn't unusual but these kids seemed to be starring at us at looked like they were looking for trouble. Two of the kids start walking up the fire escape towards us and all of us stand up, definitely a breach of privacy though technically the fire escape is the general properties jurisdiction and not our own, (who knows they could be tenants using the back door right?)
Well they come up to us and accuse us of spitting over the roof and it landing on them. This was impossible because they were coming from the bar entrance area (about 15 yards away from us) which is in the back of the building. They claimed they saw us do it, and asked us if we had a problem. I really didnt feel like any of us had to explain anything to these punks, and I kindly just informed them, "No, we did not spit on you and we have no problem, do you live here?" They said no, so my friend who lived there simply said "Could you please leave" they stared at us for about 15 seconds and then started back down the stairs and the alley way to rejoin their friends.
One of them turned around and made a gesture, with his index and pointer finger pointing at us and the thumb sticking up as if the hammer of the gun, then made a recoil motion.
This sent me on HIGH alert. The kids then walked away and there was no further incident, though I was pretty shaken up that the situation was going to go south.
The reason I am posting this is because, I was not the only one carrying concealed, a friend of mine was also carrying concealed, and I noticed his hand very close to where he keeps his .38. He's been carrying for about 5 years, he's of sound mind, intelligent, not known to go off the handle or anything, but the entire time I was almost as concerned with him drawing on these kids after the hand gesture as I was with the immediate threat.
I felt that if he had drawn, the situation could have escalated, all of the the aggressors could have drawn, forcing me to draw as well. I felt like in this situation there were pro's and con's to having a friend carry as well.
Of course more firepower, another responsible safe CCer by my side, but simultaneously someone who's rational thoughts I am not in control of, I felt as if I was no longer in control of my option to brandish my pistol if he decided to pull his firearm out and THAT scared me.
Now obviously the situation diffused itself, no one was injured, I didn't have to draw, my friend didn't draw, and the punks left without incident. But it got me thinking about how I felt about friends carrying concealed. I'm just posing some questions here to see how you guys feel, despite everything I have said, my ultimate feeling is I am more comfortable with more responsible carriers than if my friends weren't carrying.
Also, food for thought, would any of you have drawn your weapon after the punk made the gesture / threat of drawing a firearm?