My flat tire almost resulted in shooting.

[Kerbouchard]

So, I was driving down a two lane highway last night right about dusk and I get a flat tire. Before I got out of my car, I took my pistol out of my Smartcarry and put it in my jacket pocket. There wasn't much of a shoulder so I was half on the shoulder, half in the ditch and I'm getting my spare and jack and everything ready and somebody in a blue 4x4 pulls up behind me and asks what the problem is. Well, when I noticed he was pulling up, I got in front of the car so as to have some kind of cover...I didn't know who he was and with all the crazies out there I was just trying to be careful. Well, as he approaches me, he keeps his right hand near his strong side with his strong side away from me, so now I'm thinking this guy has a gun. Well, I have my pistol in my jacket pocket and I have my hand on the grip and I circle around the car to keep the car in between me and him and now he starts to look alarmed. Well, he jerks his jacket back and I see his holster(I was just going to shoot through my jacket). Anyway, we both yell "CHL" at the same time and we both kind of freeze. It took a few minutes for my heart to stop pounding, and we did get to laugh about it while we were changing the tire, but it seriously scared the hell out of me. I'm just glad we both had CHL instructors that advised us to yell CHL if we were ever about to draw. I thought it was kind of stupid and melodramatic when my instructor mentioned it during the class, but it definitely helped in this situation.
Any thoughts on how this situation could have been avoided all together? This one was way to close for comfort.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[jarhead79]

What reason did either of you have to draw? You were nervous, understandable. He really had no reason to even stop, if he was so nervous that he needed to draw.

[Kerbouchard]

I didn't draw, when I got the flat tire, I put my pistol in my jacket before I got out of the car. He said the way I was circling the car made him think somebody else was out there and I was trying to get his back to them.

[Thumper]

This one has me scratchin' my noggin! I'm glad you two nervous fellas didn't shoot each other!

[Ben Hennessy]

I'm glad everything worked out fine but I've never heard of anyone yelling out CHL. I'm not sure a BG would know what that means. My instructor taught us to yell out freeze or do not come any closer. Any BG would know what that means. I guess there is different ways of doing things depending on who instructed you. I'm glad this worked out for you.

[Ram Rod]

That's a pretty cool adrenaline-testing scenario considering. Even though it's always best to be on constant alert, I think the both of you were on edge for some reason, and IMO, didn't need to be that much so. Much as we've been desensitized to the good things that go on in society (because so many bad things can happen), we must remember there are still decent, law-abiding citizens out there willing to help and be a good samaritan. Be ready, but don't scare them off. LOL

[Kerbouchard]

Well, I wasn't really nervous at the time, it was just afterwards my nerves went into overdrive, I guess the adrenaline thing. I guess I was on edge because it was getting dark and the road I was on doesn't have much traffic. I guess I've kind of forgotten that people in Texas generally try to help. I just got out of the Navy and was in San Diego for the last 4.5 years and my car could be on fire and nobody would stop.
I think he was nervous because he couldn't see my hands and I was a little suspicious just by the way he was holding his hand and the way he was approaching. All that aside, I know it was a stupid situation and I'm just glad it worked out as well as it did. Just figured I would share.

[grady]

At least your situational awareness was working. You correctly assumed he was armed.

[Thumper]

You know Berney, your story brings up a good point...

Other events can cause our emotions and nerves to be at a higher level so that when we are faced with the decision to use our weapon or not, we might be adversely influenced.

I already know that certain things "push my buttons" more than others but... I would be wise to recognize that, like in your situation, being not fully off the road and that fact that it was about to get dark, among other factors, caused apprehension on your part, that I am also likely to be more tense for lack of a better word in a similar situation and that would certainly influence my behavior.

Something to think about for sure!

[SIXTO]

I guess it was a good lesson for the both of you.

[packinnova]

You know...I tend to think Berney had reason to be nervous. His gut instinct and situational awareness kicked in enough that he picked up on the other guy acting quite out of the norm. I tend to question why someone who PUT themselves into a situation and then feel the need to rest on their gun (ie the guy that pulled up behind him). I'd have been itchy about that guy too.

[bacchus99]

Hmmm. The only reason the guy stopped to help was because he was armed. If the guy didn't have his gun he probably wouldn't have stopped to help. Seems to me he was trying to be some sort of hero. You reacted just fine. Not sure about yelling CHL but did seem to work out here.

[friesepferd]

wow. interesting story.
you guys both recognized abnormal behavior and your reactions to it just kept pushing each other along. im sure glad it turned out ok.
never heard of the yelling CHL thing either. in most instances it wouldnt do much, but it sure did here. at least you two learned a lesson.
stay calm. do everything you can to NOT make it look like you have a gun. and make sure you know what is going on before you think about using your gun

[Ti Carry]

That's just weird!


Ti

[FN1910]

You didn't say if the fellow said anything when he pulled up and got out which would kind of scare me also. If I had stopped I would have started talking as soon as I opend the truck door to try and warn you or at least try to let you know that I wasn't up to no good. Sort of reminds me of a friend that was trying to catch his wife cheating. He said he knocked on the front door and then ran around to the back door. Said he would never do that again as the fellow coming out the back door almost killed him running over him. From then on he came up to the front door singing.