odd incident this week...not fun.

I debated even dumping this over the last day or so, but figured at least this way I can have someone outside of the situation look over it and pipe in with some constructive criticism...

This happened 10/19/2011 I think around 10am-ish. Would need to check with GoodGuysFixingMyCar Auto Repair on the time on the sheet when I signed my car over to them for repair. I've replaced the names of the shops and shop owner where applicable. If someone really wants the biz names just PM me and I'll respond when I can.

All of this transpired in Sterling VA in the span of probably only a couple of minutes at most, but sure as heck felt longer. I tried to add to this throughout the day hoping to not forget anything, as I had a chance to recover from the adrenaline dump a few hours later. I'm not typically the type to whine about someones verbal threats as they're usually just someone full of yellow stuff and vinegar and quite frankly not worth the effort, but this guys is well... unique and I believe worth mentioning.

There are a number of competing auto repair businesses in the same complex. General description of the guy I had the run in with: Middle-aged, slightly overweight guy with a scruffy goatee or beard, salt and peppered approached from IDIOTWORKSAUTO Autoworks next to GoodGuysFixingMyCar Auto repair.

I had taken my car to drop off for repair work at GoodGuysFixingMyCar Auto Repair when my car started acting funny on my way to work this morning(GoodGuysFixingMyCar was highly recommended for their honesty and professionalism by all of my coworkers and others in the area). I had arranged about 15 minutes prior for my brother in law to swing by in his pickup and give me a lift to work after I dropped off my car with GoodGuysFixingMyCar. I couldn't find any spots to park in the lot at first and then noticed an open parking space closer to another business. I started to pull in and noticed a sign painted on the asphalt in the spot for the other business, so I backed out of the spot and circled around the block looking for another unmarked spot.

I couldn't find one and ended up parking on the side of the road of the pipe-stem into the business complex. I failed to find any "No Parking" signs or other business signs and parallel parked there. As I approached the business complex on foot, this older gentleman came running out of the IDIOTWORKSAUTO autoworks place adjacent to me, across the parking lot, and started screaming and cursing at me while flailing his arms and yelling that he's going to have me towed for parking in "his" parking spot. I apologized and tried to explain that as soon as I noticed a painted sign in the spot near his business that I backed out and parked back out on the street, but then he claimed that was his spot too and would still have me towed.

He continues his yelling and gesturing at me while I'm trying to apologize and back away. At this point he's closed the distance from 25 or so yards to about 10 in the blink of an eye and is already closer to my car than I am so getting to my car isn't an option. He's also taking a step or two forward with each volley of expletives. Around this time my brother in law pulls up to to wait for me to drop off my keys with the GoodGuysFixingMyCar Repair folks, but since I was dealing with this nutcase I didn't want to turn my back on him to get to the truck. My BIL had already put the truck in park and idled waiting for me to drop off the car and at the time oblivious to what was going on. He was also parked with the passenger side facing away from me.

Unbeknownst to him he had just put it in park right in front of another spot claimed as owned by this nutcase so he turns his anger from me to my BIL and starts heading for the truck. At this point I run to step between the angry nut and my BIL's truck, stuck my left hand out with a stop motion and quickly tried to explain that he was only stopping long enough for me to hop in and we were going to leave. So now I have my BIL about 5 yards to my rear (with the passenger side facing away from me)along with a line of other parked cars and this angry shop owner about 5 yards to my front, facing me. He's still yelling at me and now telling me to get my BIL to move the truck and I'm trying to motion with my other hand behind my back to my BIL to get the truck MOVED without taking my eyes off this angry guy and still apologizing(ie I'm sorry, we're moving, it wont happen again, etc...).

My BIL finally figures out whats going on and throws the truck in gear, pulls across lot and pulls further down into the complex and closer to the GoodGuysFixingMyCar Auto repair bay at which point this guy is now back to yelling at me and advancing again. Now I'm still trying to back my way across the lot closer to the GoodGuysFixingMyCar folks while still apologizing profusely and this guy is still pitching a fit about his spots being taken. Finally he backs off and just stands where he's at in the middle of the parking lot and I've managed to make it in to GoodGuysFixingMyCar at this point.

I get inside and the owner of GoodGuysFixingMyCar comes over, introduces himself, and profusely apologizes to me and begins to explain that this neighbor of his has been harassing everyone that comes into the lot. I get the same earful and then some from the OTHER CUSTOMERS waiting in line at the shop. I even heard one other older gentleman that was already being helped mention this nut had threated to shoot him on a previous occasion for taking his spot the last time he was here.

This guy got me amped up mighty quick because he was on me from about the time I got into the parking area on foot(ie away from my car). I had a full on, 0-60 degree adrenaline dump from about 5 seconds in and I didn't get much of a description of his face or attire because I was too focused on his hands that he kept gesturing at me with while yelling and moving towards me. It took an awful lot for me to keep backing further and further off and just keep apologizing to this nut and he just kept getting more and more angry. No apology nor amount of movement away seemed enough for this guy. He's a loose canon just waiting to go off.

I had to return yesterday to retrieve my car when it was completed and I was thankfully able to avoid this guy at IDIOTWORKSAUTO Autoworks since the owner of GoodGuysFixingMyCar arranged to allow me to pick up the vehicle after hours.

In hindsight I probably should have hopped into the bed of the truck and yelled for my BIL to hit the gas, but at the time my focus was completely on the angry guy which I suppose is both good and bad.:tired:

BTW the BIZ OWNER at GoodGuysFixingMyCar ate the cost of the most expensive parts to repair my car as he was afraid his violent neighbor would scare away my future business.

...Yep, it's been one of those weeks!

You managed the situation and kept it from escalating. 'Sounds like you done good to me.

I know it was probably difficult to not offer the nutjob a 'tune-up'. Don't worry, somebody will eventually get around to him.

This man is gonna get his head kicked in by someone who doesnt practice self restraint. Just a matter of time.

I think you did everything right and did not escalate the situation.

I think you did great and displayed more patience than I would have.

It seems like this guy from the get go is that type of confrontational person that is just dying to get the excrement beat out of him and then plead innocence.

I think you handled the situation as best that you could considering the circumstances. If you were not parking on this "gentleman's" property, then he has no right to tell you those are "his" parking spots unless he has some sort of permit from the city. If you were on the street, most likely that is public property and you may park there unless otherwise posted.

I would have called 911 and reported this dork and dispensed with any appology. You didn't need to appologize whatsoever. Let a few LEO's show up and see how Mr. Bad he becomes with them. I'm sure they would have given him an attitude adjustment.

I had a similar situation with an angry guy who threatend me while I was doing my Appraisal work for the County. I yanked out my cell phone and called 911. He was Mr. Brave until the Sheriff Deputy showed and this loon ran into his house and never confronted me again.

You done good. I am interested to know though if you were armed or not at the time since you were on your way to work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TN_Mike

You done good. I am interested to know though if you were armed or not at the time since you were on your way to work.

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I was(concealed G19). If my pants are on, so is my firearm. Work doesn't really affect my judgement as to whether or not I carry. I don't have any dependents though so that probably changes perspective a bit. I still figure I can get a new job if I get fired even if it's cleaning sewers. I can't get a new life.

You did good.

I probably would have stood my ground (I'm in Florida) and resorted to pepper spray if he didn't back down.

I agree y'all done good. Better than I undoubtedly would have in the same circumstance. To be honest, as I was reading, I kept waiting for some mention of doing something you shouldn't have, which didn't happen.

Pack, did you training in Krav come into play in your decision making. That is, did you have
sufficient confidence that you could if needed go H2H to break off an encounter or end it without
needing the G19?

When you were backing away and apologizing, did you get any sense that this guy would take that
as a weakness and an excuse to escalate? If so, was that in your mind as a concern?

If the guy didn't look like he could've hurt you badly, I would have stood my ground, reminding him if he continued to advance on you and make threatening gestures but with no weapon other than his hands, that if he laid a hand on you you will own his business and live in his house and most probably with his kind of temper, sleep with his wife. That would either make him back off or escalate. I would not stand there and take his threats or abuse. And I certainly would refuse to become his mornings entertainment. I've had similar situations where I simply told the guy, " if I'm breaking any law, call a cop!" Then I just walked around him and went about my business. In one instance the guy called the cops. The cop came and told me that the guy was a PITA and called them every day. I asked the cop if I was breaking any law. He told me I wasn't but he would consider it a personal favor if I would go somewhere else. He said if I refused he couldn't arrest me but he could ruin my day. Having lot's of friends who are LE's I knew what he meant and I left.

You did the best you could though. Probably a lot better than I would have.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GunGeezer

If the guy didn't look like he could've hurt you badly, I would have stood my ground,

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Depends on state law. There might be a duty to retreat.

If I'm legally parked he can go suck on a lollipop

Hopyard brings up an excellent point about retreating. I'm in KY and we have no obligation to retreat. So by all rights I wouldn't have to retreat but I think I would have done the same as you if I could retreat safely. You did an excellent job and should be proud of yourself. I would be tempted to hold my ground and tell him to call the cops the same as GunGeezer said but there is risk nevertheless involved with this strategy. The belligerent man may have appeared to be unarmed but he could possibly produce a knife in a second's notice. You already said that he was making time quickly and given what we know about the Tueller drill, an average man can cover 21 feet in 1.5 seconds so if you had stood your ground you could have been putting yourself in possible danger. So even though you might not have been obligated to retreat (since I don't know your state's laws), standing your ground wouldn't have necessarily been the best thing for you to do.

Calling 911 while the man is advancing you may also be risky. If your hands are preoccupied with your phone at the same time as an angry man is approaching you, you may not get to your gun fast enough if he lunges towards you with a weapon. I'm not sure if calling the police after the situation would have done any good since you were no longer in danger. I don't know if he could have gotten a "disturbing the peace" after the fact or not. If he made threats to you, you may be able to press charges after the fact.

Besides all of that, you did a great job.