And without proper training, you are in more danger from yourself than from a potential threat.

Trunk monkey! (Somebody had to say it.)

I am in New jersey so carry of any sort is pretty much off the table. It is getting more and more dangerous out there and the tables are being turned on the victims.

First, make yourself a gray person, be aware of your surroundings and don't put yourself in a position to be victimized.

I wouldn't be driving my 911 at night in "questionable" areas. I know this incident happened in a Kia but the OP did say the 911 would be a DD.

In this day and age, you can't flip someone off, flash your lights, honk your horn, etc. It is quite possible the offending driver was trying to cause a confrontation to car jack the car. They may have been eyeing up a victim.

In the OP the offending driver had their high beams on, readjust the rearview mirror. Let the driver pass no need to flash them. Let it be the next guy's problem.

Keep distance from other vehicles even at stop lights, don't get boxed in. Keep your options open for an escape route.

Even if provoked don't get into a confrontation unless it is absolutely necessary.

Why do people use the word spoon instead of gun? This is easily the lamest thing I've seen on this forum. Do you think you are giving the FBI the slip or something idiotic like that? Do you think you're some teenager spy using a secret code language? Grow up.

Sugar,

May I call you Sugar?

There was a discussion going on and someone was talking about an antique spoon, Tabs I think, but everyone knew he was into firearms. And they thought he was taking about guns.

It is one of the idiosyncrasies of the forum, that dates WAY back. Like the guy who misspelled generator gererator. Or misspelled cowboy, coboy. or doomed was domed. It just becomes one of those things in the forum.

Not code, more of an old inside joke

Like "cratch slapping", or sack cutting.

It's a bit like parking your black Audi wagon while you watch the roof girl.

Whoa there pard.

A well set up 944 is easily the lamest….

Paul has the answer!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h25f7aHm9DU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Only one time in my life have I prevented a situation from deteriorating by having a pistol in my hand. And, in my case it was enough for the other party to see it and have a change of heart. I also never pointed it at the other person, just let it be seen. If the (big) other person had attacked would I have used it? Probably but glad I did not have to find out. I have had many road rage occurrences happen over the almost 60 years I have been driving but have managed to get away each time without any severe consequences. However, I will say that I carry a weapon in my car, especially when travelling. It is out of sight, accessible and large enough caliber to do the job.
There are also times that I conceal carry (with license) but I use an inside the waistband type holster and it is never exposed or in view. I guess the bottom line is to do what you have to do but with consideration of the s**t you could get yourself into!

Often times that is all it takes, a simple deterrent. A person walking down the street with a Pit-bull, Doberman, Sheppard on a leash. Does the dog actually need to bite someone? I can't tell you how many times I have walked down the street and seen people walking their dogs. I watch the person; all it takes is for the person to get a better grip on the leash as I approach, a second hand, pull the dog closer, divert the dog to the other side. I will alter course and give plenty of buffer.

My concealed carry instructor said "Never draw your weapon as a deterrent. If you're in a situation dangerous enough to draw your weapon, use it. Otherwise you had no reason to draw the weapon"

In Texas law, brandishing in considered no different than actually firing the gun!

I have "prepared" to pull out my pistol twice. The one it actually defused it was in Oklahoma City.

While walking back to my hotel from "Bricktown", a person who did not look "good" crossed the street to enter my path. I crossed to the other side to stay away from him. He crossed again to get into my path. I had my pistol in a rug in my coat pocket. I put my hand in, unzipper the pistol and had my hand on it. I think the "bad guy" saw this and suddenly threw his hands open and out to the sides and said "I don't want no trouble".

And that was the end of that.

I would have said "neither am I. I was just reaching for my carmex lip balm" Just to blow his mind.

That, a weapon should only be pulled when it's absolutely needed, but, it's also possible that pulling the weapon and being prepared to use it is enough to cause the threat to disengage, in which case you probably need to have the time and judgement to back pedal. Having the presence of a weapon de-escalate a situation is better than using a weapon.

I think the message is "don't flash it" or "bluff" like you see in movies. If you feel like you have to use it, you should be able to pull it was just enough of a presence of mind or pause to ensure that pulling it doesn't solve the problem before using it (assuming you have that luxury which is obviously a situational thing).

A day or two after my initial post there was a shooting that killed a 9 y/o girl. A man using an ATM at night was robbed. He pulled his pistol and fired into a truck that he thought the robber had entered. Nope, 9y/o girl killed. Pulling the trigger is a life changer.

Be sure of your target. Be sure you can hit it. Because your life will depend on hitting your target and not missing and hitting something else.

It always makes me wonder about the cops that do a double mag dump and hit the guy like 3 times. There are 34 other bullets that went "someplace else".

Or the cop in LA that skipped an AR-15 shot off the floor and into a changing room!