unsubscribing :D

Seriously, I've learned a couple lessons in the past few months about how WRONG being RIGHT can be.

The first week I brought our "new to us" car home, my wife started it (COLD) bouncing off the rev limiter. She had started it with her hoot floored on the gas... meant to have it on the brake (don't ask... I don't know either). It actually blew the cap right off the hydraulic chain tensionner... oil everywhere.

I had a conniption fit. Really got pi$$ed, was a snarky prick.

She made a boneheaded mistake that could have cost us an engine, but my reaction was worse than the original offense.

Different situation though, sounds like your primary concern was life & limb. I was just being a prick about STUFF

It's no wonder young women like to watch young men. They are so......entertaining. I'm watching Legion slowly mature. Slowly. In the meantime, Legion is going to inflict more damage to himself and those around him. It's a story that repeats itself as often, and in ways very similar to, moths circling the flame.

Testosterone is a teratogen (here I am using the term in the classic, Latin sense as opposed to the medical application. It is "monster-forming.") I see aggressive behavior on roadways that's liable to get people killed. I see testosterone at work in the workplace, ruining careers. I hope Legion's domestic life survives this episode but I also know it has suffered permanent damage.

Legion......middle-age will bring you some abilities and characteristics you will find enormously helpful. Patience, for example.

Jim don't run from it!

Dave Chapelle speaks to the heart of this matter and brings the real truth to light. "as far as i'm concerned if i come it was RIGHT ON TIME!'

The response to your spouse asking you how it happened is, as Dave says, 'i was farking'

Further disgust from her would be met with 'hey, you lost. try harder next time!'

Wow.
You should'a been with me at The Masters in 84 or 85 when a relatively famous, now gunmaker from Mesa, AZ had an AD on the steel plate range and DQ'd out of a 50K first place check. I'll bet he could have used a little 'redress' from an expert like you.
No one likes to see an AD. As I read it, it happened downrange and may have been caused by something other than a dumb trigger.
AD's happen. That's why we do everything we can to minize the impact. Looks like that's what happened so she did good.
Can't wait for you to post about your first. Hope it's as safe.

Chris,

I hope you and your wife are feeling better by now.

Accidental discharges do really suck, in any environment...

Gun safety is approached in a "layered" fashion. Both AD's were inconsequential because one layer worked - the most important layer - muzzle control. Rather than castigate the failure of her (or your buddy's) trigger control, you could have taught far more, to a far more receptive audience, if you celebrated the success of their muzzle control.

These people scared the ***** out of themselves, and everyone else around. They were embarassed beyond words. Throwing them a bone, rather than throwing a fit, would have made a far better lasting impression. They could have remembered the day for the mistake they made. Now they will remember it for you, the ass hole that lambasted them. The "why" will fade from memory. You did not achieve your objectives of a lasting lesson. You could have, very easily. You've lost the moment now, though.

That's certainly not the way it's handled in the military. NCO's are not well known for their soft spoken subtlety when an ND occurs.

"Get off my god-damn range right now (insert rank here), before you kill some one with your stupidity!" - is pretty standard fare. And apparently highly effective.

Well, I just talked to one of my friends who was at the range.

His comment?

"I'm surprised you kept your cool, Chris."

It certainly didn't feel that way to me.

The military is not the real world.

I grew up in the service.

My father transitioned a lot of what he learned in 20 years to a highly successful civilian career.

Other things that he tried to transition did not go over so well.

Without a doubt it's part of why he had 4 failed marriages and a pretty crappy relationship with my older brother.

Just sayin

I think I better chime in and state that I have went ballistic over some minor things. I was raised by angry people, and have spent a lot of time trying to change those behaviors.

Everyone flys off the handle sometimes. I think its worse for men than women. All you can do it appologize and learn from it.

there's an incredible amount of wisdom here.

I learned about firearms safety at a very young age (when my little buddies and I could pedal our bikes down Main Street with our .22s across our handlebars (unloaded of course) on the way out of town to go plinking on a summer afternoon, without getting so much as a glance from anyone. My buddies and I all learned gun safety from our dads and we all target shot at the local Y range where safety was taught. Yup, I'm real pro gun safety.

Never heard the terms "trigger control" or "muzzle control" back then (not until now, actually). Can't imagine the adult instructor at the Y range saying "You gotta work on your trigger control, son. Your muzzle control is coming along nicely" :)

While there are maimings and deaths from gun accidents every year, there are MANY more caused by bad "steering wheel control", "gas pedal control" and "brake contol". I wish the same angry indignation and emphasis was put on driving safety as is put on gun safety.

I had a boss once whose formative years were spent as a Marine recruit. I will repeat: handling interpersonal or professional relations in the same manner as a DI in basic training makes for a poor relationships in the civilian world. That may be an entirely appropriate and effective way to deal with people in the military. It's not a good way to treat a wife, co-worker or anyone else not in a uniform.

Amen to that.

Some introspection is called for here.

Why exactly is he surprised about this? Is he trying to tell you something about how you are "normally"?

I don't mean to pig-pile on you here - that's not my intention - just when someone says something like that to me I always stop to ponder what they're saying and what the deeper meaning might be. . .

Hey, Legion. Just so you know, my post was not made with criticism in mind. There was a time when I could control my emotions about as well as I could control planetary rotation. At times I KNEW I was doing something stupid but still coudn't help it. What I am saying is that if you survive long enough, there will come a time when you will have the patience you know you need NOW. You'll get it in about twelve years. Hang on.

Jeff hits yet another evaluative bulls-eye. There are certain rules you can follow in discussion. If the other person says something you want them to fully accept and internalize......keep your mouth shut. The last phrase will echo in his head while you remain silent. If he says something you want him to forget, say something. It will disturb his present thoughts. In this shooting range incident, the mistake was surely traumatic enough. By lambasting the participant(s), you gave them something to be even more upset about than their mistake.

I think Jeff will make a great grandfather. At least, he will be very much like mine. One day, at a shooting range, he told me to make sure my thumb is not between my nose and the hammer when I squeeze the trigger. Then he waited for me to forget. When I did, the gun smacked me in the nose. I looked up and saw him smile.

Dude, you are scaring me. Especially when you use the large print. Think about this....if she suddenly told you that she is going to her friends for a few weeks to think things out, what would your reaction be? If it's anything close to anger then you need to talk to someone about it so you can get on the right path.

That's interesting.... :-/

I disagree Dr. Spock. The best way to meet stupidity is head on, in plain english.