TexasCHLforum.com

Having a conversation with someone that I will call a casual business aquaintance. The talk went from business to current events and somehow on to guns. He came right out and told me had gotten his CHL within the last 6 months and has already had to use it. I inquired as to "What do you mean by use it?"

Here is what I was told. He was entering a construction/work zone on one the highways here in the DFW area. He had let several cars merge into his lane which was the lane that was open. Figuring he had been nice enough to enough vehicles he refused to let anyone else into the lane he was in. A pickup truck stayed beside him wanting into the lane, the driver of the P/U then wedged himself in front and got out of the truck. He then started walking back towards the guys car.

He said "When he got to my window, I already had my license out of my wallet. He looked at it and I told him he better get back in his vehicle and leave me alone."

My only reply was that I don't think you are supposed to do that. This guy does not know that I have my CHL and felt he does not need to know.

With that told and said, what do you think? I know from a humor side some will say that he needs a CHL badge and possibly a license plate frame for his car that says he has his CHL. But on the serious side I would think that this is not something that one should do. Correct?

If the guy was intent on harming your friend, the license may have made him rethink his course of action. If he was serious, then your friend would have been in trouble.

The only upside I see is that in a deescalation sense, he did not present his firearm and avoided a MWAG call. Still not wise, but it seems to have worked, THIS time.

If I'm threatened or in danger (or some situation where use of deadly force is justified) I'm pulling my weapon, not my plastic. Not sure if that was the case here. But either way, I'm pretty sure, that the last reaction I would ever have is to pull out my CHL and try to ward off the bad guy.

Wouldn't the proper response be to let the guy yell it out of his system if he is not otherwise threatening?

Flashed the CHL itself? Has his CHL badge not arrived yet?

OMG, what everybody else said.

CHL training focuses on de-escalation. The guy probably did what he thought would de-escalate the situation, and every one of our responses would have been different. If someone gets out of their car to come back to confront me, I'm not going to pull out my CHL nor am I going to automatically draw my firearm. I will however get into very high awareness mode and read the clues to determine what he is going to do, then act from there. Also, if I can see an opening I am probably going to try to drive away.

Redneck_Buddha wrote:CHL training focuses on de-escalation. The guy probably did what he thought would de-escalate the situation, and every one of our responses would have been different. If someone gets out of their car to come back to confront me, I'm not going to pull out my CHL nor am I going to automatically draw my firearm. I will however get into very high awareness mode and read the clues to determine what he is going to do, then act from there. Also, if I can see an opening I am probably going to try to drive away.

Those are my thoughts.

tornado wrote:Flashed the CHL itself? Has his CHL badge not arrived yet?

Maybe I haven't read the law enough but I'm pretty sure there is no law against showing your chl so he didn't do anything illegal. Was it the best course of action? Or is it what should have been done? Hard for me to say, as others mentioned it could have been his way to de-escalate and if it worked them maybe it was right.I know I wouldn't do it personally, but part of having a chl is knowing not to escalate things in the first place. If someone is determined to get over, let them. If my friend told me that, I would have said he was wrong for being the problem that started the confrontation. If I was somehow in this situation, I'd let him yell and scream all he wants, be prepared and watchful, then get away when possible. If it escalates to more aggressive action, ie hitting the window or door etc, I would call the police with my left hand and have my right hand at the ready on my weapon. He should see I'm calling 911, even tell/show him if necessary, but not the weapon. Did he say what happened after he showed his license?

i dont look kindly on unknowen people comming to my door, it doesnt mater if its a car door or my house door. they will be awnsered in the same fasion, and its not ever going to be with an id card.
having a big truck with a really big bumper, mi also willing to move things that may be left in my way to remove myself and relocate to a safer spot.

cheezit wrote:i dont look kindly on unknowen people comming to my door, it doesnt mater if its a car door or my house door. they will be awnsered in the same fasion, and its not ever going to be with an id card.
having a big truck with a really big bumper, mi also willing to move things that may be left in my way to remove myself and relocate to a safer spot.

This.

My F250 diesel Super Duty can move mountains.

Over three tons of mass. You get out of your vehicle you better be prepared for some Detroit steel.

Anygunanywhere

Redneck_Buddha wrote:Wouldn't the proper response be to let the guy yell it out of his system if he is not otherwise threatening?

The proper response is to call 911 and report the drunk crazy guy who tried to run you off the road.

Situational awareness and being able to sense road ragers is one thing that any CHL holder should be learning to recognize... That being said if the guy was trying to muscle his vehicle into the gap your "acquaintance" could have just let him in preventing the situation... I've done this on several occasions to AVOID confrontation.

I I was your acquaintance I would not have had plastic in hand I would have had metal... OC spray, pocket knife, flashlight ... Had the guy escalated the situation that plastic card is worthless in a fistfight...unless you have sharpened and hardened it into a razor edge (not recommending that)

The key is be prepared for a fight but also try to avoid a fight.

And if that guy had simply called 911 and said your friend pulled a gun on him from inside his car while he was trying to merge into traffic with him, what would have happened then? The police would have found your friend was indeed carrying concealed and they would have believed the "caller". Rule is the first one to call gets to be the "victim". That was a very risky move. Don't ever reveal you have a gun unless it is time to use it. IMHO
I would have had mine drawn yet out of sight under something in case the guy was going to do a lot more than yell at my door and I would have tried to leave if possible.