Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
And I witnessed two knuckleheads squaring off in what began as a parking misunderstanding and was quickly escalating into people screaming, pounding on their cars, and was probably about to get physical any time.
It all started when one family finished up their meal at the restaurant next door, and got into their SUV. As they were backing out, a pickup truck pulled up, and blocked the SUV from going forward. Other cars pulled in behind the pickup, effectively blocking him in. Pickup truck had nowhere to go. SUV could only back up further and go around.
Instead, both drivers start staring each other down. This goes on for a little bit, and before long we start hearing yelling coming from the inside of the pickup. The driver of the SUV is focused in a stare at the driver of the pickup. He’s not reacting, but he’s also not doing anything to de-escalate the situation. He’s just sitting there, refusing to back up.
More yelling from the pickup.
Pickup truck rolls the window down, yells more, begins to get out of the truck. Other people on the patio yell at him to get back in the truck, and he does.
Now pickup guy is yelling f-bombs out the window, and pounding on his door. SUV driver just sitting in his vehicle staring at the pickup driver.
At this point I’m very alert, but I’m not willing to put myself in between these two fools to try and sort things out. Not when both of them are being unreasonable jerks. I’m not a police officer or a baby sitter.
After a few more moments of cussing and yelling, a guy from another table on the patio gets up, and walks out to the two vehicles. He approaches the SUV with open hands, and speaks with the driver for a moment. SUV still doesn’t move. He then approaches the driver of the pickup, and then goes back to the SUV. After a little coaxing, the SUV driver swallows his pride, and backs up so he can get around the pickup. As the two cars pass each other, the driver of the pickup decides to get the last word, and yells at the SUV driver, who finally just drives off.
At the end of the situation, we’re left with this: The pickup driver screwed up by pulling up to the SUV and not allowing them to pull forward. The SUV driver screwed up by not just accepting that the pickup driver made a mistake, and refusing to back up, escalating the situation. They were both knuckleheads.
I think there’s a lesson here:
It’s not worth it to try and prove your manhood to some stranger who made a mistake. Just back up, and get out of there.
It’s also not worth getting into an altercation and potentially putting your family in danger over something trivial like a driving/parking mistake.
The best way to protect yourself and your family is to avoid trouble when you can. Sometimes you can’t avoid things, but when you can, suck up your pride and move on.
I agree Luke!
What a great way to start or end an evening! (sarcasm off)
These folks must have missed Sunday school the day that “The Golden Rule” was discussed.
A freakin’ parking space just isn’t worth the aggravation and possibly something much worse in the end.
Yeah, at first I was thinking that it was kind of funny, but by the end I was looking for places to bug out to.
Just reading this made me feel uncomfortable.
Glad I was able to convey that.
Hanlon’s Razor “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
Sometimes it is indeed trying, but definitely worth doing. It’s very easy for the stupid to mask their stupidity with anger, and you gain nothing by pointing it out.
Wait what!? I thought you were supposed to Instructor zero-combat roll, into a dynamically adaptable urban prone, whilst temple indexing and screaming CONTACT FRONT! Then proceed to burn down all enemy tangos with “combat effective” hits until slide lock, reload, power stroke! (slide releases are physically impossible to hit under dynamic stress body alarm response, and are for Gaymers). Then search and asses your surroundings, tactically withdraw to your tactical vehicular command post and top off your ammo while also retrieving your 7″ SBR with sig brace and sure fire 60 rounder, and don your plate carrier and airframe helmet. You never know if more tangos will appear….
All tactical fantasy aside, it is astounding how stupid things will drive people to confront total strangers. People they have no idea about, and could have any variation of mental defect and/or weaponry. Kudos for staying observant and out of the way, and knowing what’s your business and what’s not. Situations like you encountered are good food for thought and I appreciate you sharing.
What, no selfie?