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Hands still shaking

19K views 55 replies 26 participants last post by  BrassChucker 
#1 ·
Drive to the At&t store this morning, heading south bound on I-15 i am in middle lane going 70 Mph with a semi truck right in front up me and another semi truck behind me. the truck behind me got right on my butt way to close and started getting closer and then backing off and kept repeating that. then he started honking at me and i could see he was getting irate in my rear view. so i kinda through my hands up like what would you like me to do. so when i did that he got over into the slow lane (Left hand side of me). and came next to me screaming witch im fine with call me all the names you want. BUT THEN! he started swerving his truck into my lane still yelling i after the 3 time i took it as a threat to my life. ripped the glock 19 off my hip and aimed it right at him. he slammed on he brakes and i passed him. i holstered my fire arm and dial 911 explained to the operator what happen she took my info and 20 mins later got a call from a highway patrolman. who said we will leave it at this being that i didnt have to discharge my firearm took my info and said keep safe.

i asked him if i was justified and he said did you fear for your life. i said yes. and he replied "then yes you had the right to take aggressive action.

still shaking.
 
#5 ·
Breaking news, accident involving a semi and a car...I wonder if it might be the same semi :disgusted:
 
#8 ·
did not get his info i was to nervous. made me realize once again how just the gun itself can solve problems without even having to discharge the weapon

althor said:
Mr.Ogden said:
...so when i did that he got over into the slow lane (Left hand side of me)....
???
it was a 3 lane free way. me in the middle him in the far left hand. AKA my passenger side.
 
#9 ·
Mr.Ogden said:
did not get his info i was to nervous. made me realize once again how just the gun itself can solve problems without even having to discharge the weapon

althor said:
Mr.Ogden said:
...so when i did that he got over into the slow lane (Left hand side of me)....
???
it was a 3 lane free way. me in the middle him in the far left hand. AKA my passenger side.
If he was in the slow lane, there is no way he could be on your left. The slow lane is the far right hand lane. Unless you are in England.

(Sent from iSnurd)
 
#11 ·
You were very lucky! I have had situations similar in the past when I didn't have a firearm or permit and it is truly rattling. I have had to display my weapon and even threaten use of it before and am always grateful that that is sufficient for most crazy jerks to wake up, apologize or just get out of your hair. Breathe deeply and say a good prayer of thankfulness for the safety and presence of mind you were able to have in this incident today. And be grateful you were able to return home safely at the end of the day! (Hmmm...isn't that the same thing police say they want to do each day too? Well, it is all of our desires to do so and it is great to have the tools necessary to enable this!)
 
#12 ·
Hindsight is 20/20... I would have yielded, being a much smaller and lighter vehicle. Pulled from the middle to the right as soon as it was safe to do so.

My experience has been that truckers will often draft one another in a sort of slow motion "leap frog" where the lead is replaced by the following truck/trucks every 100 miles or so. Getting a car between drafting trucks causes the following truck to re-enter the air flow and lose the draft.

The main reason for drafting is the significant fuel savings.

Just speculating, but perhaps you were in his "drafting position."

After moving the to right and allowing the unsafe idiot to pass, I would have then collected the license/trucking company info and perhaps a snapshot with the cellphone before calling 911 and reporting his dangerous antics.

Just my 2 cents.
 
#13 ·
You did good! Once again a violent act is mitigated by the entry of the firearm. I hope the trucker had to pull off the road and put on clean shorts.

I hope it was avery large Calibre that he saw pointed at his head!
 
#14 ·
A little more insight may help so, in Utah it is illegal for a vehicle with a trailer to be in the far left lane - not counting an HOV lane - when there are more than 2 lanes. The truck could not drive in the far left lane so this was equivalent to you driving slow in the far left or fast lane. I know that it is no excuse for his behavior but we have probably all seen this type of behavior applied one lane further left.

My father was a trucker for a number of years when I was a child. They had a code of ethics that they lived by which would not have tolerated this type of behavior. :ack:
 
#16 ·
good job and glad you are safe! smart too to call UHP asap to report it i hope you got the truck info too to report it to the company
 
#17 ·
Sam Fidler said:
A little more insight may help so, in Utah it is illegal for a vehicle with a trailer to be in the far left lane - not counting an HOV lane - when there are more than 2 lanes. The truck could not drive in the far left lane so this was equivalent to you driving slow in the far left or fast lane. I know that it is no excuse for his behavior but we have probably all seen this type of behavior applied one lane further left.

My father was a trucker for a number of years when I was a child. They had a code of ethics that they lived by which would not have tolerated this type of behavior. :ack:
Note that in the OP, he stated that he had another truck in front of him, and therefore, he could not have driven faster then the truck in front would allow.
 
#18 ·
Sam Fidler said:
The truck could not drive in the far left lane so this was equivalent to you driving slow in the far left or fast lane.
The fact that he can not legally go further left, does not make the middle lane a fast lane. There is NO excusing his behavior, as the big boy on the road he is obligated to be calm and patient and not demand that other drivers do anything illegal just so he can make his delivery time.

Too bad you didn't get some id data because that is one driver who needs to be taken off the road before he does kill someone.
 
#19 ·
Sam Fidler said:
I know that it is no excuse for his behavior but we have probably all seen this type of behavior applied one lane further left.

My father was a trucker for a number of years when I was a child. They had a code of ethics that they lived by which would not have tolerated this type of behavior. :ack:
 
#20 ·
Snurd said:
RustyShackleford said:
You did good! Once again a violent act is mitigated by the entry of the firearm. I hope the trucker had to pull off the road and put on clean shorts.

I hope it was avery large Calibre that he saw pointed at his head!
Glock 19 from what he said in the OP.

(Sent from iSnurd)
So then it wasn't a very large caliber..... :crown:
 
#21 ·
Korben88 said:
Snurd said:
RustyShackleford said:
You did good! Once again a violent act is mitigated by the entry of the firearm. I hope the trucker had to pull off the road and put on clean shorts.

I hope it was avery large Calibre that he saw pointed at his head!
Glock 19 from what he said in the OP.

(Sent from iSnurd)
So then it wasn't a very large caliber..... :crown:
nope but both windows down. trusty ol' 9mm would of done the job ha.

had a follow up call from UHP saying a trucker said a young "thug" pointed a gun at him on the freeway.

I don't know what thugs drive a 10 Gmc sierra wearing shirt and tie : )
 
#22 ·
Good thing that your situation turned out fine in the end, but I wouldn't make what you did a habit or do it again.

It is unlawful to discharge any kind of firearm from any vehicle or from, upon or across any public highway
Utah Department of Public Safety

The part I'm quoting is the 3rd paragraph under "Miscellaneous Laws Regarding Firearms"

Though you did fear for your life, you would be breaking the law by firing from your vehicle. And hindsight being what it is, what would have happened had you shot the trucker, wounded or killed him and he lost control and crashed into other drivers?
 
#23 ·
nogs said:
Good thing that your situation turned out fine in the end, but I wouldn't make what you did a habit or do it again.

It is unlawful to discharge any kind of firearm from any vehicle or from, upon or across any public highway
Utah Department of Public Safety

The part I'm quoting is the 3rd paragraph under "Miscellaneous Laws Regarding Firearms"

Though you did fear for your life, you would be breaking the law by firing from your vehicle. And hindsight being what it is, what would have happened had you shot the trucker, wounded or killed him and he lost control and crashed into other drivers?
It is also illegal to fire within city limits (most cities), within so many feet of a building (unless you own it), and many other things. Those laws however don't matter in a case of self defense.

IANAL
 
#24 ·
nogs said:
Good thing that your situation turned out fine in the end, but I wouldn't make what you did a habit or do it again.

It is unlawful to discharge any kind of firearm from any vehicle or from, upon or across any public highway
Utah Department of Public Safety

The part I'm quoting is the 3rd paragraph under "Miscellaneous Laws Regarding Firearms"

Though you did fear for your life, you would be breaking the law by firing from your vehicle. And hindsight being what it is, what would have happened had you shot the trucker, wounded or killed him and he lost control and crashed into other drivers?
The problem with quoting from there is they they oh so conveniently leave out the rest of the law, that's why it's better to bookmark the state code and cite from there instead.

76-10-508. Discharge of firearm from a vehicle, near a highway, or in direction of any person, building, or vehicle -- Penalties.
(1) (a) A person may not discharge any kind of dangerous weapon or firearm:
(i) from an automobile or other vehicle;

(ii) from, upon, or across any highway;
(iii) at any road signs placed upon any highways of the state;
(iv) at any communications equipment or property of public utilities including facilities, lines, poles, or devices of transmission or distribution;
(v) at railroad equipment or facilities including any sign or signal;
(vi) within Utah State Park buildings, designated camp or picnic sites, overlooks, golf courses, boat ramps, and developed beaches; or
(vii) without written permission to discharge the dangerous weapon from the owner or person in charge of the property within 600 feet of:
(A) a house, dwelling, or any other building; or
(B) any structure in which a domestic animal is kept or fed, including a barn, poultry yard, corral, feeding pen, or stockyard.
(b) It is a defense to any charge for violating this section that the person being accused had actual permission of the owner or person in charge of the property at the time in question.
(2) A violation of any provision of Subsection (1) is a class B misdemeanor.
(3) In addition to any other penalties, the court shall:
(a) notify the Driver License Division of the conviction for purposes of any revocation, denial, suspension, or disqualification of a driver license under Subsection 53-3-220(1)(a)(xi); and
(b) specify in court at the time of sentencing the length of the revocation under Subsection 53-3-225(1)(c).
(4) This section does not apply to a person who:
(a) discharges any kind of firearm when that person is in lawful defense of self or others;

(b) is performing official duties as provided in Sections 23-20-1.5 and 76-10-523 and as otherwise provided by law; or
(c) discharges a dangerous weapon or firearm from an automobile or other vehicle, if:
(i) the discharge occurs at a firing range or training ground;
(ii) at no time after the discharge does the projectile that is discharged cross over or stop at a location other than within the boundaries of the firing range or training ground described in Subsection (4)(c)(i);
(iii) the discharge is made as practice or training for a lawful purpose;
(iv) the discharge and the location, time, and manner of the discharge are approved by the owner or operator of the firing range or training ground prior to the discharge; and
(v) the discharge is not made in violation of Subsection (1).
So under sub paragraph 4(a) it is legal in an act of lawful self defense, or under (c) if on a firing range or training ground. The allowance of (c) does not preclude the allowance under (a).

Thus while as noted about the risk of a runaway semi with a dead or wounded driver at the wheel, if he can make his case for lawful self defense due to fear for his or others' lives then the shooting would be legal. Note also that every no discharge law I've read in this state allows for lawful defensive shootings. But as always expect it to cost a bundle of cash defending yourself.
 
#26 ·
DaKnife said:
So under sub paragraph 4(a) it is legal in an act of lawful self defense, or under (c) if on a firing range or training ground. The allowance of (c) does not preclude the allowance under (a).

Thus while as noted about the risk of a runaway semi with a dead or wounded driver at the wheel, if he can make his case for lawful self defense due to fear for his or others' lives then the shooting would be legal. Note also that every no discharge law I've read in this state allows for lawful defensive shootings. But as always expect it to cost a bundle of cash defending yourself.
And that's the issue, in my opinion. Can you really prove that you were in the right to shoot another driver because you feared for your life when you could have just as easily sped up, slowed down, or exited the freeway? 20/20 hindsight being as it is, if I was on a jury for this case, I would find it very hard to call it self defense when trying to shoot another driver is actually harder then just getting away from the driver. Trying to aim at someone threatening you while also driving yourself at high speeds is pretty questionable when there are other options that can protect you just as well.
 
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