One punch and out...

[Drilldov2.0]

So some long-hair, tweeker truck driver called me an asshole for tying up my dogs out side the truck stop. I laughed at him and patted him on the shoulder, he took a swing at me me, which I dodged, and followed up with a nice right hook which left him laying on the pavement, unconscious.

Did I overreact? It seems he was looking for a fight and got some sleep out of it.

[Mazin]

Congrats?

[Elhuero]

I don't know if you overreacted, but I'd say you're lucky you didn't end up in jail.

or did you?

[mcantar18c]

I'll be the odd one out here and say good job.
While it could possibly be argued in court that you putting your hand on his shoulder initiated it and therefore your punch wasn't self defense... I would have done the same damn thing. Almost. I wouldn't have put my hand on him or touched him at all, but if he swung at me he'd be on the ground regretting it.

[soco11]

If you were carrying at the time (and probably even if you weren't) you ought to give deep and serious thought to how you might not put yourself in a situation like that, and ways to de-escalate if you end up in such a situation. Throwing a punch at anyone anytime in our world is never, ever going to be a good idea. And if you are carrying a firearm at the time, there are so many things that can go so incredibly bad in that scenario that it is hard to imagine anyone who has any common sense doing so. And it would be far, far worse if he was carrying, legally or not! The reason an armed society is a polite society (it isn't--but let's pretend the old saying is true) is because we are polite, not because others are. A guy willing to mix it up at the first provocation ought not to carry a gun for sure. Not saying you are such a guy, just saying....

[Ranger]

Seems to be a bit of an overreaction on both accounts. I have a buddy who was in a very similar circumstance - and on a Friday, and he ended up in jail for the entire weekend until a judge would see him Monday morning. If someone took a swing at me I might have the same reaction but I wouldn't have patted him on the shoulder in the first place. There are so many "what-if" here that it hopefully would make you reconsider your actions if you could do them over again - like if when he dropped he hit his head and cracked it open or he fell on to a bottle - things that could get you serious prison time for something as seemingly innocent as punch.

Chances are that if you got arrested for it that not much would come of it but it all would depend on the judge.

[Drilldov2.0]

I didn't end up in jail, Elhuero.

My weapon was in the hotel room, I was not carrying. If a friendly laugh and quick pat on the shoulder warrants someone taking a swing at me, then I guess I deserve to be in jail. God forbid anyone being able to defend themselves.

Interesting to hear people's responses though. It could happen to any of you, any day. How will you respond?

[Ah Pook]

And why was the guy bitching about your dog? Was is making a nuisance of itself?

Technically, you touched him first. Just sayin'.

[tmleadr03]

What a thin veneer of civilization.

[sneakerd]

I'm not into the bravado of doing it and then posting it here. Seems to me that if something like that happens, then you put it in a file somewhere for further review. You could easily have a situation where his head bounces off the concrete like that Giants fan in LA at the Dodgers game. Guy gets brain damage and then you sir, are DONE.