I've had several incidents over the years. I've always come out on top. In retrospect, I always recall how fundamentally stupid my actions were, as well as the actions of the other guy.

One particular incident comes to mind. I was going slow, looking at some property, with my wife as a passenger, when a man wanted to pass. When he got his chance, he did so, but flipped me off. I flipped him back. It escalated and I pulled over. He ended up pulling up next to me, rolling down his passenger window and telling me to get out. I said "Sure" but brandished my 1911, always in the car, by my emergency brake, condition 1. He said: "I'm calling the cops" and drove off. Lucky for me he didn't bring one up and fire.

Later I was messing with my pistol and found there was no round in the chamber. My father in law, who had driven my car a day or two before, had taken the round out of the chamber.

I stepped on my dick in not checking my weapon before displaying it like a fool. Had that guy had a gun, which I had anticipated, I would have taken him before he took me, if it had been condition 1. It was not. He could have come up and, while I was between him and my wife, that is no guarentee she wouldn't have been the victim of two stupid assholes who didn't have the sense God gave a moron.

Even if it would have been a fair fight, and even if I would have won, I would have lost. Even if I would have been cleared in his death, I would have lost. Even if me and my wife were not harmed, I would have lost.

Reserve your killing for those who need it. Unless someone is using their vehicle as a weapon, there is no need to throw down.

Anyone who wants that John Wesley Hardin, wild west crap, should move to Afgahnistan and tell me how they like it. Funny how most folks, when given the chance to be Matt Dillon end up being the timid store owner looking to Matt Dillon for help.

Sometimes when I've got hot and ready, I see the mistake is made by some person, usually a woman, but sometimes a man, who sheepishly acknowleges their mistake with a smile and a "sorry" shrug. It disarms me immediately and I move on. I try to remember that when I fuck up.

My two cents.