Strambo said:
TwitchAlot, by "leave" I really just meant go back to your table, not necessarily exit the establishment (unless it got really bad and this was an option). Second, it didn't sound like he was a physical "threat" to anyone yet...just a jerk.
Well, the guy behind him (after I had my hot sauce) was apparently “too close” to him and he threatened to “beat his ass.” More on that later.
If you think innocent people are about to be harmed, call 911, defend yourself/them as necessary after doing all you could (including getting away from him) to de-escalate.
Another way to look at it...if it was bad enough you felt it necessary to put your hand on a knife and stick around to protect people...why wasn't it bad enough to call 911? And the opposite...if it wasn't bad enough to call 911, why the hand on the knife/reluctance to leave?
This is a great point to discuss. My number one priority at that point was de-escalation. Everyone was there could have told you that it could have easily broken out into a fight. It hadn’t, and I wanted to keep it that way. The reason I didn’t call 911 was because of that. It would have been conspicuous, probably would have aggravated him, and at that point, it was just getting heated. Calling 911 would have been a great precautionary measure, but then, I believed it would have escalated the situation, given his behavior. So I decided against it.
The knife thing is also a great point. Let me say that if I had been carrying a concealed firearm in the situation, I never would have messed with it. It would have stayed concealed. The reason my hand was on my knife was because it did not escalate the situation (as preparing to draw a concealed firearm would have), and it, in my opinion, gave me an additional layer of protection should the need arise. It was a precautionary measure that didn’t escalate the situation, which was great.
Again, my goal was de-escalation. I could put my hand on my knife and not escalate the situation and simultaneously enhance my ability to defend myself IF an attack were to come. I couldn’t do that with a 911 call (in my opinion), and I couldn’t do that if I messed with a concealed firearm. Hands in the pockets- normal. Getting ready to draw a concealed firearm- not normal. I was ready for a fight (IMO), but in my mind, there was a still a chance to de-escalate the situation, so that’s what I did. I hope that answers your question.
mac said:
Get a copy of “In the Gravest Extreme” and read it ASAP.
How would that help, exactly?
devil said:
What again was the flashlight going to do for you?
1 AM or so, guy probably drunk or on drugs- blind him. 90 lumens.
ihope said:
If thats almost getting into a fight then well I almost died a few times I guess being in a school with a day without a fight is a rare occasion I see alot of stuff. I can tell real quick if there is going to be a fight or just trash talk I guess it's a good thing to learn.
I'd bet all I'd have to say is a couple of words (or anyone else, as it almost happened) to get a fight going. I'd say that's close.
King said:
Think of it like this - that knife (or flashlight, if you plan to use it as a striking weapon) should be thought of in the same was as a firearm. LAST DITCH EFFORT. That means, if you get pushed/shoved/punched by this nutball, and you pull the knife - guess what? YOU'RE the one escalating.
Much better to worry about having your hands free to block any blows he may throw, or any potential weapons he may deploy against you, and then worry about the hardware you're packing in your pockets. Remember - if he gets the drop on you when you're digging for your flashlight or blade, and you get KO'd - that's the ballgame. You essentially don't have a knife or light.
It was certainly a last ditch effort. I was doing my best to make sure it didn't come to a fight. Drunk/stoned guy twice my size? If I couldn't reason with him before a fight, I certainly wasn't going to be able to reason with him during a fight. Speaking of which, my hands were exactly where they needed to be if I had to use the light or the knife- I wasn't digging around for them.
I don't know, that's the hard part I'm dealing with. I still don't believe it would have been best to leave, even though often enough, MY advice would be to do what you have to to avoid confrontation.