Confidence Versus Bravado
What builds confidence in anything? Repetitive training? Education? Knowledge? Practice? Experience?
What causes bravado? Lack of confidence? Peer pressure? The need to impress? Lack of experience?
I'm not a phycologist but I know people, I know how a mob around your car incident, goes down, and I know bullshit when I see it.
I recently read an outstanding article on here, written by Tony Scotti founder of The International Security Driver Association, titled "What Can be Done if a Mob Surrounds your Car?" The article was, in essence, a 13-minute long video, which explained, amongst other information, the legal ramifications of using lethal force, to manage such an incident.
The article was, I believe, published with a "private citizen" in mind, and not related to a scene from Mile 22. Dealing with a mob around your vehicle in a "professional" capacity, is a completely different thing, and the reactions to it, are entirely different and you "might" have more remit to go noisy - depending on what your professional role is and who you're working for.
I found it a breath of fresh air to hear someone else, with a similar approach to such an incident, in-line with my own opinion on the matter.
And then I read the comments......
Bravado...Bravado...Bravado...
Some examples:
Those suggestions tell me a few things about the folks making them; the most profound of which, are that they have (a) never been in such a situation, or (b) have never conducted training, for such a situation and (c) they never understood the assignment, i.e. they never watched the damn video.
As a concealed carrier, we have a legal and moral obligation to account for and justify every round we fire, during a self-defense incident. We must also abide by whatever self-defense law(s) govern the particular State in which we live, and yet, this seems to be an afterthought of using one's firearm to protect one's life.
The result of bravado, in this context, is either your own death or you're going to jail for causing the "unlawful" death of others - "...I wanted to do the whole village your Honor..." is not an advisable defense strategy in court. Nor am I convinced that all of the commentators, on the post, would have the mindset or conviction, to actually carry out the acts they were suggesting. Why? Well, because (a) they are ridiculous suggestions, (b) they would not work for private citizens, and (c) it's the bravado talking, and bravado isn't real - it's camouflage.
Other examples of these types of bravado-fueled, comments can be seen, on a daily basis, on USA Carry posts.
People who are trained, and attend progressive training classes, posses confidence and knowledge - confidence in their own ability of what they are, and are not, capable of, and knowledge gained from what they were taught about the realities of a particular situation, and of the consequences of any particular course of action.
Training, however, will only get you so far and in the case of a mob surrounding your car - it is you and you alone that will make the call of what and what not to do, based on so many factors, that I'd be here all day listing them.
It is mindset, that will be the difference between reacting emotionally or reacting logically. It is mindset that will be the difference between using lethal force or not.
And yes, I'm a big believer in the "...better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6..." mantra. However, that is not an advisable legal defense strategy in court either.
Get trained. Know and understand the law. Do not react emotionally. Use your judgement and make a call.
But keep the bravado for telling stories with your mates after a fishing trip.
The Go Noisy, Street Scene System of Training (SSST) Level 1 - Private Citizen Vehicle Defense Course, covers carjackings, road rage incidents and crowds surrounding your vehicle.