This Is The Difference Between Controlled Self Defense And Road Rage
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 6 months ago
A sheriff in Florida applauded a motorcyclist for ending a road rage incident by pulling a gun on a knife-wielding driver.
The alarming confrontation was caught on video by the motorcyclist’s wife.
The video shows a man with a knife threatening the motorcyclist before trying to slash him once.
At that point, the motorcyclist reached into his vest, pulled a pistol out and pointed it at the driver.
The driver called the police to report the man for pulling a gun on him, but police found that he had a concealed carry permit for the pistol. The victim told police that he had been cut off by the driver in a silver Toyota Tacoma.
“Traffic disagreements should never result in violence in our streets. In this particular incident, the video captured by the victim’s wife clearly shows that her husband’s life was threatened. I applaud the way the motorcyclist handled this situation,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly in a statement.
“After his life was clearly threatened, he lawfully defended himself and then de-escalated the situation,” added Staly. “The offender is lucky he was not shot.”
Staly said after viewing the video of the incident that they arrested the knife-wielding suspect, who was identified as 50-year-old Rafael Vincent Rivera.
Rivera was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked him at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
You big dummy. Spend a few years in the state penitentiary to cool off some.
The only thing I would have done differently is back away from the confrontation as quickly as possible.
On May 20, 2022 at 6:16 am, Nosmo said:
“The only thing I would have done differently is back away from the confrontation as quickly as possible.”
Agreed, that discretion is the better part of valor, and that John Farnum’s recommendation “be somewhere else” is gospel, but….on a motorcycle that’s very much easier said than done, especially with a passenger.
On a bike, balance is everything and easily compromised, and there’s no sacrificial sheet metal to offer or large powered mass to employ; flesh and bone are the external layer. You’re out in the open, the best one can usually do is put the bike between you and the threat and have the proper tool at hand to enforce that distance. Trying to “be somewhere else” very quickly on a large motorcycle, especially with the balance requirements of a passenger’s mass, is challenging; especially so since operation of the motorcycle requires full engagement of both hands.
Which is why so many bikers have, for decades, availed themselves of varying prophylactic measures to prevent unwarranted, and unwanted, attacks, regardless of governmental interference.
That in this instance the motorcyclist exhibited tremendous restraint is commendable.
On May 20, 2022 at 8:23 am, Tom from East Tennessee said:
After watching just once, I think the knife guy is really lucky to not have been shot. He started to walk away after the biker drew, and then turned back around and started towards the biker again. He was close enough that the biker would have been stabbed/cut up had the knife guy charged at him, even if he had been ready to shoot (gun presented and aimed) which he didn’t seem to be.
On May 20, 2022 at 10:47 pm, Furminator said:
Agreed, that guy should have just backed off but then it’s a stand your ground state and all. He doesn’t appear to have practiced his draw; he would not have prevailed against a gunman.
On May 21, 2022 at 2:14 pm, TheAlaskan said:
I would’ve shot the prick so from then on he would be known as the moron who brought a knife to a gun fight.
On May 23, 2022 at 11:51 pm, snuffy said:
If he did this in a place with a DA who has a Soros bug up his ass, technically he could be charged with brandishing a firearm. “Your honor, the fact that the defendant did not immediately shoot the victim upon drawing his firearm is proof of the fact that he was not in fear for his life, nor the life of anyone else.” If you feel justified in drawing it, you likely should use it. Just playing devil’s advocate. I realize how hard it is to actually pull that trigger and shoot someone.