What's Up Sheepdogs? Ryan here with Tampa Carry.

You're driving down the road in the worst traffic ever. You notice a car attempting to merge into your lane.

This other driver seems to be oblivious to the fact that they are about to hit your vehicle, so you lay on the horn. The other driver swerves, narrowly avoiding a collision.

You think it was an accident, but then the driver gets behind you and begins honking, tailgating, and giving you the finger. You do what comes naturally in this situation:

You brake-check him. This throws the other driver into a fit of rage.

He pulls up beside you and begins threatening to kick your ass. All of a sudden, you're at a red light, and the crazy man exits his vehicle and starts screaming at you, demanding that you exit the vehicle and fight him. 

Should you:

A. Get out and fight him. 

B. Draw your firearm and shoot through the glass.

C. Draw your firearm and point it at the aggressor. 

D. Get on the phone with the police and attempt to get away.

A. Get Out and Fight Him
Getting out of the vehicle and fighting this guy isn't going to solve anything. You don't know who this person is or what he's capable of. This man may be willing to kill you over this situation. Don’t leave the safety of your vehicle.

B. Draw Your Firearm and Shoot Through the Glass 

If you pull out your firearm and shoot, you have to consider whether or not this situation will be justified under the law. Is it reasonable for you to believe the attacker is about to kill you? No. Unless the attacker is verbally threatening to kill you, I wouldn't think this would be reasonable. Is it reasonable to believe the attacker is about to cause great bodily harm? Not really. You're safe and secure inside your vehicle. In my opinion, this would change if the attacker broke my window and came after me. Is it reasonable to believe the attacker is about to commit a forcible felony? If so, which one? Take a moment to review the list of forcible felonies below.

Florida Statutes 776.08 Forcible felony.—“Forcible felony” means treason; murder; manslaughter; sexual battery; carjacking; home-invasion robbery; robbery; burglary; arson; kidnapping; aggravated assault; aggravated battery; aggravated stalking; aircraft piracy; unlawful throwing, placing, or discharging of a destructive device or bomb; and any other felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any individual.

If the attacker is simply standing at my window making non-deadly threats, then no, I wouldn't believe a forcible felony was about to occur. 

C. Draw Your Firearm and Point It at the Aggressor
You’re only allowed to draw your weapon in a situation where you are also lawfully allowed to use deadly force. We discussed how deadly force was not justified in section B, so this means displaying your firearm is also not justified.

D. Call the Police and Attempt to Get Away 

The best solution to this confrontation is option D. First and foremost, if someone is following you during a road rage incident, DO NOT allow yourself to be boxed in. Don't stop at a red light, pull over, or go home. This is just my personal opinion, but if someone was following me, I would get on the phone with the police immediately, and if I was pulling up to a red light, I would hop a curb, drive on the sidewalk, or cut through a parking lot. I'm not going to allow myself to be backed into a corner.

Road rage is a massive issue in society today, and we have to do our part to avoid it as much as possible. Ashamedly, I used to be the worst at road rage.

I would get into fights every time I drove. I thought everyone else was the problem until one day, I realized that I was the problem.

Today, I take my time driving. If you want to cut in front of me, I slow down and let you in. If someone gets upset by something I did, I simply roll down my window, wave, and apologize. The situation is over before it even began.

That's all I have for today. So until next time keep training and stay safe...

Ryan G. Thomas

P.S. You’re one step away from getting your Florida concealed carry permit….FAST & EASY…

And for a limited time you can watch the concealed carry course online for free... Click here to get started...