While there are circumstances where I would intervene, this doesn't even come close.

Let the guy have the spot and while he's enjoying his omelet, let the air out of two of his tires.
(don't slash them, just take the cores out of the valve stems and leave them there)

Absolutely, which is why you don't want to try and "hold somebody for the police."

Since when did someone deserve a beating for slipping into a parking space while others are waiting? Is it ethically wrong to do? Sure. Is it legally a crime? No. It saddens me that so many of us appear to be willing to sit idlely by and watch someone get his ass kicked. There is a lot we can do to break up a situation without drawing a pistol or becoming physically invovlved. Usually, verbal commands will break the tension. Could it turn the other way? Sure, then it is time to get away, but simply watching and allowing someone to be assulted does not sound like the kind of folks we claim to be.

I didn't say that I would sit and watch. But I sure as hell wouldn't intervene. Either personally or by phone. As I drove away I would probably make a mental note to be more respectful to my fellow drivers. Does AH#1 deserve an ass kicking for his offense? I just don't know anymore. But the threat of one may make him a little more respectful. He created the problem.

And, some people wonder why their cars get keyed.

Just a comment after reading the original post. Why is there so much anger out there? I see scowling faces behind the wheel every day and I wonder what's bugging everyone.

It seems to be getting worse every year. Compared to some other countries, we're not overcrowded but it's like everyone has this giant ego that says "How dare you do (whatever) to me"?

Rudeness prevails, you see it on the road, on the Internet, in many children and in the news...

We just aren't nice to each other any more and I often wonder why.

A beatdown is a crime. If I see a crime I will call it in, even if douchebag #1 had it coming. If douchebag #2 would beat someone for "stealing" a spot, he might do the same to someone who "looked at him wrong" or "cut him off in traffic."

Ya never know, Gunflint. I was at the Perkins in Duluth and AH#1 had WI plates...my guess is that they crossed the bridge from Superior - Don't they have the Mariner Mall???

That puts a whole new wheel on the wagon. You should treat a Wisconsin driver as an elderly driver with dementia. They don't understand the basic rules of the road and I believe that the dealers over there have the turn signals removed as too not confuse them. Have you ever watched a vehicle with Wisconsin plates at a 4-way stop?

There is just no consequences anymore, therefore people treat each other like crap. A beat down is one thing. The threat of a black eye is something else. There are no manners or respect in today's society and I don't see how we can ever get it back. A guy got killed in Wal-mart yesterday because of an unruly crowd. There again, no respect. There was a shoot out in a Toys-R-Us, again someone was dissed. The way things are today just isn't working. Maybe if people thought they might get their ass kicked for acting like a jerk they wouldn't act like jerks so much.

Did you also see where the bargain hunters refused to leave the Wal Mart after the killed the poor guy? They did, they wanted to keep shopping since they had waited in line so long! I understand police are reviewing the video to see if they can tell who did what, but I'm not holding my breath

+1

You're sitting in your car dialing 911 when AH#2's passenger comes for you with a club.(bc he sees you dialing 911) Unable to drive away are you still a reluctant participant if you are forced to defend yourself?

Other than being a good witness or life and death there is no reason to insinuate yourself in others problems just bc you are armed. Always act as if you are not.

Hey, I learned how to drive in Wi, it took a long time to get used to those silly "nice" ways of driving in Duluth.

What was really funny was watching a tourist with a manual transmission get up 21st or 19th without stalling out... so long as I wasn't behind them, anyway.

sorry for drifting

I need to think over this senario a bit more, but one of my first thoughts was that I would break it into 2 parts:
1. I would intervine by getting out of my car, make my presence known, tell them to stop. At this point I am not drawing and my and my families lives are not in immediate threat. This would happen whether I am armed or not, regardless. If it deescalates then great, I did my job as a citizen/human.
2. If either man changes their threat from eachother to me, at the point, it becomes a NEW situation. I am a now reluctant partisipant to me being threatened. I will then have the duty of retreat. Which I would gladly do. Again this would happen whether I am armed or not, regardless.

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Infact, tonight I was in downtown st paul for their annual christmas tree lighting with my wife and 3 of her girlfriends. As we were walking back to the car an urban man approached the 3 girls and started giving them unwanted attention. I wasn't going to be a witness and watch and see what happens. I intervined, and successfully deescalated the situation. If he turned violent toward me. Then I would have to act in self defense, being reluctant. I didn't want a fight. No way!