Did I over react?

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jfrey123

New member
Alright, again it's everybody's favorite forum noob here. Got a question for everybody, as I'm still learning my roll in public self defense.

My car is equipped with an aftermarket alarm system w/ keyring pager. It's set to not be overly sensative: A garbage truck can rev up and slam dumpsters without even triggering the warning chirps. A door closing, suspension jostle, or other light impact however will set it off full blast. I have it to protect the car itself and a stereo system worth approx $1,500.

It went off last night around 10pm. I could hear it's siren outside my apartment and heard the keychain start sounding as well. Acting on instinct, I quickly moved to the door, grabbing my secondary defense pistol off the entertainment center on my way out. I racked it and tucked it into my front pocket (safety on). My car is pretty much right out front of the apartment as I'm in a curbside unit, and it's under an unlit carport. I quickly scanned the area, saw no one, and approached my car. I did a slow walk around it, and found no evidence of tampering (no broken window, no scratches or dents from obvious impact). My roommate had some about halfway down the small walk way to "back me up" with one of his short blade weapons. Finding nothing, I re-armed the system and went back inside, looking out the window off and on for about an hour before going to bed.


My question is did I over-react? It turned out to be a false alarm, but am I justified in arming myself just to check on a car alarm? I greatly value the opinions of this forums members and appreciate all feedback.
 
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mr00jimbo

New member
No, I wouldn't say you were. It could be a crackhead out there ripping apart your dashboard, and if you were to approach him he could try and drive a screwdriver through your chest.
I would have done the same thing if I didn't live in Canada where criminals are "just misunderstood" and guns are "so bad" :rolleyes:
 
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littlmak

New member
In my opinion you should have stayed inside. Look out the window as much as you like. If anything moves that shoudn't? Call the law! Anything you leave in a car overnight should be covered by insurance. Even if it isn't It's not worth a life. Yours or theirs.
 
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Mal H

Staff
Two questions: Why have a car alarm if you don't use it to alert yourself to possible theft? - and - Why have a pistol (and CCW if applicable) if not to protect yourself while checking out said alarm as well as at other potentially dangerous times?

Did you over-react? No, not IMO.

(PS - thanks for setting the alarm to be less sensitive. That prevents the usual false alarms.)
 
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rick_reno

Moderator
No - over reacting would be if you'd stuck your gun out of your window and sprayed the area with bullets. You didn't over react.
 
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Maser

New member
I don't think you over reacted at all. Not quite sure if you noticed this yet, but nobody even pays attention to car alarms going off no more except the car owner. We had a recent indident here where some guy heard a noise outside and saw that his car was being broken into. He then goes outside and gets shot to death by the carjacker.

I say you did the right thing. It's better safe than sorry.
 
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CDH

New member
I don't see that as an over reaction at all. It was just a precaution.

If you went out to check on the alarm wearing nothing but your jammies and someone was breaking into your car, they might have run when they saw you (that would be a good thing), but they also could have attacked you just as easily.

Since you couldn't foresee the situation or potential outcome, being armed was simply smart. At the same time, I hope you had it hidden VERY well because you could also have come across a security guard who was checking out the same alarm and if he saw you with a gun, you could be mistaken for a BG by him.

Carter
 
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Trip20

New member
jfrey123 said:
My question is did I over-react?
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Nope – bringing along a firearm for one of it's intended purposes (life insurance incase things go bad) is not considered over reacting especially when confronting a situation where it's reasonable to suspect bad people may be doing bad things. If I go outside to investigate strange noises I bring along protection. That's all you seem to have done.

You had it a firearm "just in case," which is kinda the whole point. You weren't doing barrel rolls while your buddy followed you with the a boom box blasting the A-Team theme song, so you're ok. ;)

The bigger question, and particularly a pressing issue for me is, do you use that $1,500 stereo system with the base turned up at ungodly hours to bother the neighborhood as you drive through? :mad: :p :)
 
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jhgreasemonkey

New member
You weren't doing barrel rolls while your buddy followed you with the a boom box blasting the A-Team theme song, so you're ok.
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Lol :D

You didnt over react. You have the right to protect yourself and your property in America. Just tread lightly and carry a big stick. ;)
 
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skeeter1

New member
I'm going to take the counterpoint here

If it were someone breaking into your apartment and possibly do you bodily harm, that would be justified. A car, however, particularly one sitting outside, is just a thing. Had you found someone there and used that handgun, you'd have been in deep crap. That's why you have insurance on the car, right?

I'm all for one using a firearm to defend ones self and family in the home, but not a car sitting out in a carport. You might want to think of moving to some place with a locked garage if you're worried about your car.
 
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bobhwry

Moderator
Skeeter,
Get real!! Maybe he isn't able to move to a place with a garage!! What's he supposed to do, call 911 while their ripping off his car? He put the alarm in his car for a reason so he could be alerted and protect his property!!
The idea that insurance will cover it so why worry is apathetic!! It's time we all step up and take responsibility for protecting ourselves!!
 
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jfrey123

New member
Alright... Thanks for the support guys. I'm still trying to learn as much as I can about being a responsible firearm owner in our society obviously, and hearing what is being said makes me feel a bit more comfortable.

Just to clarify for the people with questions-

1. No, I don't keep the bass up inside my apartment complex at all. When I drive enter the complex, the subwoofers get turned off by seperate switch. That plus I have very dark tinted windows to prevent them from looking inside my car. If they don't know it's there, they won't try to get it out.

2. I was taking the firearm purely for self defense. I wasn't going to try and hold the criminal at bay. In my case, the plan was to look and see if a window was broken, door open and/or BG inside the car. My response to a BG would've been to yell and address him (Get out of there mother ******) or something to that effect, all while back stepping to my apartment. If he produced a weapon and charged me, I would've drawn and fired as a last resort. My hope would've been to yell and scare they guy off, try to get a good look at him, and then call the cops. I promise I'm not trying to be Johnny Vigilante.

3. For the insurance, I'm not covered by a comprehensive policy for theft or damage to items inside the car. I'm 21, and insurance loves to squeeze every dime out of people in my age bracket. My property is my own to defend, and if I fail, I'd be without property with only myself to blame.

Thanks for the support and criticism both. It's equally important in my "self education."
 
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skeeter1

New member
It's time we all step up and take responsibility for protecting ourselves!!
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I agree with you in protecting ourselves, as in persons, but not using a handgun to protect a car. In our litigious society, using a handgun to protect your car (alarm or no alarm) will end you up in jail.

I don't know that it's ever been legal to use a handgun to defend your car (I suspect not).

Yes, turn on every light you have, call 911, and stay inside. Shooting a BG stealing your car would be 5 minutes of righteousness, followed by 10 years in the PMITA prison.
 
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Mal H

Staff
skeeter1 - I think you are missing the point most of us were trying to make, but perhaps failed in putting it into words effectively. I don't see carrying a gun while checking out your car alarm as providing protection for the car. I would want one in case I need protection from a thief who might himself be carrying a gun or knife. It is for self defense not car defense.
 
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9mmsnoopy

New member
I think the only mistake you made was having the safety on. If there had been a thieving scumbag breaking into your car and you confront him, what if he made a move on you, would you had time or the presence of mind to disable the safety?


i will quote my CHL instructor "a safety will get you killed".
 
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jcoiii

New member
You heard the alarm, armed yourself, looked around the area for BGs before actually entering said area. You checked your property and went back to bed.

Sounds good to me
 
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BLKLABMAN

New member
All machoism aside. Skeeter is on to something.

I agree with protecting your property, whether it be your house, or oustside your house. Your state and your DA,may have different views.

If...... If it had turned into a shooting, it would depend on the state.

In some states your car and yard are a extension of your house. In others, not so.

A CCW helps.
You could say you were on your way to do an errand, when the alarm and confrontation occured.

In Georgia, a non CCW holder having a shooting in their yard will wind up on the wrong side of the DA in a heartbeat. This particular arguement, has been used before.
They will say you "pushed" the confrontation. "You" were malicious. "You" went looking for a fight, and meant to do harm
You had better be able to dig deep, to cover the costs you are about to inccur with attorneys and the courts. If it results in the death of a scum bag, you most likely will be the one in prison. Your car and yard, are not your house.
Sad but True.

We live in a screwd up society. These are just some points, to ponder.

Your state, may of course be different.
 
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