After being left scared and defenseless during a road rage incident, a bar manager will never be left unarmed again.
“I was on my way home one night and I had stopped to get some food,” Andrew said. He admits he wasn’t sure what caused the other driver to become upset, but the driver followed him to the restaurant and threatened him.
“I got back into my car and ran, and they followed me for so long to where I had to call the police and have them guide me to the nearest station in order for him to lose me,” he said. “The individual had gotten in my face, and I felt pretty threatened. And like, I’ll be honest, I was scared.”
After the incident, Andrew said he made a promise to himself.
“I’m going to find some sort of way to protect myself up until the point where I’m more comfortable with carrying a firearm, which now I actually carry both because I do believe less-lethal is just as important as a real, you know, gun,” he explained.
Andrew said if he had a Byrna at the time of the incident, he would have deployed it.
“He was closing in, there were people around. There’s a lot of factors to definitely take into play, but 9 times out of 10, it’s your target in front of you, and then what’s beyond it. And you know that I am not looking to end a life, I am just trying to preserve mine and go home.”
After carrying a Byrna regularly and training, Andrew said he is able to carry both a firearm and a Byrna. Having the ability to carry a non-lethal option has offered peace of mind with his work in the service industry.
“I’m not living in fear, but it’s just kind of being vigilant,” he said.
Andrew said his role as a bar/venue manager requires him to make judgment calls every day and he never knows what each day could bring.
“I think it is just expecting the worst but hoping it’s never going to happen and when it does happen, honestly, just remaining calm and knowing what to do. And one of those things is your own personal protection and keeping those things within reach. Know how to use it and be prepared.”
