Ordinarily, I’d treat the end result of the story: “guy feels aggrieved, gets a machete and attacks, only to be shot dead by the attackee” with something approaching glee, but as this story (sent By Reader Brad_In_IL, thankee) shows, things are often not as cut and dried:
According to authorities, 36-year-old Michel Lope Montes de Oca had contacted a mobile tire repair service to fix his car, and he got into an altercation with the mechanic who showed up and started working on his vehicle.
The customer became upset when he checked the tire that was installed on his car and found that it was a used tire, police said.
Now, let’s at least acknowledge that selling a used tire at a new-tire price is not an action that doesn’t require at least some pushback. But “getting upset” should never involve grabbing a handy cutting implement and having at it. Over-action, meet overreaction.
As Señor Machete discovered, alas too late.
One must ask — although not condemn — why a tire repair guy would feel the need for self-protection in his job. But if it’s his common practice to sell old tires as new, small wonder.
Left a bad taste in my mouth, this one did.
The story comes from an NBC station so the likelihood of accuracy is maybe 10%.
Rubber on the tires is locking the gate after the horse was stolen.
If only the fathers of these two fools had used jimmy cap type rubbers then the roads would be safer, and the tires sold might be new.
Either way, never bring a knife to a gun fight as the old saying goes.
I came here to say that very thing about knives and gunfight: It’s a bad idea, no matter how big your knife is.
My only experience with roadside assistance was when I was riding in the wrecker to the repair shop with my dead-player pickup when the driver said “I hope my pistol doesn’t bother you.”
My reply was “Yo’rn don’t bother me if mine don’t bother you.”
He replied “It don’t.”
And that was the end of the discussion.
Personally, I think a job which requires you to go meet the customer in an environment such as this tire repair guy might encounter implies a need to be armed, employer restrictions notwithstanding. I’ve had several occasions to use AAA road services, and while I don’t know if the responders were armed, I hope they were.
I can see anybody who does roadside service of any kind wanting a gun. Not just the ones who chisel.
I submit that everyone has the right of self protection, everywhere, at all times. I have the natural right of self defense, as do you, and everyone else. This includes scruffy purveyors of roadside repairs. Asking why anyone would feel the need of self protection, in their job or anywhere else, is unlike you.
Whether the guy asked for and paid for a new tire is a question. Seems like that sort of thing might be a chiller technique.
Refusing to pay would be reasonable. However I suspect the guy paid in advance.
It would be interesting to know.
Still attacking him with a machete was way out of bounds. Shooting him in response might have been reasonable. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
If he had paid for the new tire online and received a used one it might just be wire fraud. Which would make this a good case for felony murder if Florida has such a thing and the DA felt groggy.
I, too, have a bad taste in my mouth about this.
However, the scummy repairman has a right to defend himself.
Doesn’t make him any less scummy.
Many tyre shops have options to buy used (but still good) tyres at a fraction of the price of new ones.
Often these will be tyres left over from other customers replacing a full set (or both front or rear tyres) after having a puncture for example.
My guess is mister customer wasn’t happy when he chose the discount service and got the discount service, then tried a little violent action to get his point across and got shot for the trouble.
Hope the tyre shop took the tyre back as it wasn’t paid for.
Whether the guy asked for and paid for a new tire is a question. Seems like that sort of thing might be a chiller technique.
Refusing to pay would be reasonable. However I suspect the guy paid in advance.
It would be interesting to know.
Still attacking him with a machete was way out of bounds. Shooting him in response might have been reasonable. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
If he had paid for the new tire online and received a used one it might just be wire fraud. Which would make this a good case for felony murder if Florida has such a thing and the DA felt froggy.
The terms of the contract are not spelled out.
The used tire was a “loaner” so that the owner could drive to the repair place and have his original tire plugged, thus saving a tow truck charge ($200-300).
Why put a new tire on as a loaner?