Glad things worked out for you Mike. Could have been ugly. The best gunfights are those where no shots are fired.
Thanks, Peace Officers, for supporting our natural right to bear arms as enumerated by 2A. I wish there were more like you that trust the average Joe and don't come unglued at the mere thought of CC or sight of an openly carried sidearm. As mentioned, it's a very personal decision to carry as it entails considerable responsibility.
I take the responsibility to protect myself and my family seriously, so I often pack. Done so for decades and have considerable training. However, the firearm is the last resort and only if met by deadly force. (Employ the Force Triangle.) I have no desire to kill any living thing unless it's directly threatening my life/loved ones or I intend to eat, say, venison.
My first line of defense is between my ears, as it is for all of us. Being aware of surroundings is critical to self preservation. Following one's 'gut' on places to avoid can be beneficial. I've avoided more than one location during my life just because it didn't look right. Drives my DW crazy sometimes, but better safe than sorry. However, sometimes one can't avoid a less than desireable situation, such as breaking down in unknown territory or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Been there, done that WRT breaking down hundreds of miles from home and tools. And while I didn't need my sidearm, I was darn glad I had it. Preparation yields less stress, clearer thinking and confidence to handle the unexpected appropriately. In other words, lack of preparation leads to panicking,which breeds mistakes which breeds stress, etc. Guess that's the Scout in me. ;D
YMMV
Glad to see a civil discussion of the subject.
