[CA Story] I drew my pepper spray.

...but fortunately did not have to use it. No CCWs in my neck of California, so this is a meh story but still a story, below.I was coming out of Target at around 8:30PM. It was cold and dark but the parking lot and entrance/exit doors were well lit. The Target (as you're coming in has an entrance, exit - left to right double sliding doors), separated by about 40-50 feet. At this time, there was nobody in the parking lot, it must have been a lull as right after Thanksgiving as it's usually busy.As I came out of the exit, I see a guy on the other side of the entrance suddenly spot me. I see him out of the corner of my eye and think nothing, must just be another panhandler moving. Then he starts following me cross the parking lot road. I shoot him a look of daggers, to indicate that I know he's following and to get a physical description for security purposes. His description is still seared into my mind. When he notices I see him, he starts yelling out gibberish "breh breh breh". I keep walking and ignore him but keep him in my vision.I walk about 30-40 more feet and he is still following faster than I'm walking, so distance is closing. At this point, I have the spray in my hand and out of my pocket.Here's where it turns blurry. Sure, you train to make sure when you deploy the spray you're upwind so you don't catch any spray yourself and to make sure you have it aimed correctly. The type I carry is stream type. At that moment, all of the training went out the door. I do IDPA so I'm aware of this tunnelvision happening with a gun, but there's no IDPA for pepper spray and the controls are different, as you can imagine. I guess more spray training for me...So now, I turn around, and he's walking. I yell at him to STOP. At this point he freezes and I'm still walking to my car. He turns around and disappears back to the storefront, to harass more people. I get in my car and leave quickly.I'm a 30-yo male in California. I don't know what he would have done to a woman or elderly person but he was clearly very aggressive and creepy. I called the mall security from a safe place to have them handle this very aggressive panhandler.Remember, always be aware of your surroundings.Time to upgrade to a Taser or something. via /r/CCW http://ift.tt/2g1iAHk