imo if you ever have a spot where there is only one option, then you have made a mistake.
A few years ago I went away for the weekend. When I returned home on the Sunday evening I found a strange car on my drive. As I contemplated who's car this was two guys came walking out the front door carrying my plasma tv, closely followed by another guy holding my gf jewellery box. If we agree violence should only be applied in extreme situations then the walking away option has already expired when an extreme situation arrives.
People are just like any other animal in so much as instincts tell us fighting is best avoided because any injury could be fatal. But anyone can be thrust into an extreme situation through no fault of their own where violence will be the only answer. I know from Discovery that with male lions it tends to be when another rogue male tries to muscle in on the harem of females, and that is fair enough imo. The lion does not want to fight but that critical moment has arrived. It arrived for me when I stumbled on that burglary. And it arrived for Red when he realised he didn't want to be intimidated. If you let some guy spit at your gf face she will be sickened by the thought of ever having sex with you again, so I think it qualifies as a genuine critical moment. It is not effective to apply logic to primal critical moments.
Btw great story Red. I love so much you turned back after cycling for one mile, lol.