Atlas Shrugged

What I've always wondered is how this can possibly be reconciled with full-bore lassez-faire capitalism which is all about using other people as means.I'll also add that I felt that a lot of what I read about Rand was explained when I learned that her family had lost heavily in the Russian Revolution.

Well I'll try an answer based on what I remember. By leaping out at you the girl is initiating force. You are therefore entitled to respond with whatever force you feel like applying. Running her down is a valid choice. But you can't try to hit her deliberately unless she does something that can be construed as initiating force.