Defensive Carry banner

Your SA vs. spouse/family SA

2K views 37 replies 16 participants last post by  INccwchris 
#1 ·
Your situational awareness is probably a bit more developed than your spouse and that of your non armed family. Here is a scenarion based on that probability. You are bent over leaning into the trunk putting groceries into it. Your wife calls out to see if you are ok. You answer yes and look up, You see nothing. She has already started the car and rolled all windows down. You get into the car, and right after you get in the car, a man with a gun gets into the backseat and points his gun to your wifes head. What do you do now, All he tells you to do is drive.
 
#2 ·
Is this after he gets assaulted by my 6 yr old for being in her seat, trips on a toy, jab another toy into something painful, gets a handfull of old jelly, chocolate, juicy snacks, and gets by my wifes ninja like SA?

I can draw easily enough in the car. And I'm serious about my wife. She's way sharper than I am on this. My ride home consists of,

Wife "Did you see that creepy guy looking at us?"
Me "What creepy guy."

Oh, and she's getting ready to get her permit too. Just waiting.
 
#3 ·
I have some problems with this, but for now I'll just go along.
The car is started, so there is a 99.99% chance her foot is on the brake. As I hear the rear door open, reach over with my left hand and drop the console shifter into reverse. Even with her foot on the brake it will cause a small rearward jerk. Draw with my right hand and respond as necessary.
 
#22 ·
How would you know it's not your kid getting out of the car to pickup a toy he dropped outside while getting in?
 
#7 ·
Wife and I both CC and watch each others back.

We both are good at SA and work well as a team.

We use the color code system when we are out together.

BG or BGs might win but he will know he was in a fight for his or their lives.

Really, BGs need to watch out for old folks like us as we are to old to be a victim of some BGs who does not understand we are a team and a good one.
 
#11 ·
No, the part about my wife's SA is very true. I know exactly why it is that way. I've been meaning to start a post on it, and I have been looking for a book with some info that I need. Just can't find it.

The rest is pretty much accurate. No one can say exactly what they would do in a given situation. But this is the same in my mind and the BG telling everyone to get in the back room. It likely will not end well. So anything you are going to do needs to be fast, violent, and right now!

And anyone getting into our minivan besides us would just be a absolute mess. There would likely be four of us in it already. Plus all the assorted kid junk. Add a violent criminal to it and it goes south fast. Everyone screaming, some DB has his hands on my kids, yelling, cussing, scratching, clawing. I don't like the thoughts of having to shoot in the van with the entire family in it. But I like the thought of driving off at gun point less.

If you have not seen the swagger wagon commercial, you should google it. :smile:
 
#12 ·
That groceries-into-the-trunk scenario bothers me a lot. I shop alone, and that time is my worst as far as SA goes. I can't (a) pack the trunk carefully, (b) make sure the cart doesn't go rolling off, and (c) watch for bad guys all at the same time.

Once I'm done, I am much more likely to see a potential BG. But that packing time is difficult to do alone and keep the SA going. Especially in 4 months of 100 degree heat, when all you really want to do is get out of it!
 
#14 ·
One or two rubber maid bins in the trunk can make packing of fragile items quicker with less attention to detail.
The cart against the rear bumper with one front wheel kicked sideways eliminates the cart rolling and cuts down on the degrees of vulnerability and necessary observation.
Both help provide a safer loading environment.
 
#13 ·
i was going for funny chief, sorry if i missed. lol

I was just thinking, It's one thing to say you would fight if the gun were to your own head. But add the gun to the wifes head and suddenly its not your own life we gamble with. Thats the point I am going after, would you hesitate before acting because the gun were to her head and not your own?
 
#31 ·
NP, I was in a goofy mood last night anyway. These are quotes from my wife.

If he's behind me, I'm grabbing your gun and shooting him. If I'm carrying and he's behind you I'm shooting him.

My gut says shoot as soon as I can. Hence the lunge at him to distract and try to deflect the gun while getting mine into play. Seems the better half is with me on that.

Again, it falls into the "don't let a BG move you" idea. And no way I'm letting an armed BG separate me from a family member if I can stop it. And yes, it's a more difficult decision when it's someone else that pays for your mistake. But my fear is they will pay for my inaction as well. There is no good outcome in a situation like this, only less bad.
 
#15 ·
Brief scenario, with two twists...
Guantes answered them both.

Next

If we ain't all about overthinking this and other scenarios the simple answer is the best...

Wait a minute......

Guantes... hit reverse when you hear the door open.... forces door open... forces BG into car... you're dirving... but even though you've floored it, initial momentum really just puts the BG where he wants to be... in the car... You're driving... he's drawing (If he wasn't drawn getting in) Now what?
 
#16 ·
You are describing what more than likely will turn into a multiple crime scene scenario. The first being the point of abduction/shooting and the second being the location of the bodies. Once you are in a car with the bad guy your chances of living start to fall, but you have one big advantage, control of the vehicle at this point. My wife would do ask requested, put the car in gear and floor it while telling him to toss his gun out the window followed by him jumping out if he wanted to have a chance at living. If the bad guy is in the passenger seat she will take out the right side of the car with a tree, poll or any other hard feature. She might kill herself but she will take him along with her.

Don't mess with the missus, heck, she even scares me sometimes.
 
#18 ·
If he initially gets the door unlatched, the force of the rearward moving vehicle will open the door further (unless a "suicide" door). Since most of his body is "covered" by the door... If you are parked in a busy lot with cars on both sides and in front, the door either "funnels" him in, or just jams against the next car and maybe get's ripped off if there's enough momentum started. (That would be best... BG with gun still holding your door, you have backed out past him... he has to drop the door before you pin him to the next car with yours and the door and put the squeeze on him.)

But if that doesn't happen, I think the initial accelleration in reverse from a dead stop will not create enough momentum to knock him down, more likely somewhat gently scoop him up and in...

My opinion only... but I really think that's what would happen...

Now, if you're parked way out and no cars surround yours, you can change direction several times and beat him with the door maybe. In the mean time, your wife is screamiing in your ear you're dealing with the wheel and the shifter... your hands are occupied... you can't draw... well, you can but you gonna lose control of the vehicle...

Now if my theory of physics is wrong and yours is right, we're okay... I think, at worst, it's a 50/50 shot he's in your car and MAD, with a gun near your wife's head.
 
#19 ·
:aargh4: I just accidently deleted my post!

Ok, I'll try again.

I know one thing is CERTAIN!

"We are NOT going anywhere!"

"Whatever is going to happen, WILL happen in the parking space; AND it will happen instantly!


In my mind, it's FAR better to mount a defense in a WW or GS parking lot than to wait until we are out on county RD 216; 60mi from BF Egypt.

Besides:
My 45 will shoot "down" through the roof of my vehicle; AND my wife's 40SW has no problem going through the seat.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honestly;
This is another scenario I just can't see happening in "my" world.

First: The BG would have to go "completely" undetected on mine and my wife's SA radar.

Second: My wife usually remains "outside" the vehicle a watches my back; with her own firearm.

Third: There really is NO room to get in the backseat of ANY of our vehicles. (The best a BG could hope for is to stand outside and ask for our money; or maybe demand we give him the car.)

BUT!!!
The BG would still have to "COMPLTELY" escape our radar! I just don't see that as something "likely" to happen.
 
#20 ·
Good points Oakchas.
A couple additional factors.
With the bias to remain closed (unlatched) or open, I don't believe that the aceleration would be enough to swing the door open, from a near closed position. Have you tried to close a passenger door by backing up then suddenly stopping. It takes quite a bit to shut the door. I believe the same holds true for swinging the door open.
Another possiblity. If he has the door open partially, with the rearward acceleration the rear edge of the door is what will empact him knocking him over.
Personally, I would place it more like 80/20 or better, against him getting in the car.
Should he actually get in, that would present a different set of problems.
 
#21 ·
Put my gun against the seat and empty it

btw, your wife is in the passenger seat, car is running to get ac running
No, she isn't I never drive when she's in the car
 
#24 ·
Our kids are long since grown and gone. For those with children, that would present an additional problem.
One thing I neglected to mention earlier is that when I enter the car, as I pull the door shut, I hit the lock button for the doors.
 
#29 ·
Call me paranoid but I never enter or exit my car w/ anything but my keys in my hands and I always do a quick 360 either right before I get in or right after I get out and my car doesn't have auto unlock so I don't see anyone getting that close anyway
 
#26 ·
An additional point. With our vehicle, there is a button on the fob to open the rear cargo door to enter items. When the button to open the passenger doors is hit, it only unlocks the front doors with the first push. As there is only two of us, the rear doors are rarely unlocked.
 
#27 ·
I hope you're right!

"Ooops! Sorry there! You startled me.. what was it you wanted?" :redface:

"Just Drive"

'I can't! I think I broke it!"

"Drive or the ol' lady gets it!"

"It's broke, It won't go!" (Racing the engine.)

"I'm gonna shoot!, I swear.. Put the thing in gear!"

"Huh?" (Slam it in gear at the same time revving engine)

"Bad things being said"

Slam on brakes... other gear... race engine, hit other parked car (not hard enough to deploy air bags)... Hope for the best!

If your car is really disabled, he won't be able to go anywhere... that's what he seemed to want.... somewhere in here I hope to have gotten to my weapon. And can point it at him... or otherwise grabbed his gun or something...

If I've got a crazy in my car with a gun, pointed at my wife, I'm going to try to do whatever it takes to get him disarmed or off balance (physically/mentally)... I'm going to pretend to be completely scared out of my wits and out of control, watching for opportunity. (he expects me to be afraid of him... I'm going to give him what he expects, in spades... I think this is the only way out once he is in the car with a gun pointed at her head.) So, he thinks I've lost my wits, and can't control the car, my flailing arms, or anything else... I hope that my shenanigans have given me several micro opportunities to capitalize on.

If the gun goes off, I'm as "all over him" as I can get... I'll grab the gun, his/mine... don't matter. I will climb the seat after him... he does not wnat to be in this car with me... and I hope, and will do all in my power, to make sure he doesn't leave it alive.
 
#35 ·
BG in back seat already. His gun to her head, if his finger is on the trigger, likely is if she his the gas hard, she gets shot due to his finger jerking from the sudden movement. Maybe he misses. If I draw, and he doesn't see it, maybe I kill him before he kills her, but maybe he kills her as he's dying. If she complies and drives, maybe I choose a better spot to kill him - if not, the situation can't worsen. I wait to shoot until the gun is away from her head...or...I take the shot and she takes one for the team. Guess it's good I'm not married.
 
#36 ·
Being married most of my life, her taking one for the team will be avoided if at all possible. Prior to shooting him, his gun has to be pointed at something other than her. Whether through having him move it through anger toward me or deflection, it needs to move befor I shoot.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top