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Vehicle Encounters

3K views 31 replies 23 participants last post by  DonPablo_VA 
#1 ·
I did a search and didn't quite find what i was looking for...

So, with recent threads about being approached while in vehicle, and personally having some guy come up to my window in a drive thru a few days ago, I've been pondering on many different scenarios and options for vehicle encounters.

Even though this guy didn't have violence or anything negative on his mind... It's really got me wondering about how i would react in a real SHTF encounter of this type.

The obvious options are either drive or draw/shoot. But not try to do both at once... Now i would like to focus mainly on people who seem to want to get in by either pulling on the door handle or other possible means to gain entry...

It seems the best option is to always floor it and get out of there. But what if there's more than one BG attempting to block you. Or what if there's other issues like pedestrians in the area/blocking you. etc. etc. There's so many ways this could get hairy in a hurry...

Not to mention most of us are probably much more accustomed to how our gear works while standing and might overlook the dangers of being surprise attacked while being strapped in by a seat belt and crammed into blind spot riddled metal coffin.

I can remember many years ago my dad telling me a story about a guy just casually hopping in with him while he was stopped at a light and asking for a ride. And my dad was like *** and somehow didn't flip out and just dropped him off where he needed to go. Of course times have changed a bit since then...

So how about everyone else. Do you always draw on someone pulling on you door handle... Or is driving away your first instinct. What if something or possibly another BG has you blocked. There's just so many options and scenarios it's scary..

I'd like to hear what some of you would do or possibly have done concerning vehicle encounters.
 
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#2 ·
Driving away would be my first instinct in most cases.

However, I do carry a Ruger Police Service Six in my car in my center console area for driving just because of the scenarios you list above. I don't want to be fumbling to get my carry gun out of my pocket or waistband holster.
 
#5 ·
Good idea with the center console.

Driving away does seem like the go to method... I guess it's just the whole uncertainty while being in a vehicle that bothers me so much. Someone who surprises you at the window has such an advantage and many times you wont be able to tell if they have anything in hand or really what is going on.
 
#3 ·
Many newer cars can have the doors lock automatically. That is what I do, as soon as it is in gear the doors lock. If I am at a drive through and put it in park, i relock the doors before doing anything else. I also carry with me.
What would I do? It is hard to say, SA and evasion are the better options, but...

Be safe!
 
#6 ·
If there's a safe way out, drive off.

I was kind of thinking about this a couple of weeks ago. Long story short a guy thought i'd cut him off when in reality he didn't get to swing as wide in the intersection (one of the ones with two turn lanes and a dotted line not to pass) as he thought. End up pulling up to the next light with a car in front, behind, on my right, and this yahoo blocking me on the left yelling a string of profanities at me through his rolled down window. I kept my cool and just looked straight forward while watching him out of the corner of my eye. He ended up turning around when the light turned green before things escalated any more. Anyways, I got to thinking about what if this guy go so upset he actually drew on me? I had nowhere go drive (bumper to bumper in DFW), and he didn't have anything on the other side of him. After that I started keeping my gun underneath my seat next to me.

The second I get in my truck I lock the doors so there's no chance of any uninvited passengers. If someone were to attempt to open my door while on foot I would simply pull away, no need to draw if there's no immediate threat.
 
#10 ·
That's a bad situation. What if he hopped out and proceeded to come over to rearrange your grill. You have nowhere to go. You can either take the beating or try to get the upper hand while seated. Would drawing your weapon on his way over deter his assault. What if he had a bat etc. Can you shoot in the middle of Dallas traffic?

The vehicle scenarios present such bad situations with endless options.
 
#8 ·
I keep my doors locked. I have velcrowed a holster inside my center console so I can easily move my carry gun to it. (The challenge was coming up with enough "discipline" to keep the console relatively empty!)

You wondered about if a BG was blocking you. I'd say he made a mistake -- my truck is probably going to win that contest if he wants to stand there. Because hitting the gas is going to be my first instinct.
 
#14 ·
well if a bad guy stood in front of my car i will flatten him swiftly... I may drive a nissan sentra but it will still hurt when i ram it into you. If someone walked up to my car and tried to open my door they will stare down the barrel of ruger, uninvited means you have no business in my vehicle which means you are a threat until proven otherwise.
 
#15 ·
First choice is to drive off, if the bad guy has an accomplice who tries to block me in, he becomes a speed bump. If he's trying to block me with a car, I use my truck as a battering ram. Last choice is going to my gun.
 
#18 ·
I got blocked in once. I was on a gravel driveway and he was on pavement, and I thought ramming him would probably leave me spinning in the gravel - It was before my CHL and I only had a rifle, so I was contemplating exiting the truck to maneuver the long gun better. The third option you didn't mention was to have your guard dog loose in the back of the pickup (without a tailgate no less). Apparently the bad guy didn't take this into consideration either - until he had exited his truck and made a step or two towards mine. My dog never left the truck, but he suddenly decided he had business elsewhere, never said a word, got back in his truck and drove off.
Obviously, I recognize that you can't always have the pooches on duty, but it sure worked for me. I was on my own (well, family-owned) private property and had done absolutely nothing that could have been construed as provocative. Well, that's my story about being blocked in a vehicle.

I've also been in drive-away situations, and agree that when possible it's the best route to take.
 
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#19 ·
A few years back, I was coming down a three lane road and an idiot in front of me was having a road rage incident with somebody else and they were literally trying to ram each other, crossing from lane to lane. They almost rammed me while trying to get to the other and to avoid the accident, I accidently almost cut off another guy, which created a road rage incident for myself.. :gah:

Sure enough, we come to a stop light and it ends up with one of the other party beside me on the left, a car in front of me, the other party on the right side of me, and the guy who was pissed at me behind me. I looked in my rear view mirror and seen the guy go from flipping me off and yelling to bending down as he was reaching beneath his seat and just as I was about to mash the gas and attempt to get out of there, three cop cars with their lights on came up behind and beside these guys and saved the day. I'm guessing somebody called and reported the incident as it was happening.. I was on the way to get a new phone since mine had broke or I would of done so myself.

Man, what a stressful situation. :22a: There's no shortage of idiots and high strung, loose screw having a-holes on the roads, that's for sure!
 
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#20 ·
Good thread.


Yes, locking doors buys time, as many jackers usually try to open the door first.


Plus, a CRITICAL thing...if you must engage a threat on drivers side, draw and trace the gun OVER THE STEERING WHEEL..if not, you are flagging yourslef in the lap...way too many important pipes and wires run through your lap :)embarassed:).


Cheers,


R
 
#24 ·
Plus, a CRITICAL thing...if you must engage a threat on drivers side, draw and trace the gun OVER THE STEERING WHEEL..if not, you are flagging yourslef in the lap...way too many important pipes and wires run through your lap :)embarassed:).


Cheers,


R
I've been taught that method as well as bringing the gun into the high compressed position (position 3 of 4 count draw stroke so legs aren't muzzle swept) and bring the gun to the driver aide window. I personally prefer the latter. However if someone has shorter legs and needs to sit close to the steering wheel tracing the wheel may be the beat option for them. To each his own!
 
#21 ·
Many good replies and my own two cents.
1) In SC your firearm, if it is not on your person, must be in your console, glove compartment or trunk and not under seat etal. Someone mentioned that a CC firearm in a holster is not readily accessible so they keep it in their console. It still takes time to retrieve the firearm from the console ----that is why I have a Remora holster that is not constrained by a fixed position via a belt or a clip. The most immediate use I have for being CC is when I am driving my car; I can adjust the Remora not only to make it more comfortable when I am driving and eliminate the annoying "poke" of the holster and the firearm, but to place it for ease of draw in the constrained position when driving that is an quicker draw than from my console.
2) Situational awareness (SA) is number one in my self-defense. Easy to say for sure, but it is also true, as far as I am concerned. Every case is different but being able to use the car as your weapon or escape mechanism has to be on top of the list and it helps when you are aware of where your car is at any particular time and in any particular scenario. SA also includes many of the previous replies such as locking doors. SA should also include obeying the traffic laws and keeping control of your impatience and manliness--if you do not aggravate your fellow motorists there is less likelihood you will face an antagonist along the way and have to even deal with a car-related scenario.
All in all, good thread with many good replies--a good treatise on things you can do to make your driving safer.
 
#22 ·
Maybe I missed it, but what kind of 'drive-thru'?
A drive-thru for food would be an odd place for someone trying to fit in by the serving window, and you would certainly see the individual approaching.
A drive-thru for an ATM is a simple fix...plan ahead for cash and don't use them...never have, never will...OMOYMV
 
#23 ·
I rarely use a fast food drive-thru because they always manage to screw up the order and I don't find out until later. The ATM at my bank is very open with good visibility and I don't go at night. Those are my basic precautions.
 
#25 ·
Driving off is always the first choice for me. As others have said, doors locked. Drive defensively. When I come to a stop I always make sure I have one car length between me and the car in front to allow for a quick exit if necessary. Even in a drive thru I can at a minimum see the rear tires touch the ground from the car in front. Sometimes it makes it take the car behind me an extra minute to order or pay but they will survive. As I'm coming up to a stop at a light I am beginning my scanning of unknown contacts on the sidewalk and near the road.

My windows are also always up or almost all the way up. A year or two ago a lady in the local area was in a McDonald's drive through. She was waiting in line with her passenger side window down. At some point a guy on a bike rode up next to the car, reached in the passenger side window and grabbed her computer. In the process she tried to stop the grab but got stabbed in the process.

It's easy to get into condition white or be distracted with task fixation in the car but it should be avoided as much as possible.
 
#27 ·
Driving off might be hard to do in a drive-thru if you haven't left enough space on front of you to get out. Most people in drive-thrus like to ride right up your bumper, so reversing to get out would be near impossible, unless you like playing bumper cars. I have a Cold Steel Culloden mounted on the inside of my sun visor for close encounters. Maybe opening the door and pinning him against the wall of the building?

I do prefer drive-thrus to walking in when I've got the kids; it's just less worry when I don't have to wrangle them.
 
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#28 ·
I have had my car approached quite a few times in parking lots at stores and restaurants. Portland seems to draw a lot of travelling homeless types. Usually it is just some poor schlub looking for a handout. I will always have my gun in my hand, safety off, by the time they get to the car. It stays out of sight unless I sense some threat vibes coming from the stranger. You can usually spot any potential troublemakers by looking directly into their eyes. I've only needed to show it a couple of times. (Not waving it around or pointing, but keeping it below the windowsill and just allowing the stranger to plainly see that I have a gun in my hand). In both of those cases, the stranger did an abrupt about face and went in search of someone else to pester.

Beggars who are polite and nonthreatening will never know I'm armed. I treat them with respect and stay polite. Sometimes I say no to their inquiry, sometimes I'll fork over a buck or two depending on my mood and their story.
 
#30 ·
My BUG is cross draw so I can easily get it out without the seat belt slowing me down. But I would floor it on 1st instinct. Some armed person blocks my way, 3000 pounds of metal will carve my path for me.
 
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#32 ·
You will from time to time find yourself in a position where you don't have an 'out' when in your car (heavy traffic, construction zone etc), however I always try to give myself enough room from the car ahead of me that if I need to move, I have the room to do so. And I'm always looking for what my 'out' is. During a defensive driving class I took back in 2007, our instructor told us how many students he had who just couldn't get over the fact that it was OK to drive up on curbs, sidewalks or go the wrong way down a street. It takes that mindset that if someone is closing in on you while stopped to do whatever it takes to 'get off the X'. If I clip the guy, his bumper or get a ticket later on it beats sitting there with no place to go while somebody bears down on you with weapon X.

DP
 
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