Vehicle Encounters

[wishyouwell]

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.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[rammerjammer]

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.

[AZ_Larz_NY]

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!

[Mike1956]

I always keep my doors locked, so unless someone breaks a window, they won't get in. If they do break a window, they will quite possibly find themselves shot.

[wishyouwell]

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.

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.

[Mxfreak_24]

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.

[Buzz64]

I would opt to drive away first, if bg is in front of vehicle too? Sucks to be the bg that day. If unable to pull away, draw to fire. Daily carry is accessableeven while wearing a seat belt. ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST! Sa is the best defense.

[StevePVB]

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.

[Mike1956]

This thread wouldn't be complete without this blast from the past--Warning, Adult Language and Content!!!
Crackhead Attacks Car - YouTube

[wishyouwell]

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.

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.

[darbo]

I can tell you one thing that will help. There is no excuse for having "blind spots" around your car. Either adjust your mirrors to eliminate them or add convex mirrors to fill in where the stock mirrors won't cover. And learn to use them for keeping track of traffic and unwanted stray folks around your car.

[wishyouwell]

This thread wouldn't be complete without this blast from the past:
Crackhead Attacks Car - YouTube

LOL! Good thing the person driving wasn't a member of DC.

[wishyouwell]

I can tell you one thing that will help. There is no excuse for having "blind spots" around your car. Either adjust your mirrors to eliminate them or add convex mirrors to fill in where the stock mirrors won't cover. And learn to use them for keeping track of traffic and unwanted stray folks around your car.

My daily driver is a Mitsubishi Eclipse lol. I have P/U but rarely drive because its a gas guzzler.

[Taurahe]

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.

[archer51]

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.