If I had the keys, I'd drive off.

A baseball bat discussion came up a while back, and many advocated escalation of force (i.e. pepper spray first).

I was not of that mindset, and still am not. A baseball bat is lethal force that can turn you off like a switch. I will defend myself with lethal force.

 

Agreed 100%

 

Agreed, a bat is definitely a lethal weapon, and can easily cause "great bodily harm" ...

 

I would have to say, the call would be that he struck you and would not get another turn at bat. Justifyable self protection. If there was no reason for his actions.

 

If you can't drive off, the victim in the article did the right thing, get out the other side of the car... Now, access your weapon of choice... pepper (OC) spray, tazer, gun, cannon, airstrike, nuke, in that order... He'll probably be done after #2 or 3, but with these "crank heads" on the loose, you just never know.

 

Also agree, taken straight from the WV Code,

"Deadly weapon" means an instrument which is designed to be used to produce serious bodily injury or death or is readily adaptable to such use.

Readily adaptable to such use...that covers a lot of improvised weapons.

quick story..In high school, the school had a strict policy about "deadly weapons" and often conducted searches of students and their cars. (yes there was a shooting in my school, but that is a different story) long story short, they searched my car on a spring day, found a baseball bat, in my equipment bag, in my locked trunk and notified the school resourse officer, who then notified my dad...they had full intention of suspending me, however there is a happy ending to the story..I played baseball for the school...took my dad and the coach to explain this was part of my equipment to the school...(even though it was in an equipment bag with my glove,cleats and practice gear). The thing that saved me was the fact it was baseball season. If I did not play ball and it was not season I would have had a lot of trouble.

So, yea I agree a bat is a deadly weapon, If I have a means of escape like my keys then I drive away,If not then I defend myself with the amount of force needed to stop the threat...not one step more.

 

LOL, I would say run away but you cant out run a crack head...lol

(meant as a joke,)

 

nah, actually they don't last long in foot chases lol, usually wither out after a couple of blocks and we have to call an ambulance for them cause they fake a heart attack trying to get out of going to jail.....and it never works

 

From the passenger seat for me to move, get the key out start and drive off he would be able to get at least 3-4 more swings in. If I go for the pistol, maybe 1-2 swings while I pivot so my legs are the target, not head, spine...

I go for my weapon

 

I would exit the vehicle opposite side of the attacker as the victim did. Most likely throw a few words at the guy... If he is coming at me and running me down and all I have is a sidearm I don't think it would cause me to use deadly force on the man.. Maybe a shot in the lower leg or something I would be very hesitant to squeeze one off.. just me. There is always a good old fashioned :kicknuts:.

 

Oh boy... gonna shoot to wound, eh? Then the guy was not a threat in the legal sense of the term... There goes your new permit... and maybe an assault charge...

 

In fear for your life generally justifies deadly force unless your state requires a duty to retreat.

 

If for some reason im not driving (Very Very Rare) And I had a fire arm on me, then yes by all means I would shoot center mass, a baseball bat hitting you in the leg or anywhere else for that matter will still do damage.


hehe Bean Bag Kick.

 

Agreed Oakchas-- I do not always have to fire when I draw(person drops bat, stops advancing ect.) however when I do fire it is center mass...legs are hard to hit on a moving target as well as head and I am responsible for a miss, and I dont wanna miss..

besides with the advances in modern medicine the attacker has a good chance to live anyway...

 

Point taken.. I just think a man with a bat don't deserve to be killed... that's why I threw the VERY hesitant to shoot in there. Would rather run my butt off or bean bag him... I think I'm still fairly fast n fit :smile:

 

Good, or else on your next hunt, you have to shoot the legs out from under those deadly deer!

On the other hand, while I've never been hit with a bat, I choose not to experience the thrill.. if he continues advancing, Shoot to stop the threat.

 

I have been hit with a bat.....it hurts...alot...

 

I concur.
I was doing security work at a club one night when one of my bouncers got into a pretty bad fight with a drunk patron. I got between them and turned to see my bouncer coming down with a bat aimed directly for this guys head. I went to tackle the 6'5" 350 pound bouncer; and knocked him back a few steps just as the bat landed across my back.

I couldn't walk well for a week & had bruises that lasted for months.

-

 

If a man with a bat hits you in the head, you're just as dead as if he had shot you.
I live in Florida with a "stand your ground law", no duty to retreat.
He comes at me with a bat, he had better have made peace with his maker. :yup:

 

That bat could be deadly force in my opinion. One time I got hit fairly hard with a plastic bat on the arm by a kid & it hurt pretty bad. Didn't break anything, but it was plastic & it was a kid, not an adult with a wooden or metal bat.

You could definitely get knocked out or permanent brain damage if you got whacked in the head. I doubt it would be hard to be killed with a bat... Yeah, I'm going for my gun, but if he drops the bat & doesn't threaten me anymore, I wouldn't shoot him.

 

Shoot to kill.

 

I would point out that a bat to the skull will kill very easily. I know the movies always show people in fights and take multiple blows to knock somebody down, whether it be the good guy or bad guy. But a bat will kill, and at minimum will put you in the hospital with a concussion. If it hits you anywhere else in the body, it can break bones.

This type of thing has gone to court many times. Even a beer bottle to the head is considered attempted murder in many cases. So it would be very easy to justify shooting somebody if they were assaulting you with a bat.

It is also worth pointing out the flip side. Anyone who has had any martial arts training knows that a bat, pipe, stick, broom, or anything long like that takes a very long time to swing. It is much easier to defend against somebody with a bat than, for example, somebody with a small knife. With the bat, you can see exactly where they are going to swing it. Most of the time it is possible to close the distance, rendering their bat useless. With proper training, it is very easy to take the bat away from somebody as well. It is just too slow of an instrument to use. I'm much more afraid of a knife. It is hard to tell if they even have one, and they may stab you or cut you anywhere with it and you may not be able to respond until after the fact.

 

Thanks for the post guys/gals.

I'm 70.
I've read and seen enough to know the terrible AND deadly effects of a baseball bat (or any long, hefty bludgeon).
If it were me in passenger side of my SUV, high center console makes getting to driver's side door difficult.

I am accessing my sidearm . . . shouting at him to drop the bat . . . if he draws back to swing again I shoot to NEGATE the threat.

 

If ???? you shoot just to wound, you will more than likely need to spend a large amount of money on a lawyer, I myself am never, never going to shot to wound, if I do in fact shoot Can't run, too old and not really in good health, but I will protect myself, because my plan at this point in time is to keep getting older.

 

............to continue,

If I were standing outside of my vehicle it might be a totally different sequence of events.
I have to agree with adric22 that if space allows, unarmed defense against a fully swung bat is doable.

I had to disarm my teacher against his (real) baseball bat swing at my head. and his swing of a 3 foot length of chain at my head in self-defense training.

The huge disadvantage of being in the seat of a vehicle leaves few "easy"options IMO.

 

it is obviously a deadly force threat. Unless of course you can read their mind and know they really just want to beat the car and not you.

 

In the news article the assailant was unknown- -so, you are sitting somewhere, apparetnly minding your own business and are attacked by an unknown assailant s that swinging a baseball bat, which we have decided that is a lethal weapon. Going H2H against somebody with a lethal weapon in hand might be do-able for some of you younger guys, but I'm not sure its wise--if he's hopped up on something he may not react to normal blows/strikes.

Nor do I want him running off so he can indiscrimantely attack the mom with baby in stroller or the elderly great-grandmother walking her poodle. If he is swinging the bat at me, he gets two to the chest and if he still swings the bat, he gets a follow-up to the head......

 

If I do not have my weapon on me, I have had the training(and continue to practice) on disarming things like bats, sticks and knives, but keep in mind with a knife you will get cut, with a bat you will get hit, its not a full swing but anybody that has watched any boxing or UFC can tell you that a glancing blow can knock you off balance and leave you vunerable for a more sever beating...however if you do not have your weapon and cant run then you have to defend yourself, I am not saying to lay there and get killed, I am not saying the disarming tecniques wont work cause they will work. what I am saying that you will take damage.

On the other hand...If I have my weapon then I shoot, and I shoot center mass.

 

If he has swung the bat broke my window he has clearly displayed his intentions and I will do the same with two hollow points in the chest, more if needed.

 

A guy outside my car is swinging away with a baseball bat. Why would I get out--one side or the other? That only increases the chance of harm.