Last edited by baddean; 04-30-2019 at 09:10 PM.
Dean,
“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine
"The problem is not the availability of guns, it is the availability of morons."- Antonio Meloni
While I agree with you, it's good to keep in mind that a lot of modern cars have things like fuel cutoff switches that may make this more difficult.
In a previously owned vehicle, when I went looking for the fuel cutoff reset switch (not for any particular reason, just to know where it was), I really had to spend a while looking for it. It was actually in a quite convenient location, just tricky to find at first. If I would have had to go looking for that switch in an emergency, without having first spent the time identifying where it was in the car, I'm not so sure it would have gone well.
In short, take your ego out of driving. Don't let it get personal. This is harder than it sounds because I nearly get clipped every single day. Welcome To Florida.
Even if there is no road rage and you get boxed in, pay attention to what's going on around you and keep thinking. If you see people on foot that look sketchy, make your plan before it's a problem. Do not do what everyone else does: playing with phone, eating breakfast, car karaoke, etc.
Last edited by Hambo; 05-01-2019 at 05:54 AM.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
Newer vehicles enable the fuel pump differently. From the 2017 Ford Taurus owner's manual:
For vehicles equipped with a push button start system:
1. Press the START/STOP button to switch off the ignition.
2. Press the brake pedal and press the START/STOP button to switch on the ignition.
3. Remove your foot from the brake pedal and press the START/STOP button to switch off the ignition.
4. You can either attempt to start the engine by pressing the brake pedal and the START/STOP button, or switch on the ignition only by pressing the START/STOP button without pressing the brake pedal. Both ways re-enable the fuel system."
Much wisdom here.
Years ago, I made the conscious decision to avoid all negative actions, gesturing and posturing while driving. This means that I slow down and open the way for aggressive drivers who seek to cut in or cut off others abruptly. I no longer stare at slow drivers as I pass them when they finally yield and move out of the left lane. I never flip the bird or make similar gestures. I pretty much just, well, drive. This behavior mode has definitely lowered my relative blood pressure and has likely helped me avoid a few, um, unwanted interactions.
Well said.
Cops fire on people from inside their vehicle. Seen it on YT. Not the best situation but at least you can't be seen as the aggressor if you never left your vehicle. If a guy wants a gun fight after shots are fired then I say exit your vehicle ASAP because he's probably high or just looking to die.
Lot's of good stuff in this thread for folks to think about.
I'll add that if it's me, I'm probably staying in the car, doors locked, windows up and try to drive off. Being LE for all these years I learned a long time ago to not get boxed in.....staying off the bumper of the car in front of me and always choosing a lane other than the middle one. I also, like others, try to not take anything personal when driving because most folks don't drive.....they do other things while operating vehicles.
All that being said, I have been approached while seated in a car for nefarious reasons and the simple act of pointing a loaded pistol at someone will get the point across. I have also had to fire in the line of duty while seated in a patrol car so all the practice I did on that aspect paid off on the job. I did that on my own because my agency is light years behind in training. On that incident, I remained in the car and fired out the driver window at the threat. It was a pivotal moment in the engagement and since I had trained to do it, it was no big deal mechanics-wise.
I gots reasons why I'm not getting out of the car.
First, if I am in the roadway, I don't want to be out of the car for the simple fact that most folks don't drive......they do other things. So if I am verbally arguing with someone, I'm more likely to be struck by a passing vehicle than anything. If the guy decks me, now I'm laying in the road while people IG and Facebook whizzing past my unconscious tail.
Second, I'm not sure that others haven't called this altercation in and there could be some cop on our flanks. If the guy accosting me pulls a gun/knife/pipe, I might now be in the firing line of this un-seen officer as he or she unloads. My luck I'd catch the rounds instead of the bad guy.......and witnesses might have reported me as the instigator in the first place. So said officer shoots the guy described on his or her computer relying on the witnesses as well as the dispatcher/call takers "getting it right".
Third, I'd like to stay in the car for those same witnesses to say "That guy (lwt16) was sitting in his car and minding his own business when he was accosted by the decedent" when questions are posed for Grand Juries, Interrogatories, and other post-shooting hot seat question sessions. Getting out of the car might be seen by those folks that decide things like "true bills and no bills" as aggressive...and culpable.
So if the guy stands there at my door and screams and yells, and tee tees, and moans......and then gets back in his car and leaves....okay, you win dude and I'll chastise myself for getting boxed in in the first place. If he kicks the car or keys it or flattens a tire....okay, whatever......I'll get the tag and call it in and file a report.
If, however, he makes the mistake of trying to get "me" out of the vehicle, I am going to assume that's to either kill me or car jack me....both of which are valid self-defense arguments to present in a court of law in my state. He's getting shot through the window until the threat is over.
Am I in a "tactical" disadvantage firing from seated? Maybe, but I have trained for years on how to do it and have done it in real time. I feel quite confident I could articulate in a court of law that I was in fear for my life.
If fire, calamity, riots or other things happen, then I'll get out and fight my way out on foot.
Twenty three years on the streets, some combat experience, and two pennies worth of advice on the subject.
Regards.
Last edited by lwt16; 05-01-2019 at 01:25 PM.