An interesting situation

[cleardiddion]

So, last night I was headed from my apartment to my school's firearms club meeting when I pulled to an intersection about 5 mins from school.

I had two cars in front of me, two to my forward right of me, and a motorcycle behind me.
On that intersection there's a BP that isn't what one would want to call a classy operation.

Well, as I'm sitting there waiting for the light to change (it takes forever by the way), this truck (more bondo than metal) driven by some run down looking guy and a girl begins to pull out of the gas station at a high rate of speed.

I looked up and to the right because I saw something in my perephrial and I see that this guy's stopped just a foot or two from my passenger side door. He then begins to yell out his window that have to move my f***ing a** out of the way accentuating with some not so nice hand gestures. I admitedly replied by asking him, "How the h*** do you expect me to move?"

I had all of maybe a couple feet between me and the car in front of me and the bike behind me was maybe 6ft back. The cars to the right of me left me no room. Even seeing this, the guy continues to yell at me so that he can wedge in a truck 3/4 the length of my car. Yeah, totally logical.

Thankfully the light changed in a few more seconds and time managed to speed back up to normal and I drove off from the situation.

So, I guess there were a few things I learned.

* I can definitely see how the situation could have escalated beyond what did happen.
He was, by my definition at least, a very hot headed individual and I think had it been in maybe a not so public place or had it gone on for any longer it could definitely have degenerated.

* I ended up in a situation where the only route of escape was to go into oncoming traffic. I need to leave myself an opening from now on.

* I had my windows down and my door unlocked.
It's Florida, it's hot and I'm a student so I like to save money on gas. To boot I was only planning on a short 10min hop to school. I'll have to reconsider my habits on this one.

* I didn't really have any access to defensive items within the car.
Normally, following Florida law, I practice car carry as I don't yet have my CCW. Not that it would have done me any good since weapons are not permitted on campus to where I was headed. I had my Kershaw Leek on me but I don't think if the guy had escalated the situation that I would have been able to get it in time. I think this may be a good argument for getting a few cans of OC.

I guess that's really about it.

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

just some advice, i usually stop about 6-10 feet behind the car in front of me. gives you room to move, and if you get hit from behind at 50 mph by a girl you used to go to school with, you wont hit the car in front of you, say...a nice vintage porche...

yeah, fortunately nothing happened. in florida are you allowed to keep the gun in the car? OC spray is a good idea. good post.

 

[highorder]

If you can't see the pavement under the rear wheels of the vehicle in front of you, you've boxed yourself in.

I never used to think about it, but no I leave space every time.
It's very simple, with lots of upsides, and no downside.

Other than that, you did good to not escalate things.

 

[Schofield3]

* I had my windows down and my door unlocked.
It's Florida, it's hot and I'm a student so I like to save money on gas.

Common misconception -

Not running you’re A/C does not save you mileage;
having your windows down creates drag while driving whether or not the A/C running – this reduces gas mileage
The drive belts are moving when the car is running, this means the compressor unit is moving whether you turn on A/C or not.
Sorry for the rant it just drives me crazy when people purposefully drive uncomfortably because they think they’re saving gas.
I'm just pissed because I don't have A/C

 

[psyopspec]

Lock your doors.

 

[blakeci]

actually, with regard to the A/C thing, they proved on Mythbusters that at speeds below 45 MPH windows down does save gas, especially if you are doing a lot of stop and start driving, however at speeds above that, the drag makes it use more gas

 

[rbohm]

in regards to the a/c thing, it really depends on the generation of vehicle you are driving as to whether using the a/c costs you fuel economy or not. my moms 97 sable doesnt use anymore fuel with the a/c as opposed to it being off. on the other hand my 76 el camino uses more fuel with the a/c on, at any speed, than it does when it is off. same with my 64 falcon. the old york, techumseh, and frigidare compressors took a lot of horsepower to run, where as the modern sanden style compressors use very little power in comparison.

by the way i am certified in automotive a/c repair.

 

[Schofield3]

Hahaha, this made the day so far

I'm sorry to the OP,

I think I should have started a thread concerning this A/C dilemma

- Regardless, being comfortable while driving helps you stay focused on the task at hand, DRIVING and also there's definitely the added safety of having your windows up...

 

[bigfatdave]

* I didn't really have any access to defensive items within the car.

The hell you didn't. You were at the controls of a battering ram ... in the event of some idiot attacking you on foot while you are in the driver's seat, drive through him, and deal with scraped-up bumpers of other cars after.

I'd recommend you (and anyone who drives and hasn't ever tried) set up some cones in an abandoned/empty parking lot and do some maneuverability testing to get a feel for how tight you can make a turn, how to knock over a cone with your fender (crank the wheel and back up, someone reaching through or banging on your window will get a nasty surprise as you knock them down or run over their foot)
You are far from defenseless in your vehicle, and it makes a better weapon or escape tool than OC or a pistol ever will, assuming you are ready to drive.

 

[Th3_M4d_1r1shm4n]

People have already mentioned leaving space between you and the car in front of you, and locking your doors, so I won't touch on that.

But.

"How the h*** do you expect me to move?"

Swearing at an already irrational individual is not likely to do much to prevent any potential situation from escalating. In this case, better to just play dumb - shrug your shoulders, act like you can't hear him.

And if I remember right, FL gun carry laws are pretty relaxed...you could've had a sidearm within reach concealed or not and (I think, don't quote me on this) still be completely legally compliant. Otherwise, like Big Dave mentioned, your car makes a great spur-of-the-moment weapon.

Go well.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Hate to tell you, but bigfatdave nailed it. If the idiot was going to ram you, that's about it, but if he got out to confront you, you still have the out of jumping the curve or knocking the A-hole over, but realize that a car is considered a weapon in a SD situation, so... you need to be justified, not just "scared of the angry guy".

Me, I just shrug and gesture to my front and back and say he can get in when the light changes. If that doesn't work, I ignore the guy, less escalation happens when you recognize the idiot and offer the obvious sorry cant move, then leave it at that, anything else is on him.
Oh, do wonder what running him over trying to get away would count as? "What officer (make sure you call first) I hit the guy, I thought that was him trying to bash my window in again, he almost got in my car and I thought he was going to kill me."

 

[bigfatdave]

your car makes a great spur-of-the-moment weapon

HA! Nice phrase, I'll have to work that into conversation, thanks!

Another thought on vehicular SD ... shooting a pistol from your car into a vehicle that's attempting to ram you isn't going to keep you from getting rammed, and it WILL put you in a non-optimal position when your vehicle does take an impact. So in addition to not being effective, and deafening you, and sending projectiles and shrapnel out into the world at random ... you get whiplash as a bonus!

1-Avoidance is all good, but sometimes the jerk comes to you.
2-When you can't avoid, de-escalation is far better than having to employ deadly force.
But when steps 1 and two above fail ...
3-Escape still beats employing deadly force, it saves on court/lawyer fees for sure.
and if absolutely necessary, with no other option that doesn't put you into MORE danger (like getting out of your vehicle to avoid/escape an aggressive driver puts you into more danger) is not available ...
4-stopping the threat becomes appropriate.

(as an aside, step #0 is DON'T PANIC and applies in all situations at all times)

I would say that you weren't able to even use step #1, didn't do #2 very well, and didn't have a plan for #3 ... which is not much of a reason to keep a lousy method (pistol) for step #4 in an easily-stolen location on a regular basis. Keeping a can or two of OC in your car might not be too bad of an idea, but remember that spraying in/from your vehicle will de-escalate any plans YOU had for the afternoon as well - I've been exposed to the stuff and it will ruin your day. Removing yourself from the vicinity of idiots trying to force their way into traffic is far preferable to macing yourself, in my opinion.

 

[hammerklavier]

+1 on leaving room in front, you should always stop with sufficient room to pull around the car in front if need be. I started doing this back in the 90's when car jackings were so popular. I wanted to give myself room to drive away from a situation or use my car as a weapon if need be. Thank God I've never had to use the space for that, but it has come in handy if I'm in the wrong lane, or if the car in front gets involved in an accident, etc.

 

[JMusic]

Yeah never get out of that car and consider ahead your first counter. Do it full bore and when and have your seat belt on. Once they start to slide you have the momentum stay in it till you lose it.



Jim