Plan2Live
Member
During an interesting discussion in another thread regarding keeping handguns in vehicles an exchange developed that sounded like it was a better fit for Strategies and Tactics so I am starting this thread.
The two main questions are 1) Does an unwinnable scenario exist? 2) Is there ever a scenario where you comply with a bad guy’s instructions?
The set-up.
Last year I took a force-on-force class using Airsoft pistols. The scenario I want to discuss was defending against a carjacker while seated in your vehicle. Because we were using Airsoft guns we were instructed to keep our windows rolled down so we could tell if we took hits. Because this was a mock exercise we were not allowed to run over the bad guy. The drill required us to drive up to a stop sign, a pedestrian would be crossing the street. In some cases he was merely a pedestrian and nothing happened. Sometimes he was a carjacker and drew his weapon. When the pedestrian was indeed a carjacker we had to decide what our best options were and implement our plan. Everyone who attempted to draw their pistol took rounds, a lot of rounds. Several who decided to comply were left standing on the street as the bad guy drove away. Some who complied were shot and left for dead. All but two who hit the gas in an attempt to flee took rounds.
In some ways, the scenario was a Kyaboshi Maru (Star Trek reference), an unwinnable scenario. The purpose of the drill was to show us how difficult it is to defend yourself while seated in a vehicle and to reinforce the idea of not letting the mere presence of a gun lull us into a false sense of security.
Going back to the scenario, you are stopped at a stop sign while a pedestrian is in the crosswalk and either approaching from your left or right. As he nears your front bumper from the left or as he clears your front bumper crossing from your right, he draws a gun from his jacket pocket, a gun he already had his hand on, and with finger on the trigger he points it directly at you at a distance of about 7 feet and at approximately a 60 degree angle to you. What do you do? Remember, in our drill, with only two exceptions, everyone that tried to flee took rounds to the upper body, head and/or neck.
Other points to consider; This is South Carolina, as a CWP holder you can legally carry your gun concealed on your person, in an open or closed container in your passenger compartment (glove box, console, door pocket) or “secured” under the driver’s seat. As a non-permit holder it has to be in a closed container with a latch (console or glove compartment). The holsters that strap onto the steering column are not allowed for anyone. Driving around with the handgun on the seat beside you or cradled in your lap or tucked under your leg or tucked between your seat and the console is not allowed. If a pedestrian has one foot in the crosswalk and you drive across the crosswalk, even if they are on the other side of the street and nowhere near your vehicle, you can receive a hefty ticket with more than a few points…ask my son. So driving away before the pedestrian gets close to your vehicle and not showing any aggression is illegal.
So what do you do, how do you respond to this drill? Do you ever comply and let the carjacker have the car?
The two main questions are 1) Does an unwinnable scenario exist? 2) Is there ever a scenario where you comply with a bad guy’s instructions?
The set-up.
Last year I took a force-on-force class using Airsoft pistols. The scenario I want to discuss was defending against a carjacker while seated in your vehicle. Because we were using Airsoft guns we were instructed to keep our windows rolled down so we could tell if we took hits. Because this was a mock exercise we were not allowed to run over the bad guy. The drill required us to drive up to a stop sign, a pedestrian would be crossing the street. In some cases he was merely a pedestrian and nothing happened. Sometimes he was a carjacker and drew his weapon. When the pedestrian was indeed a carjacker we had to decide what our best options were and implement our plan. Everyone who attempted to draw their pistol took rounds, a lot of rounds. Several who decided to comply were left standing on the street as the bad guy drove away. Some who complied were shot and left for dead. All but two who hit the gas in an attempt to flee took rounds.
In some ways, the scenario was a Kyaboshi Maru (Star Trek reference), an unwinnable scenario. The purpose of the drill was to show us how difficult it is to defend yourself while seated in a vehicle and to reinforce the idea of not letting the mere presence of a gun lull us into a false sense of security.
Going back to the scenario, you are stopped at a stop sign while a pedestrian is in the crosswalk and either approaching from your left or right. As he nears your front bumper from the left or as he clears your front bumper crossing from your right, he draws a gun from his jacket pocket, a gun he already had his hand on, and with finger on the trigger he points it directly at you at a distance of about 7 feet and at approximately a 60 degree angle to you. What do you do? Remember, in our drill, with only two exceptions, everyone that tried to flee took rounds to the upper body, head and/or neck.
Other points to consider; This is South Carolina, as a CWP holder you can legally carry your gun concealed on your person, in an open or closed container in your passenger compartment (glove box, console, door pocket) or “secured” under the driver’s seat. As a non-permit holder it has to be in a closed container with a latch (console or glove compartment). The holsters that strap onto the steering column are not allowed for anyone. Driving around with the handgun on the seat beside you or cradled in your lap or tucked under your leg or tucked between your seat and the console is not allowed. If a pedestrian has one foot in the crosswalk and you drive across the crosswalk, even if they are on the other side of the street and nowhere near your vehicle, you can receive a hefty ticket with more than a few points…ask my son. So driving away before the pedestrian gets close to your vehicle and not showing any aggression is illegal.
So what do you do, how do you respond to this drill? Do you ever comply and let the carjacker have the car?