Opinion
Vehicles in motion, and not in motion!
In our DTI Vehicle Defense Courses, I heavily emphasize:
Safety is in Motion!
So long as the vehicle you’re in is in motion, you usually have the option of rapidly exiting a developing “danger zone,” even when exigent exiting involves driving over a curb, through a median, or over a flower garden!
However, the American fast-food drive-through is so ubiquitous in our daily lives that most of us will routinely find ourselves physically “boxed-in” within one of these, more often than we wish.
Last Sunday, at a Taco Bell drive-through in OH, a young woman was precipitously murdered while at the wheel of her car, via a single pistol shot to her neck. The perpetrator was a mentally-ill career loser who himself committed suicide (with the same pistol) seconds after he shot the young woman.
The perpetrator and the woman he murdered did not know each other
While in line at the drive-through, the perpetrator first honked multiple times at the car in front of him (driven by the woman whom he murdered seconds later). He then deliberately rear-ended her vehicle while both vehicles were still in the drive-through queue.
The perpetrator then exited his vehicle, approached the vehicle in front of him (that he had just smashed into), and shot the woman behind the wheel without warning and without saying a word!
Seconds later, he shot himself (fatally)
Lessons:
- 1) Criminally insane people, like the above perpetrator, who should be institutionalized, are not! They’re running around loose, unsupervised, unrestrained. They’re extremely volatile and profoundly violent (as we see), and there are many of them!
- 2) Those of us who go armed need to think about fighting while seated in a stationary vehicle and maybe even train for such a situation. Effectively fighting from inside a vehicle may be acutely necessary someday!
- 3) Dress for success! Defensive pistols need to be reasonably accessible while you’re seated and simultaneously wearing a seat belt. Shoulder holsters, appendix carry, and sling bags actually work better than strong-side holsters in this circumstance.
- 4) “Just drive away” is good advice, but only when it is possible. Avoiding getting yourself ” boxed in” should be avoided, but it is sometimes unavoidable.
A “personal security expert” who was subsequently interviewed indicated that “just driving away” was always possible. Either he can’t speak the truth, or he is unwilling to talk about it!
When “avoidance” fails (despite our most sincere efforts), your very life will depend on your preparedness, skill, equipment, decisiveness, and courage!
/John
Vehicle Defense Follow-up
From my Vehicle Defense Quip of earlier today, I’ve received a flood of inquiries with regard to where one can get a suitable shoulder-holster and/or a sling-bag
As you know, I don’t “endorse” products, as I have no financial relationship with any of the following companies.
However, I do “recommend” products I like and that are manufactured by people I like:
1) My long-time friend, Rusty Sherrick, makes a wonderful custom shoulder-holster. Top drawer!
2) My friends at Galco also enjoy a high position on my “Recommended List.” Everything they make is excellent.
3) My friends at GTM make an extensive line of high-quality sling-bags.
4) My friends at Zendira also make wonderful, functional sling-bags
The owners of all of the above companies are my long-time friends, and I know them to be good people who are personally devoted to the advancement of our art.
Recommended!
/John
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Rothco Crossbody Canvas Sling Bag | Army Navy Outdoors | Army Navy Outdoors | $ 21.99 |
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Bulldog Cases Go Sling Bag, Tan - BDT407T | Palmetto State Armory | $ 43.99 |
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Bulldog Cases Go Sling Bag, Black - BDT407B | Palmetto State Armory | $ 43.99 |
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Vaultek Lifepod 2.0 Tactical Sling Bag | Rainier Arms | $ 59.99 |
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About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor, John Farnam will urge you, based on your beliefs, to make up your mind about what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to ensure that its students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
always leave space between your vehicle and the car in front of you, so you have space to maneuver and get away. if you are the first vehicle at a stoplight be especially careful because those are usually the ones carjackers go for, they are not trapped in. stay off your phone while in a vehicle! unless your life or someone else’s depends upon it, because it just might. know instinctively where the seat adjustment lever is in your vehicle so you can drop yourself from a seated to a lying down position. the average person will be shooting to… Read more »
If it’s cooler, jacket weather, I often edc with a shoulder holster. Otherwise, I wear a holster that I can carry cross draw (I use those for own strong hand carry as well as iwb behind the back carry).
Cross draw is perfect for string behind the wheel. As opposed to right hand draw, the firearms grips are readily accessible with either hand, not jammed into the seat back or covered by the seat belt clasp.
It’s also good for around the house when your sitting around, the butt of the gun is facing out, notbburied in the cushions.
I don’t know all the details here..but I’ve learned not to do anything to upset another driver. You just don’t know. Something as simple as a middle finger can cost you your life. Not worth any response.
I tell my wife, look around at a red light or a checkout line, there are crazies everywhere and you can’t tell which ones too soon to proyect yourself.
You can ram your way out, back and forth. That will challenge the aim of the aggressor. As you chang the angle of yout vehicle, you might be able to compress him also.
HLB
Even at a red light in a bad neighborhood I allow space between my vehicle and others to do a holy hell peel out and escape if needed. Also , the instance I see a potentially angry person heading towards me in my vehicle my seat belt comes off and gun would be drawn and sitting beside me so person approaching can see it.