Posted: 5/13/2014 7:33:24 AM EDT
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Had an interesting experience last night. I had just gotten back to my car in a strip shopping center. I had backed halfway out of my parking space when I saw a man approaching the passenger side from behind.
Didn't want to chance running him over, so I stopped and waited for him to get by, but he walked right up to the passenger door and tried to open it. Me = 
Fortunately the doors were locked, and he just walked away after taking a glance inside. Me = 
Cool story bro and all that. 
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I like that autolock feature on most cars now.
Folks are getting pretty brazen. I had to go to church last Monday to pull footage off the security camera of a guy stealing a briefcase from an unlocked truck. He walked right up to it like it was his truck, open the door, picked up the briefcase, closed the door and walked away like he was headed to a meeting somewhere. He didn't hesitate, he didn't circle the car, he didn't peer over and look inside, he didn't check the handles. Obvious this wasn't the first time he had done something like this. |
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Did you have a weapon? Quoted:
Did you have a weapon? There was a loaded 9mm in the center console. I didn't think about going for it until after the guy walked away.  I would have gone for it if he had continued his attempt to get in though.
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Has this incident changed or reinforced any habits you have developed? It has reinforced my habit of locking my doors immediately after entering my vehicle. It made me realize I need to make my handgun more accessible (it was in a zipped case in the center console). It has caused me to rethink my default assumptions about pedestrians in parking lots. Quoted:
Glad you are safe! Thanks! |
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This brings up a good point...not to hijack, but, how do y'all handle a gun in the car in the event you ever need to use it?
Those of us that conceal carry, obviously (for me anyway) it starts out in my IWB holster when I leave the house (or wherever I am). When you get in your car do you keep it there? Move it elsewhere so it's more accessible and then replace when you're ready to get out of the car? Ideal I would guess would be a completely separate gun so you're not having to move your carry gun in/out of the holster. |
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This brings up a good point...not to hijack, but, how do y'all handle a gun in the car in the event you ever need to use it? Those of us that conceal carry, obviously (for me anyway) it starts out in my IWB holster when I leave the house (or wherever I am). When you get in your car do you keep it there? Move it elsewhere so it's more accessible and then replace when you're ready to get out of the car? Ideal I would guess would be a completely separate gun so you're not having to move your carry gun in/out of the holster. Gun stays on me. I understand the desire to dig in and defend your vehicle, but I want out of the coffin if homeboy has a weapon. No way I'm leaving a firearm in the car. |
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Gun stays on me. I understand the desire to dig in and defend your vehicle, but I want out of the coffin if homeboy has a weapon. No way I'm leaving a firearm in the car. I need a better system for before/after-work carry (workplace is posted with valid 30.06 signs). 
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Sorry about the experience and thank God it blew over like it did, but this reinforces what I tell my wife.
First thing to do when you get in the vehicle is lock and go. Don't piss around with your phone and lose awareness. Edit: I also carry IWB in the car, not as comfortable of a ride but I don't carry for comfort. Safely practice your draw inside the vehicle too, it's a different game. |
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Gun stays on me. I understand the desire to dig in and defend your vehicle, but I want out of the coffin if homeboy has a weapon. No way I'm leaving a firearm in the car. The vehicle can be used as an effective weapon. I believe that squishing the BG between my vehicle and the vehicle next to me is a good way of creating joinder. 
Personally, here's my SOP for that situation: Option 1 [with family in vehicle] > Back up and possibly over the BG. Flight is objective. Option 2 [with family in vehicle and unable to flee] > Put truck in park & get family out of vehicle. When they're clear of the BG (or the BG's attention is distracted), draw and shoot the BG. I'm not getting out of the drivers seat until they're free and clear of the vehicle. Fight (protection of family) is objective. Option 3 [me alone] > Try and park the front or rear tires on the BG's chest or shoot them if possible. Fight is the objective. If I have to grind the BG between my vehicle and the one next to me, then so be it. That's what insurance is for. If I have to park my truck on the BG to stop 'em from doing more harm, then so be it. I'm not out to harm / kill anyone, but I will do whatever it takes to stop the fight that they started. 
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Northwest Houston. Quoted:
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Where did this occur? Northwest Houston. Maybe it was your pink sleeveless shirt? Seriously I constantly remind my wife to lock the car doors. She thinks that she is in Oz or something even when she is east of the medical center and 288. |
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I need a better system for before/after-work carry (workplace is posted with valid 30.06 signs). Quoted:
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Gun stays on me. I understand the desire to dig in and defend your vehicle, but I want out of the coffin if homeboy has a weapon. No way I'm leaving a firearm in the car. I need a better system for before/after-work carry (workplace is posted with valid 30.06 signs). Here's what I do to make sure it's safe. Get to car, take half a step towards the rear to glance in. Make sure there's no one waiting in the backseat or behind the car for you to get in. If you have a long vehicle (like a truck), nothing wrong with walking to the passenger side and around the back. Sounds kinda nuts but it happens a lot more than you think. Plus if someone surprises you from the backseat or back of the car, you have very little time to react. If they attack from the backseat you are completely at their mercy, there is very little you can do to fight back without completely getting out of the seat. While maintaining situational awareness, open the driver's door and get in. Don't dawdle. Get your keys ready, if it's a manual lock, BEFORE you get to the car. Keys are an excellent tool to use against an attacker. Close the door and lock it. DO NOT RELY UPON AUTOLOCK. If your car doesn't lock all doors when the driver's lock engages, and it unlocks more than one door when unlocking it (either manually or with a fob), change that however you can. Or get another car. If you need to get your gun from a center console, glove box, safe, or something else -- now's the time. Do a quick check to see who's around, just in case there's anyone you don't want to see what you're doing. Before putting your seatbelt on, do anything else you need to do -- plug a phone in, get GPS ready, etc. Doing this before putting your seatbelt on keeps you free in case someone tries to attack you while seeing your attention elsewhere. If you're carrying IWB or OWB, the seatbelt will keep you from drawing, and it will restrain you more in the event that you need to get physical. Seatbelt on, ignition, put the vehicle in drive and go. |
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Northwest Houston. Quoted:
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Where did this occur? Northwest Houston. Any chance for more specifics? I live here too
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[snip] Seatbelt on, ignition, put the vehicle in drive and go[/snip]. Any reason not to leave the seatbelt off until you're about to exit the parking lot? Unless that's strictly against the law, in which case, who would dream of doing such a thing? Certainly not I! 
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The problem with autolock on some vehicles is that it doesn't engage until the vehicle is moving at some specific speed (i.e., 20 MPH) - which does absolutely no good in the OP's scenario. On both of mine it clicks them locked as soon as you shift out of park... |
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On both of mine it clicks them locked as soon as you shift out of park... Quoted:
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The problem with autolock on some vehicles is that it doesn't engage until the vehicle is moving at some specific speed (i.e., 20 MPH) - which does absolutely no good in the OP's scenario. On both of mine it clicks them locked as soon as you shift out of park... Still could be too late. I see so many people take forever to put their car in reverse once they close the door. Myself included sometimes. |
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Had an interesting experience last night. I had just gotten back to my car in a strip shopping center. I had backed halfway out of my parking space when I saw a man approaching the passenger side from behind. Didn't want to chance running him over, so I stopped and waited for him to get by, but he walked right up to the passenger door and tried to open it. Me =
Fortunately the doors were locked, and he just walked away after taking a glance inside. Me =
Cool story bro and all that. So obviously you didn't see this guy while you were walking to your car. Were you looking around? Or too preoccupied? Not knocking anything you did. What happened, happened. Just trying to learn from this. If you had seen the guy and made eye contact I wonder if he would have backed off? How big are you? Did he have a decided size advantage? Did you see if he had anything in his hands? Did you watch where he went? I wonder if he left or was bold enough to wait and try again. What kind of expression was on his face when he looked at you? Thanks in advance for answers. I am thinking about how I would have reacted. Especially if the door was unlocked. |
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So obviously you didn't see this guy while you were walking to your car. Correct. Were you looking around? Or too preoccupied? Some. Obviously not enough. I was thinking about the project I planning to work on that evening. Not knocking anything you did. What happened, happened. Just trying to learn from this. If you had seen the guy and made eye contact I wonder if he would have backed off? Hard to say. How big are you? Did he have a decided size advantage? I'm bigger, but he's younger. Did you see if he had anything in his hands? Didn't see anything in his hands. Did you watch where he went? I wonder if he left or was bold enough to wait and try again. He started walking west along Louetta. I didn't stick around to see where. What kind of expression was on his face when he looked at you? Didn't get a good look at his face, was concentrating on his hands. Thanks in advance for answers. I am thinking about how I would have reacted. Especially if the door was unlocked. |
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It was the shopping center on the northwest corner of Louetta and 249. I was visiting the Radio Shack on the side facing Louetta. There is a bar next door to the Radio Shack now. Quoted:
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Any chance for more specifics? I live here too It was the shopping center on the northwest corner of Louetta and 249. I was visiting the Radio Shack on the side facing Louetta. There is a bar next door to the Radio Shack now. Crap man, that's the Radio Shack I go to. It's only 2.5 miles from my house. This used to be a pretty good area, but I guess it, like the rest of the world, is going to hell. |
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Crap man, that's the Radio Shack I go to. It's only 2.5 miles from my house. This used to be a pretty good area, but I guess it, like the rest of the world, is going to hell. Quoted:
Crap man, that's the Radio Shack I go to. It's only 2.5 miles from my house. This used to be a pretty good area, but I guess it, like the rest of the world, is going to hell. Hmm, there was a robbery reported in that area early Sunday morning: Robbery
21100 Block TOMBALL PW Identifier:140066388 Occurred On:11 May 2014 @ 12:20:00 am Narrative Robbery of a Individual The complainant advised he was assaulted by known individuals and items were taken from his person. Reporting Agency: Sherriff's Office Agency:Harris County Sheriff's Office https://www.crimereports.com |
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^ Many of the attacks we all see on TV are from ninjas, monsters, terminators and serial killers hiding in the floorwell of the back seat. Your idea does not take into account for that. Quoted:
^ Many of the attacks we all see on TV are from ninjas, monsters, terminators and serial killers hiding in the floorwell of the back seat. Your idea does not take into account for that. 
Either give something useful to contribute or stfu. Quoted:
Any reason not to leave the seatbelt off until you're about to exit the parking lot? Unless that's strictly against the law, in which case, who would dream of doing such a thing? Certainly not I!
Well, aside from the law, it's for safety. Even a low-speed collision does a lot of damage to the body if unsecured. Plus if someone were to attack after you start the car, the seatbelt will keep you in place in the event you use the car as a weapon and ram it into something. |
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Well, aside from the law, it's for safety. Even a low-speed collision does a lot of damage to the body if unsecured. Plus if someone were to attack after you start the car, the seatbelt will keep you in place in the event you use the car as a weapon and ram it into something. Quoted:
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Any reason not to leave the seatbelt off until you're about to exit the parking lot? Unless that's strictly against the law, in which case, who would dream of doing such a thing? Certainly not I!
Well, aside from the law, it's for safety. Even a low-speed collision does a lot of damage to the body if unsecured. Plus if someone were to attack after you start the car, the seatbelt will keep you in place in the event you use the car as a weapon and ram it into something. Do you write seat belt tickets in private parking lots? |