Pearland woman robbed, what would you have done?

[cubbyjg]

If your sitting in your car and they are standing outside it pointing a gun at you, you are at a serious tactical disadvantage for a shootout. Your a sitting target and they can skoot and shoot. Tough situation to call but I would either get out of the car or stomp the gas and let all heck break loose.

. His weapon is already drawn and normally i drive with my windows up so now I have to deal with shooting through the windows or something. In addition, it seems that area is in a residential area and a school is near by. Depending on the time of day, you would have to consider the other cars and people around you. I would have to say like others have stated, if you can reverse and get out that would be ideal. Otherwise, pedal to the metal and take his legs out.

By reading the article, it sounds like she may have noticed she was being followed. If that happens you don't head for home, you head for an area with plenty of people--ideal place to head would be a police station. You also do whatever has to be done to keep them from blocking you in--rules of the road go out the window.

Valid point.

[Pawpaw]

All this is just one of the reasons I sold my car for a diesel truck. It is a lot harder to knock me off the road or hem me in and that engine makes good cover if i have to exit my vehicle.

Now all you need to do is add one of these to it. I call mine my "front porch". It sure makes working under the hood easier!

[b322da]

For an impressive account of a quite similar event in the life of Kathy Jackson, one of the authors perhaps known of by many of you, read "Lessons from Armed America," by Kathy and Mark Walters, with a foreward by Massad Ayoob, who says "Whether you're new to the concept of armed defense or have long since made it a part of a prudent lifestyle, you'll find much that is useful in the book." After reading it several times I could not agree more. Quite often after reading a "what if" here on the forum I turn to the book to read Kathy's thoughts.

You Kindlers out there can find it in the Kindle Store, available in about 30 seconds at $7.99. DTB readers can find it at Amazon.com for $15.95. Its average rating by reviewers is a maximum five stars.

Elmo

[hirundo82]

Ok its the day time. Can you draw and fire as the armed men approach. I would think so. If you did, I think there would be legal consequences, your not in your home, its not night time. Were you really in fear for your life? Were you the BG and you shot an innocent armed GG? I think you would come out ok, but it might get expensive. But you survived so the cost is unimportant.

If someone blocks me in with their vehicle and gets out of their car with a visible weapon and no visible badge, I don't think there's any question I'm in fear for my life and thus justified in using deadly force--whether that means shooting them or running them down with my car. I don't think there's a grand jury in the state that would indict you for that.

[zero4o3]

Ok its the day time. Can you draw and fire as the armed men approach. I would think so. If you did, I think there would be legal consequences, your not in your home, its not night time. Were you really in fear for your life? Were you the BG and you shot an innocent armed GG? I think you would come out ok, but it might get expensive. But you survived so the cost is unimportant.

If someone blocks me in with their vehicle and gets out of their car with a visible weapon and no visible badge, I don't think there's any question I'm in fear for my life and thus justified in using deadly force--whether that means shooting them or running them down with my car. I don't think there's a grand jury in the state that would indict you for that.

although getting a shot off in this situation could be hard, I wouldnt want to try and shoot through my windshield and so it would pretty much require me to get out of the car.

[03Lightningrocks]

For an impressive account of a quite similar event in the life of Kathy Jackson, one of the authors perhaps known of by many of you, read "Lessons from Armed America," by Kathy and Mark Walters, with a foreward by Massad Ayoob, who says "Whether you're new to the concept of armed defense or have long since made it a part of a prudent lifestyle, you'll find much that is useful in the book." After reading it several times I could not agree more. Quite often after reading a "what if" here on the forum I turn to the book to read Kathy's thoughts.

You Kindlers out there can find it in the Kindle Store, available in about 30 seconds at $7.99. DTB readers can find it at Amazon.com for $15.95. Its average rating by reviewers is a maximum five stars.

Elmo

Thanks... looks to be a good book. I just downloaded it on my I-phone with the Kindle App. LOL... that sounded too much like a commercial.

[Cobra Medic]

Being run over, even by a Honda Civic, can take the fight right out of em.

Right foot. Press!

[b322da]

Thanks... looks to be a good book. I just downloaded it on my I-phone with the Kindle App. LOL... that sounded too much like a commercial.

No commercial. Could have been if I hadn't missed my chance of owning a little of Amazon years ago. Did the same thing many years ago with respect to Microsoft. The members here can use these as good examples of my judgment when I sound off.

I hope you like the book as much as I did -- or do. An interesting approach given to the recurring question of the use of deadly force. Mark gives a scenario, and Kathy analyses the situation based on her long study and experience. As Massad Ayoob put it, "Understanding the details of the law, in a way that can allow you to act without hesitation instead of pausing to ask yourself 'Am I allowed to, uh, hurt this guy?' in a moment when 'he or she who hesitates' truly will be 'lost'" should read this book.

BTW, no commercial either, take a look at http://www.corneredcat.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, Kathy's website. Anyone who has ever had to deal with a cornered cat will understand where the name of her website comes from.

Elmo

[Mel]

By reading the article, it sounds like she may have noticed she was being followed. If that happens you don't head for home, you head for an area with plenty of people--ideal place to head would be a police station. You also do whatever has to be done to keep them from blocking you in--rules of the road go out the window.

With horn BLARING LOUDLY!

[TexasGal]

All this is just one of the reasons I sold my car for a diesel truck. It is a lot harder to knock me off the road or hem me in and that engine makes good cover if i have to exit my vehicle.

Now all you need to do is add one of these to it. I call mine my "front porch". It sure makes working under the hood easier!

I have a good friend who calls those "I Dare-Ya bumpers"

[smasraum]

So, two options seem plausible. Assuming you carry, pull you're gun. Better option, drive away or over attackers. Based on the article, they hit her from behind and then pulled around in front of her, so behind her was probably open. Either car option, over or away, sounds like it would have worked.

Now, realistically, unless she'd noticed "odd" behavior and had been paranoid or ready for an attack, she would probably have been shaken up by the "accident" and would have been thinking about that. It probably would not register to most folks that they were being attacked until the "perps" were already on you with gun out and pointed at you. If someone has a gun pointed at my head and is asking for money.... I'm not sure if that's the time to try to draw. Driving off might be an option, but maybe not. So many thugs aren't afraid to kill these days.

[chasfm11]

Now, realistically, unless she'd noticed "odd" behavior and had been paranoid or ready for an attack, she would probably have been shaken up by the "accident" and would have been thinking about that. It probably would not register to most folks that they were being attacked until the "perps" were already on you with gun out and pointed at you. If someone has a gun pointed at my head and is asking for money.... I'm not sure if that's the time to try to draw. Driving off might be an option, but maybe not. So many thugs aren't afraid to kill these days.

In the book "A Gift of Fear" Gavin de Becker details the reasons that you want to learn to listen to your instincts.

I drive very defensively and am paranoid about keeping people off my back bumper. If I do get hit, I'm going to assume that it was on purpose and start taking immediate evasive action. I'd rather deal with the insurance company than whoever is driving the car that hits me. I recognize that not everyone shifts mental gears from defensive to aggressive driving after car to car contact but I think that is a better option than turning over control of the situation to the other driver. I've been able to detect several serious situations because of this approach.
- I swerved hard left, inches from the back bumper of tractor trailer and allowed the taxi cab that had been closing on me from behind to crash into the car that had been in front of me, creating a 4 vehicle chain collision. I stayed for the police to arrive and was a witness against the taxi driver. But for an immediate aggressive response, my car would have been totaled with bad front and back end damage.
- I saw a car tailgating a car load of nuns down the entrance ramp on a superhighway. I had already moved to the inner lane to allow the nuns to enter and aggressively put my car with my family in it into a grass median or the tailgating car would have slammed into me as he floored it to pass the nuns, taking up the inner lane exactly where I would have been.

Both of my situations were saved by pure instinct and my failure to act immediately would have had a very bad result. I realize that gun fights can happen very quickly but I think that car situations can happen every bit as fast. Awareness of and reaction to rapidly developing driving events is just another part of condition yellow for me.

[jamisjockey]

If the window is already down launch the purse out the window it gets the thieves away from the window of your car and creates space. I know that is controversial, but--I have very little in my purse that is not 100% replaceble--credit cards are at home, the debit card has an unlikely passcode, and I carry very little cash, but my three precious children are always in my car and I can't replace them. The theives can keep my &12.50, the diaper cream, the wipes and the baby's paci.

I am not certain in the story whether there was a car behind her or not, but if there wasn't throw the car in reverse and peel out and get your gun just in case. If there is a car behind her I would recommend arming herself still launching the purse and pull out not caring about damage to any car/person robbing her safety. This is not the time to worry about traffic laws, get out anyway you can. Only shoot if you absolutely must, but if you must protect you and those you love.

What about your ID? Throwing them your purse with your ID, which has your address right on the front, seems like a bad idea.

[mamabearCali]

What about your ID? Throwing them your purse with your ID, which has your address right on the front, seems like a bad idea.[/quote]

That is a good point--in truth I usually have two bags in the car a diaper bag and a purse so I could throw whichever does not have my wallet out the window. But I do not know if I could be calm enough to figure that out in such short notice.

Whatever you do don't sit still back up, run over them, go to the side--just get away. They already have a gun pointed at you--they have beaten you to the draw by surprise. The best one can hope to do is run away over their bodies if you must.