Firstly, my heartfelt condolences go out to Carlie Brucia's friends and family in FLA. This beautiful young girl was adbucted a week ago and found murdered today. Thankfully, her abductor was captured and will hopefully get his due.

I'm a personal protection specialist w/ over 22 years of experience training martial arts instructors, elite special force members and high profile individuals in self-defense and hand to hand combat. Oh, I'm also a fashion photographer hence the sn- thongfoto.

As I've benefitted greatly from this forum, I felt compelled to contribute a bit.

*Before reading further, you must agree to use these tips solely at your own risk and release me from any and all responsibility. (Can you tell I live in Wash, DC?)

As we've had 2 recent car jackings in my area (DC/MD) I felt it necessary to remind drivers to shift their awareness a bit for winter driving. As the weather gets nasty and days are shorter, unsavory minds tend to increase their activities. Combine this with people's lethargy (cold slows reaction time) and you have what criminals consider an "easy" prey.

Let me describe our 2 local assaults and how you may learn from them:

In the DC. assault, a lady was approached at a traffic light in the evening by an assailant pretending to ask for directions. When she rolled down her window, he placed a knife at her throat and threw her to the ground. The MD. assault occured when a lady returned to her car from an underground parking lot and the assailant was hiding in her backseat. She managed to jump safely out of the car and he sped away. Both ladies are unharmed but their cars are missing.

Here are simple tips to help you sustain the enjoyment of your car (I'll try to cover less obvious ones):

1) Check your car's surroundings, windows or convertible tops for any damage prior to opening your car. Just b/c we have 2 seaters doesn't mean that we're immune from an assault like the one in MD. An assailant can still cut thru the roof to unlock the car and wait until you enter before jumping in thru the passenger side.

2) Never fasten your seatbelt until you ascertain that your doors and windows are secured. The seatbelt can trap you inside your car and worst, be used as a weapon against you. Ever notice that cabbies never wear seatbelts? Cops understand why and don't ticket them. You want the ability to jump out if someone comes at you like the MD. lady. Yes, abandon your precious S2K and live to drive another one! NEVER, EVER ride off w/ any assailant (teach your children the same). Carlie's tragedy proves the dangers of being taken away. If your assailer intends harm, fight him where you stand. Even if you're injured help can arrive when he leaves and he won't hang around if you're fighting and screaming hard. Statistics are gruesome for those who are taken away from the scene of the crime.

3) Carry 2 sets of keys, your real set and a decoy set. If someone jumps from behind your car and demands your keys throw the decoy set under other cars or your own (if no others are available) and run the opposite direction. If he crawls after them get inside your car, lock the doors and drive off (regardless of where he is). Don't worry, you can't fit a head under the sides of our cars.

4) If you've already entered your parked car (front end facing wall) w/ the engine on and someone rushes up to your driver side trying to force the door open, immediately turn your steering wheel to the right and place the car in reverse (reverse this process if he comes to your passenger side) and step on the gas. Your goal is not to pull out of the space (especially if he's got a gun) but rather crush him against an adjacent car, obstacle or knock him down. People forget to use their cars as a weapon under duress.

5) Get a compact tactical flashlight and have it handy (no pun intended) at night. Costo sells a pair of Dorcy Spyder tacticals (4") at a super price. These mini-lights can momentarily blind an assailant (flash it into your eyes in a dark room and see why they're called tactical). They can also be used as a weapon but you need a bit of training for that. This flashlight along w/ 10% pepper spray should give you enough time to get run.

6) Should anyone ask for directions, never roll your window down to where an arm can reach inside the cockpit. If they're talking to you from another car, keep your finger on the power window button ready to go. There have been instances where carjackers distract you by asking questions while his partner sneaks between you cars and waits for you to roll the window down so he can jump in.

7) The best defense is always avoidance. Don't be lazy when it comes to your life. If you see someone suspiciously hanging about your car walk by it w/out letting on that it's yours (I know it's hard to resist checking to see if they left their paws on your finish) and wait until they leave the area before returning. 80 percent of all assaults are avoidable if the victims trusted their instincts. When you ignore the hairs on the back of your neck, you'll most likely regret it.

Having said this, I'll stress that it's unlikely anyone of you will ever be attacked in your lifetime. Yes, there were 2 unfortunate incidents in my area but how many thousands of drivers had no problems? I dislike fear-mongerers and am not one of them but I believe knowledge and having options are useful.

I hope this was helpful to some and if not, am relieved to know that you're already alert and therefore will be safe.

If you have any questions feel free to PM or post here.

Take care

 

Oh my God! Did this happen last Tue? A similar thing happened to my co-worker in DC. I'm almost positive it's the same one. She was in Adams Morgan coming back from a restaurant on Columbia Road. Was that the one?

Btw, how can a seatbelt be used as a weapon??? I don't get that one but the other tips were great. I'm going to look for that light thingy too. Thanks for the warning and I'll pass these tips onto my gfs.

 

I would imagine the seatbelt could be used to choke you, or at the very least restrain you and allow the assailant to more easily attack you.

 

If I cought someone sitting in my backseat of my S, I would have to say they are probably in a lot of pain.