[NkmG19]

Here is a scenario involving the many drive-thru's that we frequent on a daily basis. I went for a drive with my older son tonight for some father and son time (I went to work today). My son said that he would like to have Mcdonalds and I said why not. I'll just get a coffee coolata while I'm there. I drive up the the fast food joint and saw that it was full inside and decided that the drive-thru would be a little faster. So there I was after ordering, stuck between two cars and in a single lane with no way of getting out if I wanted to. This single lane had me between the the wall on one side and a hedge on the other. This is when it occurred to me that this is a perfect place to get robbed or carjacked because I had no outlet until the car in front of me moved.

How would you handle a situation where two perps come to your driver side window and passenger window and they are armed with guns. I never drive with my doors unlocked and my windows are always rolled up. Upon seeing a gun would you shoot through your own window at the robbers when you have a chance or would you just not go to the drive-thru anymore. There was a case in West Palm Beach at a Wendys where this guy shot a few people and killed a firefighter then took his own life. So it's not that much safer inside these places either. What do you do? Once you start carrying it's amazing how you don't stop thinking about your surroundings. I would appreciate any feedback whether good or bad. thanks.

 

[Red Dawg]

Here is a scenario involving the many drive-thru's that we frequent on a daily basis. I went for a drive with my older son tonight for some father and son time (I went to work today). My son said that he would like to have Mcdonalds and I said why not. I'll just get a coffee coolata while I'm there. I drive up the the fast food joint and saw that it was full inside and decided that the drive-thru would be a little faster. So there I was after ordering, stuck between two cars and in a single lane with no way of getting out if I wanted to. This single lane had me between the the wall on one side and a hedge on the other. This is when it occurred to me that this is a perfect place to get robbed or carjacked because I had no outlet until the car in front of me moved.

How would you handle a situation where two perps come to your driver side window and passenger window and they are armed with guns. I never drive with my doors unlocked and my windows are always rolled up. Upon seeing a gun would you shoot through your own window at the robbers when you have a chance or would you just not go to the drive-thru anymore. There was a case in West Palm Beach at a Wendys where this guy shot a few people and killed a firefighter then took his own life. So it's not that much safer inside these places either. What do you do? Once you start carrying it's amazing how you don't stop thinking about your surroundings. I would appreciate any feedback whether good or bad. thanks.

Whoa, never really thought about this. I think I'd have to shoot the closest one thinking that this would scare the crap out of the other perp. I'd tell my son to hit the floor. Either that, or I'd tell him to hit the floor while I ran over one of the perps while going through the hedges.

I usually pull up to the drive through windows or the ATM machines as close to them as I can possibly get without knocking off my mirror or scratching up my car with my pocket knife out or on the door/arm rest. Now that I'll be carrying a pistol, I just may start putting it on the seat beside/under my leg or in my off/left hand out of site.

This is definitely something to think about though. Good scenario NkmG19!!!!

 

[SingleStack45]

One thing...in any situation...ALWAYS...let me stress this... ALWAYS leave an "out" in front of your vehicle when stuck in any kind of traffic. This is not only a good defensive driving tactic...but a good defensive tactic in general.

The hedge is your only "out" in your scenario for you, your son and your vehicle...though the vehicle may not come out as well as you'd prefer...but better it than you.

The first rule I can think of in this case (after leaving as much out as a preventative measure) is to create space...and if that means ripping off through the hedge...or pushing the car in front of you out...then do what you have to so...and don't forget...you are behind the wheel of a very large, very effective weapon.

Ultimately...you've proposed a very good, very serious scenario...and maybe in al it would be better to:
a. Go inside..at least you have visibility and the ability to move inside...we are talking about carrying a concealed handgun here...right?
b. Be more picky about what drive-thru's you do go to...more preventative planning...related to situational awareness. If you live in a metro area...it is highly probable that another fast food joint of the same brand isn't that far away...and it may be better situated for your safety.

 

[JohnSteele]

I have always thought that those drive thru's were a death trap but I still take my chances sometimes. If you have to go through one you should at least leave no less than one car length between you and the car in front of you. This leave you an out over the hedges. If you are trapped then it gets more difficult. The best way to deal with this is to not get caught there in the first place. As have been said before it's best to take your chances inside the restaurant.

 

[Jakester]

I like the whole sit it on the seat idea, but this brings many problem's, one would be a passer by at a light possibly scopeing it and calling the cops.

Two would be in the event of an accident, you have no idea where your gun will be flying, and possibly could be ejected from the vehicle or go off i guess if hit hard enough its possible.

Three would be holstering and unholstering the weapon without anybody seeing.

Once im in the car it would be not to hard to put my gun on the seat, but to reholster my gun i have to be standing and undo my pants cause my make-shift holster i made colapses once the weapons drawn.

 

[NkmG19]

Hey Jakester, that's the reason I went ahead and bought my DM Bullard holster. Being able to reholster with one hand is important to me. Now I practice drawing while seated in my truck.

 

[Jakester]

^

I plan on buying a nice IWB but right now im seriously broke, once i pick up a part time job at bush for the howl o scream thing or just a good fulltime one and get rid of the one i have ill have some money to play with but for now i have to be ghetto and stick to my ramen noodle holster LOL:rolf

 

[frank305]

I'd assume the perps would only approach from the right side of the vehicle, the left is kind of close to the wall in a drive thru.. i'd be more likely to flip on the pneumatic differential and slam the gas over the hedge and hopefully the bad guy if my kids are in the car.. Otherwise is open season and there's already one in the pipe for em.

 

[KG4ZRC]

I may be an oddball but...

I never, ever, ever use the drivethrough... I refuse to.

 

[mortpes]

I avoid those closed in, one lane drive throughs. There are an increasing number of car-jacking, robbery, assaults, etc on people trapped in vehicles waiting on red lights, etc. If your window is rolled down you can grab the gun, push it towards the dash, and hit the gas.

 

[KG4ZRC]

I won't even use the drive through thing at the bank... And my wife thinks I'm funny because of it.

 

[OrlandoDriver]

I guess this is where we all have to constantly be aware of our surroundings this scenerio has me thinking i never pull to close to te car in front of me mcdonalds has 2 windows one you pay the other you pick up now the windows are far apart to where you can leave some space in between i either place my gun under my right leg or the pocket behind front passenger seat not a far reach either now that i only do when im alone one in the pipe ready to go very concealable too and not have to worry about reholstering til i get home, i always scan my mirrors lookin around.

 

[nandin]

Like I tell my wife when I want to tick her off, "First of all, breath in, breath out". Take your foot off the brake while you concentrate on grabbing your weapon. I've always wondered why the victims always say "They came out of nowhere", instead of "I was in LaLa land". I believe it is all about being aware of your surroundings.

 

[bdkjose]

Lets look at the legal side of it all. If I am trapped, and I'm being threatened to get out of the car (or hand over money), I can shoot to kill. After all ... I felt that my life was in danger, but then again I was in a car with the ability to flee is the tricky thing about the whole situation. Have a good lawyer.

 

[sgtlogan]

If you plan on returning or starting a fire fight in a crowded fast food parking lot...you better be a darned good shot. I know you will be fighting for your life, BUT what happens to Mr and Mrs smith and all of the girl scouts loading into the mini van that become targets or victoms of stray bullets. Also the jumping the curb/bush scene...Mr smith in his motorized wheelchair gets run down...your perps take off running and all witnesses remember is this crazy guy running down poor Mr smith. My point is I guess that all of the scenerios are in that perfect bubble where it always works out just fine. I am throwing out a few "what if's" for everyone to think about. Besides, I think the smart criminal would be in the parking lot jacking folks that still have money BEFORE they go inside. But I may be wrong.

 

[flccnp]

BUT what happens to Mr and Mrs smith and all of the girl scouts loading into the mini van that become targets or victoms of stray bullets. Also the jumping the curb/bush scene...Mr smith in his motorized wheelchair gets run down.

This got me thinking.

I read that a lower percentage of bystanders get shot by CCW holders than by the cops. I figure that is because the CCW holder is more likely to come face to face with a bad guy when there are no bystanders around than a cop is.

In the above situation, chances are if Mr and Mrs Smith with all the girl scouts are in the area, the bad guy isn't going to be doing his job. He'll go elsewhere.

 

[sgtlogan]

Bad guy going elsewhere?....hmmm..what about the serial killer in Boca Raton at the crowded mall parking lot during mid day traffic. Abducting women in front of everyone, and no one paying attention. I really cannot think of a quiet time at a fast food drive thru, but I suppose there is such a time.

 

[flccnp]

Bad guy going elsewhere?....hmmm..what about the serial killer in Boca Raton at the crowded mall parking lot during mid day traffic. Abducting women in front of everyone, and no one paying attention. I really cannot think of a quiet time at a fast food drive thru, but I suppose there is such a time.

Sgt Logan,

I did say chances are they would go elsewhere. Do you believe the chances are the bad guy will go about his illegal behavior with witnesses around? Or do you believe, as I do, that he would prefer to do his job with no witnesses around?

 

[deadeyedick]

Personally, I think the chances of being robbed while waiting in line at a fast-food drive-thru are no greater than at any other time that your vehicle is at a stop, and probably less so. If you're vehicle is already beside the restaurant wall, it will be very difficult for a BG to approach you from that side, and damn near impossible for him to do so without you seeing him unless you're blindfolded. That leaves only one side from which he can likely approach you, making it easy to monitor. If you have your passenger side window rolled down when stopped, you're a retard.

As far as having a gun on the seat and somebody seeing it, so what? If they call the cops, you'll almost certainly be long gone before they arrive. I picture the conversation going something like this:

Police Officer: "Tell me what you saw."
Complainant: "He had a gun laying on the front seat of his car."
Police Officer: "Was he waving it around or threatening anybody with it?"
Complainant: "No, it was just laying on the seat."
Police Officer: "OK thanks, that's all we need."

While I believe it's good not to advertise that you're carrying, this notion that 'nobody must ever see my gun or know that I'm carrying' is taking things a bit too far, IMO. Everybody I know is aware that I own guns, shoot competitively and carry concealed...so what? None of them are ever going to attack me. It's not as if my CIA cover will be blown and I'll being tried and executed as a spy if somebody finds out I'm packing heat. It's not a national secret, for crying out loud.

 

[sgtlogan]

flccnp:

Sir, from what I have been reading and seeing on the news, I believe that the bad guys of today would probably preferr to not have a crowd. BUT...I don't think it will stop them with times as bad as they are. Also, it doesn't seem to be limited to just the younger crowd, at least down here in Ft Myers. The rough times are pushing all types of people to do all types of crimes at any time day or night. Bottom line is to keep your radar turned on at all times for anything cause it just might be the grandfather looking guy behind you at the hess station that tries to rob the place. Always keep your guard up.