This, I will admit, I am by no means an expert on.
Let's look at some crimes that occur on, in, or near vehicles.
-Sexual Assault
-Robbery to include carjacking
-Assault
-Murder
-Kidnapping
And I know what you're thinking...
"I'm a black belt..." or "I carry xxxx gun..." or "...yyyy knife..." or "...zzzz other weapon..." and I'll tell you that unless you've trained using those martial arts skills or weapons inside a vehicle... THEY ARE NOT VERY USEFUL!
Think about it...
(Where are my grunts at??? 03--'s, 11-'s, 18-'s... This will start to sound VERY familiar very soon!)
When moving, (which we can all agree that a static target is just that... a target.) we always seek to avoid such terrain features that would restrain our movement in a 360 degree realm that encompasses all four planes of motion (up/down, left/right, front/back, transverse). This could be a choke point or some form of obstacle.
Now... Hop in your ride and take a long look around.
I drive a pretty big vehicle (2003 XTerra) and there ain't much room to maneuver in there. You're seated (never the easiest position to fight from anyway), possibly seat belted (ligature much? If nothing else it's a restraint by design), your back to a door, probably a center console beside you, if you have a back seat there's a hiding place there... A lot of things to consider.
Now... that you've done a survey of the vehicle let's take a look see at some things we can do to nullify these disadvantages.
First off... The gun.
I know we all like to use our boomsticks and that they are damned effective tools but in the car, they ain't so hot. To be clear, this is in reference to an attack INSIDE the vehicle... Outside... Well, I keep my .44 between my passenger seat and the center console... Start the disarm and let that 225gr LeveRevolution slug do it's thing. Why not my usual G17? Honestly, sitting down in the car is not the place where an appendix draw is advantageous. Seated? Fine, as long as you can maneuver a bit. And to be fair, a behind-the-hip/on-the-hip ain't exactly easy to do there either.
"Well, I don't have a second gun... Do I take mine off?"
No. I wouldn't say all that's necessary.
"But I spend all day on the road..."
Shoulder holster, buddy. It's your friend when you're driving. Now the seat belt and belt line being obstructed is a non-issue isn't it?
Ankle holsters shine when seated... If you can carry a second gun, that's probably where I'd put it.
Also consider muzzle blast... In the car it's going to be hellaciously loud, even more so than in the house, so keep in mind you're very likely to lose that sense as far as your situational awareness goes. Not saying "Don't shoot because you won't hear" just saying "Keep in mind while you plan things out... you probably won't have any hearing for a while."
What about using my knife?
Small fixed blade like a Spartan Blades Enyo, TOPS Wolf Pup, or any number of similar blades carried horizontally in an appendix position with the butt towards the belt buckle opposite the handgun is the way to go. Keep in mind... Carrying a fixed blade may not be legal so Grown Folks Rules do apply. (You get arrested, it ain't my fault or anyone else's but yours!!)
Accessing a folder in the pocket is probably not going to happen... same for an IWB blade or fixed blade stored anywhere other than a shoulder rig or POSSIBLY at the appendix position if horizontal... KEEP IN MIND THAT A HORIZONTAL BLADE WILL SPLIT YOU OPEN IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL!!! This problem is far more likely when seated.
All except the split you open part applies equally to impact weapons.
Well... hand-to-hand...
Understand that a car is a very different, compressed environment so some of what you (or I) may do standing may or may not work in the car. Striking is your friend... particularly palms, headbutts, and elbows. Joint locks may or may not work and would probably best be used as joint destructions as opposed to a joint control hold.
Last, but not least... Less than Lethal.
Pepper spray is OUT! You use spray in a car and you're going to get a healthy dose of it too.
ECD's don't work very well using the probes in extreme close quarters and you probably won't have time to drop the cartridge... So if you plan on buying an ECD... Save up the extra scratch and buy an X2 so you just hit a different button to drive stun (or "warning arc")
Flexible type weapons (lock on a bandana, monkey fist, etc.) need more space to operate as intended so they may not work very well.
We know that although difficult, fighting inside a car is not at all impossible. I would (as usual) strongly advise each and every one of you to get up with a buddy (two or three preferred so you can have a "friendly" and an evaluator for each evolution), you all glove up, come up with some scenarios (as in an outline... "I'm at WalMart, you want...."), and drill this force-on-force.
Steel sharpens steel, so harden up and enter the FoF realm.
Y'all Stay Frosty!
-Kenny Smith
President/CMI
TFTG