Car Crashes and Self-Defense

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  • mercop

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    Dec 21, 2008
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    PA
    People who have been to MCS classes know that I relate many of the psychological and physical aspects of violent confrontations to car crashes. Most people have never been involved in a life or death self-defense situation. But almost everyone has been involved in a car accident or at least seen one happen or the immediate aftermath and wondered what happened. This is using the known to teach the unknown. As with self-defense the best thing you have is driving experience under realistic, fluid conditions. Imagine you just drove down a straight road (the range) and there was nobody on the sides, behind, or in front of you besides one other car. Pretty easy huh, but that is not how it is. Here is the example I use for the physical damage one vehicle causes to another and the damage caused to the occupants.

    A big truck rear ends a little car, what will the damage be? Here are some questions.

    How big was the truck?
    How big was the car?
    Was the truck in motion?
    If so how fast?
    Was the driver braking?
    Was the car in motion?
    If so how fast?
    Was the car breaking?
    Where was the car hit?
    Was the vehicles drivable or did they need to be towed?
    Did the car strike another object as a result of the crash?
    Did the truck strike another object as a result of the crash?
    Was the car moving in the same direction as the truck?
    What was the angle of impact?
    What were the physical characteristics of the road surface?
    What was the lighting and weather at the time of the accident?
    Was the driver of the truck injured?
    Was he belted?
    Did he have any preexisting physical conditions?
    Did he subsequently strike or was struck by any objects in the truck?
    Was he ambulatory after the crash and exit the truck that may have aggravated injuries received in the crash?
    Was the drive of the car injured?
    Was he belted?
    Did he have any preexisting physical conditions?
    Did he subsequently strike or was struck by any objects in the car?
    Was he ambulatory after the crash and exit the car that may have aggravated injuries received in the crash?
    Were there any protrusions on either vehicle like trailer hitches of bumpers that may have concentration more impact on one area during the crash or dampened impact?
    Did there any other accidents as result from the primary accident?
    Were any pedestrians injured as a result of the crash?
    How many people were in each vehicle and what were their seating positions?
    Where there any non involved witnesses?
    What did they hear?
    What did they see?
    Who reported the accident?

    Getting kind of exhaustive now huh? These are just some of the questions that could arise from one minor motor vehicle accident. If it is a fatal accident you have no idea what goes into the investigation. Without answering these questions and many, many more how can we accurately predict what the effect will be of a truck hitting a car? Doing so under controlled conditions using fixed speed, angles etc, is not a clear representation of what will happen under unknown dynamic circumstances.

    So you can see that believing or being ego invested in a magic gun, knife, bullet, or technique that only works most of time in practice, books and magazines is foolish?

    What works is mindset and movement and being willing to discard something that is not working to try something else, and if that does not work, then try something else until the situation is effectively dealt with or you draw your last breath.
     

    infidel

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    Dec 15, 2008
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    Crawfordsville
    Good post mercop. You are exactly right. Shooting down a straight range at a non-moving target is good, as long as it's not ALL you do. That would be like an MLB player practicing off a batting T.

    I also view this as a reason not to talk to cops, especially if you were involved in a SD shooting. With all of those questions, it only takes the word-fumble to 1 answer and you are screwed. STFU, be respectful, and get a lawyer!
     

    Passive101

    Marksman
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    Mar 20, 2009
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    La Porte
    So your saying I should start carrying my 10mm to make sure it's a semi vs sub compact type situation with a bad guy? :rockwoot: :laugh:

    I kid. I kid.
     

    Boilers

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    Apr 20, 2009
    3,440
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    Indianapolis
    I think I will be buying the Oregon Scientific Helmet (sic) camera for my cars. Since recently I could have used one to record events and turned it over to the prosecutor, I think the $80 or so for one will be well spent.
     

    mercop

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    We film lots of force of force and you people always find it interesting and alarming how far off their perception was from the cameras.

    I believe I have written about this before but regardless of what you may think there is a good chance you will be a chatty Cathy after the incident and will make excited utterances. Do yourself a favor and ask for an ambulance and use that to separate you from the scene to collect your thoughts and contact a CRIMINAL lawyer.- George
     

    cce1302

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    Jun 26, 2008
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    Back down south
    We film lots of force of force and you people always find it interesting and alarming how far off their perception was from the cameras.

    I believe I have written about this before but regardless of what you may think there is a good chance you will be a chatty Cathy after the incident and will make excited utterances. Do yourself a favor and ask for an ambulance and use that to separate you from the scene to collect your thoughts and contact a CRIMINAL lawyer.- George
    Aren't they all?
    ;)




    Good advice, by the way. But you already knew that.
     
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