Evasive Driving

Don Williams said...

3) Re automobile evasive manuevers, have you heard of the executive protection driving techniques to avoid ambushes?

Ex: Moonshine turn -- one slows to 30 mph, pulls the emergency brake, and then turns wheel strongly to throw the rear of the car around so that one is facing in the opposite direction and driving away from an ambush.

Or the J-turn -- in which you stop, accelerate strongly to the rear until you are at 20 MPH, then cut the wheel sharply to throw the front of the car around so one is facing back in the direction from which one came and can accelerate away from the ambush.

One thing not commonly mentioned is that you need to make sure your tires are fully inflated. Else, the tires may come off the wheels if you do one of the above manuvers.

In which case, the robbers will mock you cruelly with scorn and derisive laughter.




I’ve heard of them, read about them, practiced them until I learned them well and have used them many times to get out of trouble.

I drive manual and the car is relatively light and has enough weight in the trunk thanks to the natural compressed tank in there ( dual fuel car ) so speeding up a bit, pulling the emergency brake and doing a 180 isn’t that hard one you learn to do it.

In my experience, it’s important to learn how to drive well backwards too, so that you can do it fast and still avoid hitting people or obstacles.

Most of the time that’s what I do: I see trouble or something suspicious, put reverse, and take some other route.

Maybe the most important thing: React fast. There’s times when waiting a couple more seconds makes all the difference.
You see the opening and you just speed away. If you doubt you get caught.

I don’t know how you train yourself mentally to react this way but you should.

Road blocks these days are far less common, thought there still are protestors burning tires and making a nice mess every now and then.

Again, you have to react fast, DON’T stop, and keep on moving.

It’s not for the weak of heart to push through protesters with your car, but getting out of the vehicle isn’t a good idea either. The mass, taking advantage of the anonymity, can be very brutal.

You have to be careful and PUSH them with your car, careful not to speed up because you’ll run over someone and you don’t want that.

Of course after doing this for a while your car starts looking pretty bad, mine is full of bumps and nicks, it’s been hit with fists and sticks by roadblockers a number of times and I haven’t repaired it.

A maneuver not very common but rather useful is drawing quick “s” with the car.
This kind of scares other drivers and people and they instinctively move away a bit, maybe giving you the opening you just need to slip away.

I want to take an evasive driving class, but the couple ones I saw are just too expensive.

FerFAL