We now learn that cops were among the bikers who attacked a traveling family in New York and took an active role in the beating. Two lessons jump out at me:
1. Given a choice, try to avoid jurisdictions like New York, New Jersey, DC and California. Places where armed self-defense is restricted or illegal are also locations where “law enforcement” tends to act in criminal ways.
2. Make sure that all adults and teenagers in your family can use weapons. Practice using small arms from a vehicle (which is quite difficult to do effective and safely), so that the driver can concentrate on escaping the threats while another family member can shoot down boarders if necessary.
Robust but not quite the tank it's supposed to be
Using small arms is often preferable to using the vehicle in a defensive fight, as many cars are designed to shut off in case of even a minor accident. For example, Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis will turn off the fuel pump in case of even a minor rear impact. Running over bikes can cause tire damage which would make high-speed escape impossible or dangerous to the car occupants. Even a small impact at speed can cause the vehicle to lose control and skid out.
An SUV or a truck gives a better firing platform than smaller vehicles, but people with small cars actually need guns more as their means of escape are more likely to be easily disabled. High-capacity magazines are essential as reloading at speed is difficult. Aimed fire from a moving vehicle is tough but attackers who are right by its side and at similar speed would be relatively easy to hit. Even a peripheral hit would likely be enough to discourage pursuit.
Due to the helmets, protective leather and plastic armor (or Kevlar in case of rogue cops), .223 pistols actually make useful car guns. If your vehicle is disabled, you may have to shoot through the bodywork of the attacker’s cars or bikes. While some calibers work better than others, any defensive gunfire is likely to discourage road-raging criminals. For being able to fire to the left without injuring the driver, rear seat makes position more sense for the shooter. Since adults usually ride up front, it makes sense for the older kids to be able to take up arms in their own defense if necessary.
Mob violence seen in the biker pursuit case is more expressive than instrumental. The perpetrators aren’t out to capture or rob the victim, the intent is to harm for its own sake. Absent effective defense, the end result is torture and death for the prey. If your kids are with you, they are likely to be savaged along with the adults. So stand ready to repel boarders. Failure to resist can mean death or crippling injuries for the entire family.
