Doesn’t matter if they can just look at your registration in the glove box and the use Waze or enter in manually. Showing up at a business could be more detrimental if they are crazy and causing a mass shooting. You are merely delaying them 30 seconds if that is their intent.

 

Perfect advice. Start thinking about the new one. I'd even ask the jacker if he would like some extra cash for gas....

 

Agree that chances of this are tiny for most of us. Then again, we had 12,000 lightning strikes in my area last weekend…and we don't get many electrical storms around here.

Years ago, my commute took me down a (long) four-lane boulevard in an area known for car-jacking. There were other routes, as there almost always are, but they were well outside of efficient.

I developed a few strategies to help reduce the risk of getting car-jacked:

• Calmly timing the lights to eliminate or minimize time stopped—sometimes that means a bit faster than traffic, sometimes a bit slower
• Calmly ensuring being first car at any light, preferably in right lane with option of turning right immediately if need be (so: keeping track of cars coming from left)
• Car always in gear, clutch in and ready to go
• Keeping a calm eye on vehicles pulling up behind for likelihood of tapping my car or for a door opening after they stop
• Noting foot traffic at/around an intersection when coming to a stop—before they can approach via your blind spots
• Avoid that route entirely at night

Someone really smart can get past all of the above—but most car-jackers aren't all that smart. As someone said earlier, a little prevention and situational awareness makes you a much harder target. And if a gun had ever come up to my window? I can't imagine being quick enough to draw a firearm—everything about the situation (especially if you're in a low car) favors the car jacker. Far better to either 1) get out and give the car up or 2) act like you're getting out with your hands and launch hard. Both have their risks...

 

When I was in college, I worked overnights in a convenience store. The manager told us a guy was robbing that brand store in our area and to make sure we used the drop safe and keep minimal cash in the cash register. Hahahahaha. I kept the drawer stuffed full of cash and even made and wrapped a nice sandwich, just in case the robber was hungry. Just before the end of my shift, I’d clear the cash register and eat the sandwich. Never got robbed, fortunately.

 

Stout - that's kind of the point I tried to make. If someone has blind sided you and has a gun to your face then there is nothing left to do but comply and hope for the best. Whenever behind the wheel, you should ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION. Period. Not just for car jackers. What if you are stopped and the person behind you isn't paying attention? If you are aware then you can likely do something to minimize risk but if you're completely oblivious then you shouldn't be driving anyway. If you see a car jacking situation then hopefully you can just drive away and avoid any altercation.

My point with a gun is that if you see it coming then the car jacker is 99.999% a coward and unlikely to engage in a gun fight at all and you at least bought some time to get away.

 

Unless you have had a gun stuck in your face you won’t know how you will react. You can think, plan, hope... but you won’t know until that day. Hydro-shocks work great when you have time to get the pistol in your hand, click off the safety, and get it into firing position. Meantime, the perp is wondering what you’re doing? Nope. You won’t react fast enough as you will be in shock at first.

Take your hands off the wheel and calmly as you can get out of the car. Walk away. It’s a car. Nobody loves their Porsche more than me. Walk away.

Sorry guys. Let’s say you do shoot the guy before he shoots you which is highly unlikely. You will spend the next year dealing with the paperwork. Walk away.

I have Hydro-shocks in all 3 pistols I own. I have and will shoot anyone that threatens my family members or me. My car? They can have it and I will call State Farm shortly thereafter. By the way, some states will still arrest you. Sad but true. Walk away.

I do however like that fuel shutoff idea! If you can get your hand on it and the perp not think you’re going for that pistol.

 

The best defense is situational awareness. If the jacker is someone looking for a car to joyride in, it'll be a spur of the moment thing, crime of opportunity. A 911 isn't an ideal car for most of the reasons cars get stolen, because they're too rare, not a lot of interchangeable parts, too easily noticeable and identifiable in most situations.
If the purpose is to take it and ship it overseas, odds are, its a group of people in on the jacking... the person or 2 you see, and 1 to 4 you don't. And they're most likely get you walking to the car, not sitting at a light. Even more likely, by paying a valet to have access to the keys, and copy the key, and take the car at a later date.

 

I agree with this except, War Eagle!

 

Modern fuel injected cars don't run very long when the fuel is cut off. I suspect the engine would stop almost instantly. However, if your car has entry and drive and you walk away with the key in your pocket, the car jacker is dead in the water as soon as he stalls or turns it off. Yet another reason to drive a manual with that option.