evasive driving evasive driving
EVASIVE DRIVING Copyright © 2012 Peak 10 Publishing LLC See other products at Peak10Publishing.com
EVASIVE DRIVING
NOTICE This is NOT a free book. You may NOT forward this book to anyone else. You do NOT have resale rights for this book. We will take aggressive legal action against anyone violating these terms. If you have purchased this book from anywhere other than Peak10Publishing.com, including eBay, please report it to us immediately. [email protected]
Copyright © 2012 Peak 10 Publishing LLC | www.Peak10Publishing.com
EVASIVE DRIVING LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The authors and publishers both disclaim liability regarding any loss or risk incurred as a direct, or indirect, consequence of the application and usage of any of the contents within this guide.
COPYRIGHT
Those who have received or purchased the guide are neither authorized nor permitted to transmit copies of this guide to anyone without written permission. Giving away copies to people who haven’t paid for them is illegal under international copyright laws and will submit you to possible legal action. Therefore, the utilization of this file is limited to personal use only.
TERMS & DISCLAIMER
By using, viewing, and interacting with this guide or the Peak10Publishing.com website, you agree to all terms of engagement, thus assuming complete responsibility for your own actions. The authors and publishers will not be held liable or claim accountability for any loss or injuries. Use, view, and interact with these resources at your own risk. All products from Peak10Publishing.com and its related companies are strictly for informational purposes only. While all attempts have been made to verify the accuracy of information provided on our website and within the publications, neither the authors nor the publishers are responsible for assuming liability for possible inaccuracies. The authors and publishers disclaim any responsibility for the inaccuracy of the content, including but not limited to errors or omissions. Loss of property, injury to self or others, and even death could occur as a direct or indirect consequence of the use and application of any content found herein.
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EVASIVE DRIVING
By choosing to use the information made available within any of our publications, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the authors, publishers, and any other related companies from all claims (whether valid or invalid), judgments, suits, proceedings, losses, damages, and costs or expenses of any nature whatsoever that result from the use or misuse of any information provided. The information provided may need to be downloaded using third party software, such as Acrobat or Flash Player. It’s the user’s responsibility to install the software necessary to view such information. Any downloads, whether purchased or given for free from our website, related websites, or hosting systems, are done at the user’s own risk. No warranty is given that websites are free of corrupting computer codes, viruses or worms. All Peak10Publishing.com information is intended for adults above the age of 18 years only. If you are a minor, you can use this service only with permission and guidance from your parents or guardians. Children are not eligible to use our services unsupervised. Furthermore, Peak10Publishing.com specifically denies access to any individual covered by the Child Online Privacy Act (COPA) of 1998.
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EVASIVE DRIVING
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION................................................................... 1 THE OPERATIONAL SECURITY OF DRIVING........................... 2 EVASIVE DRIVING SCENARIO – I’M BEING FOLLOWED.......... 8 DRIVING THROUGH DANGEROUS AREAS........................... 10 CARJACKING – YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE......................... 12 YOUR VEHICLE, A PERFECT WEAPON.................................. 14 VICTIM OF ROUTINE........................................................... 14 HIGH SPEED DRIVING.......................................................... 16 IN CONCLUSION................................................................. 18
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EVASIVE DRIVING
INTRODUCTION
Evasive driving should be thought of as not only an activity undertaken when you are in danger or are being followed, but every time you get behind the wheel. Evasive driving doesn’t mean driving like a maniac or at full throttle all the time, or even hitting turn apexes or making the trip in the shortest possible time, although all of these things are small portions of the overall concept of evasive driving. Consider that most people in America drive every day for a regular commute. Most of these people drive on autopilot – if you were to ask them what they saw on the drive in to work, most people would draw a blank. They were listening to their favorite morning show, shaving, fixing their hair, or talking on the phone. They take the exact same route at the same time of day (sometimes staying in the exact same lane) as they have done for years. They are creatures of habit and routine, perfectly predictable. The intent of evasive driving is not to make one paranoid or drive recklessly, it is to make one aware of his or her surroundings and react appropriately. You might ask yourself why you should be 1
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EVASIVE DRIVING concerned with this. You are a law abiding American and have no enemies, that you know of. You pay your taxes and are not on probation. Why would anyone be following you? Why be paranoid? There are several reasons you should consider brushing up on your evasive driving skills: are an avid gun collector, NRA member, or person who You has potentially become a person of interest to various government agencies that track such things.
are a minority who is guilty by association of any number You of crimes perpetrated by members of his or her race. (i.e. of Middle Eastern descent).
routinely travel through rough neighborhoods or You impoverished areas and are unknowingly at risk for carjackings and hold ups.
You live in a good area of town and make a good income. profession is closely associated with unhappy or litigious Your clients (i.e. doctor, attorney, banker) are a multitude of reasons why you need to acquaint There yourself with the principles of evasive driving, whether you think you need it or not.
THE OPERATIONAL SECURITY OF DRIVING
Most preppers and survival oriented people are relatively good at observing operational security, but it seems to radically diminish when they drive. Driving gives one a false sense of anonymity and invisibility. You are in your car, all by yourself. You are looking at the road ahead of you, not beside or behind you. You come to believe that just because you are paying attention to the road, that no one is looking at you. It’s because of this mindset of invisibility that one sees drivers doing all sorts of things – picking their noses, singing to their favorite songs, applying makeup, and having heated cell phone conversations. Realize that your vehicle is a fish bowl into which anyone can look within and see you engaged in all sorts of activities 2
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EVASIVE DRIVING that would be considered private if they were happening in a home or business. You are not invisible while driving, and if someone is following or observing you for whatever reasons, they will glean much information about you – if you let them! What sorts of information can be gleaned by your vehicle depends on the situation, but here are some examples: The back window or trunk displays popular icons such as “sandals” or other icons that represent how many people you have in your family. A phenomenon that is increasing rapidly, people actually place sandals icons on their vehicles - a big pair for dad, a smaller pair for mom, and subsequent smaller pairs for each child. The icons vary by design but always show the same pattern. No one needs to know how many family members you have – nothing good could come from revealing this information to total strangers – not only revealing it, but driving it around town like a moving billboard and advertising it! Bumper stickers that display and affiliation of some sort. Showing your support for your favorite organization is a bad idea for two reasons – 1) it reveals your political leanings and thus pegs you to both criminals and law enforcement; 2) it identifies your vehicle to anyone who may be observing you (eg. He’s the guy with all the NRA stickers). Resist the urge to place bumper stickers on your vehicle, especially those that endorse gun rights, political views, past or present military affiliations, or anything along those lines. You do not need the added scrutiny that these stickers bring. 3
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EVASIVE DRIVING
Personalized license plates are a sure fire method of positively identifying your vehicle every single time. Is the message you are trying to convey within your personalized license plate that important that you want to compromise your anonymity? How identifiable is your vehicle when you park? Can someone come up to the car window, look inside, and see all your mail sitting on the front seat, complete with home address? How about your business cards, photos of you or loved ones, or even something as harmless as an attaché case with your name or even initials on it? Your vehicle should be left sanitized inside whenever you park it. There should be no identifying clues as to who owns it – or even if the owner is a man or woman. Stow all personal gear and electronics. If you’ve noticed the theme thus far, it is keep your vehicle as anonymous and nondescript as possible. An anonymous vehicle is the first step to successful evasive driving. Your vehicle already has an identification tag that is public knowledge – your license plate. Keep it at that! There’s no need to overly personalize your vehicle with identifying touches that mark it as yours from miles away. You can’t evade anyone if your vehicle is easy to spot. 4
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EVASIVE DRIVING
Assuming your vehicle is now plain vanilla and just like any other one out there, you must ensure it is in the proper condition to engage in any evasive driving. Positive vehicle identification is also accomplished by obvious and distinctive bodywork or repairs such as a muffler held on with baling wire. All of these things mark your vehicle as distinctive. Make sure your car or truck is in the proper condition by ensuring the following: Always ensure that your vehicle has a half tank of gas or more. Fill up when it reaches a half tank! You can’t engage in evasive driving if you have no gas, and keeping a minimum of half tank in your vehicle at all times gives you valuable options on where you can go. Besides gas, your number one vehicle consideration is the condition of your battery. Everything else can be perfect, but if your car does not start you won’t get very far. Replace your battery before it sends warning signs like sluggish or no starting.
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EVASIVE DRIVING Following the above, emphasis should be placed on the drive train and brakes. Stopping and going is clearly necessary in an evasive driving scenario and you want to make sure your vehicle can perform at top levels in what could lead to a demanding driving session. Tires need to be properly inflated for fuel economy, safety, and performance. Check these regularly as normal driving will cause them to change pressure or deflate over time. Preemptively check fluid levels! Don’t wait for the light to come on. Being prepared for anything means having a vehicle that will take you anywhere. This doesn’t mean you need to have an expedition style vehicle that can climb mountains, rather, your vehicle needs to be instantly ready to take you wherever you need to go in case of an emergency. Don’t make excuses for the condition of your vehicle either – cars are extremely affordable in America and even a person working a minimum wage job can afford to own a well maintained used vehicle. Additionally, since most vehicles have room for at least a rucksack – some models, room for much more – you should always keep a good supply of survival and emergency equipment in your vehicle in a hidden location. This location need not be hidden from an inspection, just out of the way from prying eyes when the vehicle is left unattended. Besides the normal items you would carry in a bug out bag, you should have the following items in your car: Full size spare tire or a can of hole sealer that can be sprayed in through the air valve Set of jumper cables Basic fluids for your vehicle to include a gallon of coolant, a quart of oil, and a pint of brake fluid. Duct Tape, baling wire, zip ties Tow strap rated for the weight of your car 6
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EVASIVE DRIVING
Tire chains, if you live in an area where you can expect snow An emergency supply of cash hidden from view A spare key hidden inside the vehicle. A firearm that is legal to carry. Note, many states prohibit handguns in vehicles. Very few if any prohibit long guns in vehicles as long as they are unloaded. A shotgun or rifle is very handy to have, hidden from view, of course and with a good amount of ammo. Bulletproof vest Comprehensive first aid kit mainly set up for puncture wounds, lacerations and burns. Pocket knife, combat knife Signaling devices such as flares, smoke, or flare gun HAM radio Electronics charger to charge cell phones, etc. Small supply of food and water to last a minimum of 24 hours 7
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EVASIVE DRIVING Essentially, you never want to be caught flat footed just because you happen to be in your vehicle. Your preparations should be evenly distributed across your life – prepared home, prepared workplace, and prepared car. This is an area that is often overlooked. You never know when disaster will strike, therefore, be ready at all times.
EVASIVE DRIVING SCENARIO – I’M BEING FOLLOWED
The reasons you might be followed could be essentially innumerable. It could be a coworker stalking you. It could be a thief. It could be a government agent. It could be nothing at all but some kids fooling around. Across America yearly, people report being followed quite often for a variety of reasons, and the following party must really be pretty lousy since they are easily detected. Realize that if a professional is following you, you will not really notice at all if he is doing his job correctly. On the other hand, someone like a stalker or an enemy who is trying to intimidate you will often make it obvious you are being followed just to scare you. Become aware of your surroundings! 8
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EVASIVE DRIVING Get in the habit of counting the number of turns vehicles make behind you. If they make the same turn as you once, it’s probably nothing. If they make the same turn as you twice, they should now be on your radar. If they make the same turn as you three times, you are probably being followed. Consider your location before you panic – sometimes cities are laid out so that a large number of people need to use the same thoroughfares and routes may be limited. If you get the impression you are being followed, there are some important things you need to do: First and foremost, don’t let on that you aware of the tail. Keep driving at normal speeds. Immediately alter your route from where you were going. If you were going to pull into the supermarket, keep going. If you were on your way home, keep going. Do not make an obvious route correction such as a swerve or last minute turn. You will alert the follower that he has been made! Immediately and casually alert a loved one or friend. This is especially important if you are a female driver. Many female drivers have been abducted or raped and no one knew they were in danger. Tell someone now, and stay calm. If it becomes plain that you are being followed, the best course of action is to drive to a police station, and call 911. Do not under any circumstance stop somewhere that is unpopulated or devoid of people. Do not attempt to speak or communicate with the other driver under any circumstance, and avoid confrontation! Above all, do not lead the person to your home or the home of a loved one. Even if you pull into your driveway and come out with a pistol in hand, the person now knows that you are armed and where you live and can return with backup at the time of his or her choosing, which will put you on edge for months thereafter. Do not give away locations that are close to you – even if you are on your way to pick up your children from school! In that case, call 9
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EVASIVE DRIVING the school, explain the situation, and come back later. Do not lead someone to where your children are! Being followed is a frightening event. Gather as much information about the perpetrator as possible without being too obvious.
DRIVING THROUGH DANGEROUS AREAS
Every decent size city has one - a bad neighborhood. In the case of a large city like Los Angeles or New York, these bad neighborhoods can go on for miles and seem like cities all to themselves. All sorts of risks come from driving in bad neighborhoods day or night. One could be shot, carjacked, or have his or her vehicle vandalized.
It’s incumbent on you, the tactical driver, to have your route planned well in advance and know where the undesirable areas are. The best defensive driving tactic for bad neighborhoods is avoidance, plain and simple. Just stay out of them! There are degrees to this, however. An example of this is a freeway trip that takes you past a sea of bad neighborhoods without actually going into them. On the freeway, you are perfectly safe. What if you experience car trouble or need gas? In the former scenario, it is frankly a much better idea to break down on the freeway and move onto a shoulder than make your way into a bad neighborhood. There are a number of good reasons for this:
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EVASIVE DRIVING Major freeways are patrolled by police and are usually full of motorists. It is a public and visible spot to break down. Many freeways have a “Freeway Service Patrol” or roving tow truck service which is usually free of charge and will help you out. It is also easy for services like AAA to find you on a freeway. The exit that takes you into a bad neighborhood may not have a corresponding exit out for quite some miles. The second you stop at a convenience store or gas station in a bad neighborhood and exit the car, you immediately lose the protection your vehicle affords. What if transit through a bad neighborhood is unavoidable? There are certain important considerations and actions you must undertake: Avoid eye contact with motorists beside you. In many bad neighborhoods, eye contact is seen as a provocative and hostile gesture. If you are stopped at a red light, ensure that; 1) you are always in a position where you can turn right or left if you need to. This may mean favoring the right lane, and 2) you leave a half car length of space or more before the crosswalk to give yourself some options. Don’t stop or get out of your car for any reason Try and double back to the freeway on ramp Keep doors locked and windows rolled up at all times. In all things, space is the name of the game. You want to leave plenty of space between cars while driving or when stopped so that you can dart in somewhere and turn if you need to in order to avoid a hostile situation.
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EVASIVE DRIVING
CARJACKING – YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE
While most of us might never undertake to speed through the streets in an ultra high speed chase like something from a James Bond movie, we conceivably might be subjected to a carjacking, which unfortunately is a growing concern in America. A typical carjacking is where a person armed with a weapon, usually a gun, comes up to the driver’s window and demands the vehicle. The first thing to consider is that if you get caught in a situation like this, it’s probably best to simply relinquish the vehicle. No car is worth your life. It becomes more complicated when there are perhaps children in the vehicle – there have been several cases where a carjacker has stolen a car with a baby in the back. In that case, it’s your responsibility to protect your family – no one else’s! Avoid carjacking in the first place by making some common sense driving decisions. Consider that military protocol teaches a certain method to destroy a column of armored vehicles, for example. If you need to destroy ten tanks that are in single file, accepted military doctrine is to destroy the lead tank and the last tank. The reason is simple. With the first tank immobile and the last tank immobile, the middle tanks cannot easily move and they are sitting ducks! 12
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EVASIVE DRIVING The same rule goes for carjacking. It is desirable to carjack a vehicle that cannot move because another vehicle is in front of it. You are also a sitting duck. There are a number of ways to counteract a carjacking if you have to. First and foremost, don’t put yourself in the prime spot to be carjacked. That means that if you are in a neighborhood that you feel is dangerous, and you come up to a stopped vehicle at a light, stop a minimum of one car length behind it. This gives you room to maneuver if there is a carjacking. The carjacker will probably not pick your vehicle in the first place under these circumstances because he knows all you need to do is punch it as soon as he comes up to your driver window. You can even head off into oncoming traffic if you need to as anything is better than being shot in the head. Realize that the sudden acceleration of your vehicle will catch the gunman off guard 99% of the time. It doesn’t matter how good of a shot you are – you are unlikely to hit anything if a car jerks forward five feet in a quarter second. Even the most garden variety low performance car has the gumption to lunge forward quickly from a dead stop. This will give you all the time you need to take evasive action. Additionally, keep your doors locked at all times when driving. The first step to surprise in a carjacking is to throw your door open and put a pistol to your head. There isn’t much you can do since most people are 6” from the bumper of the car ahead of them. If your doors are locked and you have enough space ahead of you, you buy yourself precious seconds of time that will throw the carjacker off. Consider that carjackers are getting more sophisticated and working as teams. A common kidnapping technique is to make sure the lead car at an intersection is with the bad guys…what winds up happening is the carjacking or kidnapping unfolds as usual, except this time the rear car rams your bumper pushing you into the lead car and wedging your car into immobility. There is no good escape from this scenario – if you maintained the car length of space, however, you will thwart that plan since the rear vehicle has to ram you quite hard in order to send you into the forward vehicle’s rear bumper 13
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EVASIVE DRIVING 15 feet away. In this case, you should be checking your rear view mirror when stopped to ensure the guy behind you is slowing down appropriately. If it looks like a collision is imminent – don’t move up – check to make sure the other side is clear and go there. As a matter of fact, go anywhere other than straight forward if you feel it is a setup.
YOUR VEHICLE, A PERFECT WEAPON
Keep in mind in a carjacking scenario or similar situation (a woman being stalked by a much bigger man, for example), you are piloting a perfect weapon. No karate, no stun gun, no firearm is as effective of a weapon as the vehicle you are driving. Even the smallest car weighs several thousand pounds and is perfect for engaging all manner of humanoid threats. If you are rear ended in a carjacking setup, fight back – shove the vehicle into reverse and put the pedal to the floor. Repeat going forward until you make a hole big enough for your car to escape. No amount of bodywork or paint can replace a human life. Even in cases where women are being chased by a jilted lover or a common creep, it never ceases to amaze that she will most often stop her car and attempt to run away on foot rather than use the vehicle as a weapon. Human fight or flight is a strong urge, and must be suppressed when behind the wheel. It doesn’t matter how big the pursuing man is or what martial arts he knows – a car is the great equalizer and will break bones and kill on impact every single time.
VICTIM OF ROUTINE In order not to fall into the trap of things like carjacking, being followed, and other vehicular issues, it behooves one to not become a victim of one’s own routine. Sure, the supermarket, kid’s school, bank, and house are all in fixed locations, but that doesn’t mean you need to take the same routes to these places all the time. You should always have an alternate route to a place and back from a place – you should always have a backup plan in case roads are blocked or you run into trouble. This is especially important in freeway commutes. Most people have been traveling on the freeway 14
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EVASIVE DRIVING
for so many years that they don’t even know how to get where they are going using surface streets. Standard military doctrine is to proceed to an objective using one route, and return using another completely different route. That might be overkill in your situation, but if you are under the impression that you are being monitored for whatever reason, you might have to undertake such countermeasures. These routines also lead to complacency. For example, most American homes have garages. Most garages are full of junk and the car is parked in the driveway instead. A car in the driveway tells people you are home, tells people what kind of car you drive and what your license plate number is. People that are seeking you for whatever reason can come back at their leisure. Simply clearing out your garage and parking your car in there adds a bit to your anonymity and also ensures no one can tamper with your vehicle or add a tracking device to it.
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EVASIVE DRIVING HIGH SPEED DRIVING If you find yourself in the situation where you need to evade someone by high speed driving, you’ll need to know the basics of how that skill is undertaken. Now is the time to take a performance driving school where you can learn these skills on a closed course with professional teachers and solid vehicles. Remember, you don’t need to own a race car in order to drive fast – ambulances and police cars drive fast all the time and they are big, boxy sedans and cube vans that are ill suited to fast driving. Driving fast is a skill of finesse and a test of will. As performance drivers are fond of saying – smooth is fast. A car driving at high speeds should exhibit poise and balance. There are a few fundamentals of high speed driving you should know: All turns have apexes. An apex is nothing more than the point of a turn in which you commit to going the new direction. Hitting these apexes is critical to going through the turn as fast as possible. Knowing where they are comes with practice. You use your brakes only when going in a straight line. As you are about to go into a turn, brake up until the point where you turn your wheel. After that, apply throttle through the turn and out. Never brake while turning!
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EVASIVE DRIVING In a standard vehicle, never shift gears while turning a corner. As with braking, you downshift into the turn while you are still travelling straight, then shift just before you turn the wheel and again after you are done the turn. Most novices screw up high speed driving by overusing the brakes. Realize that race car drivers use their brakes judiciously and sparingly – most race cars are controlled by the gearbox and the throttle. Applying throttle during a high speed maneuver is seldom dangerous – applying the brakes during the same maneuver could be disastrous. The reason for this is weight transfer. The second you apply the brakes, the weight of the car moving forward is transferred to the suspension, which transfers it again to the tires, which upsets the balance of the car. Think about it for a moment – when you slam the brakes hard to avoid rear ending someone, tire tracks are usually left by the front tires. This is because most of the weight of the car is on the front tires when you brake hard. Similarly, applying the brakes during a high speed turn when your steering wheel is anything but centered could cause the car to spin out due to weight transfer. Throttle, on the other hand, keeps the car planted on its line as long as the tires maintain grip on the pavement. High speed driving is where you really put your car to the test, which is why your vehicle needs to be up to the task mechanically. Be especially careful of pursuits in which another vehicle is attempting to spin you out by tapping your rear quarter. Most sedans and larger vehicles are sensitive to being struck in the rear quarter; that it is to say, in the area behind the rear wheels. The effect even a moderate impact here has is to cause the vehicle to skid out and potentially roll over. Counteract this tactic by varying your speed and direction since the vehicle doing the striking will have to wait for just the right opportunity to hit your car. Throw him or her off by not giving them that opportunity.
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EVASIVE DRIVING IN CONCLUSION
Evasive driving is a combination of many tactile skills mixed with a healthy dose of operational security. It is more about observing and avoiding the situation than it is driving one’s self out of it at high speed. Evasive driving requires a preparedness mindset and a keen eye to observe what’s going on around you. Contrary to popular belief, one need not be a racecar driver to be a skilled evasive maneuverer. You might be called upon to evade a potentially hostile situation in your car, your friend’s car, or even a rental car in a strange country. By keeping your head and being quick on your feet you can avoid common traps that will catch others.
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Copyright © 2012 Peak 10 Publishing LLC See other products at Peak10Publishing.com
EVASIVE DRIVING
NOTICE This is NOT a free book. You may NOT forward this book to anyone else. You do NOT have resale rights for this book. We will take aggressive legal action against anyone violating these terms. If you have purchased this book from anywhere other than Peak10Publishing.com, including eBay, please report it to us immediately. [email protected]
Copyright © 2012 Peak 10 Publishing LLC | www.Peak10Publishing.com
EVASIVE DRIVING LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The authors and publishers both disclaim liability regarding any loss or risk incurred as a direct, or indirect, consequence of the application and usage of any of the contents within this guide.
COPYRIGHT
Those who have received or purchased the guide are neither authorized nor permitted to transmit copies of this guide to anyone without written permission. Giving away copies to people who haven’t paid for them is illegal under international copyright laws and will submit you to possible legal action. Therefore, the utilization of this file is limited to personal use only.
TERMS & DISCLAIMER
By using, viewing, and interacting with this guide or the Peak10Publishing.com website, you agree to all terms of engagement, thus assuming complete responsibility for your own actions. The authors and publishers will not be held liable or claim accountability for any loss or injuries. Use, view, and interact with these resources at your own risk. All products from Peak10Publishing.com and its related companies are strictly for informational purposes only. While all attempts have been made to verify the accuracy of information provided on our website and within the publications, neither the authors nor the publishers are responsible for assuming liability for possible inaccuracies. The authors and publishers disclaim any responsibility for the inaccuracy of the content, including but not limited to errors or omissions. Loss of property, injury to self or others, and even death could occur as a direct or indirect consequence of the use and application of any content found herein.
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EVASIVE DRIVING
By choosing to use the information made available within any of our publications, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the authors, publishers, and any other related companies from all claims (whether valid or invalid), judgments, suits, proceedings, losses, damages, and costs or expenses of any nature whatsoever that result from the use or misuse of any information provided. The information provided may need to be downloaded using third party software, such as Acrobat or Flash Player. It’s the user’s responsibility to install the software necessary to view such information. Any downloads, whether purchased or given for free from our website, related websites, or hosting systems, are done at the user’s own risk. No warranty is given that websites are free of corrupting computer codes, viruses or worms. All Peak10Publishing.com information is intended for adults above the age of 18 years only. If you are a minor, you can use this service only with permission and guidance from your parents or guardians. Children are not eligible to use our services unsupervised. Furthermore, Peak10Publishing.com specifically denies access to any individual covered by the Child Online Privacy Act (COPA) of 1998.
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EVASIVE DRIVING
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION................................................................... 1 THE OPERATIONAL SECURITY OF DRIVING........................... 2 EVASIVE DRIVING SCENARIO – I’M BEING FOLLOWED.......... 8 DRIVING THROUGH DANGEROUS AREAS........................... 10 CARJACKING – YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE......................... 12 YOUR VEHICLE, A PERFECT WEAPON.................................. 14 VICTIM OF ROUTINE........................................................... 14 HIGH SPEED DRIVING.......................................................... 16 IN CONCLUSION................................................................. 18
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EVASIVE DRIVING
INTRODUCTION
Evasive driving should be thought of as not only an activity undertaken when you are in danger or are being followed, but every time you get behind the wheel. Evasive driving doesn’t mean driving like a maniac or at full throttle all the time, or even hitting turn apexes or making the trip in the shortest possible time, although all of these things are small portions of the overall concept of evasive driving. Consider that most people in America drive every day for a regular commute. Most of these people drive on autopilot – if you were to ask them what they saw on the drive in to work, most people would draw a blank. They were listening to their favorite morning show, shaving, fixing their hair, or talking on the phone. They take the exact same route at the same time of day (sometimes staying in the exact same lane) as they have done for years. They are creatures of habit and routine, perfectly predictable. The intent of evasive driving is not to make one paranoid or drive recklessly, it is to make one aware of his or her surroundings and react appropriately. You might ask yourself why you should be 1
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EVASIVE DRIVING concerned with this. You are a law abiding American and have no enemies, that you know of. You pay your taxes and are not on probation. Why would anyone be following you? Why be paranoid? There are several reasons you should consider brushing up on your evasive driving skills: are an avid gun collector, NRA member, or person who You has potentially become a person of interest to various government agencies that track such things.
are a minority who is guilty by association of any number You of crimes perpetrated by members of his or her race. (i.e. of Middle Eastern descent).
routinely travel through rough neighborhoods or You impoverished areas and are unknowingly at risk for carjackings and hold ups.
You live in a good area of town and make a good income. profession is closely associated with unhappy or litigious Your clients (i.e. doctor, attorney, banker) are a multitude of reasons why you need to acquaint There yourself with the principles of evasive driving, whether you think you need it or not.
THE OPERATIONAL SECURITY OF DRIVING
Most preppers and survival oriented people are relatively good at observing operational security, but it seems to radically diminish when they drive. Driving gives one a false sense of anonymity and invisibility. You are in your car, all by yourself. You are looking at the road ahead of you, not beside or behind you. You come to believe that just because you are paying attention to the road, that no one is looking at you. It’s because of this mindset of invisibility that one sees drivers doing all sorts of things – picking their noses, singing to their favorite songs, applying makeup, and having heated cell phone conversations. Realize that your vehicle is a fish bowl into which anyone can look within and see you engaged in all sorts of activities 2
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EVASIVE DRIVING that would be considered private if they were happening in a home or business. You are not invisible while driving, and if someone is following or observing you for whatever reasons, they will glean much information about you – if you let them! What sorts of information can be gleaned by your vehicle depends on the situation, but here are some examples: The back window or trunk displays popular icons such as “sandals” or other icons that represent how many people you have in your family. A phenomenon that is increasing rapidly, people actually place sandals icons on their vehicles - a big pair for dad, a smaller pair for mom, and subsequent smaller pairs for each child. The icons vary by design but always show the same pattern. No one needs to know how many family members you have – nothing good could come from revealing this information to total strangers – not only revealing it, but driving it around town like a moving billboard and advertising it! Bumper stickers that display and affiliation of some sort. Showing your support for your favorite organization is a bad idea for two reasons – 1) it reveals your political leanings and thus pegs you to both criminals and law enforcement; 2) it identifies your vehicle to anyone who may be observing you (eg. He’s the guy with all the NRA stickers). Resist the urge to place bumper stickers on your vehicle, especially those that endorse gun rights, political views, past or present military affiliations, or anything along those lines. You do not need the added scrutiny that these stickers bring. 3
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Personalized license plates are a sure fire method of positively identifying your vehicle every single time. Is the message you are trying to convey within your personalized license plate that important that you want to compromise your anonymity? How identifiable is your vehicle when you park? Can someone come up to the car window, look inside, and see all your mail sitting on the front seat, complete with home address? How about your business cards, photos of you or loved ones, or even something as harmless as an attaché case with your name or even initials on it? Your vehicle should be left sanitized inside whenever you park it. There should be no identifying clues as to who owns it – or even if the owner is a man or woman. Stow all personal gear and electronics. If you’ve noticed the theme thus far, it is keep your vehicle as anonymous and nondescript as possible. An anonymous vehicle is the first step to successful evasive driving. Your vehicle already has an identification tag that is public knowledge – your license plate. Keep it at that! There’s no need to overly personalize your vehicle with identifying touches that mark it as yours from miles away. You can’t evade anyone if your vehicle is easy to spot. 4
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Assuming your vehicle is now plain vanilla and just like any other one out there, you must ensure it is in the proper condition to engage in any evasive driving. Positive vehicle identification is also accomplished by obvious and distinctive bodywork or repairs such as a muffler held on with baling wire. All of these things mark your vehicle as distinctive. Make sure your car or truck is in the proper condition by ensuring the following: Always ensure that your vehicle has a half tank of gas or more. Fill up when it reaches a half tank! You can’t engage in evasive driving if you have no gas, and keeping a minimum of half tank in your vehicle at all times gives you valuable options on where you can go. Besides gas, your number one vehicle consideration is the condition of your battery. Everything else can be perfect, but if your car does not start you won’t get very far. Replace your battery before it sends warning signs like sluggish or no starting.
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EVASIVE DRIVING Following the above, emphasis should be placed on the drive train and brakes. Stopping and going is clearly necessary in an evasive driving scenario and you want to make sure your vehicle can perform at top levels in what could lead to a demanding driving session. Tires need to be properly inflated for fuel economy, safety, and performance. Check these regularly as normal driving will cause them to change pressure or deflate over time. Preemptively check fluid levels! Don’t wait for the light to come on. Being prepared for anything means having a vehicle that will take you anywhere. This doesn’t mean you need to have an expedition style vehicle that can climb mountains, rather, your vehicle needs to be instantly ready to take you wherever you need to go in case of an emergency. Don’t make excuses for the condition of your vehicle either – cars are extremely affordable in America and even a person working a minimum wage job can afford to own a well maintained used vehicle. Additionally, since most vehicles have room for at least a rucksack – some models, room for much more – you should always keep a good supply of survival and emergency equipment in your vehicle in a hidden location. This location need not be hidden from an inspection, just out of the way from prying eyes when the vehicle is left unattended. Besides the normal items you would carry in a bug out bag, you should have the following items in your car: Full size spare tire or a can of hole sealer that can be sprayed in through the air valve Set of jumper cables Basic fluids for your vehicle to include a gallon of coolant, a quart of oil, and a pint of brake fluid. Duct Tape, baling wire, zip ties Tow strap rated for the weight of your car 6
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Tire chains, if you live in an area where you can expect snow An emergency supply of cash hidden from view A spare key hidden inside the vehicle. A firearm that is legal to carry. Note, many states prohibit handguns in vehicles. Very few if any prohibit long guns in vehicles as long as they are unloaded. A shotgun or rifle is very handy to have, hidden from view, of course and with a good amount of ammo. Bulletproof vest Comprehensive first aid kit mainly set up for puncture wounds, lacerations and burns. Pocket knife, combat knife Signaling devices such as flares, smoke, or flare gun HAM radio Electronics charger to charge cell phones, etc. Small supply of food and water to last a minimum of 24 hours 7
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EVASIVE DRIVING Essentially, you never want to be caught flat footed just because you happen to be in your vehicle. Your preparations should be evenly distributed across your life – prepared home, prepared workplace, and prepared car. This is an area that is often overlooked. You never know when disaster will strike, therefore, be ready at all times.
EVASIVE DRIVING SCENARIO – I’M BEING FOLLOWED
The reasons you might be followed could be essentially innumerable. It could be a coworker stalking you. It could be a thief. It could be a government agent. It could be nothing at all but some kids fooling around. Across America yearly, people report being followed quite often for a variety of reasons, and the following party must really be pretty lousy since they are easily detected. Realize that if a professional is following you, you will not really notice at all if he is doing his job correctly. On the other hand, someone like a stalker or an enemy who is trying to intimidate you will often make it obvious you are being followed just to scare you. Become aware of your surroundings! 8
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EVASIVE DRIVING Get in the habit of counting the number of turns vehicles make behind you. If they make the same turn as you once, it’s probably nothing. If they make the same turn as you twice, they should now be on your radar. If they make the same turn as you three times, you are probably being followed. Consider your location before you panic – sometimes cities are laid out so that a large number of people need to use the same thoroughfares and routes may be limited. If you get the impression you are being followed, there are some important things you need to do: First and foremost, don’t let on that you aware of the tail. Keep driving at normal speeds. Immediately alter your route from where you were going. If you were going to pull into the supermarket, keep going. If you were on your way home, keep going. Do not make an obvious route correction such as a swerve or last minute turn. You will alert the follower that he has been made! Immediately and casually alert a loved one or friend. This is especially important if you are a female driver. Many female drivers have been abducted or raped and no one knew they were in danger. Tell someone now, and stay calm. If it becomes plain that you are being followed, the best course of action is to drive to a police station, and call 911. Do not under any circumstance stop somewhere that is unpopulated or devoid of people. Do not attempt to speak or communicate with the other driver under any circumstance, and avoid confrontation! Above all, do not lead the person to your home or the home of a loved one. Even if you pull into your driveway and come out with a pistol in hand, the person now knows that you are armed and where you live and can return with backup at the time of his or her choosing, which will put you on edge for months thereafter. Do not give away locations that are close to you – even if you are on your way to pick up your children from school! In that case, call 9
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EVASIVE DRIVING the school, explain the situation, and come back later. Do not lead someone to where your children are! Being followed is a frightening event. Gather as much information about the perpetrator as possible without being too obvious.
DRIVING THROUGH DANGEROUS AREAS
Every decent size city has one - a bad neighborhood. In the case of a large city like Los Angeles or New York, these bad neighborhoods can go on for miles and seem like cities all to themselves. All sorts of risks come from driving in bad neighborhoods day or night. One could be shot, carjacked, or have his or her vehicle vandalized.
It’s incumbent on you, the tactical driver, to have your route planned well in advance and know where the undesirable areas are. The best defensive driving tactic for bad neighborhoods is avoidance, plain and simple. Just stay out of them! There are degrees to this, however. An example of this is a freeway trip that takes you past a sea of bad neighborhoods without actually going into them. On the freeway, you are perfectly safe. What if you experience car trouble or need gas? In the former scenario, it is frankly a much better idea to break down on the freeway and move onto a shoulder than make your way into a bad neighborhood. There are a number of good reasons for this:
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EVASIVE DRIVING Major freeways are patrolled by police and are usually full of motorists. It is a public and visible spot to break down. Many freeways have a “Freeway Service Patrol” or roving tow truck service which is usually free of charge and will help you out. It is also easy for services like AAA to find you on a freeway. The exit that takes you into a bad neighborhood may not have a corresponding exit out for quite some miles. The second you stop at a convenience store or gas station in a bad neighborhood and exit the car, you immediately lose the protection your vehicle affords. What if transit through a bad neighborhood is unavoidable? There are certain important considerations and actions you must undertake: Avoid eye contact with motorists beside you. In many bad neighborhoods, eye contact is seen as a provocative and hostile gesture. If you are stopped at a red light, ensure that; 1) you are always in a position where you can turn right or left if you need to. This may mean favoring the right lane, and 2) you leave a half car length of space or more before the crosswalk to give yourself some options. Don’t stop or get out of your car for any reason Try and double back to the freeway on ramp Keep doors locked and windows rolled up at all times. In all things, space is the name of the game. You want to leave plenty of space between cars while driving or when stopped so that you can dart in somewhere and turn if you need to in order to avoid a hostile situation.
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CARJACKING – YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE
While most of us might never undertake to speed through the streets in an ultra high speed chase like something from a James Bond movie, we conceivably might be subjected to a carjacking, which unfortunately is a growing concern in America. A typical carjacking is where a person armed with a weapon, usually a gun, comes up to the driver’s window and demands the vehicle. The first thing to consider is that if you get caught in a situation like this, it’s probably best to simply relinquish the vehicle. No car is worth your life. It becomes more complicated when there are perhaps children in the vehicle – there have been several cases where a carjacker has stolen a car with a baby in the back. In that case, it’s your responsibility to protect your family – no one else’s! Avoid carjacking in the first place by making some common sense driving decisions. Consider that military protocol teaches a certain method to destroy a column of armored vehicles, for example. If you need to destroy ten tanks that are in single file, accepted military doctrine is to destroy the lead tank and the last tank. The reason is simple. With the first tank immobile and the last tank immobile, the middle tanks cannot easily move and they are sitting ducks! 12
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EVASIVE DRIVING The same rule goes for carjacking. It is desirable to carjack a vehicle that cannot move because another vehicle is in front of it. You are also a sitting duck. There are a number of ways to counteract a carjacking if you have to. First and foremost, don’t put yourself in the prime spot to be carjacked. That means that if you are in a neighborhood that you feel is dangerous, and you come up to a stopped vehicle at a light, stop a minimum of one car length behind it. This gives you room to maneuver if there is a carjacking. The carjacker will probably not pick your vehicle in the first place under these circumstances because he knows all you need to do is punch it as soon as he comes up to your driver window. You can even head off into oncoming traffic if you need to as anything is better than being shot in the head. Realize that the sudden acceleration of your vehicle will catch the gunman off guard 99% of the time. It doesn’t matter how good of a shot you are – you are unlikely to hit anything if a car jerks forward five feet in a quarter second. Even the most garden variety low performance car has the gumption to lunge forward quickly from a dead stop. This will give you all the time you need to take evasive action. Additionally, keep your doors locked at all times when driving. The first step to surprise in a carjacking is to throw your door open and put a pistol to your head. There isn’t much you can do since most people are 6” from the bumper of the car ahead of them. If your doors are locked and you have enough space ahead of you, you buy yourself precious seconds of time that will throw the carjacker off. Consider that carjackers are getting more sophisticated and working as teams. A common kidnapping technique is to make sure the lead car at an intersection is with the bad guys…what winds up happening is the carjacking or kidnapping unfolds as usual, except this time the rear car rams your bumper pushing you into the lead car and wedging your car into immobility. There is no good escape from this scenario – if you maintained the car length of space, however, you will thwart that plan since the rear vehicle has to ram you quite hard in order to send you into the forward vehicle’s rear bumper 13
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EVASIVE DRIVING 15 feet away. In this case, you should be checking your rear view mirror when stopped to ensure the guy behind you is slowing down appropriately. If it looks like a collision is imminent – don’t move up – check to make sure the other side is clear and go there. As a matter of fact, go anywhere other than straight forward if you feel it is a setup.
YOUR VEHICLE, A PERFECT WEAPON
Keep in mind in a carjacking scenario or similar situation (a woman being stalked by a much bigger man, for example), you are piloting a perfect weapon. No karate, no stun gun, no firearm is as effective of a weapon as the vehicle you are driving. Even the smallest car weighs several thousand pounds and is perfect for engaging all manner of humanoid threats. If you are rear ended in a carjacking setup, fight back – shove the vehicle into reverse and put the pedal to the floor. Repeat going forward until you make a hole big enough for your car to escape. No amount of bodywork or paint can replace a human life. Even in cases where women are being chased by a jilted lover or a common creep, it never ceases to amaze that she will most often stop her car and attempt to run away on foot rather than use the vehicle as a weapon. Human fight or flight is a strong urge, and must be suppressed when behind the wheel. It doesn’t matter how big the pursuing man is or what martial arts he knows – a car is the great equalizer and will break bones and kill on impact every single time.
VICTIM OF ROUTINE In order not to fall into the trap of things like carjacking, being followed, and other vehicular issues, it behooves one to not become a victim of one’s own routine. Sure, the supermarket, kid’s school, bank, and house are all in fixed locations, but that doesn’t mean you need to take the same routes to these places all the time. You should always have an alternate route to a place and back from a place – you should always have a backup plan in case roads are blocked or you run into trouble. This is especially important in freeway commutes. Most people have been traveling on the freeway 14
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for so many years that they don’t even know how to get where they are going using surface streets. Standard military doctrine is to proceed to an objective using one route, and return using another completely different route. That might be overkill in your situation, but if you are under the impression that you are being monitored for whatever reason, you might have to undertake such countermeasures. These routines also lead to complacency. For example, most American homes have garages. Most garages are full of junk and the car is parked in the driveway instead. A car in the driveway tells people you are home, tells people what kind of car you drive and what your license plate number is. People that are seeking you for whatever reason can come back at their leisure. Simply clearing out your garage and parking your car in there adds a bit to your anonymity and also ensures no one can tamper with your vehicle or add a tracking device to it.
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EVASIVE DRIVING HIGH SPEED DRIVING If you find yourself in the situation where you need to evade someone by high speed driving, you’ll need to know the basics of how that skill is undertaken. Now is the time to take a performance driving school where you can learn these skills on a closed course with professional teachers and solid vehicles. Remember, you don’t need to own a race car in order to drive fast – ambulances and police cars drive fast all the time and they are big, boxy sedans and cube vans that are ill suited to fast driving. Driving fast is a skill of finesse and a test of will. As performance drivers are fond of saying – smooth is fast. A car driving at high speeds should exhibit poise and balance. There are a few fundamentals of high speed driving you should know: All turns have apexes. An apex is nothing more than the point of a turn in which you commit to going the new direction. Hitting these apexes is critical to going through the turn as fast as possible. Knowing where they are comes with practice. You use your brakes only when going in a straight line. As you are about to go into a turn, brake up until the point where you turn your wheel. After that, apply throttle through the turn and out. Never brake while turning!
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EVASIVE DRIVING In a standard vehicle, never shift gears while turning a corner. As with braking, you downshift into the turn while you are still travelling straight, then shift just before you turn the wheel and again after you are done the turn. Most novices screw up high speed driving by overusing the brakes. Realize that race car drivers use their brakes judiciously and sparingly – most race cars are controlled by the gearbox and the throttle. Applying throttle during a high speed maneuver is seldom dangerous – applying the brakes during the same maneuver could be disastrous. The reason for this is weight transfer. The second you apply the brakes, the weight of the car moving forward is transferred to the suspension, which transfers it again to the tires, which upsets the balance of the car. Think about it for a moment – when you slam the brakes hard to avoid rear ending someone, tire tracks are usually left by the front tires. This is because most of the weight of the car is on the front tires when you brake hard. Similarly, applying the brakes during a high speed turn when your steering wheel is anything but centered could cause the car to spin out due to weight transfer. Throttle, on the other hand, keeps the car planted on its line as long as the tires maintain grip on the pavement. High speed driving is where you really put your car to the test, which is why your vehicle needs to be up to the task mechanically. Be especially careful of pursuits in which another vehicle is attempting to spin you out by tapping your rear quarter. Most sedans and larger vehicles are sensitive to being struck in the rear quarter; that it is to say, in the area behind the rear wheels. The effect even a moderate impact here has is to cause the vehicle to skid out and potentially roll over. Counteract this tactic by varying your speed and direction since the vehicle doing the striking will have to wait for just the right opportunity to hit your car. Throw him or her off by not giving them that opportunity.
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EVASIVE DRIVING IN CONCLUSION
Evasive driving is a combination of many tactile skills mixed with a healthy dose of operational security. It is more about observing and avoiding the situation than it is driving one’s self out of it at high speed. Evasive driving requires a preparedness mindset and a keen eye to observe what’s going on around you. Contrary to popular belief, one need not be a racecar driver to be a skilled evasive maneuverer. You might be called upon to evade a potentially hostile situation in your car, your friend’s car, or even a rental car in a strange country. By keeping your head and being quick on your feet you can avoid common traps that will catch others.
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