Anti-Gun Sen. Perata Gets Carjacked

[LadySmith]

His response (even though Oakland has some of the most strict gun control measures in effect): "There are too many guns out there." 

http://cbs5.com/local/Senator.Perata.carjack.2.620013.html

[seeker_two]

And he'd have felt less threatened if the carjacker had used a hammer?..... 

Maybe the Senator should watch a few of the Taurus "Judge" commercials and mull over alternative reactions..... 

[280plus]

"Anyone who would do that in broad daylight with hundreds of people around must be pretty desperate."

No, they know they can get away with becasue there ARE no guns out there. Well, not in the hands of law abiding citizens anyways. Great work he's done. Still has no inkling that maybe he should take his personal protection into his own hands. 

[griz]

The good senator said:

"This is a punctuation mark on what I've been doing for 20 years. There are too many guns out there," he said.

You know, really it is a punctuation mark on his disarming of the law abiding.  It's a big exclamation point saying his policies have resulted in more crime by making the victims defenseless.

[Manedwolf]

Typical. The gun came up to his car and robbed him, there was no human being holding it.

Shame the carjacker didn't have a claw hammer or screwdriver from the hardware store instead, or a knife. Then he would have felt perfectly safe.

Also, professional cringing victim, he is:

The suspect, described as a black man in his 20s with a thin build, demanded the senator get out of the car.

The senator got out of his car immediately.

Perata told the Associated Press everything happened so quickly that he didn't feel fear. He immediately complied and got out on the street. He was not injured.

Someone runs up to my car from the one behind, I'd have my gun out already. Failing that, a car is several thousand pounds of metal, and makes a fine weapon in and of itself. Once you get out, you are defenseless.

[Ben]

Didn't Jim March at one time post Perata's CCW application? Something about needing it to protect himself against the pro-gun populace. Guess we're easier to handle than a carjacker.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Oh, you mean this right here?

[Typhoon]

Gee, Perata  And all your efforts toward passing the stupid microstamping bill that you bragged about in your interview would have helped exactly how in this instance?

[Manedwolf]

Gee, Perata  And all your efforts toward passing the stupid microstamping bill that you bragged about in your interview would have helped exactly how in this instance?

I still want someone to just stand the hell up in a hearing and demand to know how microstamping would help with a .38 special revolver made in the 1960's or such, being that such guns are still the most common crime gun, and do not drop brass!

[TF_FH]

Someone runs up to my car from the one behind, I'd have my gun out already. Failing that, a car is several thousand pounds of metal, and makes a fine weapon in and of itself. Once you get out, you are defenseless.

Excellent point Manedwolf, a car is a pretty effective weapon, but I've also never quite understood why someone will sit there while someone runs up to their car.  If you see them coming wouldn't it make sense to, well I dunno, drive away?

[Ben]

If you see them coming wouldn't it make sense to, well I dunno, drive away?

Not to defend Perata, but I believe the carjackers waited until he was behind other cars at a red light and blocked in. I'm not sure how I would handle that unarmed.

[Firethorn]

Not to defend Perata, but I believe the carjackers waited until he was behind other cars at a red light and blocked in. I'm not sure how I would handle that unarmed.

That's generally how they do it.  Wait until the car is immobilized in some way.  That's one of the reasons you don't want to pull up all the way.  Especially if there are people 'hanging around' at the side of the street.

[Manedwolf]

If you see them coming wouldn't it make sense to, well I dunno, drive away?

Not to defend Perata, but I believe the carjackers waited until he was behind other cars at a red light and blocked in. I'm not sure how I would handle that unarmed.

Which is why I never pull up that close behind another car at a light. A half-car-length keeps someone else from nudging in, but gives you wiggle room to manuever if someone runs up to you, while leaning on the horn the entire time you're actively trying to thump the attacker with your car, or trying to get the hell out of there. Most intersections, I think you'd be able to run up on the island or curb to move. So what? Go for it.

[Bogie]

If I have a half car length, even with my van, it's "wheel all the way to the left, hard, and stomp."
 

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Hard left, pop the clutch, good bye car jacker's legs.

[Tecumseh]

I do understand his fear of some gunowners.  Based on some of the postings at different gun forums, I am afraid of some gunowners. 

Either way his hypocrisy disgusts me to no end. 

I do believe that the common rule of thumb is to be able to see the vehicle tires in front of you.  If you can see them on the pavement then you have enough room to maneuver out of a possible bad situation in your vehicle.  This is generally how I feel comfortable when traveling behind other cars.

[Ben]

see the vehicle tires in front of you.

I can see the above, and I do that for general safety and being able to get out of the way of whatever. My concern for "not sure how I would handle it" was more on the line of a busy Oakland street with multiple lanes. If you have a car on either side of you, then what? Of course I reckon a carjacker who jumps in a car blocked in on all four sides might not be the sharpest tool in the shed either...

[TwitchALot]

I don't get it. Why didn't he call 911 and have the police save him? 

[Perd Hapley]

TwitchALot wins.