I'm just messing with MW.  I don't have on-star.  I have implanated gps chips on the wife and kids.

fifteenfifty said:

If someone sticks a gun in your face and says "gimme the keys" will it really make a difference if they are in your pocket or not?

Myself, I'd hand them the keys wherever they were.  Trying to fish the keys out of your socks they's probably think you were going for a concealed weapon.

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Remember: the scenario that MW was depicting was that you had already left your keys in the car, and the choice was not opened to you. If this involved some of my ex's (not wives, but close enough) I'd think that my 'significant other in the passenger seat' had planned this all along, then I'd try to find the guy who ran off with my car AND my girl and thank him, because I got the better deal (a headache that will heal within a couple weeks, vs the headache he will have for the rest of his life!!!). OK, on a serious note, with my current wife, I would hope to hear a gunshot in the very near future as they drove off: I have my wife signed up for a concealed carry class and she has a few handguns already narrowed down as to what she's going to keep in her purse. Case solved!!! As for now, I'm very aware of my situation anytime I'm out of my car and in public and try to never allow myself to be vulneralbe if there's someone else within striking distance if I take my eyes down for too long. But you can't prepare for everything.

Post edited 4:08 pm – February 25, 2011 by EN

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I really want to hear what others see as the solution here? Admittedly I reject the "You stick your penis in a meat grinder. What do you do next?" Way of thinking. At some point there's no way out.

MW said:

I just want people to be aware of possibilities.

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That's how I took it. However, when I provided preventive measures, based on seasoning there seemed to be some resistance to my advice, like I was violating the spirit of a game that's already over. I like the scenario and took it as a great way to talk about how i prepare for such events and I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, we would discuss ways to prevent it. I hope you keep doing these little games as they're helpful.

The way to prepare for these kinds of scenarios (of the "do X or I'll shoot" variety) is to prevent them from coming up in the first place.  If someone happens to stick a gun in my face and demand something from me, I'll comply without resistance because it's better to "be a live chicken than a dead duck" (this is how I was raised).

To minimize the chances of this kind of scenario happening, situational awareness is the fist line of defense.  If something looks out of place and not quite right, it's better to leave the location first and ask questions later.  If I see a crowd of people milling about the gas station as I'm pulling up (and they aren't in mechanics clothing), I will go elsewhere for gas.  I fill up my tank once it reaches 1/4 full, so I usually don't "need" to fill up right at that moment.  I might change my "it's time to get gas" requirement to when my tank is 1/2 full (as I did during the gas lines of the 1970s) to give me a greater reserve.

I don't leave my keys in the car.  I usually lock the door, although I don't when I get gas (my tank is on the right side of the car, so my left door is unlocked while I'm filling up).  The station where I get gas has two islands.  I choose the one closest to the attendant's office (and farthest from the street) if I have a choice of which island to use.

My car happens to have LoJack.  If it's stolen, I give the 911 operator my number and the police can activate the hidden radio in the car to home in on it.  The perp has a good chance of getting caught, so I get the satisfaction of getting the jerk caught and recovering the car (my insurance company agrees with this idea so much that I get a discount on my car insurance).  There is nothing on the car to indicate it has this security measure, so the crook is taking a bigger chance robbing me than he realizes.

I'm usually alone when I drive, so passenger safety isn't an issue I have to worry about.

Jarhead said:

What is there to do when your car and wife are gone? Stomp your foot and scream "come back".  Maybe you could think of ways not to lose the rest of your family while standing around with your head up your ass.

I can't really relate to this scenario because it would never happen to me. I would never get out with the keys still in the car nor would I ever allow someone to approach me with out my knowledge. 

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A f*&#inf MEN!  But then I sometimes forget that most people don't have my training.