PLAN YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE SELECTION:
Always avoid main roads and freeways as they will quickly become packed with cars eventually. Seek arterial roads that are less traveled yet at the same time avoid being funneled onto roads that may become isolated from alternative routes or forks. An example is a two lane country road with obstacles on both sides. This will become one long stretch of traffic without alternatives, and possibly no means to turn around if heavy traffic from the opposite direction builds up.

GETTING OUT OF THE CITY:
If choosing among smaller arterial roads, the fewer traffic lights along the way the better because intersections will be difficult to go through if the traffic control devices are knocked out by power outages or they are simply ignored by panicked and frustrated motorists.

Dealing with Blockages:
Once an arterial road does become jammed, drive through the grid of neighborhood surface streets, rather than waiting until your fuel runs out. Favor the grid on the right side of the road because you can simply return to the same road by taking a right then left and eventually another left after you pass the blockage.

When you have a jammed intersection ahead, a jammed stretch of road, or when you encounter a heavy perpendicular main arterial road ahead, it is better to choose a right turn off rather than a left turnoff. This is because choosing to make a left turn at a jammed intersection ahead or to make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic or against two way arterial traffic will be next to impossible.

PERSONAL PROECTION:
If violence erupts on the road be prepared to provide for your own security and defense. For the driver it is best to have a concealed large capacity 9mm semi-auto handgun at the ready and easily accessible. Do not display or draw the weapon unless in direct danger.

The choice of this type of weapon is based on the kind of threats that will be encountered. On the road threats may range from a hostile vehicle bearing down on you or rioters on foot pillaging vehicles that are stuck in gridlock. For either of these situations a Glock model 34 9mm handgun with 31 rd. spare magazines is well suited for use by a driver conducting an in-vehicle defense, perhaps even more so than a rifle or shotgun.

Unlike a rifle or shotgun, a Glock can be concealed until needed but quickly deployed at a moments notice while the driver is still seated. An additional concern unique to a vehicle is the fact that some states prohibit the transport of a loaded firearm in the vehicle with the exception of a CCW such as a handgun. Even if permitted, the presence of such weapons in a vehicle will cause alarm for authorities if seen causing more tension to an already tense situation which is best avoided.

A Glock 34 is small enough to be used in the confines of a vehicle and can be brought to bear on threats to either of the sides, the front and the rear of a vehicle by a seated driver. At the same time, the model 34 is also ideally large to serve as a combat handgun attaining optimal performance not reached by compact handguns. Hence the name "practical-tactical" used to describe the model 34. This Glock model has a longer barrel than the original standard size model 17 which itself is already considered a combat handgun. This barrel combined with the light recoil of the 9mm round, allows a driver to fire the Glock with just one hand comfortably. The driver will also be able to engage targets at ranges that exceed typical handguns. This is due to higher velocities which are developed by the longer barrel. This capability is useful for a driver as he/she may need the other hand to steer or shift while shooting at an inbound vehicle some distance away. If necessary the model 34 can reach out at ranges of 50 and even 100 meters with minimal bullet drop or loss of velocity onto the target

The 31 rd Glock magazine taken from the fully automatic model 18 offers the model 34 firepower not available in most other handguns. Having 31 rounds allows for more follow-up shots to immediately suppress a threat.
Furthermore, the magazine's protruding appearance when inserted into the already large Glock provides the added benefit of being a more persuasive visual deterrent to armed attackers. It is somewhat reminiscent of a Mac-10 or Tec-9 of years gone by, yet with substantially better accuracy.

The 9mm FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) round is best suited for the Glock in the vehicle defense application. This choice for FMJ is not for improved cycling, which is not a concern for the Glock platform as it can cycle JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) rather well. The reason is simply that the FMJ round will penetrate the sheet metal of most vehicles much easier than JHP. The 9mm is again optimized due to the model 34's longer barrel which provides the additional velocity.

SSRsi Note:
We recommend the ParaOrdnance P-14 {In whatever configuration offered} for 15 rounds of guaranteed knockdown power. You don't need a 31 round magazine for a pistol - what you need is power, accuracy, and experience with a quick-change of magazines. Using magazines that are not made for a particular weapon will change the dynamics of firing that weapon accurately. Having an extended mag banging into everything inside a vehicle may cost you that split second of concentration you needed to keep yourself alive. If you need more rounds, buy more magazines and learn how to do a quick change. Combine the P-14 with a Marlin .45 Camp Carbine and you have a VERY effective personal defense combination requiring a single stock of ammunition. A gunsmith can modify the carbine to accept the high capacity magazines of the P-14, but that is really not necessary. In a pinch, the .45 round in the carbine performs fine for bagging deer as well as putting bad guys in their place.

DANGER AHEAD ROADBLOCKS AND AMBUSHES:
Should things get progressively worse the driver will be tasked with many concerns in addition to driving. He/she must keep a watchful eye or any dangers that lie ahead. An ambush could occur down the road. The driver must anticipate possible kill zones and ways to avoid or escape from them.

Ambushes:
Things to watch out for include road debris and blocking cars. Areas of possible danger include bends in the road. Ambusher may hide on the outer edge of a curve where their firepower will be concentrated towards the kill zone. An additional obstacle may exist around the curve and the driver may only see it after it is too late.

Escaping the kill zone (Reversing then j-turn):
A driver may try to breach the obstacle by ramming it. However, if the driver has the choice, he/she can quickly stop the car and shift into reverse in order to escape or face a hail of gunfire by remaining within the kill zone. Every fraction of a second matters in the kill zone. The simple act of driving in reverse then engaging in a J-turn once clear is a more viable option than heading deeper into the kill zone when conducting a forward bootleg-turn which leaves the vehicle more vulnerable to gunfire from more angles and increases the time spent in danger. Reversing is much faster, simpler to employ, provides mo cover from the engine block between the threat and the driver, as well as increasing the distance from the threat.

Bridges, Overpasses and Tunnels as ambush points:
Bridges pose a unique obstacle as it is a path that limits maneuverability. Tunnels are even worse. These are chokepoints that trap a vehicle into a limited and predictable avenue of travel where danger maybe lurking from the other end. Caution should be exercised when approaching. Overpasses pose a different danger as it also provides high ground advantage from an attacker. The best means of negotiating these obstacles a to approach slowly with caution rather than quickly heading deep into danger.

BREACHING OBSTACLES; (fences, guard rails, K-rails, drainage ditches):
When stuck on the freeway between an emergency may exist that may necessitate creating your own exit. An example is fleeing a hurricane and becoming stuck in traffic and the hurricane has already arrived. Here are some considerations when dealing with these obstacles.

Chain link fence:
Freeways are often enclosed by simple chain link fencing. A large pair of bolt cutters can cut a space big enough for an average sized passenger vehicle to pass through without having to deal with the supporting pipe framework. The pipes are more difficult to deal with, hence a smaller/shorter vehicle has an advantage to a tall/wide vehicle in this situation.

Aluminum Guard Rails:
Aluminum guard rails are more difficult to overcome. A strong set of industrial sockets, long handled wrenches and a crow bar can be used to disassemble and remove the rails from their wood post supports. The wood posts can then be removed by means of a long handle axe, a good wood saw and if available a chain saw.

K-rails:
K-rails or Jersey Barriers are nearly impossible to cross. They weigh several hundred pounds and are linked to one another in mutual support. They are designed to prevent vehicles up to semi-trucks with trailers from crossing. In one instance a set of K-rails was able to high enter an M60 tank. If these barriers cannot be moved in an emergency then perhaps they can be broken down into more manageable pieces by means of a sledge hammer and spike, then with bolt cutters and metal saws for cutting the rebar. This would take seemingly forever. Fortunately these are mostly found being used as center dividers. A truck can more easily deal with the k-rails by climbing over them once they are ground down or pushing/pulling them once freed.

Drainage ditches:
ditches pose an obstacle to cars with limited ground clearance, trucks need only drive slowly over them in low gear. Portable metal loading ramps can be helpful in crossing deep ditches. A portable winch can assist in recovering a vehicle that has become high centered or needs additional pull up a gradient. A short handled shovel can help smooth any sharp angled approaches or bumps and fill in ditches.

Fortunately, nearly all cars sold today have tie down points that are required for trailer transport and can also serve as winch/towing attachment points.

EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATION:
A winch, heavy rope and/or tow cable will also be helpful in removing a stalled vehicle or downed tree in the road.

Flat tires:
A flat tire can occur but in addition to changing the tire, an emergency may entail repairing the tire on the stop to be used again. Therefore, in addition to a jack, lug wrench, and platform for the jack, you may need a 12 volt powered air compressor to inflate the tire after using a tire patch kit designed to repair the hole without removing the tire from the rim. Fix a flat cans should only be used as last resort as it will interfere with the tire patch and further upset the balance.

Snow chains:
chains can be useful in snow but keep in mind that you also need to have sturdy gloves to avoid cuts and frozen hands as well as a flashlight to see what you are doing when it gets dark.

Jumper cables:
jumper cables are self explanatory.

Fuel Containers:
You may not actually get very far with just a full tank of gas., Expect reduced range due to stand still traffic. 5 gal plastic or metal gas cans will extend your range. They will be helpful because the gas stations may soon run out of gas as their supply will be quickly consumed. Make sure that the cans are properly secured an that fumes do not enter the passenger cabin. In addition to the cans, a funnel is necessary for refueling. Every time you exit the vehicle you are in danger. Have one armed person serve as security while the other performs the task of refueling.

VEHICLE SELECTION
What type of vehicle to use in an evacuation:
Traditionally we think of Mad Max type off-road trucks when it comes to a vehicle to be used for an emergency evacuation. However, there are many types of vehicles to consider based on the obstacles above, each will have their own strengths and weaknesses. Features that are absolutely necessary are front wheel drive (FWD). FWD allows for better winter driving as opposed to traditional rear wheel drive (RWD). FWD also has some advantage in off-road situations compared to similar RWD vehicles as there is no driveshaft to damage if the vehicle becomes high centered. Additional features that are nice to have are anti-lock brakes to avoid or recover from skids in icy/wet weather. Four wheel drive (4WD) is nice to have when the going gets really tough but in winter FWD with snow tires/chains and anti-lock brakes can be just as capable. 4WD vehicles often have higher ground clearance with the trade off of fuel economy. FWD is lighter and more fuel efficient than 4WD because there are less components.

Compact Cars:
These are small enough to squeeze into tight spaces, are very fuel efficient, and can be extracted rather easily due to their size and light weight. Often they can be easily rocked or pushed free by the passengers. On the down side, the trade off is low ground clearance limiting off-road travel, limited speed and carrying capacity.

4X4 Trucks/SUVs:
These can get you across more terrain, have the power to push/pull obstructions, can carry lots of people and cargo. However, they require lots of fuel and will be more difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. If they get stuck they really get stuck requiring an even heavier vehicle to extract.

Motorcycle:
A motorcycle has great fuel efficiency, can fit between cars that are gridlocked, are fast with moderate off-road capability even among the sport bikes. However, the rider is always vulnerable, can only carry one additional passenger, and has limited space for supplies and wet weather may prevent safe operation.

 

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