What did I do wrong?

[shavago]

I took the girlfriend out to go salsa dancing last Wednesday in Detroit. I parallel parked the Kia between a Hummer and a Benz. I'm on the phone with a friend and in the rear-view, I see a bigger guy shuffling down the side-walk towards us. I didn't really think too much, but I kept my eye on him as I always do.

Here's the problem: I've got my xd9sc in a crossbreed under my dress shirt, under my wool coat (buttoned up), with a seat belt still on. My oblivisous gf won't pay attention to anyone that is looking at her ("if I ignore them, they'll go away"). Sure enough, dude stops at our car and stares at us. I can't get my friend on the phone to shut up, so I hang up, and all I can think is, "I can't get to my gun."

The window is cracked just a hair, so he approaches the car and tells me a sob story about how he needs $23 to get a bus ticket blah blah blah, and I just spit out, "I don't have any cash on me." To which my gf further illustrates, "Yeah, I only have my card." He walks away and I check the surroundings again and we duck inside the club.

I told her as we walked in, "You talk too much. Everyone knows that your card is still good." She felt bad, but other than that, she didn't see a problem with that experience, other that I'm over-reacting. Before we left the house, I gave her a poket knife that I used to carry, explaining that it can be used to cut off those loose threads, but also doubles as some sort of protection. Soon as I park the car behind that Hummer, she pulls out the knife and stows it in the back seat.

Should I get a "car gun" like a .45 in a vehicle holster like that DeSantis one? Usually, in the winter, I carry in a shoulder rig, but our activities that evening wouldn't permit that. What should I have done differently?

[thejoe]

Undo the safety belt and unbutton the coat/get ready to pull it over the grip of your CCW. In that particular situation, I don't see a need for a completely separate weapon (esp. if you're on a tight budget like me ).

Your situational awareness seems decent enough that if you had undone seatbelt ASAP, slid a bit to the left/rotated in your seat, you could have brought your sidearm to bear if the dude had presented a threat. I may not be lightning fast, but I seriously doubt a separate gun in the car would be tons faster.

Furthermore, if you live in a city with even mildly high rates of crime, your girlfriend should definately understand that knowledge is power. The more knowledge the BGs have about her, the more power they have to do something (irresistable urges to steal credit cards I consider pretty powerful). She needs gentle reminders that BGs are hard to spot and she could be giving a BG something she doesn't want to.

joe

[Brickboy240]

Does your car have a console? Thats a great place to stow a pistol that is fairly easy to grab in a hurry. Leave it in a holster or without one insie the console.

I keep my Glock 22 with one in the chamber and 15 in the mag (2 more mags are in the bottom of the console) in my Tundra when I am away from home. Its amazingly fast to get at in a hurry and does not require shifting around in the seat, unbuckling anything or other moves that take a long time.

A few short moves and I have 16 rounds of 40SW in my hand. No lifting a jacket or squirming around....actually, this requires a minimum of movement.

I had to show somebody this piece once, when they would not take "no" for an answer in a dark parking lot and his friends began closing in on the other side of my truck. They all ran when they saw the Glock 22 and wanted no part of that. Whew! Danger averted.

I can switch this pistol, quickly, from the console to my DeSantis Speed Scabbard or Yaqui slide in a hurry and take it with me as well. Very versatile and simple, if you ask me.

(hey...white guy in a very nice truck, travelling all over the Houston Ship Channel, sometimes at odd hours...I've gotta carry something like this!)

- Brickboy240

PS: Another thing to have in the console is a good flashlight. You can discourage someone with just the flashlight (been there). I have a Surefire G2 sitting right next to the Glock 22 and two extra mags all the time. Spare batteries are in the glovebox. You can also leave the G2 in a door pocket for faster access.

[IndyMatt]

Actually everything looked okay other than getting to your weapon. I definitely second the console or even stowing it between the seat and center console area. I personally will never have a weapon in a tuckable holster, just my opinion. I would pocket carry in those situations that called for a tuckable holster.

[PackerfanXD]

This is what I use while I'm driving. Works very well.

http://www.desantisholster.com/n92.html

[Ishpeck]

Originally Posted by shavago

Should I get a "car gun" like a .45 in a vehicle holster like that DeSantis one?

Yes. You need a .44Magnum in the car. It's the only thing you can blast through the windshield and still be able to count on hitting your target.

[ichy_trigger]

Buy a cheap Fobus Roto holster and set it for cross draw, they work great as a car holster and are very cheap.

[Ishpeck]

Or you could take my idea and weld the XDGear holster to your car.

[propellerhead]

Even if you had your gun mounted on your gear shifter if someone gets the drop on you, you're done. Awareness of what's around you makes a big difference. Sounds like you at least saw it coming.

[shavago]

Originally Posted by Ishpeck

Or you could take my idea and weld the XDGear holster to your car.

Could you post pics?