Incident in Seattle this morning - self assessment, 2 observations

[ATCclears]

I was taking my wife to a medical appointment in Seattle early this morning. It was not quite daylight. I was driving her newer Subaru and had my pistol in the back seat in a backpack.

I came around a corner (South Lake Union area, not generally a bad area) and a woman stepped out from the far side of a bus shelter into the lane and put her hand out for me to stop. I immediately stopped, honked the horn, and put my hands up in a WTF signal to the woman. The woman was 10' from the front of the Subaru and standing in the road.

She threw something large toward the Subaru. My mind went into defend mode. I watched it hit the windshield and realized it was a plastic bottle full of liquid. The woman seemed to be awaiting my reaction and was reaching behind her waist.

I knew the doors were auto locked on the Subaru. I had a 'you frigging moron' moment with myself as I realized my pistol was behind me and not within my reach. Mistake 1.

I stepped on the gas of the Subaru with the intent to lurch forward and let her know I wasn't screwing around. Nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing happened. I then realized the obstacle-detection features of the Subaru were aware of a person in the road and the Subaru was overriding my input to accelerator pedal. I didn't know how to disable the features. Mistake 2.

I yelled at her while still in the car and pointed at her. I looked around wondering if she had accomplices but didn't see anyone (it was dark though, bushes by the bus shelter).

The woman stepped back behind the bus shelter, I stomped on the accelerator, the Subaru responded, and I got us out of there.

I've replayed the situation many times in my mind today. She may have been nothing more than homeless with mental-health challenges, but it could have gone worse. I thought I would share.

My personal takeaways:

• Things happen VERY fast. Be ready.
• I must be disciplined about keeping my firearm within reach and at the ready.
• Know the vehicle I am driving. Specifically, know how to disable newer obstacle-detection features.

I hope this helps improve awareness and readiness for anyone reading.

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[Tlock]

First off I didn't know newer vehicles did that, I hope that's not a option on the new f150s. (I'll test it out later on one of my boys) second I always keep my tools on my person, even on long drives back to SD. The wife says it's uncomfortable and puts hers in the center console safe when we are together. It very easily could have been a situation where she was just the distraction.....glad you both are ok and sounds like you learned alot from the Seattle streets

 

[ATCclears]

@Tlock the feature(s) surprised me too. I've identified an "off" button on the overhead console, but I'll be testing it to ensure it disables the feature(s) as expected.

 

[Tlock]

@Tlock the feature(s) surprised me too. I've identified an "off" button on the overhead console, but I'll be testing it to ensure it disables the feature(s) as expected.

Is that a permanent off button? Or is it something you have to push everytime you start your vehicle? I'd have a hard time remembering to push it if that's the case....technology isn't all it's cracked up to be IMHO

 

[ATCclears]

Is that a permanent off button? Or is it something you have to push everytime you start your vehicle? I'd have a hard time remembering to push it if that's the case....technology isn't all it's cracked up to be IMHO

Unknown yet. I have to test it.

Her Subaru has an auto-engine-stop feature when stopped in traffic (supposedly to save fuel). There is no way to configure that feature to be disabled - every time I drive the Subaru I push the button to disable it.

 

[nammac]

Stop/Start feature on the wife's Highlander is like that too, have to disable each time the vehicle is started, there's no setting to just disable it…. Grrrrrrrr…..

 

[Knobgoblin]

I enjoy the free light show on my interior windshield every time my Subaru ascent disagrees with my passing style.

 

[ORhutner]

Unknown yet. I have to test it.

Her Subaru has an auto-engine-stop feature when stopped in traffic (supposedly to save fuel). There is no way to configure that feature to be disabled - every time I drive the Subaru I push the button to disable it.

2020-2023 Subaru Crosstrek Autostop Eliminator

This Autostop Eliminator is designed for the Subaru Crosstrek model years 2020-2023. Autostop Eliminator will disable the auto-stop feature on your Crosstrek

www.autostopeliminator.com

 

[nammac]

The Highlanders collision avoidance can be turned off through the driver info center, and playing with buttons on the steering wheel. So I like that idea. Something purposefully stands in the way, the vehicle can be set to only respond to the drivers input. All those gadgets should have a manual and permanent override capability.

 

[gmerkt]

Quite a few GM and Ford vehicles made since around 2014 have the Start-Stop feature. Which I wouldn't care to have. Every once in a while, when I arrive at a notoriously long traffic signal right at the beginning of the cycle, I may turn my engine off. But that is rare. I've read that cars having the Start-Stop feature engage the starter five to ten times as often as a "normal" car without it. It's bound to wear out starters faster.

 

[nammac]

Quite a few GM and Ford vehicles made since around 2014 have the Start-Stop feature. Which I wouldn't care to have. Every once in a while, when I arrive at a notoriously long traffic signal right at the beginning of the cycle, I may turn my engine off. But that is rare. I've read that cars having the Start-Stop feature engage the starter five to ten times as often as a "normal" car without it. It's bound to wear out starters faster.

And AC/heat isn't producing cold or hot air during the engine off period. Good feature to have during a cold rain or snow, at a stop with windows fogging up…

 

[nammac]

Our 2017 Arcadia don't have that stop/start feature, most likely because it's the V6, and those perform cylinder management, shutting down to a V4 when there's less demand from the accelerator.

 

[gmerkt]

That business with the person stepping out in front of your vehicle and motioning for you to stop. Maybe she was trying to get a ride from you and felt she couldn't wait for the bus. Then when you honked, she became angered. And otherwise wouldn't have thrown an object at your car. We can't know; maybe I'm being charitable.

Here's another scenario. She is one of those people, who without her own transportation, resent the have and have-not situation. I see these people more often than I want to. Deliberately slow crossing the street at a signal, sometimes against a red light. Or crossing in the middle of a block, free as you please, holding up traffic. They do it because they can and they love to infuriate motorists.

As a practical matter and without seeing anything in the immediate area amiss, my inclination in this situation would be to try to go around her. If at all possible. For one year, I worked graveyard shift, midnight to 0830, and when I drove to work, I used to see stuff going on that wasn't necessarily seen (at that time, anyway) during the day. One time driving along in a dark boondock area, a woman ran out from the side of the road, waving her arms. I kept going.

Unrelated, how about those graffiti taggers? When do they do that work? Must be in the middle of the night, because we never see them in action. And, how to they get to some of those places where they paint, some must hang upside down from a rope to get their work done.

 

[Jay Walk]

Thank you for the reminder, glad it turned out okay.

 

[Member 53328]

Gun is never off my body. Period.

Glad everything turned out ok though!

 

[TTSX]

Gun is never off my body. Period.

Glad everything turned out ok though!

Do you carry soap on a rope style in the shower??

 

[Member 53328]

Do you carry soap on a rope style in the shower??

Attached to a butt plug yes. That way if I drop it I'm still "covered."

 

[TTSX]

Attached to a butt plug yes. That way if I drop it I'm still "covered."

 

[nammac]

Attached to a butt plug yes. That way if I drop it I'm still "covered."

Not something like this I hope…

 

[TTSX]

Not something like this I hope…

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