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I am very glad it came out well. This is a stark learning point and has not only taught several lessons but also prepped you for the next time. Yet, I am sorry that the medical appointment has to be at south Lake Union. I am a prayerful type, so my prayers are that prayers are answered.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:
I hope this helps improve awareness and readiness for anyone reading.
- 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.