S55 DVM

Not a nice situation to be in, but from my experience the only way is to face up to someone.

Violence is certainly the last thing you should get into, but it's the usual story, a bully is all hard until you square up. I'm pretty big so maybe I'm more willing to go for it, but I wouldn't let NO-ONE grab my keys from the car.

Yes maybe it could get nasty and I could end up in court/beaten/dead, but I think chances are the guy will back right down.

Of course, if I knew I had caused the incident it would be a different story, but it would be a case of "I'm sorry mate, but give me the keys right now or we are going to have a problem".

Safe driving!

jbryant

Can't say I LET him take the keys. They were gone out of the ignition before I'd even worked out what the frock was going on. Wish I'd had a Saab at that point. See the confused look on his face when he can't grab the keys coz they're in the centre console.
Why are they on the right hand side of most cars, especially with all the car-jacking stories that go on? Oh answered my own question - most of us are right handed I guess...

lock doors lock doors lock doors... still forgetting to do this even today. It's a habit I must get into!

As for squaring up, can't say I'd do this unless acting in defensive mode. He hit me, threw the keys (I was expecting to have to go down the embankment for them to be honest), and then walked back to his cab so I'm not going to follow that up, especially when he looked like the sort of person who could well be armed (with more than drooling saliva and a weak punch). If he wasn't bigger than me then maybe I'd square up but to be honest, I was more busy sh(tting myself at the time.

Cheers
Joolz

jbryant

On another note, after the event you can think of many wise and wonderful words and deeds you could/should have done if you had your act together.

Here's my favourite. ReLock doors. Re-start car. Sit there for 30 seconds until he's mighty pissed off. Yes beep all you like. Open sunroof. Stand up. Turn around nice and slow and spit a nice green one right on the w4nker's windscreen before zooming off.

Sorry to gross y'all out like that. This guy's pissed me off somewhat as you can probably imagine.

S55 DVM

Sorry mate,

I'm definitely not having a go at you, I know it's easy with hindsight to comment on "what ifs".

I have never, or would never, jump out of my car and try to go someone who pissed me off, but I personally am not for the passive route. My attitude is the troublemaker will always come off worse than the person who is willing to deal with them.

As for this sit locked in the car issue, for me no way. I'm not having some tosser kicking in my panels as I sit and watch.

Obviously him nicking your keys was the problem here. The best way out of this situation would have been to just take off big time, but this is kind of difficult if the engines not running!

I also wondered if you could trace the truck locally to a company who sells/hires Portakabins. Most of them will have dedicated service trucks to deliver them on site. Perhaps you could check the premises out and see if you spot the truck. If so find some hard mates and catch the guy on his tod... (Oops, my aggressive streak is coming out again!)

Anyway, good luck however you pursue this f*ck*r.

David.

The Zohan

I have found that my '357 Magnum owners club' sticker and my 'kill em all, let God sort it out' T shirt usually puts them off
Seriously though, it's a shi**y thing to happen to you. I keep my doors locked.

jbryant

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gilly:
[B]This kind of thing is one of the reasons it took me four years to finally decide to buy a Scoob - no small minded b--ger is going to stop me from enjoying something I've wanted for so long.
Hope you're OK now Joolz.
Gilly

[This message has been edited by Gilly (edited 06-05-2000).]

Thanks Gilly,

Kind and top words indeed, and words I'd like to echo. No loser is going to stop me from doing the things I want to do with my life, no matter how they want to live theirs. I've been sitting on the fence for a while and finally my promise to myself of a Scoob is but a couple of months away - I've deliberated long and hard about getting it. It's bad news like this that would normally put me off, but if this episode would stop me then I'm as sad as the bloke that had a go at me... This BBS community has convinced me that a herd of stampeding Wildebeest couldn't stop me so why would this guy have even a hope..

Long live the Scoob and all who sail in her.

Keep on grinning...
Joolz

jbryant

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Beef:
<B>Is there not something you can get so that the keys can't be removed unless you press a button or similar. [/quote]

Beef - I've sussed this one now. Locking the door... It's as simple as they come and would have costed me a dented panel or two. Far preferrable

Joolz

jbryant

Apologies for the late hour. Blame those breweries in Leuven.

TFyus

David, you may not be the type that wants to sit there locked in, BUT the hardest of men can fall foul of a blind hit. Having the doors locked alows you a second for YOU to decide to get out. I can name a few situations that if enough people got out of their van or truck you would want to leave. The doors locked alows u to see it coming for a second and YOU to make the next move not them.

Basic similar scenario. We have a family friend who was special ops as in " the team of solidiers they call the best in the world, he who dares etc " so you know the chap knows how to handle himself. He walks into a kentucky fried chicken and the second he walks through the door a chap hits him on the back with a chair. result...never works again.

If he had been able to see the fight that was going on before he walked in, the result would have been many dead people lined up in the shop. Dont see it coming, it doesn' matter HOW hard you are.

Steven

Gilly

Boy you guys are making me feel paranoid!! I have now started to lock my doors in 30mph zones. I do a lot of miles with my job and this thread has certainly made me think. This kind of thing is one of the reasons it took me four years to finally decide to buy a Scoob - no small minded b--ger is going to stop me from enjoying something I've wanted for so long.
Hope you're OK now Joolz.
Gilly

[This message has been edited by Gilly (edited 06-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Gilly (edited 06-05-2000).]

Beef

Is there not something you can get so that the keys can't be removed unless you press a button or similar. I've got it on my supe: annoying at first, soon get used to it, and in this situation, there is no way he would have been able to remove my keys before I shut the door on his arm. Hard. Repeatedly.

S55 DVM

As for this keys ripped from the ignition issue. Is it just my Scoob that is a pest in the way it's difficult to get the key out of the barrel, as it seems to go too far in to allow it to turn smoothly. I saw a report that this is a common problem.

I am pretty aware of what's going on around me when I drive, I check my mirrors every couple of seconds. If I knew a potentially angry person was behind, I am damn sure I would be watching in the mirror to see what's going on. Their door opens and I would be out of the car RIGHT AWAY, being pinned in the car is not a good option.

As for this "lock in" issue, I'm maybe a bit naive because up here in Aberdeen there is basically zero chance of car jacking, etc happening. Yes I know you can never be sure, but I really hate my alarm system (Meta Aquilla) and the way it locks you into the car after a few seconds. Nightmare scenario being if I crash, I'm unconscious and the cars on fire! And no the system does NOT unlock when the car stalls, I've tested that. Maybe it does open if the cars on its roof, but thats something I'm trying to avoid.

David.

rupertu

On this note, does anyone have any experience of "Drive & Survive" driver training - I employ commercial vehicle drivers and the guy in the original thread would have been sacked, whatever had happened BUT most of the times when people have lost their rag at me on the road it has been entirely my own fault. We all have room for improvement.......

barge

Keeping the doors locked is the best option.
The Alarm on my car and the Wife's locks the doors automaticaly when the revs rise above 1500.

Having the keys taken and getting a small punch was a bummer but in that situation I think you reacted in the correct manner, let him rant and rave.
Never get out of the car unless you have some heavy backup, be it several mates or a crow bar in your hand.

I would not go to the police, his type will then come looking for you.

Hope you are OK now.

Greig

Agree with you Barge......

The Story......Putting some petrol at a Coventry Station, pay the cashier, get back into my Scoob turbo, put the keys in...next thing I know a guy dressed all in black, gloves, balaclava, complete with knife has run upto the side of the car and yanked the door handle.....luckily for me the alarm had locked the door a split second earlier...wippee!! Start the engine and he's eating my dust.

I know this isn't a road rage attack, but same principal....keep your doors locked!!

Also, probably not worth chasing up. Probably best to put it down to a bad experience. This happened to me at 5pm, in a garage with cameras everywhere, and I have still heard nothing.............damn fuzz.

Cheers,

Greig.

APJ

Bloody crappy thing to happen. With all the personal experiences on here I'm spooked! A yummy 1.1 Escort is looking more and more attractive! Why are there soooo many nutters out there?