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New Rider for Auto Insurance?
In @kozak’s post to The Firing Line, he suggested that when people in vehicles are threatened by gun-waving or gun-pointing Antifa thugs to “Duck and FLOOR it.” To which I responded:
Maybe a new rider to your auto insurance? Seems like with all the publicity there would be a large market for such a rider. Pattern after conceal carry insurance. My guess is that if a lot of people buy it, it should only have to be used a few times before the word got out that “protesting” in this way can get you killed by your well-insured citizens and the actuarial estimates would make such coverage very profitable.
There are insurers having to pay (I hope for the owners’ sake) for riot damage. I think they might be able to make some of the money back by offering this new insurance line. If you live in a major metropolitan area why wouldn’t you spend a couple of hundred bucks to get
- death and medical payouts if found liable
- defense costs
- bail money coverage
As I said in my comment, yes, the initial payouts might be large. But as soon as the “pajama boys/girls” rioters see that there is a personal cost the potential for claims would drop precipitously and the collected premiums would be quite profitable.
Maybe President Trump can sign an Executive Order adding this to the national flood insurance program.
Published in General
Protesters are pedestrians and thus have right of way on the road over automobiles. As a automobile driver you have no right to ride over a protester or threaten them in any way. If you feel threatened you are to call the police (911) and hope they come help. Anything else as the driver and you most likely will be charged and jailed.
Your auto insurance rider better cover lawsuit coverage and maybe money to support your family as you rot in jail.
Duck and floor it? Are you kidding? Is that like duck and cover taught in grade school if they heard the siren? Are there similarities here? This horrible virus has done so much damage to people and business and economies throughout the world, and we have yet to experience the fall out – the poverty is going to be immense. To deliberately destroy someone’s business, and livelihood on top of it – is despicable and evil. The police, the business owners and neighborhood communities should sue the hell out of the local city officials for reimbursement, and then vote their despicable asses out. (hope I didn’t violate a language CoC…)
Maybe get a stamp made of a masked Antifa with an X across it and stamp a few on the outside of the driver side door. Definitely a conversation starter for the LARPers.
Not necessarily. If you are driving and see people blocking the road, then yes, slow down. But if they crowd your car and start beating on it or jump on the hood? Mow the SOBs down and takes your chances in court.
The right of pedestrians over vehicular traffic is not absolute. I have the right to kill anyone who threatens my life, whether I use a firearm, a knife, my fists, or a car.
It’s very important to use the proper procedure. My truck has killed 6 deer; you need a grill guard and aim so one of the uprights hits them squarely. High clearance necessary in case you end up going over the body. Strictly speaking, I guess I killed them using the truck. The truck just did what I told it to do.
Federal agents need to capture and unmask these cowards.
They want to create mayhem but don’t want to be arrested.
Treat them like enemy combatants, i.e. enhanced interrogation techniques.
Or blind them with bright lights, give them a taste of their own medicine.
Posted in another thread, but appropriate here too:
In North Carolina, the “castle doctrine” specifically applies to your automobile. If someone is trying to enter your automobile without permission (note: I would take someone trying to break the window as evidence s/he is trying to break in), the law gives you the right to use deadly force. The law assumes such a person is attempting to do you grave bodily harm.
Now, I’d have 911 on the phone and I’d describe to them what is happening. I would also make sure to tell 911 that I’m in fear for my life, and probably mention Reginald Denny. I would then slowly accelerate, not floor it. The mass of your vehicle will push the assailants out of the way. I’d wait until I’m clear of the crowd, then floor it.
Of course, if I see a firearm all bets are off.
Arrest them, charge them, hold them, convict them, put them away. By the book. No special measures are required, except that the police be allowed to do their jobs.
And leave the Miata at home. Small cars can flip quick when three or four strong men develop a mind to.
Where’s Bond when you need him….
Protesters do not have the right of way in a roadway. They are allowed to cross at legal crosswalks and signals. Otherwise J walking which is illegal. If they stop the flow of traffic that is also illegal. And if they brandish a firearm while blocking your car you have every right to use whatever force is necessary to escape.
I’ve read about flame thrower mods for cars in South Africa.
Guess it’s time for them here too.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2020/08/10/impd-investigates-incident-between-armed-protesters-pickup-truck/3334159001/
I think that it depends on who is making a threat. The examples in the story were a mix.
Part of the problem is one may not have time to call 911. And who wants to take the chance you’ll get a busy signal?
It’s CYA. Make sure they have your side of the story first.
Chicken and egg.
A fairly relevant article by an active police officer. A key section:
Read the whole thing, and know your state’s laws.
I Love this so much!
The powers that be seem to disagree with you.
laws are things the Left ignores for itself and wields like a sword against those not actively on their side.
BS in most places.
NC where I live
§ 20-174. Crossing at other than crosswalks; walking along highway.
(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(b) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
(d) Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the extreme left of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction. Such pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to approaching traffic.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway. (1937, c. 407, s. 135; 1973, c. 1330, s. 33.)
Plus.
NC Castle doctrine applies to cars, so if someone draws a gun on me I have a right to use violent force to protect myself.
I agree. If a crowd of people acting in concert to block your passage on a peaceful street contain one in the group that threatens you, then they are co-conspirators. If someone to the side pulls a gun, and people in front are purposefully blocking your escape, I think most states, especially Texas, would say you have a right to use deadly force against the non-gun wielding conspirators. This would not apply to people walking by who are not part of the mob, so don’t purposefully run over people uninvolved. If you accidentally run over people not involved, you might be civilly liable but I think a jury would not find you criminally liable.
WARNING: Do not take legal advice from strangers on the internet. I am not your attorney, and I am only discussing random fact patterns as an exercise and not as a prescription for your actions.
A Leftist prosecutor would probably treat the purchase of such insurance as proof of premeditation and use it to rebut your claim of having acted in self defense.
Yeah, that’s true. It would have to be a standard part of an insurance policy, and they’re not doing it.
I read the post as humor, not serious. However, it seems to have a degree of seriousness about it. Coincidentally, Massad Ayoob, one of the foremost experts on self defense had a post recently on the newsletter from an organization I belong to, Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network. Massad made it very clear, not unexpectedly, that using your car as a weapon or using your firearm can be a very dicey situation. You have an obligation to avoid conflict whenever possible. Use of deadly force, under any circumstances, is always subject to legal interpretation, and, very likely, you will be investigated following an incident and possibly prosecuted. Depending on the jurisdiction in which the event occurs that could have a nasty outcome. At the very least, you are going to have to hire an attorney, and that can lead to expenses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on how willing the local prosecutor is to pursue a conviction. Even if you are found innocent, it is going to leave you with incredible debts, and convincing a jury that you had no other options other than the use of deadly force may be quite difficult, particularly if you have expressed that kind of view on a website like this one. Taking a life is always a serious choice. It is never a joke. As despiccable as we may find Antifa or BLM protesters, they cannot be run down willy-nilly. There is quite a library of books on self defense available . The aforementioned Massad Ayoob is a good place to start. He has written a number of books on the subject which are considered among the best references. Ayoob has been an expert witness in a large number of trials involving the use of deadly force. He has never done so for anyone he felt was guilty of using deadly force in an unjustified situation. However, every defendant had his/her life turned upside down, and, in many cases, their life savings demolished even though the event was declared a justified use. This isn’t a kidding matter. It should always be discussed in a mature and educated manner.
All of the above is speaking only about criminal charges. It should not be forgotten that even though O. J. Simpson was acquitted of murder, he was demolish financially in civil court by his ex-wife’s family and the family of the other murdered man. (your auto insurance company is not going to provide a lawyer or other financial support if you use your car as a weapon.)
Here is the link to the Ayoob interview:
Just do it.
No, that’s what “Stand your ground laws” are for. They restore the common law to statutes, and no longer are you required to retreat in jurisdictions with such laws.
However, you’ll still be at risk for prosecution, that much is correct.