5 Tips: How to (not) run over BLM protesters

As America keeps changing into whatever it has been becoming during these last few years, incidents like the ones seen recently are likely to become more common. People rarely find themselves in this kind of volatile, extraordinary circumstances and often don’t know how to react. I’ve been in them more than I care to remember so what I say comes directly from years of experience, at times coming across riots, protests and especially roadblocks on daily basis, some of them more violent than others.
This is the advice I have for you.

• Lives DO matter.

 Do NOT run over people. I’m not saying this as a disclaimer alone, I really do mean it. I fully understand how sensitive people are these days, the politics, the racial tension. Still, every single life is precious in its own way and no car, no paint job is worth a human life. I’m tired of reading about folks in the forums joking about running over BLM or whatever other activist of any kind, no matter how much you may disagree with them or not. I doubt many of them have run over people before. I can tell you one thing though: Hitting an innocent person with your car is one of the most horrible feelings you can experience. The only time I felt worse was when my then three year old son nearly died in a hospital bed. It’s that bad. People say taking any life will cause endless nightmares. I don’t know about that because it is different when some scumbag is actively trying to kill you, its you or him in which case I have no regrets. I do know that believing you just killed a person that you know wasn’t trying to kill you back messes you up. Unless you are a monster, no good person wants to carry that weight.

• Stay informed and avoid whenever possible.

 In my case it became somewhat of a daily morning ritual. I would turn on the TV during breakfast so as to know what roads or parts of town to avoid before I hit the road. At times it was just easier to use public transportation, but its not always an option and its not always safer. If I was taking my car I would turn on the radio to listen to the news in case new roadblocks were popping up while driving. In some countries you have Apps that inform you about them too.
If you know there’s trouble, avoid it at all cost. Not only are you risking getting stuck for hours, you risk getting attacked and mugged as well. It just isnt worth it so take an alternative route. I didn’t use one back then, especially because I knew most of the city like the palm of my hand but get comfortable with your GPS.
If you happen to see a roadblock forming right in front of you, act fast. Sometimes you can drive around them quickly before they close in, sometimes you can make a quick U turn and get the hell out of there. In those moments, a second too late makes all the difference between making it home in 5 minutes or getting stuck there for hours, or worse. An agile vehicle is great for such situations. I learned to appreciate SUVs for their better than sedan ground clearance and off road capability. I don’t need to cross the nearest national park off road with it. But if I can go off the road to avoid the roadblock for a bit or go over a sidewalk or boulevard to do so, then yes I can appreciate that. This is why my daily driver is a Honda CR-V.

• Remain calm and stay in the vehicle.

 It is easy to get scared, its easy to get angry. In both cases you’ll just make it worse. If you are scared you may panic, floor the pedal and run over a bunch of people. If you get angry you may get out of the car to confront the people blocking your way. This is a very typical reaction and one you certainly would regret. You start thinking about your rights being just as important as theirs. You think about the wasted time, about wanting to get home after a long day, about why can’t you move around like the free person that you are. You get out of the car and you are surrounded and outnumbered. It only takes one or two cowards to strike you from behind, crowd dynamics say you’re likely to get stomped on once you fall, maybe beaten to death. If you are carrying you may start shooting. Either way we go back full circle: Just don’t get out of the vehicle.

• Move slowly.

 Don’t floor it, don’t speed up, just keep moving slowly. Its easy to get nervous with all the screaming, with hands and maybe sticks hitting your car. Stay cool, keep moving slowly. This one time I had people start pushing and rocking the car as I made it through the crowd. It felt like being in a boat. Sometimes there so many people you can’t even see the road, see if your about to hit the curb. You have to focus on getting out of there, know where you’re going and keep moving slowly, at walking speed.

• Do NOT stop. Whatever you do, when surrounded by protesters and otherwise angry people, do not stop. Especially if they block your view as in the photo above, keep moving.  If you stop you just encourage them to pile up in front of your car. They may climb on top of it. Its easier for them to break your windows, open doors and even pull you out. The responsible citizen will keep driving at a very slow speed doing his best to slowly push people but no one can ask of you to stay in a place where your life may be at risk. Even if you accidentally hit or run over someone keep driving. If you get out to check on the protester you hit there’s a good chance you’ll get attacked and in such number your life is clearly at risk. Just keep driving slowly, get yourself to a safe area to ensure your safety and then contact the authorities to let them know what just happened.

Riots and roadblocks can be dangerous and they certainly are stressful. Hopefully you’ll never have to deal with one but if you do these five tips will help you get through it.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

Thieves entered through tunnel in Buenos Aires bank heist

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/04/argentina.bank.robbery/index.html

Another reason not to keep valuables in a safe deposit box, right?!

Loyalist
Boston, MA

Report: Thieves entered through tunnel in Buenos Aires bank heist

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 4, 2011 -- Updated 1129 GMT (1929 HKT)

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) -- Authorities in Argentina's capital are searching for at least three people who allegedly broke into a bank through an underground tunnel, state media reported.
Investigators believe the thieves entered the bank through a 30-meter (98-foot) tunnel -- replete with rugs, lighting and ventilation, the state-run Telam news agency said.
"It was truly impressive," prosecutor Martin Niklison told Telam.
Authorities traced the tunnel to a rented business space on the same block in Buenos Aires where the bank is located. It was rented in July, Niklison said, according to Telam.
The suspects broke into more than 130 safe-deposit boxes during the robbery, which occurred when the branch of Banco Provincia de Buenos Aires was closed over the New Year's holiday weekend, Telam said.

Bank security cameras recorded images of the suspects leaving with money and stolen objects, the news agency reported.

This type of robbery occurs more often than you'd believe. The lesson here folks is that your bank safe isn't nearly as invulnerable as you might think. This type of robbery was unheard fo before 2001.


FerFAL

SHTF Car Paradox

Based on this article we get a general idea of what could be considered an appropriate SHTF vehicle:

*Tough and easy to repair.

*Solid reputation. A car that rightfully earned the item mentioned above by being on the street for decades.

*Cheap and commonly available spare parts.

Now, these three narrow down the options a bit but not completely. In this day and age there are other factors and since two is one and one is none its not a bad idea to have one vehicle that is cheap to repair but also cheap to drive (good gas mileage) and a second one that is bigger and 4x4 capable, I’m thinking a 4 door double cab type or sport utility truck like the 4-door Hilux.

To this we have to add another factor that presents a bit of a paradox when we go a bit further into ideal cars and bad times, and this is the issue of robbery and carjacking.

The 3.0 L Turbodiesel  Hilux is made here in Argentina. We freaking love this car, of course. The Hilux is used by the police and liked by the rest of us for the reasons we all know. Yet yesterday while having a conversation with like-minded people at the shooting range, the consensus was that driving one around pretty much painted a bullseye on your back because its very sought after by carjackers.

The car is well made, popular, lasts a long time, all the things that make it a good car to own in tough times, yet at the same time that popularity creates a parallel black market of used parts. This means that chop shops have a list of prices for certain vehicles. Lets say a Peugeot 206 gets you 300 or 400 pesos, a Fiat Duna/Uno/147 gets you 200 bucks, but a nice Hilux delivered to be disassembled, be shipped to neighboring countries or have its numbers altered to be sold within Argentina, that car will get the carjacker maybe 500 or 600 bucks. This means that when criminals go out looking for vehicles, there’s a list with prices in their mind, and cars like the Hilux or Peugeot 206 are at the top of their list. You get all the good traits common and reliable cars have but you also suffer the black market that eventually grows whenever a country collapses.

This is a serious problem in other poor or corrupt countries around the world as well. It is in fact so serious, some security-aware people just don’t buy them to avoid these problems.

Now for example my crappy Daewoo, is a subcompact esthetically and in terms of capability not that different from a 206, but a 206 it is not. This means that a carjacker would look at my Daewoo twice, specially since it has its fare share of bumps and dents. Yet at the same time most of the parts used by the Lanos are common to the widely popular Chevrolet Corsa. I buy Corsa parts for my Lanos, but the Corsa is the one that is in high demand  for carjacking.

If you happen to know of a model that isn’t as well known but uses many parts of the more popular cars, that may be a way to go to avoid getting your car stolen. Adding a few esthetic mods and sticking a different name in the back  may dissuade some of the not so well informed criminals that are looking for a particular brand and model.

Just as a curiosity factor, are you wondering how many cars get robbed in Argentina? This insurance company website says 10%, 1 out of 10 cars get robbed each year, so you see, it is a serious problem  since every year you roll a 10 side dice to see if its your turn or not.

The website also mentions that common yet older vehicles like the Duna, 147 or Peugeot 504 are favorite choices in the provinces and small towns. “Its just an old beatup truck/car” just doesn’t make it safe. If its common then that’s the factor that matters the most.

FerFAL

Reply: Armed Robbery

Ferfal,

Treating this robbery as a learning experience, I have a few questions...

First, why was this sandwich shop targeted by the criminals? I'd think, except the cash register, they won't have many things of value.

They rob the same way you work a 9 to 5 job.
Not a lot of money, but yes some cash.
Notice the time of the day, 5:30 PM
Probably the cash register had some money accumulated by then.
Why that place?
It’s on a mayor avenue, full of people and lots of guards near by.
People get too comfortable and trustful.
Just two blocks out of this main avenue, and shops don’t even let you in, they do business through steel bars and grating doors, only known folks are allowed in. It’s crazy but this is very common in many parts of Buenos Aires, and I’m not talking about the really bad ones either.
The avenue and lateral streets allow for fast escape routes as well.

People think there’s safety in numbers.
There is, but not as much as people think.
I’ve seen people get robbed at gunpoint at the train station during rush hour, the place PACKED full of people, traveling like sardines.

Could it be because they don't have security guards? Or perhaps, they are the easiest target among the shops at that location?

Well yes. The pharmacy I mention across the street obviously had more money, but it also had a guard.
Put yourself in the bad guys shoes, which would you rob?
The place with the armed guy? Or better rob 2 or 3 places with no security?

What do shops do, besides hiring guards, to protect themselves?

Do store employees fight back?

Thanks! Keep up the good work!

Sometimes they do. We’ve seen some pretty weird things here.
People fighting back and sometimes winning, pulling guns out (mostly when its the store owner), one guy, (amateur boxer), knocked down the armed robber with a well placed punch in one occasion.

Most of the time people don’t fight back, they take the money, and that’s that.

Best thing if you ask me is to have security, and also have a gated entrance, and you only allow them to enter when they don’t look suspicious.
Of course most of the time they look like ordinary well dressed people, but at least it’s an added security measure.

The guard is your best weapon. Still places with armed guards also get robbed occasionally.

There’s no warrantee. You have to set up as many layers of security as you can.

FerFAL

Armed Robbery

It’s late but I wanted to write this before I go to bed.
This afternoon I grabbed my stuff and hurried out the door to go pick up my son at the club.
I go out the door, walk a few yards and see the girl from the sandwich store creeping out of the lateral door.
“Call the cops” she says. ”There’s a guy robbing the store”.
Through the glass front entrance I could see a guy with a gun.

5.30 PM people. Broad daylight. Streets full of people.
A drugstore just in front of this place, with it’s own guard.
A private security company just a few yards away also in front, with another security guard posted in front. No one seems to care.

I walked a few yards away to make sure the robber inside doesn’t see me on the cell and call 911.

I waited on the phone for about a minute, then someone answered, so I told them about the armed robbery and the location.

I later found out that the cops arrived quick enough but the robbers got away. A car was waiting for them outside.

Almost 2 am here guys and I want to go to bed but some thoughts on this:

1)I can’t believe I got used to this crap. All I could think of was that the little incident cost me 5 minutes and I was late to pick up my son.
30 minutes later I was renting a DVD with my son (Hancock), as if nothing happened. Hancock sucks by the way.
Oh, saw "Slumdog Millionaire" the other day, excellent movie.

2)I’ve been carrying my everyday carry bag and other "tools" wherever I go and thank God I got used to it.
Why would I need a fairly large first aid kit just a few blocks away from home? Well, today I was reminded of how it could come in handy.

3)People, carry your CCW. Even if you are just going out for a second.

4)This is the second time I see a criminal trough glass. The first one was many years ago when someone tried to brake into my house. I had my 1911 with me then.
Glass and bullets, have something that packs enough power. 9mm as a minimum.

5)When you are not directly involved, going out looking for trouble may land you in jail. Move away and call the cops.

6)Have a cell phone with you at all times. Make that a CHARGED cellphone.

7)Criminals aren’t vampires. They can and will strike during daylight, when the streets are full of people, with guards just meters away. Once they get this desperate they are like cougars or mountain lions that come down to the farms looking for food. Some are pretty desperate, daring criminals.

8)Those that are curious and stay around may catch a bullet as a souvenir of the moment. Get the heck out of the possible line of fire and the possible getaway route as fast as you can.

9)Pray a lot. Sometimes S simply happens.It's called life.

10)You aren’t paranoid if they really are out there to get you. When crime is as bad as it is here, you must always be ready, always alert.

11)We've decided with my wife to not mention these incidents in front of our son any more. It’s stressful enough for adults, kids shouldn’t suffer it as well.

12)Pack a high capacity auto, at least 9mm. Be ready to shoot if necessary, keep your weapon handy. And you need training if you hope to have a chance. Otherwise you wont react the way you should. Target practice is for winning the Olympics.

So, defensive training and a real gun, guys. The mini 22LR and such are perfect for when you don’t need a gun.
When things get really bad and shootings become a real possibility you need to get serious.

Good night everyone.

FerFAL