This could have happened to me - carjacking

[Rorey]

A couple of nights ago, a woman was at a car wash vacuuming her car when she was carjacked, and got run over by her own car.

https://krdo.com/news/2021/09/15/pueblo-police-search-for-suspect-after-victim-ran-over-during-carjacking/

This brought up a memory of a very scary situation that happened one night over 20 years ago. I was planning to take my kids on a road trip the following day, and, after working all day and then packing, I didn't get time to wash and vacuum my car until late in the evening.

There was a car wash just a block away from my house, so of course I went there. At that hour, nobody else was there. I had finished washing my car and was almost done vacuuming. I had every door on my car open. I was bent over vacuuming the floor in the back seat when the vacuum timed out. I heard, "Give me a ride." I stood up, and even though I had clearly heard what the guy said, I acted like I didn't and said, "What?" He repeated that he wanted a ride. I sort of acted stupid as I casually went around the car closing the doors, trying to be covert about pushing down the lock buttons. I kept talking to him asking him questions like where he wanted me to take him, like it was actually going to happen. He was standing beside the car on the passenger side and I hopped in the driver's seat and locked that door too and quickly started my car and drove away.

That was the last time I was so cavalier as to think that it was okay for me to go to a deserted carwash at night.

[Duncanpup]

1. So glad you were able to get away

[Rorey]

3. I can't believe I'm still alive, looking back at all of the stupid mistakes that I've made

Thank you!

I've done SO many really stupid things in my life. I guess to some people I now appear to be a paranoid older woman. I hardly ever go out after dark. I don't open my front door until after I check my cameras to see if it's someone I know, and if it isn't I either don't answer, or I open my office window and talk through that.

I was a fan of "social distancing" long before it became a thing.

I definitely keep a better eye on my surroundings than I did when I was younger.

I've been incredibly lucky to have made it this far, given my carelessness in my younger years.

[Tanuki]

5. I think of myself as being relatively cautious, but I can look back and see

numerous situations that could have ended in disaster and make me cringe. Just one lapse is all it takes to be "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

[Rorey]

14. My worst cringe-worthy situations have been when it was my actions that could have hurt others

I still shake my head when remembering how I almost accidentally killed my daughter's bf years ago. I don't think he ever really comprehended what a close call it was. I've had nightmares about it.

[Tadpole Raisin]

4. The things we have to do and think about to stay safe!

Rorey I’m so glad you were able to stay cool and think fast to get yourself out of that situation. Wow!!


It made me think…. I’ve seen variations of the following question and it may even have been done in a state or federal legislative hearing but it really stuck with me -

What do you do on a daily basis to avoid being attacked?

Men, trying to think of something to write, look stymied, laugh, or think they have been given a trick question.

Women waste no time writing dozens of things they do while the men look on helplessly.

When totaled the divided list put up for viewing has almost nothing on it on the man’s side while the woman’s list goes on and on.

Therein lies a big reason men should not be allowed to makes laws about what women can and can’t do and why the military, federal (like the FBI most recently), state legislatures or even private companies should not rely on internal investigations to get to the bottom of potential crimes, especially assaults - most of which (but not all!!) are against women.

All men and women should feel the same way about this. The ones who don’t are authoritarian and want power to control. They want The ‘One Ring’

Anybody have that list?

[Rorey]

12. I've generally tried to use my gabby mouth to get myself out of situations

I'm hopeful I can bore them to death and they'll just leave.

[Bluethroughu]

6. Fast thinking and calm reactions saved you.

[Rorey]

13. I think I was better back then of keeping calm

Even in my younger days, I've never been such a fast runner that I could feel confident that I could outrun somebody, and I sure couldn't overpower them.

[hlthe2b]

7. "At night..." I can honestly say that when early evening in winter can be pitch dark, I'd likely

have considered doing so too, albeit not in a really deserted locale. Maybe if there was an open business with a lot of traffic next door.

Sad that we have to think this way. I'm so glad that you escaped.

Ironically, I completed a detailed survey just last night--targeted to Colorado and response to the wide arrange of crime. Clearly part of the goal for those surveying was to establish a prioritization of the continuum of crimes and to examine thoughts on both punishment and the role of the police. While a lot of it seemed common sense to me, I would be shocked (horrified) if anyone included carjacking with the lower-level crimes, including noise violations, shoplifting first offense, vandalism, loitering. At least I hope not. Likewise, I would hope that those responding see sexual assault as included among the most serious crimes. Yikes. Just that there are some believing the question needed to be asked has me a bit disturbed.

[Rorey]

15. Yeah, I'd never consider carjacking to be low level

I try to make myself the least desirable target. I never want to own a fancy, expensive car.

[Fla Dem]

8. Very scary. Not sure I would have been so clear thinking. Glad you were.

[Rorey]

17. I was then, but that's not to say I would be now

I guess we never really know how we might act in a situation.

[Jon King]

9. Car washes are the ultimate poor surrounding for safety.

A car wash is super vulnerable, people can see what type of person is in there, while you can't see much when inside the bay. So easy for a perp to just lay in wait far enough away to still see who gets out of a car and wait for the right target. They can see into the bay, you can barely see out, and others can barely tell what is happening inside the bay. Really puts the car washer in a position of weakness.

[Rorey]

11. These days

I only go in broad daylight these days, and I usually just go through the drive thru. I vacuum when I get home.

I'm familiar with the car wash at which this woman was attacked. There's virtually no visibility around it, especially at night. I'm glad the woman survived. This could have been so much worse.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

10. They make bear spray thats small enough to fit on a keyring now, good enough for a spray to get away

[Rorey]

16. I'm pretty sure I've got one of those

I don't keep it on my keyring because I worry that a grandchild might pick it up. It's a great idea, though. Mine probably needs to be replaced. It might be expired. Thanks for the reminder.

[abqtommy]

18. K&R