Shooting at an oncoming car thats trying to hit you

First, get out of the way! If you have time to pull a gun out and shoot, you have time to save your butt and move. Then you can deal with the Terminator as he turns the truck around.

Second, lets say you decide to pull the gun and shoot. Lets say your a good shot and hit the person. Your still going to get run over.
 
Shooting will put the driver down and make you feel like a winner yes but, it does nothing to stop the momentum of the vehicle as has already been pointed out.

I would try and get behind a tree or parked car. Forget poles, it's too easily going through that too.
 
Hmmm... let's see... there are 7000 grains in one pound; a 230gr .45 bullet is about 1/30 of a lb... At 900fps call it 30lbs-ft of momentum (roughly).

My Avalanche is around 6000lbs. At 30mph, that's about 180,000lbs-ft of momentum (roughly).

Net momentum is 179,970lbs-ft of momentum, still coming right at the shooter....

But let's say I have a .30-06... 180gr is a bit over 1/40 of a lb, times 2800fps is a bit over 70lbs-ft momentum.

So when it hits the truck, the truck now only carries a net 179,930lbs momentum at the shooter...

As others have noted, getting out of the way is critical. Shooting is pointless, if one does not get out of the way.

From a legal standpoint, shooting may or may not be defensible. After you are out of the way, from a legal standpoint, you should probably try to determine if the guy is really trying to hit you; if he's drunk or otherwise intoxicated and simply incapacitated (and you happened to be in the wrong spot); if he's having a diabetic event (LEOs sometimes find their DUI suspects are actually not drunk at all, but suffering from sudden, acute blood sugar drops); or if some other thing is at play.

In most cases, if the driver isn't somebody you know to be an enemy, it's probably one of the other cases. Or he's a wack job.

Safest thing to do, legally speaking and once you are out of the way of the vehicle, is to get to someplace safe. (Large boulders, concrete barriers, ditches, etc that will stop the vehicle from following are all good things to use, if available.)
 
With regard to my previous post, I'm sure somebody will say "the bullet is for the driver, not the truck!"

To which I'd respond, inertia will tend to make the vehicle continue along the same path. Killing the driver is not likely to change that, unless he happens to somehow manipulate the steering wheel - and we can't really count on that.

Shooting the driver could prevent subsequent attempts (say he were trying to circle back around for another go), but would not be likely to help in the initial encounter.
 
is it legal to shoot a car? in this situation I mean? wouldnt they ask you why didnt you step aside or something like that?
 
slow down as much as possible put it in the ditch and if he stops and comes down there and thretens you more.. end him if he drives away call 911... gotta be carefull not some old lady that has no idea whats going on:confused:
 
Food for thought:
I stepped out of the back of a restaurant once,and this motorcycle came flying at me.
I sidestepped and grabbed the near handlebar.He and the bike slammed to the pavement.I was on the verge of making sure he didn't get up too soon,when he took his helmet off.
It was a good friend,just bought a new bike and wanted to show it to me,was messing around.

I know you are watching "what if" cartoons in your head...

Find something better to do.

Really.
 
I agree that the best thing to do is get out of the way. No handheld weapon less than an RPG can reliably stop an automobile instantaneously. Even if you hit the driver, disable the engine, or lock up the brakes, you've still got a several thousand pound object moving at a high rate of speed and that will take both time and distance to stop. Also, it would take some pretty unusual circumstances to convince me that the driver of a car is, without a shadow of a doubt, trying to kill me. I'd hate to shoot and kill someone only to find out that their brakes went out, their accelerator stuck, or the poor driver had a health issue that caused him/her to pass out at the wheel.
 
If the car is out of control, it's likely that it will keep going in a straight line, more or less, giving you an opportunity to evade ... if the driver is set on hurting you, the car would likely swerve in your direction ... I don't think I'd take a shot at the car, but dodging out of the way seems possible ...
 
Exact thing happened to a fellow classmate in the late 80's in Okla. He was a patrolman wth the local SO at the time. He was in a parking lot of a high end nightclub, a perp( a very misunderstood, intoxicated, victim of modern culture, dopehead, meathead, seriously in need of prof counciling)came at him with a car. He drew and fired several rounds through the windshield striking the perp in the head killing him DRT. He then jumped/dove onto the hood of the car which then hit his patrol car. He had some minor cuts & bruises. The whole incident was investigated of course & ruled as a JUSTIFIED SHOOTING. He was returned to active duty with a pat on the back for quick thinking. The entire event happened in two or three seconds, no time to think about what to do, only time to react. TTHHEENN all the nasayers started in: the perp was misunderstood & under duress, he meant no harm, he had some personal problems that needed attention. WHY did the the big strong cop pull his canon and blast away like a madman when he was in no danger? After all he had time to jump on the hood of the car to escape injury, that prooves he had time to think. Obviously the cop is a trigger happy, macho type.....That was about when I started really looking forward to retirement. I have drawn weapons more times than I can remember, luckily I never had to shoot anyone. All I do now is target shoot and fish, I like it!:D
 
I personally know a police officer that did this. He was in the impound lot and was constrained from getting out of the way. The .40 S&W round penetrated the windshield and was deflected downward, hitting the driver in the leg. The driver did veer off and crash into a wall.
 
Depends.... I've had cars speeding at me trying to hit me before, and I lit them up, of course at the time I was in the turret of a uparmored Hummer. If I was on foot, and I knew for sure they were trying to run me down, I think I would fire at them, as I am getting out of the way of the car, If i didn't know for sure, I would get out of the way, afterwards, I would draw my weapon and assess the situation, if they are close enough to you to blind you with their headlights, there is no way you are going to be able to stand your ground and stop the vehicle with a handgun.
 
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