I'm actually surprised this is the first mention of a security dog. This is a good idea.
Need advice: building a James Bond-ish secure 100 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter modus
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
I'm actually surprised this is the first mention of a security dog. This is a good idea.
Plus two on the dog. When I pumped gas in high school a ford explorer rolled through; guy had two Dobermans sitting in the back seat, windows down. Those dogs were just waiting for something to go down. And the intimidation factor of shepherds/Malinois/rotties/Dobermans will usually deter most attackers.
D21FJ60
#LiveLaughLove.
No he should get a draco so he can pick up their drum mags when he smokes them.
Seriously though, @OP, were they targeting you because the road was desolate or because you were in a desirable car?
Honestly, the kind of people who are going to try to steal an empty car are likely going to be afraid of any reasonably sized dog.
You ever shoot a Draco? They're a hoot, but dude'll take out all 4 of his own tires before hitting a bad guy lol.
The most effective deterrent for me was presented by a guy driving like an absolute douchebag - zigzagging in traffic, slid across my front bumper to squeeze in between me and the car I was pretty much tailgating to protect the space. I got on the brakes and horn at the same time. He flipped me off.
Now usually, I'm more than willing to take things to that next level. Oh, I know that's not smart and someday I'll mature. I'm in my 50s and hoping I actually mature before my luck runs out.
As the douchebag's finger was still flying, I noticed his license plate was a Georgia VETERAN version, and then noticed a window decal "Special Forces Ranger Airborne." My attitude changed so quickly I literally laughed and I said - out loud to an empty truck - "you go right ahead."
Same point holds: Just be the guy who looks "less easy" to hit.
Now usually, I'm more than willing to take things to that next level. Oh, I know that's not smart and someday I'll mature. I'm in my 50s and hoping I actually mature before my luck runs out.
As the douchebag's finger was still flying, I noticed his license plate was a Georgia VETERAN version, and then noticed a window decal "Special Forces Ranger Airborne." My attitude changed so quickly I literally laughed and I said - out loud to an empty truck - "you go right ahead."
Same point holds: Just be the guy who looks "less easy" to hit.
I’ve seen some crazy s*** on 76/276 around Philly. People driving into each other over who gets to the toll plaza first. Someone stood on the brakes in front of an 18 wheeler. Had an irate guy throw trash out his windows at me because he couldn’t cut across 3 lanes and cut in. 20 year old me wouldn’t let anyone cut in, 15 years later I don’t care I just leave room. Crazies going to be crazy regardless.
I rarely had any crazy encounters heading towards Pitt though.
I rarely had any crazy encounters heading towards Pitt though.
If anyone gets hijacked while driving the Hundy, just tell the gangstas you just bought the truck and haven't baselined it yet, the heater-T can blow up anytime so they won't make too far... 
They'll run out of gas before the Tees give up..
Been here in the Metro for 10 years now. Cars with GA veteran tags are, by far, some of the WORST drivers to be around on the highways. They're up there with Lexus RX and Subaru wagon drivers. Ugh.
A technical question for the OP: how is your Mercedes GLE's reliability compared to the Hundy? (A genuine question and not trolling I did hear some Youtubers claim the GLE is the most reliable Mercedes SUV out there. Also recent years' BMW X5 has been getting top scores in Consumer Report reliability ratings... both of which are very surprising to me so I'm curious.
I did hear some Youtubers claim the GLE is the most reliable Mercedes SUV out there. Also recent years' BMW X5 has been getting top scores in Consumer Report reliability ratings... both of which are very surprising to me so I'm curious.
Sorry you had to witness it. You can acquire blast panels out of decommissioned Caprice PPVs ( I don't know about other brands and models), I don't know how easy they are to work with.. I, fairly confidently, say that the inner side of the door card can accept Kevlar linings via epoxy. ARB bumper with Stinger and you can PIT your assailant off the road. You can install LED cubes on a mount similar to spotlights on Patrol cars or you can carry a spotlight type of a device with you, it is not pleasant to be blinded and nobody would expect you to "fight back". Unless you are targeted, simple things to "knock" off their balance maybe enough for them to move onto to someone else. Shave the badging off the vehicle, everyone knows that a Land Cruiser is a pricey vehicle but not everyone actually know what they look like when it is debadged.
You can also skip anything and everything that was discussed in this thread and just grab yourself one of those "Protected by Glock" signs and post that in the back window.
- Thread starter
- #52
Maybe both? It was desolate and I was traveling alone.
I can’t make this up….it was bought back under lemon law. Climate control was crazier than that one ex we’ve all had.A technical question for the OP: how is your Mercedes GLE's reliability compared to the Hundy? (A genuine question and not trolling
Having worked for the brand and other German brands, I was a die-hard fan. How they handled the buy back, I won’t buy another Benz. Now I drive an Audi S5 or my company car as my daily driver. Hundy is for trips and as a tow pig.
The Hundy is as reliable as an anvil.
Confused why you backed off. When I witness these entitled POS I make sure they understand the consequences of their actions. Sounds like there was not a veteran in the car, but an immature baby. Time to roll down the window and let them know. Otherwise they will continue to abuse the system and the people around them. Stickers, tags or past service history has nothing to do with how they are acting in that moment. In that moment as a normal citizen they were acting like a greedy animal and do not deserve one ounce of leeway. I have nothing against service memebers or public servants that act civilized. When someone endangers your life on the road, take it as a threat because they could easily kill you and at that point it’s fight or flight and the latter doesn’t teach the scum any lessons. If too afraid to roll down the window and tell them what a loser they are, report them to the police. If living in fear of “getting shot” it’s time to move because that’s not a normal way of thinking and give the power to the criminals.
I watched an incident at a Wawa one morning, two people pulled over yelling at each other, finally one drove their car right into the back of the other, backed up and drove off.
No thanks on confronting people anymore, I’ll keep my property undamaged and go on with my life, these people don’t have respect for others and sure won’t wake up one day someone yelling at them. Karma will catch them, two like minded boneheads crashing into each other I assume.
FWIW there have been a few shootings over road rage incidents on 78 and 76, 2 fatalities I remember, that I’ve caught on the news. No it’s not worth my life to tell someone they’re an idiot or driving reckless.
When I moved to the Atlanta area, I was told 3 things by the family I was joining:
1- Publix has the best fried chicken and sub sandwiches
2- always lock the doors on Tara Boulevard
3- don't honk at people, they'll shoot you in the wrong neighborhood.
But I honk at people all the time. I assume that everyone is armed. An armed society is a polite society.
Unfortunately, the people I honk at in traffic are so oblivious to what's going on around them, they have no clue why they get honked at.
Being located in Baltimore, people here have those same types of warnings... which is a sad way to live. As soon as you cross into the city, the prisoners are running the prison. Corrupt criminals from the top down. They are oblivious and on their own mission of self destruction. I’m not condoning getting into a road rage or a fight, just a friendly “f u too” goes a long way. I have found when you actually tell them why you honk or toss up the finger, everyone is pretty cool. Chasing someone, pulling over or anything beyond will lead to a worse outcome. So the way i avoid those people is to avoid spending any time or money in those areas. I would never choose to live in an a dangerous area for employment, and especially not retirement. It’s just not ok to live in fear of the community around you. If I had to consider armor or a gun, something is wrong and it’s time for a change of scenery. I drove into the edge of the city for seven years and once I resigned from that job, my day is always better without that short drive. IME
Last edited:
I actually randomly had someone “aggressively pretend” to hit me once, some older man that when I was pulling out of a side street almost hit me, I honked and threw up my finger and continued on. The guy then u turned, pretended he was going to hit me at the next stop light and then, ****ed up and rear ended me. The police and insurance took care of that one and honestly the guy was shocked that he hit me and was trying to apologize, lol! He admitted immediately to the police what happened. Guy was probably 70 at the time. Fun stuff.
Off topic for sure, but I can share that my ownership experience with a 2017 BMW X5 has been amazing. 100k miles and it had never caused me problems. Brakes around 70k miles and regular maintenance. Regular maintenance is pretty reasonable too, $100 for oil change every 7500 miles, brake flush ($190) every 24 months, water pump, spark plugs every 80k miles.A technical question for the OP: how is your Mercedes GLE's reliability compared to the Hundy? (A genuine question and not trolling
BMW v8 are another story altogether - friends don't let friends buy v8 BMWs
Last edited:
Exiled
SILVER Star
Not all UN vehicles are armored, it depends on which market they're going to. And the 25-yr importation clause means you'd need to look at 1999 and below UN vehicles, and as some pointed out, they're going to be HAMMERED.
I grew up in Venezuela, where car-jacking was a daily thing and Land Cruisers were the most stolen vehicles in the country. A lot of people had powerful spot-pattern lights mounted on the back that were dialed in to blind whoever was chasing you. Later it became popular to install red/blue police LEDs as a deterrent but even there it was illegal to do that and I'm sure it's illegal in most US states. I think you have some of the basis listed (window tint, pistols), and I think having body armor mounted to the back of the seats is a good idea.
I grew up in Venezuela, where car-jacking was a daily thing and Land Cruisers were the most stolen vehicles in the country. A lot of people had powerful spot-pattern lights mounted on the back that were dialed in to blind whoever was chasing you. Later it became popular to install red/blue police LEDs as a deterrent but even there it was illegal to do that and I'm sure it's illegal in most US states. I think you have some of the basis listed (window tint, pistols), and I think having body armor mounted to the back of the seats is a good idea.
I haven't been to Venezuela but got many friends that grew up in Caracas, and most came from affluent families that left the country when Chavez got there. They tell me the same stories I heard during my childhood in Buenos Aires in the 70s-80s, and all sound terrifying now that I'm an adult living in the US with kids to worry about, but back then it was a normal way of life. Huge fences surrounding the house, mean dogs "trained" to attack, and most important, a crappy car to daily drive.
The Benz was in the garage and the Rolex in the drawer.
Been to Colombia many times, including not so touristy areas, never felt the threat but I always travel simple, Walmart clothes and no jewelry, got a throw away wallet with a few bucks and an expired DL and CC.
My sister moved a couple years ago to Chiapas, one of the poorest states in MX, she's 6ft blond and her 4 kids look like the Von Trapp family, she never encountered issues either. But also, she never looked for them by dealing with illegal stuff.
I live in S. FL, close to Miami, nice and "safe" neighborhood, and I seriously think it's more dangerous than Medellin sometimes. Got every one of my cars opened to look for stuff in the glove boxes, had to replace glass on my cars after they got shuttered by errant bullets, one time I found a bullet stuck on an outside wall, people are crazy drivers full of rage.. Now that I got little kids (I'm a late bloomer) I don't even get out of the house at night on weekends and holidays, the chances of a bad encounter on a Memorial or Labor day weekend aren't worth it.
When I want a peaceful weekend that I can relax, have a drink without thinking of how sober I should be, let the kids play in the plaza and walk around at any time of the day and night without any care, I just fly to Cuba.. No guns, no cellphone signal, no traffic, no rage!
The Benz was in the garage and the Rolex in the drawer.
Been to Colombia many times, including not so touristy areas, never felt the threat but I always travel simple, Walmart clothes and no jewelry, got a throw away wallet with a few bucks and an expired DL and CC.
My sister moved a couple years ago to Chiapas, one of the poorest states in MX, she's 6ft blond and her 4 kids look like the Von Trapp family, she never encountered issues either. But also, she never looked for them by dealing with illegal stuff.
I live in S. FL, close to Miami, nice and "safe" neighborhood, and I seriously think it's more dangerous than Medellin sometimes. Got every one of my cars opened to look for stuff in the glove boxes, had to replace glass on my cars after they got shuttered by errant bullets, one time I found a bullet stuck on an outside wall, people are crazy drivers full of rage.. Now that I got little kids (I'm a late bloomer) I don't even get out of the house at night on weekends and holidays, the chances of a bad encounter on a Memorial or Labor day weekend aren't worth it.
When I want a peaceful weekend that I can relax, have a drink without thinking of how sober I should be, let the kids play in the plaza and walk around at any time of the day and night without any care, I just fly to Cuba.. No guns, no cellphone signal, no traffic, no rage!
