From: txd@ESD.3Com.COM (Tom Dietrich)
Newsgroups: ba.motorcycles
Subject: Re: San Francisco's first scooterjacking
Date: 28 Jan 93 15:58:17 GMT
Distribution: ba

emarsh@hernes-sun.Eng.Sun.COM (Eric Marsh) writes:

>In article <1993Jan27.193240.13525@hspice.portal.com> georgew@hspice.portal.com (George Wu) writes:
>>In article <txd.727717667@Able.MKT.3Com.Com> txd@ESD.3Com.COM (Tom Dietrich) writes:
>>>delorme@garnet.berkeley.edu (Lisa DeLorme) writes:

>>>>Today's Chron reports that the first scooterjacking (Honda Elite) occured
>>>>yesterday in the Mission district.

>>>In reality, I think that my first reaction in such a situation would be
>>>to bring up the revs, and drop the clutch.

>>> [ . . . ]

>>>If you react quickly,
>>>even if he actually does have a gun, he's going to have to get the gun
>>>out of his pocket, and shoot. The chances that he can actually hit
>>>something with a gun that he can hide in his pocket are slim.

>>     Actually, I think you're wrong here.  It's generally believed the biker
>>who died in Emeryville was shot as he tried to ride away from a hijacking
>>attempt.  (To summarize, some months ago a motorcyclist rode into an Emeryville
>>gas station and promptly collapsed and died from a gunshot wound.  The police
>>believe he was shot in a robbery attempt, and managed to ride as far as the gas
>>station.  The crime was unsolved the last I heard.)

>Once or twice in my life I've had the opportunity to look down the wrong
>end of a gun. The conclusion I've come to is as follows:

>--==** Don't argue with someone who's got the drop on you. **==--

I have to say here that if I saw that the guy _really_ a gun and had
the drop on me, I'd chose not to argue. 

>Give him the bike. However in my case, if I could I'd turn off the
>fuel petcock. Since the CRs on my Ninja don't have vacum fittings
>I don't use the automatic stuff. I figure that might give me a better
>chance of getting my scooter back.

>>     As someone contemplating a new ultra-desirable bike, I've been trying to
>>figure out a serious counter to hijackers.  Personally, I've decided running
>>is pretty risky.  Arming myself is probably more so, even without the legal
>>implications of using deadly force.  (Draw and shoot while he's getting on the
>>bike?  Sure, but what'll the cops say?)

>Insurance will buy you a new bike. Even if it doesn't, a new bike
>is a small price to pay for your life/health.

Yes, no bike is worth my life. But I'm going to have to be convinced
that I'll lose my life before I give up to some slime bag.

>However, if I were armed, the moment he turned his head I'd put one
>(or more) through it. Then I'd have to make some decisions about
>waiting for the cops. Odds are, I'd just leave him bleeding there,
>possibly with a stipe of rubber over his worthless hide.

If you really try this, go for the chest shot(s). The target's bigger,
and it's just as deadly.

>As a programmer, I would consider that to be the elegant solution.

No, elegant would be my Rottweiler standing on the slime bag's chest,
drooling in his face while I was able to call 911.


*********************************************************************
'86 Concours.....Sophisticated Lady            Tom Dietrich             
'72 1000cc Sportster.....'Ol Sport               DoD # 055
^^^^^^^^^^^It *LIVES*^^^^^^^^^^^^^              AMA #524245
                                    Cool as a rule, but sometimes....
Two Jousts and a Gather, *BIG fun!*            (H. Lewis)
e-mail txd@Able.MKT.3Com.COM                   Ma Bell (408) 738-8301
Disclaimer: 3Com takes no responsibility for opinions preceding this.

*********************************************************************
Xref: sparky ba.motorcycles:1568 rec.motorcycles:45340