Defensive weapon for a car

[tstand]

I'd like to get my wife a defensive item/weapon to keep in her car - maybe in the driver door pocket. It could be a knife or something else. Any recommendations? I am sorry if this is a lame question.

[PegLeg45]

At a minimum:

1) A good bright flashlight with a striking bezel on the end
2) A cutting/stabbing/slicing weapon
3) A striking weapon
4) A type of stalling/incapacitation weapon like gel mace/gel pepper spray gel-type to avoid it being blown back into her face)

and if legal:

5) A firearm.... with proper training, of course

Other folks, more learned than I, can offer more in-depth info.

[Rastus]

Not a lame question.  I think your choice depends on 1) your wife's attitude to use a weapon, 2) you wife's ability to use a weapon, 3) what kind of car does she drive and 4) should there really only be one weapon to rely on....and then there is the local law thing to ponder.  For instance, my wife lost a sister to a car-jacking 35 years ago so she has no problem with any level of self-defense.  She drives an old Excursion which allows for some additional interior room to consider for options.  The height of the vehicle puts the level of her attacker more at head level where the attacker is looking straight at her as opposed to downward in a car so he can't see so well what's below the window pointed through the door below the glass at his mid-torso.  In this instance she can have some safety of the glass being up making an edged weapon a secondary choice because it can't be used through the door...which will normally be the case for any vehicle short of a convertible/t-top I suppose. 

Ability...my wife just likes her Glock and Kahr so one's holstered between the seats and another she carries.  If I could talk her into it, the Glock would be replaced with a Taurus Judge with 410 shells in it because she's 6' tall and can handle the heavy Taurus...a slight woman may not be able to use the Judge effectively. 

Just my 2 cents.

EDIT:  You two should consider multiple forms of defense.  For instance, less lethal like pepper spray when lethal force is not called for.  What Tom said below.  Using the car as a weapon is possible is another form of defense that does not take a gun...just the right situation, etc., etc.

[tombogan03884]

I used to like a 1 1/4 inch combination wrench .
Box end made a good handle, open end made a good club, and no one looking ever saw a weapon, they saw a wrench.

[fightingquaker13]

My vote for the car is a .357 snubbie carried in the pockets on the door on the driver's side.. You can shoot through the door. 124 gr. jacketed HPs. Reach down and you have six rounds. Just my .02. Me I rely on my EDC GLOCK. A Judge is good, but it has to clear the window. That costs time. The .357, you can start shooting as soon as you touch it. The old cop shows that say a car door will stop a bullet? Wrong! Start at waist level and work upward.

[Sponsor]

[Strider]

Remember first that she is DRIVING a 3,000 pound bullet. So that may be the first line of defense. Other than a gun, all the others(except a Taser) are contact or near contact weapons. She might be better off with a high volume O.C canister if she is not willing to carry a pistol. If a pistol is acceptable, make sure to use a dedicated car holster or keep it "on body".

[Dakotaranger]

And if all else fails, You should stop at least so you can see where the tires of the car infront of you meet the ground, keep doors locked, windows up and forget about drawing floor it and use the car.  If I remember right Ed Head used that advice on the first season of Best Defense.  Remember a vehicle has about 11,000 times the potential force a .45 has

[Strider]

Great point about leaving some distance. Hell, I have no issues pushing another car out of the way to escape or running a bad guy over.

[tombogan03884]

What is the energy of a 3000 lb projectile at 50.5 ft/sec  (35MPH )

[PegLeg45]

What is the energy of a 3000 lb projectile at 50.5 ft/sec  (35MPH )

Enough to take a leg off.