Getting an unwanted driver out of the car

Arianne said:

So I've got this scene where the MC is sitting in the passenger seat, and EG (Evil Guy) is driving. For reasons I won't go into MC needs to get EG out of the car (and keep in mind that the car is moving, driving down a small side street with no other traffic).

I wanted to have the MC shove the EG out through the driver's window. Is this possible? Would it require a lot of force? I'm picturing having the MC throw himself into the driver's seat after he does it and get the car under control.

Googling has only got me a bunch of stories where a passenger jumps out of a car rather than does something to a driver. (And for obvious reasons I'm not keen to try this in person)

And a related car question: if you pull the handbrake when someone is driving (slowly, probably something like 20 or 30 mph), what would happen? Would the car stop or skid wildly or what?

Thanks!!

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Unless the EG is, I'm not being facetious, a dwarf or something, I don't think that's physically possible.

The window is above the seat by such a margin, with the main weight of a person in the seat, that I just can't see someone getting the leverage to be able to do that, especially to a living person who'd react and resist. Even a body I don't think you could lever out of the driver's seat from the passenger without a serious amount of work. Think about also the legs are under the wheel, etc., etc. - all while the car is moving? Maybe someone will come along and say it'd work but got me as to how.

As to the latter question, in my experience, what happens if the brake is engaged while driving is zilch, save perhaps a squealy sound and a burny smell after a bit. You may go slower but given the number of times I've driven with one on, heh....

Arianne said:

MC needs to get EG out of the car (and keep in mind that the car is moving, driving down a small side street with no other traffic).

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What kind of car? Some Jeeps don't have doors, might be possible. Through a window isn't really. Is EG wearing a seatbelt? I think it's probably going to result in a fight and a mess. EG has the steering wheel to hold onto, to avoid getting pushed out, MC probably doesn't have much leverage from their side of the car. I would guess pushing them out would be more like manhandling them out, and in the process the steering wheel, brakes/gas/clutch(if it's that kind of car) is going to get involved, and the car will hit something, or stop, or both. What immediately comes to mind is the truck fight in Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Arc?), though driving position in a truck is more conducive to jumping/throwing out than a car.

Arianne said:

I'm picturing having the MC throw himself into the driver's seat after he does it and get the car under control.

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Have you ever tried getting out of the car via the opposite door?? When you've ended up parked too close to something to open the right door. It's a bit of a contortion act to get in/out of the driver's seat, worse if there's a gear stick. And that's with a stationary car. I'd be impressed if you could do that while the car is moving and not do Bad Things [tm] by using the steering wheel etc to lever yourself in/out. Also, without a foot on the gas, the car is going to stop.

Arianne said:

if you pull the handbrake when someone is driving (slowly, probably something like 20 or 30 mph), what would happen?

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It will slow down, the car won't thank you, handling will depend a bit on what you're doing with the steering wheel/accelerator at the same time, which is likely to be unhelpful if the driver isn't the one applying the handbrake.

Without knowing more details (MC vs EG size/build, reasons for being in the car and not wanting EG there any more, etc...), my first thought is that incapacitation of EG would be more plausible. Something that stops the car (probably crashing, but in a way that doesn't total the car) and lets MC run round and pull them out. Some cars have the keys on the passenger side of the steering column (for ease of conversion between left- and right-hand drive). MC could hoik the keys out of the slot/turn the engine off, and the stall/head-steeringwheel interaction could daze or knock out EG?

I don't think there's any way you can get a driver out of a moving car that is not cooperating. And even assuming the driver was knocked unconscious by the passenger I don't see a way to do it without loosing control of the car. You'd have to control the steering wheel, hold the door open, and push the driver out. And even assuming you are able to do that, there's the risk of the driver's feet getting stuck either under the pedals or under the dashboard (, and possibly on the steering wheel). AND you'd have to do everything from the driver loses consciousness with your foot on the gas pedal if you don't want the car to stop.

You can of course test the feasability of getting either an uncooperative or "uncounscious" driver out of the car yourself in a car that's standing still. If you get someone to film it you can see how much the steering wheel is effected by what you do, it wouldn't take much movement on the steering wheel for a moving car to go off course and crash.

Muppster said:

Without knowing more details (MC vs EG size/build, reasons for being in the car and not wanting EG there any more, etc...), my first thought is that incapacitation of EG would be more plausible. Something that stops the car (probably crashing, but in a way that doesn't total the car) and lets MC run round and pull them out. Some cars have the keys on the passenger side of the steering column (for ease of conversion between left- and right-hand drive). MC could hoik the keys out of the slot/turn the engine off, and the stall/head-steeringwheel interaction could daze or knock out EG?

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I second this suggestion. In the same vein, if there's a pen in the car, palm it, scream "pedestrian" and point to the left front, then jab the pen into EG's throat when he turns away. (This is assuming an American car. Reverse if needed.) If you need some ideas for a pen fight scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFnmq5PPScA

Muppster said:

MC could hoik the keys out of the slot/turn the engine off, and the stall/head-steeringwheel interaction could daze or knock out EG?

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Best way to stop the car IMO. MC could lean over EG, yank the keys out and the bring his/her head up in to the chin of EG. EG could even get a knee in while he/she was leaning over and the MC would push past the pain for the key grasp and reverse head butt.

MC could also lean over and elbow EG in the genitals , grasp the leg he is using on the accelerator under the knee joint and lift (or squeeze) to slow things down. Another elbow to the throat (right after its used on the groin which could be done quite quickly) and Id image EG would be dazed enough for MC to open his door and push him out.

*Edit* Elbow arm and leg grab arm are not the same


As other posters have said a lot of the mechanics of it will depend on the size of the MC/EG and the vehicle (I am thinking of this all occurring in a RHD Sedan and both being of similar size and strength).

Arianne said:

I'd thought of the MC heaving the EG sort of out of his seat and slamming him through the window

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Errr--no. Apparently you've missed all the Mythbuster episodes where they show that the tensile strength of car windows is extremely high. A body hitting them is not enough to really crack it, let alone shatter it (that usually takes something really fast and usually small, like a bullet). A head isn't going to do that. A fist may crack it, but it'll take more force to shatter to get through it.

Now, if the window was open, you don't have a problem, but I wouldn't buy someone being slammed through a closed one at all. Sorry.

Kaarl has quite an interesting fight-scene suggestion for you.

Depending on what you want, you might be able to go for something simpler, like the MC slamming the BG's head against the steering wheel once or several times, reaching over and opening the door while they are stunned, then the MC leans against their own door of the car and pushes the BG out by kicking them with both legs.

This would not be advisable or likely to work if the other guy was more skilled than the MC. The BG would have to be quite surprised or unskilled for the steering wheel move to work... some outside distraction would be useful for plausibility (almost runs over a kid crossing the street, and is distracted by that). They'd also have to be stunned enough for the MC to reach over and open the car door.

If the BG is less experienced than the MC, you shouldn't have too much of a problem making this plausible. If the BG is notably more experienced... you'd probably want some luck or outside factors to work in the MC's favour.


One thing I'd like to mention, is in some situations it'd make more sense to kill the BG before pushing the body out of the car. I assume you don't want them killed and dumped, so I've suggested the fastest method I can think of for getting them out of a car.
Just noticed your later post, with more details about the situation. Yeah... you don't really want to kill car-jackers--too much paperwork.

One thing that would change the dynamics of this a lot, is if the carjacker has a gun or a knife.

Element of surprise = MC points across EG (at EG's chest height) and says "Look out !" from there, bringing MC's elbow to the promised land of nature's equaliser (aka the genitals) would take a split second.

Hope that helps

If he has a knife or gun, you'll want some way the MC can be sure they aren't getting themselves killed.

The BG might make a sudden stop to avoid hitting something, drop their weapon and smash chest-first into the steering wheel, for example. Alternatively, you could, if the MC is skilled enough, have them grab the weapon hand, yank it so its stretched toward the MC's side of the car and the BG is unbalanced. Then, immediately mash his head against stuff as if you were playing NES Olympics.


I wouldn't recommend starting with an attack to the groin, or a simple bluff, from a practical perspective. If pain is going to slow or stop your foe, severe head trauma should be sufficient. If it isn't, then head trauma will still stun them.

Arianne said:

MC and EG are of similar build and strength levels. I'd thought of the MC heaving the EG sort of out of his seat and slamming him through the window--this would make the car stop as EG is no longer stepping on the gas so the car would be less likely to crash into things. (But I get that the steering wheel would be in the way, and probably EG would hit MC as well.)

Basically the situation they're in is EG is stealing MC's car, and MC is trying to stop EG stealing the car. Neither of them are wearing seat belts. The scene after the throw-EG-out-of-car scene shows the MC driving somewhere in the car, so the car can't be too damaged in the stop-EG-stealing-my-car process.

I'd thought that pulling the handbrake might make the car stop but apparently not

Don't know how feasible the pen-in-the-windpipe scenario would be, but I'm trying to see if I can work something like that in.

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It's not even the swerving; it's the physics of the thing. It's hard to move an adult who doesn't want to be moved; it requires a considerable amount of force applied in the correct places in the correct way. Think about something like arm wrestling.

Then think about sitting in, say, a movie theatre, suddenly turning and trying to lift and toss the person sitting in a seat next to you up over the person next to them. It's just not possible unless there's a huge size/strength dichotomy and even then it'd be complicated if they resisted (and there's the wheel, pedals, dash, to contend with). It's not that easy to move a dang toddler who really doesn't want to be moved and there usually is a huge size/strength differential; natural resistance methods work well.

As for the stopping short so the EG smashes into the steering wheel thing - the MC isn't belted either. Physics is physics. If one person is tossed around when the car stops short, so will the other be.

Attacking the EG may lead to the car accelerating if he had his foot on the gas and steps down. I think attacking him and trying to open the door is the only way I can see it working but think about the different contingencies.

You are writing fiction, so not everyy detail has to be correct and accurate.

A possibility might be to have the MC turn ignition off, lean farther and unlatch door, then MC pushes hard and slides the EG out.

Or, make the EG want to stop the car and get out.
Either vomit on the EG's front/lap or, if the MC has a lighter, set his shirt on fire. Yelling "Pedestrian!" and pointing should distract the EG for long enough to get the lighter to the side of his shirt, down near the waist, where he won't notice until it's too late.

"Stop, drop and roll, they teach us in school. So, he stopped, he dropped ... and I rolled!"

I agree with everyone else that just pushing someone through the window would be impossible (unless you were The Terminator).

(I re-read the OP and realized that my scenario below would only work if the Evil Guy was in the passenger seat),

How about having the passenger door damaged, therefore somewhat "open". By executing a sudden left turn, the passenger's body would naturally be thrust toward the door - pure physics - and his body would go flying out through the damaged/loose door.

Perhaps something was hit as the turn was executed, causing a sudden stop - the "flying" could be quite dramatic. For realism, the passenger would not have his seat belt on, but the driver would.

The emergency break will only put the car in skid to one side. I learned this in high school it will make the car skid but trashes the break line.

PFmonstar said:

The emergency break will only put the car in skid to one side. I learned this in high school it will make the car skid but trashes the break line.

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Just out of curiosity was this something you were told or something you experienced? Only asking because I've driven with the brake on in more than one type of car and it's never done anything but perhaps slow acceleration and cause the burny smell after a bit. Wondering if it's a different type of car or some other difference or if they were just warning you about something more extreme.

You can't take the keys out of most cars unless they're in park, either - the key physically won't come out of the slot. You can override this with a pinhole many models have in the gearshift/center console (the "stick a pencil in the hole" variety), but that's not something you can easily do in a fight.

wendymarlowe said:

You can't take the keys out of most cars unless they're in park, either - the key physically won't come out of the slot. You can override this with a pinhole many models have in the gearshift/center console (the "stick a pencil in the hole" variety), but that's not something you can easily do in a fight.

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Many new vehicles still allow you to do this (2010 Dodge Ram for example) and if the ignition tumblers are worn then Park or not they can be taken out of most models (but this is a fault , not by design). Perhaps an older model manual transmission would make this easier for people to swallow for the OP if that is the way they'd prefer to go.

What kind of car is this? And what exactly is the steal scenario?

How can EG be stealing MC's car if MC is in the car? Is MC just hanging about after parking his car or the like and sees EG get into the car? Did MC leave his keys in the ignition? Did EG drag MC out of the car..? Did...?

Anyway, if it's any kind of saloon car I go with the concensus here that pushing a driver out of the driver's window of a moving car is virtually impossible whether he is inapacitated or not.

Disabling him is your best bet - nice suggestion re the pen in neck.

If the car is just in the process of being stolen there's nothing wrong with a fight even though the car veers of the road - the thief is going to have difficulties controlling the vehicle if some guy is whacking him in the head.

You obviously don't drive.

Mr. Mask said:

I wouldn't recommend starting with an attack to the groin, or a simple bluff, from a practical perspective. If pain is going to slow or stop your foe, severe head trauma should be sufficient. If it isn't, then head trauma will still stun them.

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True, in so far as it is difficult to land correctly and easy to block in a stand up fight. There is a reason they are banned in martial arts, techniques are taught to avoid them and cups were invented. It hurts like hell, can be fatal and EG is damn sure going to feel it if it lands properly. Which I'm sure it will because the OP wants him out of MC's car

Arianne said:

And a related car question: if you pull the handbrake when someone is driving (slowly, probably something like 20 or 30 mph), what would happen? Would the car stop or skid wildly or what?

Thanks!!

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If you put the handbrake on in a 4WD while it's driving, don't you destroy the gearbox? I know you can't handbrake turn in a 4WD for this reason (the brake actually works through the gearbox).

wendymarlowe said:

You can't take the keys out of most cars unless they're in park, either - the key physically won't come out of the slot. You can override this with a pinhole many models have in the gearshift/center console (the "stick a pencil in the hole" variety), but that's not something you can easily do in a fight.

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That's true of our Saab (it has to be put into reverse to get the keys out), but it's the only car we've ever had which requires the car to be in a specific gear before the keys can be removed.

frimble3 said:

Either vomit on the EG's front/lap or, if the MC has a lighter, set his shirt on fire. Yelling "Pedestrian!" and pointing should distract the EG for long enough to get the lighter to the side of his shirt, down near the waist, where he won't notice until it's too late.

"Stop, drop and roll, they teach us in school. So, he stopped, he dropped ... and I rolled!"

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I really wouldn't suggest vomiting attacks. While that would startle them... they'd probably change from carjacker to murderer faster than dying in Super Meat Boy.

Setting them on fire would normally be a great idea. However, pulling it off without setting your car on fire could be difficult. I mean, throwing something flammable on someone and lighting them with a lighter isn't too hard, if they aren't expecting it (though you can inadvertently burn yourself)--but you're likely to get the chemical over your car as well.
Modern clothes are pretty flammable... but it isn't necessarily something you can light on fire with a match or a cigarette lighter without them noticing (there is also the risk they'll panic and stay in your car).

Kaarl said:

True, in so far as it is difficult to land correctly and easy to block in a stand up fight. There is a reason they are banned in martial arts, techniques are taught to avoid them and cups were invented. It hurts like hell, can be fatal and EG is damn sure going to feel it if it lands properly. Which I'm sure it will because the OP wants him out of MC's car

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Partially, I wonder if it is any easier, or perhaps harder to land while sitting in a car. To effect that strike with your elbow, you'd have to lean over and make your head and neck open to counter-attack. Grabbing the groin would be better for accuracy, damage, and etc., but I think controlling and harming the head would be better still (really hard to fight if you can't see your opponent). Particularly since forward motion should be easier while sitting in a car.

Groin attacks tend to be given a bit much credit. There are a large number of cases of people who functioned after even severe attacks to the groin. Unpleasant Example (read at your risk): One murderous fellow was struck with a crutch (which belonged to a crippled elderly man, no less), and then immediately ran away from the incident, escaping from the crippled man's house. After running at least a block, he collapsed in shock from the pain. Meanwhile, the cripple called the police, telling them he knocked an intruder's balls off. It was an exaggeration... only one testicle had been removed. When the police finally investigated the claim which sounded like a prank call, the man was taken to hospital, and amputation was necessary.

That is an example of a very severe injury, where the subject was very active for at least a minute or two.