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Handcuffed and Stuffed in a Car Trunk -- My Review of OnPoint Tactical's Urban Escape and Evasion Class, by Mr. Lima

Last Monday night I was seized by eight guys, handcuffed and locked in the trunk of a car. Now I don't know if you've ever been locked in the trunk of a car, but it's not exactly how most folks want to spend an hour!

Luckily this was part of OnPoint Tactical's Urban Escape and Evasion class and I wasn't actually getting "rolled up."

Earlier in the day we had spent a considerable amount of time learning how to free ourselves from handcuffs, flexicuff [plastic cable tie cuff]s, duct tape, rope and various other implements that impede personal freedom.

We learned also about stress and adrenaline levels in a survival or escape and evasion situation, and how to properly deal with and inoculate against these. We looked at caching ideas and prepared caches of 'travel documents' that had to be hidden in an urban area without detection by instructors seeking to find them or by the casual observer.

The information regarding how to set up a "briefing book" would be invaluable to any survivalist, no matter where he lived. We learned some "social engineering" methods that would help us acquire needed supplies from outsiders. We learned how to defeat various types of alarm systems, fences and dogs.

A long section of instruction was given on working with cutting implements as well as how to improvise various types of weapons. Here's where your comment from "Patriots" came to mind "Crude but effective."

A further module of study was on lock picking and we spent the better part of a day working on this skill set.

Can you imagine the ability to drive up to a utility right of way that is gated and locked, pick the lock, pull your vehicles through and then lock it behind you during a bug out? Sure you could cut the lock but all that means is more people would follow you. If you picked it and then replaced it, it would be a different story.

The class went over numerous other topics including "acquiring" vehicles in an emergency situation.

I'm a country boy by nature, but if I'm ever stuck in an urban environment when TSHTF, I'll be much more confident now with the skills I learned at this class. After all, a survivalist should be able to operate in a multitude of environments.

BTW, I've also attended OnPoint's classes on Tracking and SERE, and I'd very highly recommend these as well. - Mr. Lima

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