A self defense story

Discussion in 'Self Defence' started by Morik, Aug 29, 2016.

  1. greg1075

    greg1075 Valued Member

    Agreed on trusting you instincts. However I’d dispute the risk % associated with the display of the knife. Two scenarios. Either the guy is a threat or he is not. If he is not, then there was going to be no confrontation regardless and the issue is moot. If he is a threat, there again 2 possibilities. Either he is deterred i.e. we have achieved a positive outcome, or the threat remains i.e. they were going to engage no matter what – but even then we still have a choice to use our weapon or not depending on additional factors. Still facing danger after the display is unlikely imo as most assailants do look for victims and not opponents. If he persists, he is either carrying a greater power/reach weapon, is UTI and/or not alone i.e. they were always going to engage regardless of us showing the knife or not. Still unlikely imo but again we can still attempt to deescalate by dropping the knife. The very initial engagement may be higher but we haven’t backed ourselves into a corner we can’t get out of.
     
  2. Giovanni

    Giovanni Well-Known Member Supporter

    morik: do you train, or have trained, in using an edged weapon?
     
  3. Morik

    Morik Well-Known Member Supporter MAP 2017 Gold Award

    I recently started training Jiu Jitsu (4 months or so ago) at a dojo that does teach both stick and knife fighting (though not till the 3rd belt level for starting knife work stuff, and I've just gotten my yellow belt, so a few more months before I start working on that).

    So no, at the time this happened I didn't have any edged weapon training (and still don't).
     
  4. aikiMac

    aikiMac aikido + boxing = very good Moderator Supporter

    :eek: I never thought about libraries that way! Though I've seldom stayed long in one; I get my stuff and leave. Dude! :eek:

    Anyway, what you said there is something I probably would have done. That reminds me of a train ride I took once with the kids. The car was largely empty. Me and the kids were in the chairs that face each other. A complete stranger, a man, chose to sit next to my daughter, opposite me. :eek: I stared at him and stared at him and stared at him and stared at him and then I told him to move. And he practically jumped out of the seat. Problem solved. We had a nice ride after that.

    Just assuming that I would have noticed the creepy guy in this scenario, I likely would have stopped walking, and turned around to look directly at him, and stare. And stare. And keep talking a little with my friend while watching the creepy guy. Because -- if he's going to move closer to me, I want to be facing him. And if he's just a normal guy out for a walk at night, hey, no harm done. All I did was stand on the sidewalk with my friend, talking. But if he's not cool, then I'm facing him now, and very alert.

    :dunno: Or maybe I would have just kept watching him through the corner of my eye. I don't know.
     
  5. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    How about the lesson you learn from this is to not go out late at night dressed like a little slut hm? Maybe then people wont follow you and try to commit atrocities to you!

    Wait . . . . . . that's not why this kind of thing happens. Wrong mode of thought, in more than one sense.

    One thing I didn't think I read in you situation was you alerting the person you're with. Two are stronger than one, and you can make a plan with the other person being aware. As you walked that person could have also looked for a rock or big stick to accompany your knife, or rather both of you find a big stick.

    Millions of options. This thread could literally live forever coming up with them.
     
  6. Morik

    Morik Well-Known Member Supporter MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Pretty sure I told her before I pulled the knife why I was going to do it, but I don't remember well enough to be certain.

    We were still on campus (walking from outskirts of central campus to the outskirts of the outer campus, where she had parked). While there may have been things lying around to use, I doubt there would have been much. (But I could definitely be wrong about that; next time I'm in a similar area, if I remember to, I'll look around and see what I think might be usable.)
     
  7. Ero-Sennin

    Ero-Sennin Well-Known Member Supporter

    Glad you told her. This entire time I've been wondering that. If I were walking with you and you randomly just pulled out a knife I would get a little stiff, nevermind being a woman walking with you in the dark : P

    There is ALWAYS something to use. Hell, a handful of dirt will get you somewhere. Trash can lids, gravel, path stones, bottle in the trash, etc.. To quote Marine Corps MCMAP: "One Mind, Any Weapon" . . . . RAAAWWWRRR

    Ok, I'm done after that because now I feel super lame.
     
  8. David Harrison

    David Harrison MAPper without portfolio

    Where the self-defence angle could come in is in tactics you can use to find out if you are being followed, how to lose a tail, or how to lure one into a kill zone (possibly on slightly shaky ground legally on that last one :p ).

    All these things, and everything really, are much easier if there's more than one of you. Even better if you've practiced them beforehand.
     

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