Hey fellow Ninjas, I've recently started a new job as a doorman at a local pub, and I was wondering how many of you have had experience as security/door, and how your Ninjutsu has helped/impacted that. I'm lucky to work at a mellow pub, but I'm sure I'll eventually need to use my skills. Just thought I'd see who else has been where I am now. Kelly
OOh OOh!! Me! Me! I used to work as a bouncer/security for a couple of small hometown production companies. Worked Raves and weekend long concerts. Hardcore and thrash metal mostly. My experience, alcohol causes most problems. Raves were the best to work, very little alcohol at these. And people were more likely to be hungry, sleepy, mild hallucinations or "I love you, man". It's the rednecks that brought beer we had to watch out for. Also, the ones that "looked" most likely to cause trouble were the least likely. It's the average, plain looking ones that we had to watch out for. How did my training help? Better able to diffuse a situation by talking, understanding the person's emotional state. Very rarely had to rely on force and when I did, my taijutsu was always up to the task. It was quite fun. Made lots of friends and more business contacts. One guy offered me $800 for one day working the Freedom Fest in DC. Had to turn him down, couldn't get vacation frmo Saudi Arabia that year.
I worked security for roughly 8 years both in the private and public sectors here in New York City. I was able to quell many situations that could have gotten physical simply by playing the 'advocate' to a disgruntled patron; meaning I sympathized with their anger and sought to easiest way to remedy the situation without losing my authority as security. Now when things got ugly, I was able to settle the situation with no injury to myself and minimal to the idiot..oops I mean 'patron'. The key is being able to read body language and voice inflections to more or less determine how a situation may or may not turn out. However, there are no absolutes, so treat everyone with respect while asserting your authority in a nonintrusive manner. all things said and done, onikudaki works wonders at letting people see it your way.
