[Gariver]

Tuberoller:

You made a very good point: If a criminal knows you will fight back, he will NOT attack you! As you say, criminals will avoid you if you look like trouble to them. On the other hand, if you are fearful, a criminal is encouraged to attack. He reads that signal very well. I mean, fear gives you away as an easy victim!

In my previous post, I related how I smiled at my would be attacker and showed him my monopod baton on a NYC subway. I did not, however, explain his reaction. Well, here it is: At first he gave me an angry look. It was as if he was saying: "You are aware of my intentions, and I hate you for it." Big deal! A few seconds later, his face changed from hate to fear. So I'm sure he visualized in his mind what I could do to his head with my monopod baton. Finally, with fear still on his face, he walked away! BTW, I was ready for this punk. I did not have any fear on my face! On the contrary, I was smiling calmly.

What's the moral of this story? You must do something to handle your fear. If you don't, your fear is a signal that encourages an attack. What to do? Well, in my case, I've got my monopod baton. It sure works, and it surely diminishes my fear signal. Stun guns? Yes, they are also very good. One of these days, I will get a 70,000 volt mini stun gun also.

Good luck with all this info!

 

[Stevt]

Unless you have developed that warrior's mindset (the ability to act and react), weapons and learning to fight will not serve, First devlope the ability to recognize and avoid trouble. Police officers call it "Situational awareness". Mentally practice what you would do if trouble arises, they call that "crisis rehearsal". This will not only help you avoid trouble, but help you deal psychologically with violence directed at you or others.

 

[radrd]

Quote:

First devlope the ability to recognize and avoid trouble. Police officers call it "Situational awareness". Mentally practice what you would do if trouble arises, they call that "crisis rehearsal". This will not only help you avoid trouble, but help you deal psychologically with violence directed at you or others.

I'm an expert at this; I'm much more paranoid than most people.

 

[HD-5000]

Sorry to hear about that, Flasken.

If it is legal in your country, I recommend carrying a weapon whenever you can when traveling in shady areas. Why you ask go to such extremes? Because it almost guarantees once the attacker knows you have the weapon, he won't mess with you. It's as simple as that. I kow violence isn't the answer, but you must protect yourself first.

Carry a switchblade.

 

[jude]

Flasken, sorry to read about your situation.

Just be careful out there, keep your head up, and look into some local self-defense courses. If they're good, they'll teach you how to fight to escape if at all possible, and to fight to fight only if absolutely necessary.

Again, seek as much training as you can. Even when you're not looking for trouble, it can occasionally find you.

 

[Mumrik]

Quote:

Originally posted by Flasken I'm also considering carrying protection from now on... Do you think that's a good idea?

You know it isn't... Never carry a weapon unless you're an expert in using it.... like Gariver and his lethal camera accessories.


Quote:

Originally posted by Onix (...) How about a hair spray can? A small one can fit in a pocket and you just have to point it to the eyes of the atacker. Spay paint is even better, you just have to point the police to the guy with the purple face.

I think using something like that would end him up in jail or otherwise punished.



Flasken, If you're serious about learning to protect yourself AND provided you live near/in Copenhagen, I know a place that will teach you how to deal with an attacker no nonsense style (and how to stay out of harms way). They are rather hardcore there, I was pretty beaten up for a week or two after attending one class... some of the stuff these guys were praticing scared the **** out of me!

Let me know if you're interested... they have a homepage, with pictures videos and all.

Very little will change the golden rule though.... If you're alone and there is more than one attacker, you're ****ed. Run Forest! run!


If you're serious about self defense or something similar, go with your friend. Buy some cheap basic equipment (protect your hands and "jewelry") and practice... If it isn't second nature, it's pretty much useless when the time comes.


Out of curiousity: How big a guy are you? It, naturally, has immense influence on the risk of being attacked...




Oh, and guys... Gariver needs a custom title...

 

[pigmode]

What's with all these calls for weapons?!? I swaer, what bunch of whooses...

 

[myself, aka me]

nanchaku!

My friend has a small pair of collapsible metal ones, about 4 inch by 2 inch when collapsed. Another friend was held up by some dude with a knife (idiot

). Tried to get him to hand over his beer. So he's like "okay, hold on man", reaches into his bag, pulls out the nanchaku and waves 'em in front of the knife-dude. Knife-dude ran very quickly away from the friend! HA!

I can't help thinking i'm going to get my beats soon, even though I am paranoid..

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by myself, aka me My friend has a small pair of collapsible metal ones, about 4 inch by 2 inch when collapsed. Another friend was held up by some dude with a knife (idiot ). Tried to get him to hand over his beer. So he's like "okay, hold on man", reaches into his bag, pulls out the nanchaku and waves 'em in front of the knife-dude. Knife-dude ran very quickly away from the friend! HA!

Heh.. I'm not typically a violent person.. but if some guy was wielding a knife and let me reach into my bag.. I'd use them on the guy before he knew what hit him...

I mean, your friend could have gotten lucky. Some other knife-wielding fool may have (tried to) use the knife anyway...

 

[scrypt]

First of all, it's always possible that the people who come after you will *tell you* they're gay bashers for two reasons:

1. to humiliate you further and

2. to avoid the obvious gay implications of their wanting to touch *your* body (and wound it) for no reason.

Once when I was going into a 7-11 with a woman I'd just met, two cretinous-looking guys stopped talking and began staring at us. [Later, a]fter we'd gotten [back] into the woman's car and she was gunning the engine, the guys walked out and one of them said to me, "You're a faggot."

"Really," I said. "If I'm the one who's gay, then why am I driving off with a beautiful woman while *you're* out here trying to start a conversation with another man?"

Yes, it was funny, but those guys jumped in their car and chased us for several blocks. "Everything is a joke to you!" I recall the woman yelling as she ran a red light.

Seriously, Flasken. What happened to you is awful but builds character, only because every time something like that happens, you end up feeling less afraid and more compelled to strategize. Some people are so childish that they only back off when you respond by losing it and coming after them (not that I'm recommending that strategy!). Going after the would-be persecutor actually worked for me in New York a few months back. And I was shorter than he.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Sucks, Flasken.

Just want to concur with everyone else's advice -- if you decide to carry a weapon, please learn how to use it. I've heard too many horror stories of people being incapacitated by e.g. their own pepper spray.

Education (knowing when to fight and when to flight) and keeping your wits about you (avoiding dark alleys to begin with, if possible, for example) are your best weapons.

 

[Flasken]

Thanks guys.

Your responses have helped alot, it's nice to have someone you can always count on to help you out when things go bad.

I think I'll try to learn how to use my body as a weapon instead of buying one. I actually am a quite tall and aggressive type, I just don't have any experience with fist-fighting. Mumrik, I'm interested in that url, thanks. (it's been a long time)

Tuberoller,
That sounds pretty scary. I'm still in a small state of shock, but that's just because I didn't have a traumatic experience with fighting like you did. This would be peanuts if I had your history. I'm sorry you had to go through something like that. I like your advice to learn from the experience and use it to become a better person. I think keeping that thought in my mind will make the recuperating much easier.

 

[Flasken]

Damn.

Things just got three times worse.

This is pretty hard to say, but here goes:
Last night at the dinner table I was eating with my family, trying to watch tony blair's speech on the tv. I wasn't participating in my family's conversation, partly because I wanted to hear the speech and partly because I was feeling pretty bad mentally, shivering.

My dad found this behavior very provocative. He shouted at me very harshly and said something like "no wonder you get beat up" like it was supposed to be some sort of clever remark. I was very hurt. I mean, I'd been through hell and all I wanted was my parents support. I left the table and cried for half an hour (it's been 6 years or so and the passing of a few beloved family members since I've last cried.) Then I built up my courage, walked down to the living room, threw a glass of coke in my dads face and left. (I spent the night at my friend's) I don't know if this whole thing will make him react in any way. I hope so, or I'll just have to hate him for a very long time. I don't want to hate him, but he leaves me no choice.

 

[Gariver]

Flasken:

Yes, indeed! Things got worse for you! The best way to handle that situation is to stay away from your family for a while. Any contact? Sure, do it by phone or by writing a letter to them.

Mumrik:

I will NOT give up my camera equipment to the first idiot that comes along. Why? I've invested thousands of dollars in it! That's why I will fight to keep it! Is that so hard to understand? What's with you?

 

[Flasken]

Gariver,

I am home now, but my father doesn't know. I'll go to school in an hour (three hours late) and then I'll call my beloved brother and ask him if I can stay with him in his apartment for a few days.

We have a lot of reports for this week that MUST be made though... I'll have to figure out how to get those done.