Almost had to use my knife tonight...

F

Full Tang Clan

Joined
Jul 22, 2000
Messages
981
My neighbourhood has been under siege by break-ins, and gangs of punks doing drugs, vandalizing the neighborhood and other malicious activities. I've been calling 911, but the operators have brushed me off.

Tonight, I come home and see some suspicious activity going on in the alley and some punk comes out in a weird state of mind (he was on something), and acting very suspicious. I'm asking him what he's doing sneaking around. He then starts rambling like an idiot and starts walking closer. I tell him in a stern tone to back off, but he keeps walking closer. At this point, I put my hand on my Spyderco Native (like a cop would put his hand on his holster) but do not draw it out. I give him a second warning to not come any closer, but he ignores that and keeps slowly coming towards me. Finally, I interpret it as a sign of aggression so I pull out the knife and give it a wrist flick it to make it look authoritative. He finally backs off.

What's the point? None really, except that confrontations where I end up having to pull out a knife in defense (yes I was mentally prepared to hurt him if I had to) is not exciting like in the movies. It's just a sad reflection on society where I have no faith in the police to keep me and my neighbourhood safe.

Yes, I suppose the smart thing to do would have been to just go inside the house and call 911...again. And in retrospect, that's what I should have done. But, I came to that moment of desperation where I had had enough of the B.S. of an ineffective justice system, and urban decay and felt I had to stand my ground. It wasn't an adrenaline rush, and it was only fear (fear of losing control of my neighbourhood to street punks) that made me do what I did. In many ways, I was no better at that moment than these low lives I want out of my neighbourhood. Now I have to live with the consequences such as the possibility of retaliation; not just violent retaliation, but annoyances like vandalism against my property.

So just a warning to all the would be "Dirty Harrys" that think that this kind of thing is romantic like in the movies. It's not. It's just sad, so think twice before pulling a knife on anyone even if it's in defense.
 
Thank you for your post. It is a shame that the good guys have to worry about their actions and the bad guys don't.
Hopefully they will leave you alone.
-SB
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles, especially around your own home.

Can you move? If not you should seriously consider getting a shotgun.
 
I am in no way a bloodthirsty killer wannabe, and I harbor no illusions about harming another person being romantic, but I personally believe that every single person has a responsibility to protect themselves instead of relying on someone else to do it for them.

Further, if you are going to rely on someone else to protect you, I don't see that you have any case for complaining if they do not adequately do so, for whatever reason.

I take note of my surroundings and the people in my vicinity, I do all I can to avoid trouble and obviously unsavory areas/conditions, but when it's all said and done, it' MY life and it's my responsibility to preserve it, not someone else's.

Just my opinion....
 
I am glad you took a reasonable stand, protected yourself, and that things turned out alright.

However, isn't the standard method in your neck of the woods to just cower under your bed while the RCMP deal with this guy?

Just kidding. :D
 
full tang clan,I can relate wholeheartedly with what you are saying. I now live in New Mexico;10 years ago,I lived in N.Y.C.,I was very sick with multiple sclerosis;as a result I felt very vulnerable and carried a colt .45 with me. I had an occasion to pull it to avert a potential attack upon myself. After the incident,upon reflection,all I felt was saddened by the fact that I had to pull it.Yes,I was fully prepared to use it if I had to,but I didn't get some kind of rambo rush because I had it,pulled it and (thankfully) averted a potentially fatal situation. As you stated,that stuff is strictly Hollywood hype;but I was thankful that I had the Colt with me;who knows what would have happened if I didn't have a defensive weapon with me.
 
the 911 operators are paid to be on your side. I'd take the issue of their attitude with a duty supervisor who could deal with it quietly or go in andfile a formal complaint.Excuse the rant, but that aint right.
(added): p.s. a baseball bat is legal in all 50 states and canada.
take care,
guy
 
Originally posted by Ichabod Poser
...However, isn't the standard method in your neck of the woods to just cower under your bed while the RCMP deal with this guy?

Just kidding. :D
Click to expand...

I wish you were kidding. However, the Canadian justice system are antiquated by about 50 years. The view many Americans have that Canada is a sleepy little country is a mistake. We have international criminal activity, and real urban problems.

Here's something that will piss of Americans. On the show, THE VIEW (no jokes, I don't watch it regularly!) they were outraged that suspected terrorists had an underground passage to the U.S. through Canada. Why? Because Canada customs and immigrations does not do an adequate job of screening people. This also holds true for American criminals who come to Canada to hide out. My friend who used to work as a customs agent told me that just months after 9/11, that a suspected terrorist came to Canada. What could customs do? Nothing. It's not the fault of the customs officers. It's the fault of politicians who sit back and let this crap happen.

Unfortunately, our country is run by old guys in suits who live in ivory towers where the only problems they have to deal with is getting a good satellite TV signal, and making sure they secure their six figure pensions. :barf:
 
there is ongoing criticism of the Canadian immigration policies here on the nightly news programs. Is it true when they say that anyone can immigrate into Canada and claim refugee status and start collecting all kinds of gov't. subsidies and handouts. I tried to move to Quebec City about 15 years ago and they made it an impossibility to move.
 
Originally posted by mikemck
...Further, if you are going to rely on someone else to protect you, I don't see that you have any case for complaining if they do not adequately do so, for whatever reason...
Click to expand...

You have to understand, however, that customs and cultures are not the same everywhere. What is acceptable in Texas, isn't necessarily acceptable elsewhere.

I can't speak for Texas, but in Canada and in many areas of the U.S., citizens are expected to rely on the police to keep order. That's their job. Interference by public citizens is considered vigilantisim and the laws, what they are, could charge you with assault if they can show that there was some other option you could have taken to avoid a confrontation (e.g. walking away).

I know it isn't fair, it stinks, it gives control to the "bad guys", and worst of all, it makes you feel cowardly if you have to walk away. Unfortunately, those are the current parameters in many places. The law doesn't accomodate honor and pride as a reason to defend yourself.
 
Oddly enough the Supreme Court ruled a few years ago that Canadians have no "right to be safe" - this ruling is correct and as it should be. However, POLICE organizations constantly tell us not to "do anything" in the face of crime. IOW, take it and tell us later.

Crap.

We have full rights under Canadian criminal law to use force to defend ourselves and we should use it. We have full rights to arrest those we witness comitting crimes, and we should use that right too.

We spend far too much time following the "party line" of "your life isn't worth your wallet" or whatever. It's a load, always has been a load, and always will be a load.

Police are primarily there to mop up AFTER a crime, not prevent one. This is fine, and as it should be. But we need the assistance of Parliament and the courts to keep OURSELVES safe, and we need the police to use their powerful political voices to aid us in this matter.

Pierre
 
Full Tang: the more i study criminology, the more I felt that I need to move to the states. The fact that we have no right directly stated on the Charter of Rights make me feels like this is all BS.
 
Both posts (above) hit it right on target. I couldn't have stated it better. Just shows the level of frustration of people with the status-quo.
 
Full Tang said-I can't speak for Texas, but in Canada and in many areas of the U.S., citizens are expected to rely on the police to keep order. That's their job.

Boy am I gonna start one here but I gotta say it.
Police cannot protect anyone from anything.
They clean up afterwards. Thats sad but true. If it wasn't so, there wouldn't be as much crime as there is.
I know they do a fantastic job and put their lives on the line everyday they go to work but it's just a plain simple fact, they cannot stop someone from committing a crime and if you're on the recieving end of that crime, you better be prepared to defend yourself or be ready to face the consequences.
 
MikeMc, Bubbala & L6steel: PERFECTLY stated! Beautiful.

Full Tang: IMO, you should NEVER feel guilty or sorry for defending your life or your home. The cops sure can't and won't. (A vast majority of the time, at least)

drjones
 
MikeMc, Bubbala & L6steel: PERFECTLY stated! Beautiful.

Full Tang: IMO, you should NEVER feel guilty or sorry for defending your life or your home. The cops sure can't and won't. (A vast majority of the time, at least)

drjones
 
I want to clarify that I don't feel that the job of Police officers *is* to provide safety. Their job is law enforcement, that is arresting and collecting/preserving evidence needed to obtain convictions of criminals.

Any "protective" effect they have is gained by their presence in a particular area, and should be viewed as a side effect of their job and not their job at all.

What I don't like is the mouthpieces that the police associations (in specific the Vancouver Police mouthpieces) have chosen and the views these mouthpieces espouse. That's bullsh1t, IMO. We're being told to act like sheep, and not-so-surprisingly more and more of us are.

Pierre
 
I am glad you are all right. I am not going to adress what has already been discused, but will add my .02 on another issue. You flilcked your knife to open it and brandish it to the BG.

First of all, I do not think that flicking, in general, is the best way to open a knife. It increases the risk of losing the blade and offers no real advantage.

Second, I would not have brandished the blade to the slimeball. If he saw that and was not scared off he could have pulled a knife or gun of his own and used it against you citing in court that he was in fear of his life. Sure, if he used a gun on you he would probably be convicted of carrying an illegal weapon, but that does not have an effect on his getting off for "protecting himself". I think one should not show it off, but if the guy attacks or an attack is eminent use the knife before the BG has time to level his possible weapon against use. Using a knife to scare someone, even if you are indeed ready to follow through with the blade, is a bad idea, IMO.
 
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