TACTICAL ? Run or Fight!

Hi OneHandClapping,

I gave your list of "carry-me" items a glance and immediately arrived at the conclusion that you sound like a one-man army.

If I ever visit USA, I want you to walk right next to me because I know I will be safe.

If we walk right smack into troubled waters, and you are a little slow with the gun, I can borrow that your Spyderco Civilian or one of your Balisongs to scare that monkey away.

My skills with a blade, any blade, are highly suspect. But my voice when raised several octaves has been known to frighten neighbourhood cats to scuttle several hundred metres.

------------------
Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
There are alot of misconceptions about Martial Arts and Self-Defense.

"You have to be an Expert to use this length blade...or hold it this way or do this or that."

The number one thing, especially with edged weapons, is determination.

About a month ago, a young man, in his early twenties if I remember correctly, tried to force his way into his estranged girlfriend's house.

She stabbed him one time, and he fell dead. That's it, cancel Christmas, no seeing the Grinch movie this month...

Some will counter, "Lucky shot!" Maybe so, the fact remains, there are alot of lucky shots.

Especially when teaching women, you must make absolutely sure that they have the resolve to use the knife and not merely threaten with it. It is the same as a gun in this respect. Bluffing will get you an ass kicking like you have never had or you will find yourself disarmed and eating your own steel...or lead. If the thought of blood is upsetting them, they had best stick with O.C. Pepper Spray because guns and knives produce alot of it. It freaks some people out.

The running away thing is sound advice, if you can do it.

What are you dealing with in the attack?

I can tell you one thing, if you are dealing with a real predator, you have more or less just flagged yourself for being chased down and killed.
 
Having grew up around law enforcement and having many friends in the law enforcement field I have heard this many times, the three rules when confronted buy a knife wielding assailiant RUN RUN RUN. I think I would have to follow this if I wasnt armed. As I ussually carry a 9mm concealed I think Id run and if the a$$hole followed I pull and shoot. But who can actually say what will occur until you are really confronted with such a situation.

Arthur D. Washburn
ADW Custom Knives


 
I agree with Golok that different countries have different laws that will determind the sort of "Ugly" situations. But, i believe when one person is put in a very tight situation with no where to turn, the ONLY option is to fight your way out.....with strong determination. I've seen quiet and "whimpy" like man burst into rage when pushed to the limit, taking down whatever that is in front of him. And if i may add, no one is a coward running away from such occassion because most of the time, it is running away that will ensure your survival. Like Golok, i've seen triad "Ta-chai" (appointed hit-man) from my old neighbourhood, not a good sight and one stare too long will get you into trouble. I'm not expert with "tactical" knives but when forced to use it, why not? Calling bluf will get you kill if you're not prepared to use it, what's worse is that the attacker will stick YOU with YOUR own steel. I'll never whip it out to scare them away but to lure them close enough for a surprise stab to the throat. Easier said then done but i want to be the one going home for Moma's hot meals.

Eric.
 
Go back & read Golok's & O.K.G's posts at
the very beginning.Also Anthony Cheeseboro's
post above.Those are the ONLY answers.
Remember the Indiana Jones movie when the
bad guy pulls a sword & does his fancy moves;
Harrison Ford just shrugs,takes out his gun
& shoots him.
Avoid bad people & places & use the best
weapon of all-your brain.
Sky
 
Thanks Jim for recommending that article in thefiringline.

I have read it and it is indeed an eye-opener.

No doubt it will serve as an excellent reminder to all of us that on some fateful day if we should encounter such a situation, we should stay calm, collect our thoughts and deal with the problem in the most expedient manner so as to stay alive at the end of it all.

Hopefully, nobody gets killed in the process. Actually I don't even like the idea of the culprit getting hurt.

A win-win situation would be nobody gets hurt and all concerned learns a lesson. Unfortunately, most of the time, it doesn't work out that way.

But we go on trying nevertheless.




------------------
Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
Sky,

I've been following this tread since the begining and i'm sure i know what i'm talking about. It's NAIVE of humans and often the mistake to think that "IF YOU STAY OUT OF HARMS WAY, IT WOULDN'T COME TO YOU..."! Like Golok said: HOGWASH!....think about it when high schools where once peaceful apart from being bullied by that fat boy sitting next to you are now filled with kids carrying guns and 3rd grader stabbers. Why?...i thought those are safe heavens?.....People are often ignorant when they perceive places that are peaceful are not dangerous.....There's a case here in Malaysia whereby commuters where traveling on a public transport like evey other day when a "amok" man suddenly boarded the bus and started slashing eveyone whith a parang. Don't think my 4" "tactical" folder would be any use if i'm there but just to illustrate a point here that a normal day just happen to turn bad in a blink of an eye. If brain is the topic here, why are people STUPID enough to kill each other in the first place?...... I'm merely suggesting the term "Desperate situations calls for desperate Measures", I don't mean by killing but enough to walk away from it. Read my first post....i prefer to run! I'm pretty good at it!

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 12-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 12-05-2000).]
 
To Keninshiro: I have never said--or lived--with blinders on to the inhumanity to man. As I stated early, I walk in 'condition yellow,' which means cautiously and realistically. I have also learned that 'ambushes' are well telegraphed because, and there's no polite way to put this, thugs are stupid. We tell a story here about two guys being chased by a bear. One guy stops to change into track shoes. The other says, "Will that save you?" and the first guy responds, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you!" I cannot, and should save the world because I'm not a sworn officer; truth be told, a lot of the world needs to be burned down, anyway. But I can make good choices and look out for friends and family. Yes, I carry a Microtech LCC everyday, and even 'dead eyes' is going to get his colon shortened. But a successful life is an overall strategy, not a hardware solution.--OKG
 
To OKG - Well said!! I couldn't agree more that one should always walk in "condition yellow". When i go to nearby store for bread, i always make sure that my foot steps 'thumbs' are only sound down the alley. The "tactical" folder i carry is just a mere confident "booster" and, occassionally....a piece of hardware to show off to friends. Using your brain will and certainly ensure your survival in tight situations, the knife is a tool which a brick you found on the floor will do just the same in stoping the attacker.

With all due respect, treads like these often sound like sour grapes. Can't afford a well made "tactical" folder?....condamn it! Can't afford a Ferrari?....condamn it! Can't afford a good life? Blame God for not giving you a fair opportunity at it!.....PLEASE for heaven's sake! Work hard to buy one, you may just like it!(Bare in mind that i have a mom to take care of, a house and a car to pay off and NO dad to fall back on when i'm in trouble because he is no longer around, just incase folks out there think i had it easy) And this always reminds me of Sam's philosophy of "How bad do you want it" or "....people like knives but they just aren't serious enough to shell out money to buy good knives..."

I'm done here. The conclusion is owning a "tactical" knife does not make you a fighter guru nor owning a Ferrari will make you a race car driver, But when it comes to protecting myself and love ones....i'll use WHATEVER force necessary. Whether the 4" "tactical" knife will make a different or not.....only time will tell....only time will tell.....

Eric.

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 12-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 12-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 12-06-2000).]
 
It can be said that Discretion is the better part of valor. A potential assailant will usually give some behavioral clue that things are not right in River City.

You must be alert to pick up those clues and react to the potential threat. In order for a threat to be present; an assailant must have the ability to hurt you, the opportunity to hurt you, must be displaying questionable behaviors or demeanor to trigger your fight or flight receptors, and you must feel jeopardy.

Conflict avoidance is usually possible when you have perceived such a threat. Being alert to danger, walking confidently, and behaving yourself like you are no "easy target" is in most instances sufficient to signal to a potential attacker that they should look for another victim.

In many states, the average citizen is required to retreat if they can do so in complete safety to themself and others. Using physical force or deadly physical force may only be used to defend yourself or a third party when safe retreat isn't possible.

If forced to defend yourself or another, you must be willing to escalate the force you use as necessary to achieve your desired outcome. There is no second place winner.
 
This is a very interesting thread. My view is that you should always run. Even if pulling your knife presents a 90% chance you will win a fight and keep your wallet, never forget it is your life you are putting on the line and worth far more.

On the other hand, I could see myself doing anything necessary if someone attacked my wife or daughter with an intent to harm them (like in remster135's case - great story). Then they would get my best shot at dicing them into little pieces.
 
You are quite right, SgtMike. The security people have brought to the attention of the public that muggers and robbers can detect a potential victim from the way a person walks and carries himself or herself.

In other words, your persona will give you away. Other commonsense things involve NOT walking in darkened lanes or streets and crossing over to the other side of the road immediately on spotting a stranger on your trail.

Normally these people work in teams of two or three or more. An alert person would walk into a crowded place and stay there until "the evil wind blows over."

Several of my friends who project an aura of vulnerability have been mugged several times in crowded malls. They somehow "attract" the muggers. Perhaps behavourial scientists can explain this phenomenon further.


------------------
Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
As one who has been in my share of scrapes as a younger man, and one who has both fought and run, I can tell you running is the least painful option for all involved. However, there have been times when running was not an option. In those cases, I have always tried to "reason" with potential harm doers by urging them to do a quick cost/benefit analysis. Most times this has proven sucessful and violence was avoided.
 
Brain, skill, weapon.

in that order. I used to tell people to toss a mugger their wallet and escape with their lives. No longer does complying with a mugger mean you'll get out with your skin intact. Would you really give your wallet to someone that you if youwere not affraid of seriously bodily harm or death? Hell, most people will tell you that it is "life saving advice.

Most muggers are not street fighters, they are people who are seeking an advantage. They are ambushers. They prey on those that they percieve as unalert or unprepaired. They look for people who won't fight, because they don't want to get hurt. Their skill level is not an issue. Most of them that I have arrested have no real skills, they rely on intimidation and a berserker type attack IF they decide to continue through a challenge.

Like Old Knife Guy, you get to be an old knife guy by hightailing it when you can, and mounting an all out blitzkrieg with everthing you have at your disposal when that doesn't work.

I have learned the hard way not to rely on stopping someone with a show of force. The time an ex-con looked at the muzzle of my .40 and laughed taught me alot. I was a rookie that saw it as common sense that you don't argue with a blaster. The yo-yo was subdued without injury and I learned a valuable lesson.

If I have to rely on my stuff to do the job, someone will call it an d I will be in for a fight. I have to rely on myself and my will to fight/run and all else is supplimental.

Old Knife Guy is right... That black subdued Special Forces Special Killer Superillium Alloy Matter Separator will not protect you. Your outcome of a situation (in some of them you literally have the "rest of your life to solve) will come from your decision making skills and your will, not the latest knife that has had the word "tactical" to describe it by a marketer.

Hell, the only time I have used my AFCK to protect myself it has been used as a yawara, it was never opened!!

If I could find that quote I would. There is no use in defense, the sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than both. The brain is the final weapon.

pat
 
If you can escape, escape. Of course. If you can't escape, fight, or surrender to your fate. If you are going to fight, do whatever you have to do to overcome the violence used against you.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top