Street Self Defense

dogfighter

dogfighter

Irish Prick
May 21, 2007
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Rain City
I ride the bus in the morning with a neighbor of mine who is in his late 20's and not a small guy. This morning, he tells me that some crazy guy blocked his path trying to get home last night and spit in his face for no reason with a lot of "what are you gonna do about it??" shit.

It wasn't someone he knew, and the guy followed him into a Wendy's where a retired cop threatened to mace him if he didn't leave. The whole scene played out for like 15-20 minutes.

There's a lot of bums, junkies and all-around crazies in these parts. My neighbor was smart enough to not try and fight some guy who could have easily had a knife or AIDS or something, so he walked away which was absolutely the right thing to do. If he'd been punched or otherwise attacked, it would not have ended well for the other guy.

Carrying pepper spray seems like a battered-womens shelter strategy, and carrying a knife is retarded unless you're really prepared to catch a charge over some guy who spat on you.

This is a concealed carry state, but again... shoot someone on a city street for spitting on you and see what happens. I used to carry a small ball-hammer in the inside pocket of my coat, but never had to use it. I don't often run into problems because I too am not a small guy. But a situation like what he described would have found anyone who was walking down that street.

So what are some viable options for personal protection?

In b4 "learn BJJ" and "kick his ass Sea Bass!". Not every adult with a life and a family and a job and things to lose wants to end up in the police blotter or jail. The courts in real life don't work like they do on Law & Order so let's just skip the tough guy brawler talk and get practical.
 


Well MMAs don't just teach you how to kick someone's ass, they also teach you how to restrain someone and defend yourself from an attack. So that is one option.
 
i doubt you'd have to shoot him. Just pulling out a .45 magnum alone is enough to make most people kiss your feet. If he doesn't start firing at his feet and make him dance for a bit. Fuck, record it and upload to youtube = profit
 
Get like a "civilian" styled tazer gun. Like one of these:

images


I don't know about over there, but they sell them all over the place here.
 
Krav Maga is realistic for street fighting situations, and you can become "proficient" in a few months. At least, enough so that you would know how to apply non-lethal force for a lot of different situations, and get used to knowing how to throw a punch/elbow/kick.

I think that's the best way to really learn self defense unless you plan to carry a weapon with you at all times.
 
dogfighter said:
So what are some viable options for personal protection?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you already know the answer (carry a firearm, and only use it when truly at risk).

I would not want to be friends with a person who reacts with violence at the drop of a hat ("Bring it on, bitch!"). But I might befriend a man who has the ability and knowledge to kill, the will to do so if necessary, and the intelligence and self-control to temper his emotions, ego, and tongue.

Along those lines...

The Truth about Violence : 3 Principles of Self-Defense : Sam Harris
 
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ryanjm said:
Krav Maga is realistic for street fighting situations, and you can become "proficient" in a few months. At least, enough so that you would know how to apply non-lethal force for a lot of different situations, and get used to knowing how to throw a punch/elbow/kick.

I think that's the best way to really learn self defense unless you plan to carry a weapon with you at all times.
Click to expand...

Is that something you study? My only exposure to it was what I saw on some TV show and I think they were too obsessed with showing that a woman can be tough to actually represent Krav Maga appropriately. Always been curious about it though and I wrecked my MCL in college so BJJ is out anyway. I box, but again, that's going to count against me if I end up in court and even moreso if some HIV petri dish spits blood in my face.
 
JakeStratham said:
Sounds like you already know the answer (carry a firearm, and only use it when truly at risk).

I would not want to be friends with a person who reacts with violence at the drop of a hat ("Bring it on, bitch!"). But I might befriend a man who has the ability and knowledge to kill, the will to do so if necessary, and the intelligence and self-control to temper his emotions, ego, and tongue.

Along those lines...

The Truth about Violence : 3 Principles of Self-Defense : Sam Harris
Click to expand...

"Self-defense is not about winning fights with aggressive men who probably have less to lose than you do."

excellent. +rep
 
So carry a firearm. Pull it out, if he bails, your self defense situation has been taken care of. If he launches an attack, you just blast him. When the police arrives, you say that you were in fear for your life and wont discuss the situation further.

You dont want a firearm. Thing is, any other kind of weapon is easily just as deadly. Knife someone in the torso, tell me about the chances you dont hit a major organ. Slim. You crack his skull open with a blunt weapon. Just as dead as shooting him.

Krav Maga is not a "martial art" in the traditional sense. Its self defense technique that may or may not be good. Disarming some hobo might not be hard. Do you trust yourself to do that when someone pulls a knife on you? What if hes more skilled than you thought? Do you really want to fight someone hand to hand whos aids you tried to avoid just seconds ago?

Get a firearm if youre allowed to carry one. Just dont talk to the police should you be stupid enough to actually use it.
 
wayn3 said:
So carry a firearm. Pull it out, if he bails, your self defense situation has been taken care of. If he launches an attack, you just blast him. When the police arrives, you say that you were in fear for your life and wont discuss the situation further.

You dont want a firearm. Thing is, any other kind of weapon is easily just as deadly. Knife someone in the torso, tell me about the chances you dont hit a major organ. Slim. You crack his skull open with a blunt weapon. Just as dead as shooting him.

Krav Maga is not a "martial art" in the traditional sense. Its self defense technique that may or may not be good. Disarming some hobo might not be hard. Do you trust yourself to do that when someone pulls a knife on you? What if hes more skilled than you thought? Do you really want to fight someone hand to hand whos aids you tried to avoid just seconds ago?

Get a firearm if youre allowed to carry one. Just dont talk to the police should you be stupid enough to actually use it.
Click to expand...

Please read this: The Truth about Violence : 3 Principles of Self-Defense : Sam Harris
 
Make more money (to afford to never go on the bus), avoid poor people, buy a gun.

Former Krav Maga practitioner here (now I just do BJJ/Muay Thai).

When I think about conflict I have one train of thought.

1. Neutralize and escape all threats as soon as possible.
[EDIT: the preferred thing is to escape without conflict whenever possible]
2. If escape isn't possible then be prepared to take a life.

I only see myself having to shoot someone if they're in my home or I'm at gunpoint/knifepoint.

Self defense is less about defense as it is about awareness. The only people who actually FIGHT in the street are idiots.
 
LOL hey I prefer the bus :) I have a car but I enjoy riding the bus a lot more than I enjoy driving and it actually saves me a shitload of time-in-transit because of the bus only lanes. Besides, 80% of my commuting is done outside of downtown, which is the only place there is a "ride free area". That's where you get the hobos and other assorted degenerates. Had like two stabbings and a shooting at my downtown bus stop last year but the cops here are fucking useless.
 
dogfighter said:
LOL hey I prefer the bus :) I have a car but I enjoy riding the bus a lot more than I enjoy driving and it actually saves me a shitload of time-in-transit because of the bus only lanes. Besides, 80% of my commuting is done outside of downtown, which is the only place there is a "ride free area". That's where you get the hobos and other assorted degenerates. Had like two stabbings and a shooting at my downtown bus stop last year but the cops here are fucking useless.
Click to expand...

Enjoys taking the bus
Has a nine to five job
Lives in New Jersey (and it's probably not Morris or Somerset County)

Serious question: How are you a member of a forum like this and still so complacent?
 
danke said:
Enjoys taking the bus
Has a nine to five job
Lives in New Jersey (and it's probably not Morris or Somerset County)

Serious question: How are you a member of a forum like this and still so complacent?
Click to expand...

Essex county, and I actually recently moved to Seattle which is where this harrowing tale takes place. And fuck Morris/Somerset.

And I'm not complacent, I've just had it enough ways (affiliate, small business owner, freelancer, employee, unemployed, loaded, busted, etc) to have figured out what I like best, and I'm fortunate enough to be doing it now :) Even down to the bus thing... I know it won't make sense to a lot of people but my entire day goes SO much better when I don't have to drive. I've been known to just ride it with no destination just for fun. I live very modestly because I just prefer it that way. For all the money I've spent on cars and clothes and consumer electronics, I'm MUCH happier living with less and just banking or investing the money. Spending money is fun, but you know what's even better? Not feeling like you need to.

edit: thanks for the reminder that I need to update my location too.
 
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dogfighter said:
Essex county, and I actually recently moved to Seattle which is where this harrowing tale takes place. And fuck Morris/Somerset.

And I'm not complacent, I've just had it enough ways (affiliate, small business owner, freelancer, employee, etc) to have figured out what I like best and I'm fortunate enough to be doing it now :)
Click to expand...

Good for you then.

I don't think you can carry a firearm on the bus though. If you like the bus you'll just have to deal with it. Two rolls of quarters in pantyhose can go a long way as a concealable, legal blunt force weapon. Seriously.
 
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