Self Defense

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About the most dangerous thing I do is hiking, and I don't even consider that dangerous in terms of human encounters, but there are some wildlife I steer clear of.

So if you see a bear... you say "excuse me mr bear" and walk around it?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I don't ever have cash on me and have written my card numbers down, so unless they want to kill me for the fun of it I don't really get that bothered by seedy characters. And I only see such characters on BART sometimes because my line goes to Richmond.

[Peikko 1,575]

So if you see a bear... you say "excuse me mr bear" and walk around it?

No bears here but yes, if I see a snake I avoid it, I don't go and poke it with a stick

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Avoidance? That would be not being able to do things that I would normally do because I consider it a problem. I said that I simply don't encounter anything I consider dangerous while going about my normal day to day life. About the most dangerous thing I do is hiking, and I don't even consider that dangerous in terms of human encounters, but there are some wildlife I steer clear of.

That's cool. I just find it hard to believe that in your everyday life, you've never found yourself walking from your car at night, in a poorly lit parking lot, or taking a stair well all by yourself with no else around.

[Peikko 1,575]

Mind you, my friend nearly trod on one...

[TwoCats 55]

When I was younger I had some martial arts training (seven years or so actually). But after being away from actively practicing for over ten years and being terribly out of shape, I don't know that what I learned would really be all that helpful. I'm not exactly going to break out my sad attempts at doing martial arts in a dangerous situation.

A lot of times I used to help the teacher with the beginner course, which was mostly women, teenagers, and a few younger children and was built around learning techniques to avoid being abducted/raped etc. It was more built around a 'fight back and make noise' system, rather than being passive and hoping to survive. So he taught a lot about how to fight back from various types of holds, areas to target to cause the most pain.

While I still kind of have that in the back of my mind, I have no idea if I'd be able to readily call on it if a situation came up. Mostly, I just stay out of the more dangerous areas when I can help it. Stay in brightly-lit areas where there are people. I try not to walk alone at night and if I have to and feel at all threatened, I make a fist in my jacket pocket with my keys between each finger (don't recall where I picked that up from).

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That's cool. I just find it hard to believe that in your everyday life, you've never found yourself walking from your car at night, in a poorly lit parking lot, or taking a stair well all by yourself with no else around.

She strikes me as someone who lives in a cozy little upper middle class yuppie bubble. Nothing wrong that, of course.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't ever have cash on me and have written my card numbers down, so unless they want to kill me for the fun of it I don't really get that bothered by seedy characters. And I only see such characters on BART sometimes because my line goes to Richmond.

Actually, from what I've understood, it is better to have a little cash on hand in the case of mugger, so they won't just get pi$$ed and cap you off.

[Peikko 1,575]

That's cool. I just find it hard to believe that in your everyday life, you've never found yourself walking from your car at night, in a poorly lit parking lot, or taking a stair well all by yourself with no else around.

That in itself is not dangerous. The chances of being involved in a mugging in a normal city environment are pretty small, not worth fretting about, in my opinion. Now, were I to be involved in for example some kind of gang rehabilitation program, then I might reconsider.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

She strikes me as someone who lives in a cozy little upper middle class yuppie bubble. Nothing wrong that, of course.

Probably has her groceries delivered to her, which still is exposing herself to potential danger, especially if she's all alone and just got out of the shower when the delivery guy rings the bell.

Edited January 26, 2011 by 8TBVBN

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Probably has her groceries delivered to her, which still is exposing herself to potential danger, especially if she's all alone and just got out of the shower when the delivery guy rings the bell.

bum chika wow wow

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That in itself is not dangerous. The chances of being involved in a mugging in a normal city environment are pretty small, not worth fretting about, in my opinion. Now, were I to be involved in for example some kind of gang rehabilitation program, then I might reconsider.

Tell that to the countless women who've been sexually assaulted doing just those things, in areas they deemed as safe. There are no such thing as safe areas. Wolves seek and find out easy prey, like women walking to and from their cars at night.

Edited January 26, 2011 by 8TBVBN

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Tell that to the countless women who've been sexually assaulted doing just those things, in areas they deemed as safe. There are no such thing as safe areas. Wolves seek and find out easy prey, like women walking to and from their cars at night.

Who expects to be raped in their own home?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Who expects to be raped in their own home?

See....no where is safe.

[slim 1,514]

I don't do anything besides exercise common sense. I don't walk into the hood at night and when I drive through I drive through without looking at the homeys standing on the corners. Eye contact can be interpreted as "i'm a buyer" or "i'm a cop" or "i'm from a rival gang and i'm challenging your manhood".

Or it could be interpreted as "this dude is not scared of me so I'm going to wait until someone who is scared of me comes by."

No one knows any self-defense moves? You know, like flipping someone over for trying to shake your hand?

I know how to do that.

No stun guns? Jujitsu training? Do any of you actually go out in the real world, away from the comfort and protection of your computer screen?

Stun guns are about the dumbest "weapons" you can have. Jujitsu is OK but that Puerto Rican Judo is better. "Judo'n know if I got a gun."

I go out in the real world every day. I don't need hardware. I am the weapon.

Most VJ "tough guys" live nowhere near anyone or anything that might pose a threat. Wake me up when we hear from a new VJ "tough guy" who claims to be posting from the inner bowels of downtown Camden.

I don't live in Camden but if you'd like to come visit me I'd be glad to give you a tour of my neighborhood. If you want, we can walk without guns. Let me know how safe you feel.

walking from your car at night, in a poorly lit parking lot, or taking a stair well all by yourself with no else around.

Are you afraid of the dark?

'fight back and make noise' system, rather than being passive and hoping to survive.

Outstanding! Someone's actually familiar with self defense and doesn't base their tactics on "what they said on TV."

Another gem of self defense - RUN! Putting distance between you and an attacker is almost always effective.

it is better to have a little cash on hand in the case of mugger

Where'd you hear that, on TV?

The chances of being involved in a mugging in a normal city environment are pretty small, not worth fretting about, in my opinion.

But yet some posters on here claim the chances of being murdered with a gun are so high we should restrict freedoms. Which is it? Are we in danger or is the threat so small it's not worth worrying about?