Street Survival

[CharlesHarris]

[Pete Grey]

In a recent post Midnitemo said “if you fight you might loose, if you don’t fight you WILL loose”.
Therefore if we are attacked we really have no choice.

[MaryN]

Rather stating the obvious (of which I have a fairly firm grasp), the best way is not to put yourself in a position where you are in danger. I can never understand why woman walk around alone at night in places that are definitely iffy. My OH would probably restrain me if I indicated I was going out walkies on my own at night. I've done the self-defence bit, but I wouldn't risk it.

[Mortblanc]

As the crime rate rises one will find their ability to avoid dangerous situations comes to a stop.

When each and every stop light becomes a crime scene and possible site for a "smash and grab" robbery or a car hijacking, every parking lot a possible site for strong armed robbery or stalking ground for rapists, and every gathering or people a possible site for a group robbery, and even your own home the possible target for invasion, brutality and injury, then there is no way to not place oneself in harms way.

Over here in the States our liberal and forward thinking local governments decided to "revitalize" one of the worst areas in our urban zone by building a series of hospital complexes in the center of the urban ghetto. Now there is a University medical school and a half dozen of the best hospitals in our nation located smack in the center of one of the most dangerous square miles of the U.S. and mass.

The street corners are claimed as possession of drug dealers and the underground and high rise parking facilities are the stalking ground of their patrons and clients. In order to receive some of my specialty care I am required to negotiate this area, and it is as dangerous as any place in Iraq, Afghanistan or the beach at Normandy and I prepare for the trips much as I did for a patrol in Viet Namn.

Besides locking my car doors I also refuse to stop at stop lights, unless there is a police car at that intersection, and make myself a target. I park as close to the elevators in the car park as I can and I am armed as I walk to the hospital entrance. I then blatantly lie when answering the question "do you own any firearms" on the medical form. No I do not own any firearms, that bulge in my pants is just because I am happy to see you! My ownership of firearms is not a concern my eye surgeon should be required to contemplate.

As I get older my options for avoidance are also reduced. I can no longer count on outrunning anyone and my brittle bones will no longer endure a bit of physical abuse. I am too old to take a beating and too old to effectively physically defend myself using any martial art known to man.

Fortunately my government has made arrangements for me to survive even in these situations and I can simply shoot the sons of b!&che$.

[LAC]

Fortunately my government has made arrangements for me to survive even in these situations and I can simply shoot the sons of b!&che$.

Good on you old man, good on you, wish we could!

[Mortblanc]

Oh you can too!

You just have not decided you want too, yet.

You have simply not decided that you are more afraid of dying at the hands of criminals than you are of your government.

[LAC]

Very true sir very true. Bet it's Louisville?

When journeying in deepest darkest Africa I have been tooled up. The law is grey in the area of weapons for self defence but there is a kind of blind eyed turned by the authorities because of the potential dangers from criminals. That's not ideal either but at least you don't have the double fear of criminals and being viewed as one yourself for protecting yourself.